Sobukai Basingstoke - Martial Arts

From Emperor Seiwa to Takeda Ryu Nakamura Ha; A Martial Tradition Over 1000 Years Old

According to Japanese martial tradition, the roots of Aiki trace back to the lineage of Emperor Seiwa (850–880). From him came the powerful Seiwa Genji, one of the most influential samurai families in Japanese history.

Among this lineage was the legendary warrior Minamoto no Yoshiie (1039–1106) and his younger brother Minamoto no Yoshimitsu (1045–1127). Yoshimitsu is traditionally credited with developing early forms of Aiki techniques, studying strategy, body mechanics, and the subtle control of an opponent’s balance.

His descendants formed the Takeda clan, also known as the Kai Genji, who preserved their martial knowledge as a secret family tradition known as Takeda Ryu.

Within Takeda Ryu, the martial curriculum included many disciplines such as:

• Kyuba no Jutsu : archery on horseback
• Tachiuchi no Jutsu : sword combat
• Aiki no Jutsu : the art of harmonizing with an opponent’s force

Over the centuries, these teachings influenced many later Japanese martial traditions.

In the modern era, the art survived thanks to Oba Ichio (1899–1959), the last Soke of Takeda Ryu, who began teaching the system publicly. One of his important students was Nakamura Hisashi.

After Oba Soke passed away in 1959, Nakamura Hisashi created a branch of the tradition to ensure the survival of the school; Takeda Ryu Nakamura Ha.

Nakamura Soke modernized the teaching structure, introducing structured training, competitions, and sparring matches, allowing students to experience techniques in realistic conditions while preserving the classical principles of Aiki.

Today, this tradition continues through the Nippon Sobudo Rengokai (Takeda Ryu Nakamura Ha).

🥋 At our dojo we train in this living tradition; studying Aiki principles, classical samurai arts, and modern training methods that connect us to over a thousand years of martial history.

If you are interested in discovering this unique system of Japanese martial arts, you are welcome to come and train with us.

Have you got what it takes to become a modern samurai? 🥋⚔️
Learn respect, sword fighting techniques, and hand-to-hand combat. Join us and discover the complete Japanese martial art Takeda Ryu Nakamura Ha.

💥 Sword Training - Hand-to-Hand Combat -
Bushido Spirit

👉 Use the link below to book a FREE trial:

https://forms.gle/pU5P1ChVdSmzgRiw7

🎉 Congratulations to Our Sobukai Basingstoke Students! 🎉

We are very proud to announce that several of our students at Sobukai Basingstoke have successfully passed their recent grading examinations.

Your hard work, discipline, and perseverance have truly shown on the tatami. Examinations are not just about technique; they reflect spirit, focus, and commitment to improvement. You demonstrated all of these qualities.

Thank you for your dedication, your effort in training, and for supporting one another throughout your preparation. Progress in budo is built step by step, and you have taken an important step forward.

Keep training with humility and determination; this is only the beginning of the next stage of your journey.

👏 Please join us in congratulating them!

Check out this article from Paul Martin

“The Sword and the Chrysanthemum” by Paul Martin Part4: Materials Used to Make Japanese Swords | BUDO JAPAN - Japanese martial-arts Text by Paul Martin Paul Martin and his Kamon(Photo/Steve Morin)Each installment of this series is available for a limited time only—don’t miss it!(Publication period: January 14, 2026 – February 13, 2026) The raw materials used in the manufacture of Ja……

Check out the new website of www.takedabudo.ma

Great job from our Morrocan Takeda community !

TAKEDA BUDO MAROC - Comité National Takeda Budo is a refined Japanese martial art that unites precision, control, and tradition. Each movement is a blend of beauty and power, reflecting a philosophy where discipline and respect shape both body and mind. Through its practice, students learn not only technique but also harmony, confiden...

Check out this article from Paul Martin

“The Sword and the Chrysanthemum” by Paul Martin Part3: Changes in the Shape of the Japanese Sword | BUDO JAPAN - Japanese martial-arts Text by Paul Martin Paul Martin and his Kamon(Photo/Steve Morin)Each installment of this series is available for a limited time only—don’t miss it!(Publication period: January 14, 2026 – February 13, 2026)  In the previous chapter, we discussed the……

Today we received the sad news that the wife of the founder of Takeda Ryu Nakamura ha has passed away.

