Memorable Keiko with Saotome Sensei
At Chiyoda-Ku Aikikai — October 2023
There are moments when the journey leads us back — not merely to a place, but to the spirit that first set us in motion.
Saotome Sensei — Touching the Source Once More
Saotome Shihan is one of the last direct links to the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba O Sensei. As an uchi-deshi, he trained daily under O Sensei’s personal guidance — absorbing not just techniques, but the living breath of Aiki.
After nearly five decades of dedicating himself to the transmission of Aikido in the United States, his return to Tokyo in October 2023 was not just a visit — it was a quiet return to the source.
His keiko reflected the discipline, clarity, and etiquette inherited from O Sensei — but also a gentle warmth that reminded us: true mastery lives in balance — between form and spirit, strength and kindness.
Lessons from Saotome Sensei’s Keiko
During the keiko at Chiyoda-ku Aikikai, Saotome Sensei guided us back to the essence of Aikido — not as a system of techniques, but as a living martial art, grounded in spirit and tradition.
He reminded us plainly: Aikido is not a sport, nor a social activity. It is not practiced for competition, entertainment, or socializing. Aikido is a martial Way — one that embodies the discipline of martial arts, the moral clarity of bushidō, and the harmonizing force of Aiki. It calls us not only to refine movement, but to refine ourselves. It is a path that demands sincerity, vigilance, and deep inner responsibility.
At the heart of Sensei’s teaching was a quiet, essential question: Why do you practice Aikido?
Without clarity of purpose, even the most refined technique becomes hollow. When the “why” is lost, Aikido becomes disconnected from its essence — reduced to empty form or habit.
Our task is not merely to preserve techniques, but to carry forward something far more elusive: the living current of Aiki— the invisible breath that O Sensei entrusted to us. This tradition cannot be safeguarded through form alone. It must be passed on through presence, integrity, and the way we walk the Way. For those who teach, this responsibility grows deeper: to transmit not only skill, but spirit.
Saotome Sensei’s presence reminded us that Aikido is not something to perform — it is something to embody. The Way is not walked with strength alone, but with kindness, humility, and an open heart.
Returning to the Beginning
Through Saotome Sensei’s movements and words, the living breath of O Sensei’s teachings echoed once more — not as something fixed in the past, but as a spirit that moves forward with every sincere practice.
In stepping onto the tatami at Chiyoda-ku Aikikai, we were not simply retracing old steps. We were reminded that returning to the source means carrying its light into each new day — with clarity, sincerity, and care.
The path of Aikido is not about reaching an end. It is about continually returning — again and again — to the heart of why we began. And in doing so, we keep the spirit alive.
