"Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu," an ancient Japanese martial art.

It's based on the principle of harnessing and neutralizing your opponent's intent to attack.

"Baki" is a famous Japanese comic or manga...

...and it features "Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu," bringing its techniques to the attention of many.

The techniques shown in the manga are authentic

and have been passed down through the generations.

All of a sudden, it's like some magic.

The roots of "Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu" lie in the longstanding affinity the Japanese people have with nature.

Today, we learn more about one of Japan's oldest, yet lesser known, martial arts.

"Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu."

While some of its techniques seem to defy logic,

they're actually based on an ancient Japanese world view of how to use the mind and body.

"Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu" is a Japanese martial art that has been practiced for centuries.

Its origins date back 900 years to the battlefield skills of Minamoto no Yoshimitsu, a 12th century military commander.

In the late 19th century, a martial artist called Takeda Sokaku,

propagated the techniques of "Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu" throughout Japan.

As Japan moved from the samurai era to modern times,

the discipline evolved into a martial art that can be used by anyone, not just the strong.

Over the years, "Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu" split into many different schools.

Ueshiba Morihei, transformed it into "Aikido,"

a modernized version that still maintains Daito-ryu's original form and spirit.

Various other schools have also continued to the present day.

One such school is the "Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu" Fusokai in Tokyo.

It's an orthodox school that remains close to the teachings of Takeda Sokaku.

26 students are currently working hard to master the art.

The leader is Ishizuka Yoshimi, a martial artist determined to keep these traditional skills alive.

I believe that true Japanese martial arts are infused with a sense of ancient Japanese philosophies.

You could say that Japanese people lived for tens of thousands of years in harmony with nature,

and that's the way it's always been for us.

I believe that these attitudes can still be found in our martial arts,

which represent the concept of being one with nature.

But what exactly does "being one with nature" mean in terms of a martial art?

Firstly, it means connecting to the Earth and moving in a way that harnesses gravity to create great force.

Secondly, it means avoiding direct collision with the strength of your opponent as you move.

And thirdly, we place importance on connecting with your opponent, so that your movements align with theirs.

These three elements are at the core of "Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu."

Let's look at the first, "connecting with the Earth." What does that involve?

This technique for bringing down an opponent with a single hand does not rely on strength, but rather on gravity.

If someone grabs your hand, you can't bring your opponent down just by moving it.

But if you lower yourself in line with gravity, then you can utilize the immense power of the Earth.

Thus, this technique.

The second principle is avoiding direct collision.

Your opponent has grabbed your sleeve and is trying to apply force.

Rather than directly pushing back, moving with them can take them down.

If you push back here, it becomes a battle of strength.

So instead, you ignore the point of contact and move closer like this.

Rather than forcing a point of contact here,

I instead transition along my body's central line,

moving it like this to avoid direct collision.

Connecting with your opponent is the third principle.

A connection with your opponent allows you to do this...

Harnessing your opponent's energy allows you to throw them with minimum strength.

If you are too antagonistic towards your opponent,

then you'll block your intuitive power and lose force.

It's important to maintain a connection with your opponent to take them in the direction you want to go.

A characteristic of "Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu" is that the practitioner uses the energy of

their attacker against them rather than relying on their own physical strength.

This is also effective as a form of self-defense.

These techniques can be used to counter an attacker with ill intent

by becoming one with their strength and utilizing it against them.

With Daito-ryu, if the opponent does not intend to attack, we stay like this.

This is the best stance.

There's no need to do anything.

Instead, we use the energy of an aggressor against them.

I'm at a "Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu" dojo, where members of the Fusokai train.

It's a shrine that venerates Mt. Fuji.

This shrine is in a residential area of Tokyo.

The shrine's worshippers venerate Mt. Fuji and this hillock is made from its lava.

Here, trainees practice a martial art that is grounded in nature.

I've decided it's time to experience this "martial art that exists in harmony with nature" first-hand.

Wow, that was incredible.

It's such a pleasure to have you on the show. Thank you.

The art of "Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu" is currently generating widespread public interest.

One reason for that is the internationally renowned manga, "Baki."

This is a scene from the manga.

One character, Shibukawa Gohki, emulates the techniques of Aikijujutsu.

Here, he faces an opponent known for their legendary strength.

And when this larger opponent shows signs of ill intent,

the older and smaller Shibukawa takes him down.