She was the mother of Soke Shuji Nakamura, the current head of Takeda Ryu, and a woman with an exceptionally kind and generous heart. Throughout the years, she constantly supported the founder and the school, quietly and wholeheartedly.

Those of us who had the privilege to visit Japan will always remember her warm welcome. She received us like family and prepared wonderful meals for us; real feasts shared with smiles, care, and kindness. These moments remain deeply engraved in our memories.

She embodied the spirit of hospitality, humility, and support that surrounds true budō. She will be greatly missed.

May she rest in peace.

Our heartfelt condolences go to Sōke Shūji Nakamura and to our entire Takeda family during this difficult time.

It is with deep sadness that we learned of the passing of Mrs. Nakamura, wife of Soke Nakamura Hisashi, founder of the Takeda Ryu Nakamura Ha. We fondly remember her visit to Belgium, alongside Soke Nakamura Hisashi, for the seminar in May 2012. Her kindness, discretion, and benevolence touched all the participants. We respectfully bow our heads and offer our sincere condolences to Soke Nakamura, her family, and the entire Takeda Budo family. Our thoughts are with them during this difficult time.
Valmy Debot Kaiden Shihan

New Year wishes from Valmy Debot the leader of Takeda Ryu Nakamura Ha outside of Japan.

Wishes 2026 TAKEDABUDO NAKAMURA HA ENGLISH VERSION Dear budoka friends,At the start of this new year, I would like to extend my best wishes for 2026, a year I hope will be filled with progress, serenity, and wonderful encounters on the tatami.Looking at the world around us, we cannot help but notice the constant presence of conflict and violence on....

Budo begins with rei and ends with rei.

Before we start training, we bow and say onegaishimasu;
“Please teach me / please train with me.”
It is a request made with humility, an acknowledgement that learning is shared and that we entrust our safety and progress to one another.

When training finishes, we bow again and say arigato gozaimash*ta;
“Thank you very much for what has been shared.”
Gratitude for the practice, for the partner, for the lessons received, and for the opportunity to continue walking the path.

This simple act of bowing is not empty tradition.
It reminds us that budo is built on respect; respect for the art, for the teacher, for training partners, and for ourselves.

Technique without respect is incomplete.
Strength without gratitude has no foundation.

Every class, every exchange, every lesson begins and ends the same way; with rei.

That is the heart of budo.

Check the links in the comment for the correct pronunciation…





*ta

Sōke Ōba Ichio (1899–1959), a remarkable figure in the history of Japanese martial arts.

Ōba Sōke was the last Sōke of Takeda Ryū, and the teacher of Sōke Hisashi Nakamura, who later founded Takeda Ryū Nakamura-ha. He was known for his deep knowledge of classical budō, including subtle and decisive striking methods that were not openly taught, but transmitted privately to those deemed ready.

The attached photograph shows Ōba Sōke together with Rikidōzan, the legendary sumo wrestler who later became the father of Japanese professional wrestling. While the exact timing of this meeting; whether early in Rikidōzan’s career or after he had already become famous is unclear, the image itself highlights a meaningful point of contact between classical martial traditions and one of modern Japan’s most iconic fighters.

Rikidōzan was already an exceptional athlete, but what truly set him apart was his ability to express timing, body structure, intent, and presence in a way that went beyond raw strength or spectacle. These qualities strongly echo principles found in traditional budō; principles preserved and transmitted by teachers such as Ōba Sōke.

This reminds us that what we often see on the surface; sport, performance, or competition can rest on very deep traditional foundations. True martial arts are not only about what is visible, but about what is transmitted quietly, responsibly, and with trust.

Connections like this show how tradition does not disappear. It adapts, survives, and continues through those who understand its depth even as the world around it changes.

A powerful reminder that behind every great martial artist, there is often a lineage of teachers, relationships, and teachings that remain unseen.

Upcoming exhibition in London

https://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/samurai?fbclid=IwRlRTSAPUZptleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEemnx1DaYn4MQRZ44goUk22FRCtgLh3Vah0a7PYVpuxcDR1g112FJ8GQA3eXM_aem_K9kP2oCKdGAWZdhz5lPrgA

Samurai This major exhibition reveals the real story of the samurai, from medieval battlefields to modern blockbusters.