:asian:
When the Edo Period became established Tokugawa Ieyasu upon being vested by the Emperor as the Tai-Shogun [Taikun] decreed that Samurai were not to study just military arts [Bujitsu], but to also take up the study of those arts known as “Do” [Way] as a means of tempering their military ardor, and develop “perfection of the spirit.” However, lower ranking Samurai, “Chonin” were only required to study one or two of the Chinese Classics, Calligraphy along with another art or two. This study mandate came about as a direct result because the educational level of generations of Samurai had deteriorated to the point where many could not even sign their name.
As for DaiTo Ryu / or Daito Ryu [your choice] consider the following:
“Traditional Techniques of the Great Sword,” acknowledged by many as being the forerunner of modern day Aikido, it was also part of group of secret ancient fighting arts known as Genji no Heiho. Nihon Goshin Aikido traditions state this art can also be traced back to military arts that were organized by Minamoto Yoshimitsu Shira Saburo after having initially been created by his ancestor Prince Teijin , the sixth son of the Emperor Seiwa. It is believed that the name Daito Ryu is derived from the Takeda Daito Mansion [Takeda House of the Sword] since many members of the Takeda Clan made important contributions to its development, including: Takeda Nubumitsu [1162 - 1248] who reorganized and renamed the various warfare techniques used by the Minamoto Clan and called them Genji-no-Heiho [[Strategic] Warrior Arts of the Genji Clan]. In 1500 A.D. Yamamoto Kansuke, a retainer of Takeda Shingen wrote a book entitled "Heiho Okugi Sho'" [The Inner Secrets of Military Strategy] considered the ultimate Martial Arts book, and later Takeda Harunobu [Shingen] [1520 - 1573] Lord of Kai passed on the arts of military strategy known as "Kosyu Ryu Gunpo" and later wrote "Shingen Hatto", a provincial code of law. Some of his more notable retainers included Sanada Yukitaka, Obata Toramori [an ancestor of Obata Toshishiro, a current Master of Aikijutsu & Shinkendo] and Yamamoto Kansuke. In 1574, Takeda Kunitsugu relocated to Aizu Province as a result of the victories of Oda Nobunaga over the Takeda Clan living in Kai Province. Here the Aizu To'dome, also called Aizu O'tome or Oshikiuchi [Secret Teachings] were practiced and taught only to the most senior Samurai of the Takeda clan which included the arts of Aiki-jujutsu and Aizu Mizoguchi Ha Itto. In 1664, the Aizu Clan Martial Arts schools were formally established and taught 2 styles of Jujutsu [Mizu no Shinto and Shin'yo] along with 5 other styles of swordsmanship. Takeda Soemon [Takeda Takumi no Kami Soemon 1758 - 1853] created the concepts of hard and soft techniques using In and Yo and based on the idea of "Harmony of the Mind." After the Meiji Restoration Takeda Sokaku began teaching this art to the Hokkaido Police and named it Daito Aiki-jujitsu. His son, Takeda Tokimune opened the Daito Kan Dojo in Abashiri, Hokkaido, Japan and taught Daito Kan Aikido until his death in 1993.
As for Takeda Sokaku, listed below is a brief synopsis of his life:
The second child of Takeda Sokichi and the last acknowledged Samurai of the Takeda Clan. He learned Jujutsu from his grandfather and Bujutsu from his father, who also was a champion Sumo wrestler. As a child Sokaku was very unruly and refused to concentrate on formal studies choosing instead to study the Martial Arts. His behavior and attitudes caused his father, the Head Master of the school to have him expelled from the school. What is not commonly known is that Takeda Sokaku possessed tremendous powers of intuition that in todayÂ’s terms would have found him being called clairvoyant. These mental abilities were such that he could instantly identify the social standing or military rank of any person that he met. He used these mental skills to great advantage throughout his whole lifetime since, like his grandfather, Sokaku was not a very large man at all. In fact, he stood just under 5 feet [4'11"] and weighed only 114 pounds. His skills in Daito Ryu Aikijutsu allowed him to easily overcome all who ever challenged him. The first Martial Art he formally studied was Ono Hatto Ryu under Shibuya Toma as well as Hozoin ryu Takada sojutsu, Sumo and Daito Ryu. At the age of 13 he went to Tokyo and studied Jikishinkage ryu under Sakakibara Kenkichi as well as Naginata, Kyu-jutsu [small bow], Kusarigama, Bo & Jo-jutsu and Naginata. Sokaku was awarded the rank of Menkyo Kaiden [Master of all Jutsu] at the age of 17 and over his lifetime was considered invincible with a sword.
Later when Saigo Shiro elected to pursue his studies of the new art of Judo under Kano Jigoro, Takeda SokakuÂ’s father Sokichi, as the senior leader of the Takeda clan, reluctantly conferred the rank of Senior Samurai and Head [Shinto] Priest to the Takeda Clan. However, instead of becoming a Shinto priest and administering to the clan itself, he chose to lead a Musha shugyo [the life style of a roving Shinto priest which found him going from dojo to dojo] leading a Ronin lifestyle whereby he refused to enter the service of any one master. He later gained even more notoriety since he wouldn't hesitate to enact the Samurai privilege of killing anyone who offended him. While traveling with a small group of acrobats in Nagasaki Prefecture Sokaku had the opportunity to observe an expert in Okinawan-te that was traveling with a different group. Sokaku challenged him to a match and his skills at Tai-sabaki resulted in his defeating him in a bare hand match. Later in 1879, Sokaku traveled from Kyushu to Okinawa and studied Karate under several Okinawan masters to learn more about this art as well. In 1888, he married and opened his own school called the Daito Ryu in Hokkaido, but, from time to time would continue his wanderings. Most of his students were high-ranked members of the Military and the Police. He began working for the police as an Instructor and later became Chief Instructor. However, when he first began to work for the Police it caused complete panic among the criminal element in the area since he was reputed to be invincible with the sword. Over his lifetime it is estimated that his students eventually numbered over 30,000.
There are three different versions of this story which identify Takeda Sokaku as single-handedly fighting upwards of 50 or more construction workers.
The first states this event took place in 1915, and began when these men ridiculed his Samurai style of dress. Despite what seemed over whelming odds, he challenged and easily threw a great number of them despite the fact that many were armed with a Tobuchi, a long pole with a hook. When they drew their knives he drew a sword and killed 9 of them. It must be noted that during this period of time people often wandered the Japanese countryside as itinerant workers and most of these were also known to be petty criminals. As a result the police rule the death of these workers as self-defense since many of the men involved were known to have been responsible for many of the crimes that had been committed in throughout the region. Further these men did not have family relations in the area that would have protested the decision of the police.
The second states that it occurred late in the day on an isolated country road. His uncle and other relations went out to the scene and found him unconscious and badly wounded.
The third states that the incident occurred in 1881, in Tokyo when Takeda Sokaku was a young man of twenty-three. In this account he became surrounded by over 300 construction workers and was rescued by mounted Japanese Police who found him lying on the ground severely wounded with approximately 12 dead workers laying nearby and a great many more wounded. He was acquitted of all charges, but after the incident was admonished by Saigo Tanamo Chikamasa to learn the arts of Ju jutsu. His son, Takeda Tokunime, born in 1916, was also an instructor to the Hokkaido police and later founded Daito Kan Aikijutsu. He passed away in 1996.
:asian: :asian:
is formed from two kanji - Outside (外 - Gai/Soto) and Person (人 - Jin/Hito). It most certainly does not mean "Man who destroys". 
