The Art of Aiki

In the May 2006 issue of Black Belt there was an interesting article and interview about Kondo Sensei. There's a box on p.88 with the following quote:

Art of Deception

Tokimune Takeda included in his lessons Aiki Kempo, the Kendo Kata, Ono Ha Itto Ryu and other techniques that had no relationship to Daito Ryu Jujutsu in order to avoid teaching Daito Ryu techniques. With something that is as basic as the Ikkajo series, he would modify the techniques so most students would never understand them. When he taught Ono Ha Itto Ryu —which involves cutting from a middle position to a high position and cutting through the person's entire body by putting all the power into the tip of the sword— he would explain it differently from Daito Ryu techniques. I had a question about this difference, and until that point, no one had asked him, I said, "Sensei, the things you are saying about the sword and Daito Ryu techniques are different."

He was waiting for someone to question him. Tokimune would teach each person based on the level of the questions he asked. I learned at a higher level because of the questions I always asked. As a result of questioning him, he awarded me a kyoju dairi teaching certification in 1974, when I was 29.

The Daitokan Dojo in Hokkaido would hold a yearly training event for all Daito Ryu Dojo in Japan. I would teach one group, and Tokimune would teach the other. The night before, I would ask him if I could teach the correct way of doing the techniques instead of not letting them know the right way. Tokimune would say, "No, teach it so they will not know or understand the right way of the techniques."

— Katsuyuki Kondo