This is called the akushu-kuzushi or handshake takedown.

A video of this technique uploaded by the Fusokai to social media has received millions of views.

So, I saw a video of someone shaking hands and then taking his opponent down.

It seems unusual, but does it also include the three elements you just mentioned?

Yes. Nearly all of our techniques include those three elements.

Can you show us that technique?

Of course.

Ishizuka Yoshimi invites one his students to demonstrate the akushu-kuzushi.

First, we go to shake hands.

We greet each other like this...

but if the other person is planning to push me and be aggressive,

then they might grab my hand harder.

So, I'll do this.

What was that?

Ishizuka easily takes his opponent down.

Ishizuka has connected with his opponent, absorbing his strength.

He's used his entire bodyweight and the force of gravity to great effect.

Ishizuka has applied pressure not only to the opponent's wrist, but also his elbow and his body.

You're not acting, right?

- No, I'm not!
- It looks like it.

How will one of our crew members fare?

Give it a try.

So, is this your first time?

Yes this is my first time.

Let's see how he does.

So what happened?

You know, like, suddenly my back's power's got lost.

- So, I had to fall down on my knees.
- Oh, really.

That was the only thing that I can do.

- So, yeah my power just suddenly got shut down.
- Really?

We then asked another crew member, who is more than two meters in height to step in.

Will the height difference affect the outcome?

- And it's hard for you to, like, fight him back?
- Well, yeah, because they've got you like this.

So it's hard to fight back.

I think it's very effective. Thank you very much.

Did I hurt your hand?

No, don't worry, I'm good.

Now, it's finally Ayako's turn and one of the female students agrees to take her on.

Yoshida Mikako has been studying "Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu" for five years.

So, shake hand... and then...

I'm not acting, I swear I am not acting.

What happened to me?

What just happened to me?

The more, the more I push...

I'm not really that strong, but by taking a natural approach,

you can turn your opponent's energy against them.

I was trying to push as hard as I could.

That's why I could use it against you and bring you down.

You could learn to do it too.

All of a sudden, it's like some magic.

With a little bit of practice, anyone can learn this handshake takedown.

It's very difficult, because when you're fighting someone,

if you want to fight back, you usually put power,

but then you can't use that power and you just have to stay calm and relax.

But then you're, you know, at the same time, you have to really stay alert.

So all of that is going through my mind, and that was the very difficult part.

Practitioners of "Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu" do not engage in competition of any kind.

We asked Ishizuka what motivates him to keep training.

When I was younger, I played various sports, like rugby and boxing.

As I got older, and found myself getting weaker,

I started to look for a sport that you could get into it more deeply and gradually get stronger at as you age.

And it was sheer coincidence that I discovered a dojo close to my company.

I remember that when I went to grab the hand of a practitioner,

the next moment I found myself on the ground looking up at the ceiling.

That's me today. That's what I went through.

How long does it take to master the art?

I'm sure I'll be learning for the rest of my life.

I don't think I've mastered the art at all,

and I'm definitely just midway through my training.

So it's not about winning or losing, right?

That's right! There's no winning or losing, there's no ultimate goal either.

The ultimate expression of the art is our everyday practice,

which we can use in our daily lives.

Living a life consistent with the material art I follow is the most important thing to me.

How do practitioners of the "Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu" Fusokai harness their art to improve their daily lives?

We spoke to four of the group's members.

I'm Yoshida Mikako, and I'm an actor.

When I first came along to see the training, and watched what everyone was doing,

I could see that the practitioners attacked in a way that we're not used to seeing in everyday life.

During training, there's an element of tension,

and it helps me realize that we can turn adversity into an advantage.

I'm Yanagawa Katsunori, and I'm 69.

I'm a tough guy!

I wanted to take up a sport that you can keep doing as you get older.

I wasn't sure if I'd be able to do it, but once I tried,

I realized that age is irrelevant, and that's a big thing for me.

I love the fluid movements, and I always wanted to be a little bit more graceful.

I'm Ogahara Akira.
I'm a car mechanic, and I'm 61.

I was originally an "Aikido" instructor,

and so I knew that "Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu" was the foundation of "Aikido" when I practiced it.

With "Aikido," it's more about prescribed movements; everyone moves according to script,

without placing much importance on whether the techniques actually work.

So, I began to wonder how effective my techniques actually were.

