Description

Morihiro Saito (斉藤 守弘 Saitō Morihiro) was an Aikido master with many students around the world. Saito's practice of aikido spanned 56 years, from the age of 18, when he first met Aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba, until his death in 2002. He was a life-long uchi-deshi of Aikido's founder Ueshiba in Iwama.

Teachers (1)

• 
  Ueshiba Morihei

  sports_martial_artsAikidō Confirmed

  Confirmed

  Independent sources state it.

  The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.

  location_onIwama Dojo badge (1946–1969)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  Independent sources state it.

  “It was at this time, at the age of 18, that Saito joined Ueshiba for training [...] From 1946 until Ueshiba’s passing in 1969, Saito served as Ueshiba's assistant in a variety of ways at Iwama while his wife served Mrs. Ueshiba. During Saito’s period as a deshi he taught classes in the Iwama dojo.”

  — Morihiro Saito - Wikipedialink history

  “First taught by Morihei UESHIBA in Iwama in the summer of 1946.”

  — (2011-08-27). Morihiro Saito - Aikido Journal Encyclopedia. Aikido Journallink history info

Ranks (1)

• sports_martial_artsAikidō

  military_tech9 dan Probable

  Probable

  Promoted to 9th dan by Honbu Aikikai in 1992, documented on Saito-sensei.com with specific date and quotation about celebration at Iwama's Kabuki Wedding Palace

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Dan-Kyu System

  granted by Aikikai Foundation

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Promoted to 9th dan by Honbu Aikikai in 1992, documented on Saito-sensei.com with specific date and quotation about celebration at Iwama's Kabuki Wedding Palace

  “1992. Mrs. Saito and Saito Sensei in regal formal attire at his huge first party in Iwama’s Kabuki Wedding Palace, celebrating his promotion to 9th dan by Honbu Aikikai and the 50th anniversary of aikido in Iwama”

  — 1990's - Morihiro Saito Senseilink

Students (5)

• 
  Tristão da Cunha

  sports_martial_artsIwama Ryu Confirmed

  Confirmed

  Well-documented uchi-deshi of Morihiro Saito at Iwama, first in May 1986 for six months, returning repeatedly; the Aikishurendojo bio and the CAO interview both detail this relationship

  The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.

  Uchi-deshi location_onIwama Dojo badge (1986–2002)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  Well-documented uchi-deshi of Morihiro Saito at Iwama, first in May 1986 for six months, returning repeatedly; the Aikishurendojo bio and the CAO interview both detail this relationship

  “Viajou pela primeira vez ao Japão em 1986 onde ficou como uchi deshi de Morihiro Saito no dojo do Fundador do Aikido. Voltou para Portugal com a tarefa de implantar o Aikido tradicional em Portugal. [...] Tristão da Cunha foi uchi deshi do Grande Mestre Morihiro Saito, no último ano em que este esteve activo antes de sucumbir a um cancro dos ossos.”

  — Mestre Tristão da Cunhalink history info

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “A minha primeira ida foi em Maio de 1986. [...] Eu fui o primeiro português a ir lá e Sensei recebeu-me como recebe todos os alunos”

  — Pedro Escudeiro. (2000). Entrevista ao Professor Tristão da Cunha (Pedro Escudeiro, 2000). Surya (Centro de Artes Orientais) linkhistory info
• 
  Agostinho Vaz

  sports_martial_artsAikidō Probable

  Probable

  Vaz mentions in his 2003 interview that he had the honour of practicing under Morihiro Saito during his 1992 stage in Lisbon, a single seminar rather than a sustained relationship

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Seminar (1992)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  Vaz mentions in his 2003 interview that he had the honour of practicing under Morihiro Saito during his 1992 stage in Lisbon, a single seminar rather than a sustained relationship

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “De referir também a presença em Portugal de outros importantes alunos de O-sensei, sob cuja direcção tive a honra de praticar: Y. Yamada, e em 1992 o saudoso Mestre Morihiro Saito. [...] Neste campo, foi também importante para mim, o estágio do Mestre Morihiro Saito em Lisboa, 1992, o qual foi de uma extraordinária riqueza em ensinamentos de armas.”

