Takeda Sokaku (1859-1943)
Born in Hirosemura, Kawanuma-gun, Aizu near Aizubange-cho, in present-day Fukushima Prefecture, Takeda Sokaku was the second son of Sokichi Takeda. Takeda was the primary disseminator of Daitoryu Aikijujutsu in 20th-century Japan. He traveled extensively throughout Japan, giving seminars mainly to well-to-do persons, police and military officers. He left behind extensive written records in the form of Eimeiroku and Shareikoku documents which give a good idea of the extent of his teaching activities. Takeda's form of jujutsu is the most successful of the surviving Japanese schools, and his technical influence on Aiki Budo and, hence, modern aikido, is great. He was reputed to have taught some 30,000 students during his long career. Takeda first taught Morihei Ueshiba in Engaru, Hokkaido in 1915. Among his other students of note were Kotaro Yoshida, Yukiyoshi Sagawa, Kodo Horikawa and Takuma Hisa. Takeda was succeeded by his son, Tokimune.
Horikawa Kodo (1894-1980)
Born in Kitami, Hokkaido, Japan, Horikawa began training in Daitoryu Jujutsu in May of 1914 under his father and Sokaku Takeda. He received the Hiden Mokuroku in 1931, and in June of the same year, the Hiden Ogi Mokuroku. He became a shihan at age 37. In September, 1950 he established the Daitoryu Aikijujutsu Kodokai in Kitami, Hokkaido, Japan. Horikawa was honored with the title of Meijin. He was succeeded in the Kodokai by Inoue Yusuke, Menkyo Kaiden Shihan, currently retired but still acting as an advisor. The current leader of the Kodokai is Shinpo Tatsuo Menkyo Kaiden Shihan.
Yonezawa Katsumi (1937-1998)
Born in Muroran, Hokkaido, Japan, Yonezawa Katsumi had a career as a junior high school principal. In addition to karate and judo, he studied Daitoryu Aikijujutsu under Horikawa Kodo, Meijin and became one of his uchi deshi. In 1988, he was promoted to 7th dan, and was promoted to Shihan in October of 1994 (Heisei 6th year). In 1995, Yonezawa was permitted by the Daitoryu Kodokai to become Menkyo Kaiden Shihan of Daitoryu Bokuyokan to lead the Bokuyokan as an independent Daitoryu organization. Fluent in English, he was the first person to introduce Daitoryu Aikijujutsu Kodokai in the U.S. in the early 1970's. Yonezawa Shihan traveled to the U.S., Mexico and Canada teaching Daitoryu, and is one of the primary people responsible for the dissemination of Daitoryu Aikijujutsu Kodokai in North America. He established the Bokuyokan Dojo in Muroran, Hakkaido, Japan which was a Kodokai Shibu from 1975 through 1995. In September of 1995, the Bokuyokan Dojo became the headquarters for the Daitoryu Aikijujutsu Bokuyokan. Branches in the U.S. and Germany were established in 1996, and a Canadian branch followed in 2006. Yonezawa Soshi Shihan was succeeded in the Bokuyokan by his son Hiromitsu Yonezawa, Nidai Soke.
Yonezawa Hiromitsu (1969- )
Yonezawa Hiromitsu succeeded his father as leader of Bokuyokan in 1999. He studied judo for many years in the Kodokan, and is a County Judo instructor as well as heading the Bokuyokan. He is a physician, specializing in sports medicine and physical therapy.