I looked around, and eventually started coming to this dojo.

I'm Ishizuka Atsumu.
I'm a third-year university student, and I'm 21.

Atsumu is Ishizuka Yoshimi's son,

and he began Daito-ryu at the age of 12, inspired by his father.

When I was younger, I used to struggle to get along with people.

But through practicing "Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu,"

I've learned to connect with others, and to understand how they may feel.

This has helped me develop better communication skills,

so now I can stand in other people's shoes.

To me, that is one of the great attractions of this martial art.

Some practitioners work to improve their techniques

and others use its philosophy to enrich their daily lives.

But all of Ishizuka's students agree that "Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu" helps them get on in life.

Once a year, their quest to master the art takes them beyond the dojo.

Mt. Fuji, Japan's highest peak, has a special place in the hearts of the Japanese people.

Every 12 months, members of the Fusokai climb the iconic mountain to experience the power of nature.

Mt. Fuji is sacred to us.

Climbing it is also part of our training.

By setting foot on it, we become one with nature.

So, even if you understand the concept of
"connecting with nature" intellectually,

it's only when you physically experience it
that you can understand intuitively.

Yes, we consider things with our minds and feel with our hearts,

but it's really important to actually sense things physically and that is something

that we incorporate into our study of this traditional martial art.

So, you use social media to promote the learning of "Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu" techniques.

- Do you have any other activities planned for the future?
- Yes, we do.

We are now focused on passing this martial art to the younger generation, to our children.

We have high hopes for the future.

The practice of "Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu" focuses on the importance of being one with nature and your opponent.

While this ancient philosophy is something that many Japanese people today may have forgotten,

perhaps now is the time to reassess its value.

The dohyo...

This is the battleground where imposing rikishi compete fiercely for 15-day long tournaments.

But where does the dirt for the ring come from? Let's find out.

Hi there. Today I'm in Kawagoe City which is about 50 kilometers northwest of Tokyo.

The city is very popular, with many old-fashioned buildings and shops lined up on the streets.

Kawagoe thrived as a castle town during the samurai period and even now evokes traces of the past.

On the outskirts of Kawagoe, there's a place where the dirt used to construct Sumo rings is stored.

We paid a visit.

It's about one and a half kilometers from the center of Kawagoe.

It says, "we provide the dirt that's used to make the dohyo for Sumo."

Wow. This is it.

- Oh. Hi. Hi. You must be Hatsuno-san.
- Thank you for coming.

Hatsuno Shoko, a spokesperson for the company.

Is this the dirt that's used for dohyo?

That's right. We supply the dirt for all 6 of the yearly Sumo tournaments.

This is it? Rikishi fight on this dirt?

The dohyo rings of every Grand Sumo Tournament are built with this dirt called Hon-arakida.

Can I touch it?

It's a bit dry. It's not so moist is it?

Where does it come from?

We bring it here from an area near the Arakawa River.

Hon-arakida, a vital part of Sumo's culture.

The company is authorized to excavate an area near the Arakawa River that runs past Kawagoe.

The river also flows through Tokyo, stretching over 173 kilometers.

The components of the dirt are carried from the river's upstream.

All right. Now, I'm going to the place where the dirt that is used to construct a dohyo is gathered from.

So, let's go.

We can't reveal the exact location, of course, and we were given special permission to visit the site.

Here we are.

- So, this is the dirt that's used
to build dohyo?
- That's right.

- But this is its original form.
- So, I guess this is it.

So, this is the dirt that would be used to construct the dohyo.

So, I'm going to dig it and get some dirt.

It depends where you dig, but here,

the dirt can be found about 20 centimeters from the surface.

And after five minutes, we get to it.

- What do you think?
- Yes.

This dirt looks just like the surface of the dohyo, right?

The soil here contains a good mixture of clay and sand.

Rocks from the mountainous Chichibu region upstream have eroded to make this dirt.

Chichibu is a rocky upstream area of the Arakawa River.

Here in Kawagoe, just the right amount of eroded rock has merged with sand.

Arakawa literally means "rough river."

And as the name indicates,

the river has flooded repeatedly since ancient times, depositing the dirt here.

A dohyo is constructed from dirt created by nature.

It's one of Grand Sumo's key elements.

All right. I got the dirt.

Maybe Yokozuna Terunofuji will be stepping on this one.