The hidden book of the founder of Aikido

The unique book of the founder of Aikido, decrypted by Philippe Voarino from the original Japanese text.

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The founder of Aikido wrote only one book in his entire life, and here it is:

This book is a treasure, it is the key to the transition from Aikido to Aiki. Perhaps the reason it is hidden is because it is so valuable. And it is hidden in various ways.

Firstly, because it was published privately in 1938 in very few copies given only to a select few people. It then fell into complete oblivion. Master Saito, who lived with O Sensei in Iwama from 1946 to 1969, had never heard of it.

A copy was rediscovered by chance in 1980 by Stanley Pranin, but the reissue of the book in Japanese was banned by the copyright holders. As a result, it was hidden away once again.

In 1991, an officially approved English translation was published, but it was actually expurgated, and the Founder's message disappears under the censorship. The French version, itself based on this translation, only adds further distortion. Thus, the book was hidden a third time, hidden in plain sight.

O Sensei's work is ultimately hidden by its very nature, because the teachings conveyed in its pages are not immediately accessible, and remain hermetic to anyone who has not already travelled part of the path towards the knowledge it offers.

This book, of which only a few copies remain in Japan, has been on my bookshelf for forty years, a gift from a friend. I wasn't ready for it; it took me all this time to understand it, but I now believe that I am able to decipher it. Of course, this can only be done from the original Japanese text, which is the only reliable reference.

The work I am beginning here is intended to become a book, which I have decided to publish initially on this website in episodes. The weekly publications will be a way of sharing a draft... of acceptable quality I hope, with anyone interested in this approach. Comments are welcome, and if they shed light on or correct my own developments, they will contribute to modifying the final version of the book.

This final version will be corrected and expanded upon from the online version, and will be accompanied by photos, which will be limited to what is strictly necessary on the website. I will personally dedicate each copy, as I did for Pierre Chassang's book.

The page created for the purposes of this work will be reserved for members, to thank them for their encouraging support to the TAI website and the spirit of volunteerism that drives it. I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that membership allows you to receive articles directly in newsletter format, gives you priority access to the most recent articles, is completely free of charge and can be cancelled at any time.

Philippe Voarino, August 2025