Iwama/Takemusu

Hi all!

I wondered if anyone could help me understand this a little better. I've searched the forum and the web, and it may be that my question is so simple to answer that I'm not seeing that there is really no question at all!

Firstly, are Iwama aikido and Takemusu aikido the same thing?
What is Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shurenkai? I understand it broke away from Aikikai. What does that mean practically? Is all Takemusu style part of Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shurenkai style?
I'm very sorry if these are silly questions.

Would anyone care to share their experiences and opinions of Iwama/Takemusu aikido?

I'm only now begining to realise the complex relationships between schools and styles and that within aikido there are a great many varied types. It isn't just aikido is aikido is aikido!

Jon

Jon Sheriff wrote: Firstly, are Iwama aikido and Takemusu aikido the same thing?

Yes and no. Takemusu aikido is simply spontaneus aikido, aikido done at a level where the practioner simply flows. However, many affiliations/networks with a linage to Morihiro Saito sensei has also implemented "Takemusu" in their name, for instance :
Takemusu Aikido Acc headed by Bill Witt 7 dan Aikikai.
Takemusu Aikido Kyokai headed by Ulf Evenås 6 dan and Paolo Corralini 6 dan Aikikai (More or less the same dojos that belonged to the Iwama Ryu network in Europe before Saito senseis passing)
I think that there is a french Iwama-style organisation that also have a "Takemusu" based name.
The common theme amongst these organisations are that they organise dojo and instructors that teaches aikido the way that M. Saito sensei did in Iwama, with practice broken down in several levels going from gotai/katai (hard, solid grabs) trough jutai (flexible soft practice) to ryutai (flowing practice) and kitai and with an emphasis on the connection (RIAI) to the aikiken and aikijo.

What is Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shurenkai? I understand it broke away from Aikikai. What does that mean practically?

Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shurenkai is an organisation created by Hitohiro Saito, son and successor after M.Saito as head instructor in the Iwama dojo. It basicly means that dojos that enter the organisation do not have any affiliation to Aikikai and that they get dan-ranking directly from H. Saito sensei instead.

Is all Takemusu style part of Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shurenkai style?

No. I would think that the majority of the Iwama style dojos still are affiliated to Aikikai through different organisations (California Aikido Acc, Division 1, Takemusu Aikido Acc, TAK, etc..).

Would anyone care to share their experiences and opinions of Iwama/Takemusu aikido?

My impression of Iwama style aikido is that it´s actually very mainstream technically but the structure of the training in different levels and with a heavy focus on "correct" kihon waza (angles, positions) and the focused weapons practice makes it a different experience from the other aikido styles that I have experienced (seminars and a odd class now and then). Not better or worse but different.

Briefly:

Iwama aikido is a name that covers all or almost all aikido that stems from late Saito sensei, Morihiro Saito. Saito sensei claimed to teach "osensei's aikido", as opposed to what they did in Tokyo (read: Hombu dojo).

Takemusu aikido is a name that several Saito students use independently, but it is also sometimes used outside of the Iwama sphere. So is Iwama and Takemusu the same? It depends.

For a number of years (10? 15?) there was something called "Iwama Ryu". Saito sensei issued dan certificates in Iwama Ryu as well as from Aikikai. This is of course a rather unpopular thing to do in the eyes of Aikikai Hombu, that want to recieve the grading fee rather than the same money ending up in Saito sensei's pocket. When Saito sensei died, this could not continue. Some of the Iwama Ryu people went back to the Aikikai. Others followed Saito sensei's son, Hitohiro Saito, who created his own organisation called Shin Shin Aiki Shurenkai.

Oops, Peter got here before my post was ready. Well well, I leave it as it is.