Iwama dojo
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Iwama dojo, aka Ibaraki dojo or Ibaraki Shibu dojo (Ibaraki branch dojo), is a small aikido dojo located in the town of Iwama in Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture. The founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, lived there from 1942 until his death in 1969.
The Iwama dojo has become a focus of the followers of Iwama style aikido. This line of aikido recognizes Iwama dojo as the birth place of the martial art of aikido, since the art was officially named aikido in the year Ueshiba took up full-time residence there. After Ueshiba's death, Morihiro Saitō was the caretaker of the Aiki shrine and the instructor responsible for training in the dojo. In spite of political friction between Saitō and the Aikikai (owners of the property, including the dojo and shrine), a tense but cooperative relationship was maintained for many years.
Following Saitō's death in 2002, his son Hitohiro and the Aikikai parted ways. The younger Saitō established his own organization and is teaching from the Tanrenkan dojo in Iwama. The current head of Ibaraki Shibu Dojo is Hiroshi Isoyama.
[edit] Aiki Jinja
Aiki Jinja (合気神社) is the shrine built by Morihei Ueshiba in Iwama in honor of the deities of aikido. Jinja is the Japanese term for a shrine. The shrine grounds include a dojo (training hall).
The first small shrine building was built in the 1940s, the second one, much bigger, was erected in front of the small one in 1962. They were both renovated by the Saito family in 2001-2002 with the approval of the Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba. This renovation also included a beautiful fence set up around the compound, and a huge stone with the carvings "Aiki Jinja" designed by Seiseki Abe, a master of calligraphy and of Aikido who was also the calligraphy teacher of Morihei Ueshiba and is the teacher of Hitohiro Saito Shihan.
Every month, on the 14th, the Saito family hosted the Doshu and a religious service was held at the Aiki Jinja (Tsukinamisai). Later, a small party with all the uchi deshi (resident students) and the Saito family was held inside the old dojo. This tradition is kept up by current Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba.
Every year on April 29 (the start of the Japanese Golden Week holiday), the annual shrine festival is held by Oomoto priests in commemoration of Ueshiba's death on April 26, 1969. Through the years, the Saito family developed this event transforming it into a very big day for the small town of Iwama. Hundreds of aikido practitioners come to Iwama to participate in the event. A religious celebration is held inside the shrine and ancient music is played. Before finishing, a small ritual demonstration of aikido (hōnō embu (奉納演武?)) is held. To finish, all of the visitors are invited to a huge lunch in the dojo compounds.
