Aikido Kochi Prefecture Branch Master

Recollections of Master Takaichi Sayanagi

Aikido Yawatahama City Aikikai

Director of the Practice Hall Yoshitaka Koshimizu


My first encounter with Master Takaichi Sayanagi was at the demonstration of the practice ceremony at aishin-kan in Matsuyama in January of 1992.

A genteel middle-aged to elderly gentleman was watching the hall with a mild expression. After a while I noticed an uncommon atmosphere. The wind was ruffling the bottom of this gentleman's blazer. After this meeting I began to adore Master Sayanagi, being absorbed in him, and I encountered the study and the practice of Aikido...

In October 1993 we, the Yawatahama City Aikikai, welcomed Master Sayanagi to a special practice and asked for instruction. His teaching was such things as "Don't strive to win, but just not to lose," "Don' t try to throw your opponent, but to let the opponent be thrown." This was all very eye-opening to me because I had always been thinking about how to throw an opponent with my techniques.

"This is the genuine Aikido," I thought. I was very surprised at how different my Aikido was. I was amazed by the essential difference and it was as if I felt the scales fall from my eyes. Under his Aikido instruction, the beginners and I were the same and I felt I was the at same start line with the other students. I felt strongly that I wanted to approach the techniques of Master Takaichi Sayanagi and his Aikido. This was my first meeting with the benefactor of my life.

Since then I have asked him to come here and teach or I have gone to the Kochi Branch or to Nakamura City Aikikai to ask for his instruction.

I had the opportunity to accompany him to attend the 2nd Germany Study Course along with Mr. Shozo Terao, from Nakamura City Aikikai, held in Kaiserslautern in October, 1996. In this course, he taught us clearly the story of Master Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, how he himself entered the Aikido world, and the importance of the training which was directly received from the founder Ueshiba.



Master Takaichi Sayanagi passed away on July 17, 1999.

I have the treasure of Aikido, and I cherish it.

I hope many people will embrace this Aikido as a treasure of the heart. I hereby take an oath that I will practice and study Aikido in order not to impair the spirit which was guided and nurtured by Master Takaichi Sayanagi, and I will do my best to transmit Aikido correctly to the next generation.