Daito-Ryu Aikijujutsu Kodokai Roseville Branch

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.”

We are adding days to help accommodate newer members get more mat time and polish their skills.

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 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!

Please read this fascinating article on Ukemi.

Ukemi: More Than Just Falling

Lately, as I have been teaching, I have been trying to explain the importance of Ukemi. Not just how to fall to protect yourself, but how to receive technique so that you can understand better how technique work. After all Ukemi is essentially all about receiving technique and the teachings of our sensei's. In Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu, ukemi is not simply the act of falling — it is the art of receiving. True ukemi is about learning how a technique is applied to your own body so that you can internalize its mechanics, intent, and effect. As the uke, your role is to fully engage with the movement — not to resist it, but to open your body and mind to the experience of how the technique takes shape.

This is especially essential in the early stages of training. Before one can effectively apply technique to another person, one must first understand how it feels when applied correctly. Ukemi provides that experience. It teaches where tension arises, how balance is broken, and how subtle shifts in structure and timing produce results. Through ukemi, the foundational principles of Daito-ryu are absorbed directly into the body.

This understanding is developed through kata keiko, the traditional method of learning through the repetition of set forms. In Daito-ryu, techniques are not practiced randomly or freely in the beginning. Instead, they are transmitted through carefully preserved kata that allow the student to study proper structure, timing, and intent. Ukemi plays a critical role in this process — by repeatedly receiving technique in kata, the student internalizes not only the form, but the feel of the technique. This repetition allows the body to absorb the subtle mechanics that words alone cannot convey.

This is also the heart of how transmission occurs in Daito-ryu — from person to person, body to body. The art cannot be learned from books or video alone. It must be felt. A student must receive technique directly from a qualified teacher in order to understand the depth, nuance, and intent of the movement. Feeling how the technique is applied correctly is what allows the student to begin applying it properly themselves. This physical, hands-on process is what preserves the integrity of the art from generation to generation.

It’s important to understand that there will be a time and place for resistance in training — learning how to deal with an opponent who is non-compliant or offers realistic challenges is a vital part of growth. However, in the beginning, this is not that time. Early training focuses on absorbing correct movement, alignment, and energy through cooperative practice. Premature resistance often leads to misunderstanding or misapplying the technique, and can hinder both your progress and your partner’s.

Ukemi, therefore, is not passive. It is a vital part of the learning process and an essential vehicle for preserving and transmitting the art. It is through this direct interaction — this embodied dialogue — that the knowledge of Daito-ryu is passed from teacher to student, and ultimately from generation to generation.

Quintana Sensei’s Dojo to be opening up In Cedar Rapids in early 2025!!!!🎊

More than 70 years have passed since the Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu Kodo-kai was founded on September 20, 1950, in Yubetsu, a place on the coast of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, by Horikawa Kōdō Sensei, who was directly taught by Takeda Sokaku.

Since then, Horikawa had devoted himself to spreading and teaching Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu, in order to promote and pass it on. In recognition of his achievements, he was awarded the title of Master, the highest title in martial arts, and was also awarded the honor of being a person of educational merit.

It is entirely thanks to our mentor, Horikawa Kodo, that we who practice Aikijujutsu, which has been cultivated based on our country's long history and tradition, can continue to study it today. Even as times change and people change, those who practice martial arts and those who teach them will understand the essence of martial arts and want to be martial artists who can continue to walk this path for many years to come. Continuing to study martial arts requires rigorous patience and effort. I hope to continue to train my mind, without arrogance, and to continue my training toward the development of my character, so that I can pass it on to the young people who will lead the next generation, and contribute to the advancement of Kodokai.
(A translated message from the Kodokai website in Hokkaido.)

The Hokuto Dojo and the Roseville Aikido and Healing Arts Center will be hosting an open seminar for Daniel Kiyama Sensei, 7th dan - Chief Instructor of the North American Kodokai. We will be covering Jujutsu and Aikijujutsu levels of application for techniques.

The seminar is Saturday September 14th with two sessions, 1-3pm and 4-6pm. Our requested donation is $45/session or $80/both.

Please join us in the Kodokai's first open seminar since the 1990s!

Thanks to the Hollywood Kodokai for hosting such a great event!