  — Pedro Escudeiro. (2003). Entrevista ao Professor Agostinho Vaz (Pedro Escudeiro, 2003). Surya (Centro de Artes Orientais) linkhistory info

  “De referir também a presença em Portugal de outros importantes alunos de O-sensei, sob cuja direcção teve a honra de praticar: Y. Yamada, e em 1992 o saudoso Mestre Morihiro Saito.”

  — Mestre Agostinho Vaz (Aikido Marcial Dôjo Clube). Aikido Marcial Dôjo Clubelink history info
• 
  Tomita Takeji

  sports_martial_artsAikidō Probable

  Probable

  Well-documented uchideshi (live-in student) of Morihiro Saito at Iwama Dojo starting in 1968, as described in Aikido Journal biography

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  location_onIwama Dojo badge (1968)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Well-documented uchideshi (live-in student) of Morihiro Saito at Iwama Dojo starting in 1968, as described in Aikido Journal biography

  “From 1962 on, after his first visit in Iwama, he decides to follow the teaching of O'Sensei and of his assistant, Morihiro Saito Sensei [...] In 1968, he becomes Morihiro Saito's Uchideshi and is rapidly adopted by the Master's family [...] Tomita Sensei practiced for about 7 years at the Iwama Dojo. Those years were for him formativeyears dedicated to education and to discovering the way of Budo.”

  — TAKEJI TOMITA: From studying with O-Sensei to the creation of Aïki Shin Myo Den (Aikido Journal)link
• 
  Saitō Hitohiro

  sports_martial_artsIwama Ryu Confirmed

  Confirmed

  Hitohiro is the son of Morihiro Saito and continued his aikido training with his father after Ueshiba's death, later succeeding him at the Iwama dojo; documented across Wikipedia, the Aikido Blog and saitosensei.com

  The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.

  Uchi-deshi location_onIwama Dojo badge (1969–2002)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  Hitohiro is the son of Morihiro Saito and continued his aikido training with his father after Ueshiba's death, later succeeding him at the Iwama dojo; documented across Wikipedia, the Aikido Blog and saitosensei.com

  “The younger Saito became an official instructor of the Iwama dojo in 1986 and remained so until 2004 when he separated from the Aikikai organization and formed his own group.”

  — Wikipedia contributors. Hitohiro Saito - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)link history info

  “In 1986, in a special ceremony, Hitohiro Saito Sensei was officially appointed as a teacher at the Iwama dojo. In the same year, he began to teach overseas.”

  — Eric Savalli. (2009). [EN] SAITO Hitohira Sensei link history info
• 
  Barry Knight

  sports_martial_artsIwama Ryu Confirmed

  Confirmed

  Barry Knight practiced at Iwama under Morihiro Saito from 1978 to 1980, documented by both the Aikido Journal encyclopedia entry and the saitosensei 1980s page

  The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.

  Uchi-deshi location_onIwama Dojo badge (1978–1980)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  Barry Knight practiced at Iwama under Morihiro Saito from 1978 to 1980, documented by both the Aikido Journal encyclopedia entry and the saitosensei 1980s page

  “Began training in 1970 in Melbourne. Practiced at AIKIKAI HOMBU DOJO in 1976 and in IWAMA under Morihiro SAITO from 1978-1980. Upon his return to Australia, established a private dojo where he teaches IWAMA-STYLE AIKIDO.”

  — Josh Gold. (2011). Barry Alan Knight (Aikido Journal Encyclopedia). Aikido Journallink history info

  “Both these practices were first developed in 1978 when Rob Okun, Craig Brown, Berry Knight and I lived in Iwama for 2 years and Saito Sensei started to teach Asa no Keiko 7 days a week for the uchi deshi.”

  — 1980's - Morihiro Saito Senseilink history info

Sources

Identifiers