Delving into the Deepest Secrets of Sagawa Aiki Book by Satoru Omori

Daito Ryu: The Legacy of Sokaku Takeda and Yukiyoshi Sagawa

“I only truly understood aiki when I reached my seventies.” — Yukiyoshi Sagawa

How could an elderly martial artist effortlessly overcome strong young opponents? This book explores the remarkable abilities of Yukiyoshi Sagawa and the legacy of his teacher, Sokaku Takeda—two towering figures in the history of Daito Ryu.

Author Satoru Omori entered Sagawa’s dojo in 1978 and studied under him until his death in 1998. Drawing on firsthand experience, extensive research, and interviews, Omori shares stories and insights known only to those who trained closely with Sagawa.

The book examines Sagawa’s life, martial arts background, daily conditioning, and approach to aiki. It also follows Omori’s continuing search to understand Sagawa’s methods through Daito Ryu, Chinese martial arts, and swordsmanship.

Praise from author and martial artist Bin Konno

“For the first time, I gained a tangible sense of the mysterious art of aiki. Every word left by Yukiyoshi Sagawa is filled with lessons that resonate deeply.”

Contents

Chapter 1: The Day the Art of Aiki Was Lost

• Sagawa’s final days

• Visiting Yubetsu, where Sagawa’s aiki took shape

• His travels and teaching during the turbulent Showa era

• Shirataki as a major center of Daito Ryu

• Memories of entering Sagawa’s dojo

• The words from Sagawa that sustained Omori’s martial arts journey

• Ryuchi Matsuda’s early study of Sagawa’s aiki

• Sagawa’s determination to pursue aiki, even from his sickbed

• His death exactly three years after the publication of Transparent Power

• The divisions within Sagawa’s dojo after his death

• Sidebar: Memorable students

Chapter 2: Two Bestselling Authors Fascinated by Sokaku Takeda

Yo Tsumoto: A Swordsman Encounters Sagawa’s Aiki

• Meeting Sagawa while writing Oni no Kanmuri

• An editor’s memories of working with Tsumoto

• Sagawa’s instruction: “Write a book about me”

• The challenges faced by a leading author of samurai fiction

• Clues to Sagawa’s aiki in Tsumoto’s novels

• Tsumoto’s final work, Shin’en no Iro wa

• His enduring admiration for Sagawa

• Sagawa’s words on the deeper principles of aiki

• Swordsmanship insights shared with Tsumoto

Bin Konno: A Karate Practitioner Explores Sagawa’s Aiki

• Konno’s insights in Sokaku Ruro

• Sokaku Takeda and Jigoro Kano

• Takeda’s appearance in Yama Arashi

• The principles of aiki Takeda shared with Shiro Saigo

• Konno’s research into Chinese martial arts

Chapter 3: The Day the Art of Aiki Returns

• The student Sagawa trusted most

• The conditioning staff passed down after Sagawa’s death

• Conditioning methods as a key to Sagawa’s aiki

• Recreating the “Yanaizu secret” at the newly established Sagawa Aiki Research Society

• Sidebar: Kinji Sakuma, the man on whom Sagawa tested his aiki

• Sidebar: The secrets of aiki age

Chapter 4: Returning to Daito Ryu Through Chinese Martial Arts

• Discovering Chen-style Tai Chi

• Common ground between Tai Chi and Sagawa’s aiki

• Exchanging techniques with Mitsuo Takei and joining Matsuda’s dojo

• The teachings of Wu-style Bajiquan master Wu Lianzhi

• Entering Reigakudo to study Ono-ha Itto Ryu

Chronology of Yukiyoshi Sagawa’s Life

About Satoru Omori

Born in Ogikubo, Tokyo, in 1961, Satoru Omori is a writer, editor, and graduate of Rikkyo University. In 1978, while still in high school, he read In Search of Mysterious Martial Arts, located Yukiyoshi Sagawa’s dojo, and was accepted as a student that same day. He continued studying under Sagawa until 1998, making the exploration of Sagawa’s aiki his lifelong pursuit.

Omori later studied Chen-style Tai Chi with Atsuko Noguchi and received instruction from Wang Xian in Chenjiagou, China. He exchanged Daito Ryu and Chinese martial arts techniques with Mitsuo Takei, studied Wu-style Bajiquan under Ryuchi Matsuda, and attended seminars with Wu Lianzhi. In 2024, he began studying Ono-ha Itto Ryu at Reigakudo as part of his continuing investigation into Sagawa’s aiki.

Language: Japanese

Length: 312 pages

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