Hitohiro Saito
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Hitohiro Saito (斎藤 仁弘 Saitō Hitohiro, born 12 February 1957) is an aikido instructor.
Hitohiro is the son of Morihiro Saito. At age of seven, he started to learn aikido from Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of aikido, who cared for him as a grandson. After Ueshiba died in 1969, he continued his practice with his father. Saito became official instructor of the Iwama dojo in 1986 and remained so until 2004 the year he separated from the Aikikai organization, and formed his own group called Iwama Shin Shin Aikishuren Kai.
Years before his father's death, Hitohiro took over the main work at the founders' dojo and Shrine of Aiki "Aiki Jinja", thus relieving his aging father of the great amount of work required in running the dojo. His father spent his last years taking care of the vegetable gardens and travelling abroad for seminars. The main teaching of the dojo was passed to Hitohiro's hands and remained so until 2004.
In 2000, he inaugurated his own dojo, the Tanrenkan (鍛錬館). Upon his father's death, Hitohiro inherited his house, his dojo (Shin dojo, built in 1990) and his duties as the sōke (宗家) of Iwama Ryu (Shinshin Aikishuren Kai (神信合気修練会?)). While a great number preferred to remain with the Aikikai, thousands of his father's students decided to follow him upon his break from the organization. Today he teaches full time at his own Tanrenkan dojo and travels around the world instructing at seminars attended by hundreds of aikido students.
Hitohiro Sensei is a professional chef, calligraphist, painter and sculptor.
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