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

  linkAikidō 3

  Confirmed

  Well-documented student of Morihei Ueshiba in Aikido, trained with Ueshiba from 1946 until his death in 1969, mentioned in multiple sources including Wikipedia with quotation about joining Ueshiba for training at age 18

  sports_kabaddiIwama Dojo badge (1946-1969)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  Well-documented student of Morihei Ueshiba in Aikido, trained with Ueshiba from 1946 until his death in 1969, mentioned in multiple sources including Wikipedia with quotation about joining Ueshiba for training at age 18

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "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

Ranks (1)

• linkAikidō

  military_tech9 dan 3

  Confirmed

  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

  Dan-Kyu System

  granted by Aikikai Foundation

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  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

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "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 Sensei link

Students (5)

• 
  Tristão da Cunha

  linkIwama Ryu 3

  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

  Uchi deshi sports_kabaddiIwama Dojo badge (1986-2002)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  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

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "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 Cunhalinkinfo

  "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) linkhistoryinfo
• 
  Agostinho Vaz

  linkAikidō 2

  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

  Seminar (1992-1992)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  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

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "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) linkhistoryinfo

  "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 Clubelinkinfo
• 
  Tomita Takeji

  linkAikidō 3

  Confirmed

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

  sports_kabaddiIwama Dojo badge (1968)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

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

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "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

  linkIwama Ryu 3

  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

  Uchi deshi sports_kabaddiIwama Dojo badge (1969-2002)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  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

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "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)linkinfo

  "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 linkinfo
• 
  Barry Knight

  linkIwama Ryu 3

  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

  Uchi deshi sports_kabaddiIwama Dojo badge (1978-1980)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  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

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "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 Journallinkinfo

  "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 Senseilinkinfo

Sources