Hokutō Dōjō

Kiyama Shihan was the director of the US branch of the Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu Kodokai for more than 50 years and was my teacher from the time I joined in 2006 until his retirement in 2023. During that time he told many stories about his life.

As someone who's earliest memories begin in Japan, the stories he told about Japan from before WWII then on to growing up under the US Occupation before immigrating to the US in his early 20s always captivated me.

But in the entirety of my life, nothing has ever come close to listening to him recount the bombing of Nagasaki during his childhood. Remembering his account of it through the eyes of a child gives me chills to this day.

Witness to history: SLO County man recounts atomic bombing of Nagasaki in memoir 8-year-old Hayawo Kiyama of Los Osos was fishing with his aunt when lightning lit up the sky: “It was wide and thick but without sound, an unsettling and unnatural event.”

Kiyama Sensei will be in town for a mini-seminar this weekend for Daito Ryu jujutsu and aikijujutsu.

We will be at the Roseville dojo on Saturday Nov 22 from 1:30 PM 5:30 PM usually with about a 30 minute break in the middle.

If you are interested in attending please reach out to us directly!

Preserving the Spirit: Why Our Daito Ryu Dojo Will Never Become a Commercial Venture

There is a quiet dignity in tradition. In the old days, the teacher did not advertise. The art spoke for itself, and those meant to find it eventually did.

Horikawa Kodo Sensei, the founder of our branch of Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu (the Kodokai), once said that if he had one good, dedicated student, that would be enough.

Today, many martial arts are marketed like fitness programs: contracts, slogans, and promises of “Instant Aiki.” Another school proudly lists fifteen belt ranks between white and black, costing around $1,675 to reach shodan in three or four years. That does not include monthly dues or training fees. It is quite the racket.

Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu Kodokai is not like that. Here, there are only three levels between beginner and black belt (Shokyu, Chukyu, and Jokyu), and it often takes four to five years to reach shodan. In our tradition, black belt does not mean mastery; it means you have finally become a real student. A solid foundation in Jujutsu has been laid, and the study truly begins here.

A commercial dojo must always sell you something: uniforms, "approved" sparring gear, and merchandise, all conveniently marked up. But a traditional dojo exists to preserve a living art, not to generate profit.

Our dojo is small, just twenty-five tatami mats, but every inch of that space is filled with spirit, sweat, and sincerity. You will not find trophies or suits of samurai armor here. The dojo is simple, uncluttered, and dedicated entirely to the practice of Daito Ryu. It is not a studio for customers; it is a place of practice for students.

True budo and bujutsu training is about building character, cultivating patience, humility, and integrity. It is about developing good people who contribute to their communities, not creating clients and sales. The lessons extend far beyond the tatami. They shape how we move through the world, how we treat others, and how we face adversity with composure and respect.

We are not here to sell instructional videos or promote our own egos. We are here to practice sincerely, to learn to be who we are with authenticity, and to be at peace with that.

Our training is not about fighting or competition. It is about self-defense, awareness, and control. The goal is to end conflict efficiently and safely, with minimal harm and maximum understanding. In Daito Ryu, true skill is measured not by how much force we use, but by how little is needed.

We stay small for a reason. We move slowly for a reason. We teach with sincerity, not sales tactics.

We do need students to continue the tradition, and we welcome as many as wish to follow this path. But the door opens only to sincerity, not to speed or status.

Our goal is not to grow big, but to grow deep. To train sincerely, to teach responsibly, and to keep the tradition alive without diluting its meaning.

That is why this dojo will never become a commercial venture. It will remain what it was meant to be: a place of study, respect, and quiet pursuit of something true.

This is the way I was taught by my teacher, Hayawo Kiyama Shihan, and this is how the dojo in Cedar Rapids will be run. Though it is a fairly new dojo, it stands on an old and honorable foundation, one built on respect, patience, and truth in training. The tatami in the Cedar Rapids dojo come from the old Hombu Dojo in San Luis Obispo, California, as do the kamidana, the nafudakake, and the kanban. The spirit of that dojo lives on here, carried forward with sincerity and gratitude.

Daito Ryu of Cedar Rapids

The Life Giving Sword

In and Yo, Yin and Yang, Darkness and Light

The Hokuto Dojo is pleased to invite you to try Daito Ryu Jujutsu with no cost, commitment, or obligation from tonight through the end of the year.

Please join us on the mat!

Secrets of Itto-ryu: Book Five For centuries, the inner teachings of —one of Japan’s oldest and most revered schools of samurai swordsmanship—were passed down orally from master to disciple. Now, for the first time, these secret lessons are available in English. presents the confidential fighting principles of , 16t...

Hajime!