Ibaraki Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
• Japanese	茨城県
• Rōmaji	Ibaraki-ken
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Island	Honshu
Capital	Mito
Government
• Governor	Masaru Hashimoto
Area
• Total	6,095.58 km2 (2,353.52 sq mi)
Area rank	23rd
Population (September 1, 2010)
• Total	2,964,141
• Rank	11th
• Density	486.28/km2 (1,259.5/sq mi)
ISO 3166 code	JP-08
Districts	7
Municipalities	44
Flower	Rose (Rosa)
Tree	Ume tree (Prunus mume)
Bird	Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Website	www.pref.ibaraki.jp

Ibaraki Prefecture (茨城県, Ibaraki-ken^?) is a prefecture of Japan, located in the Kantō region on the main island of Honshu.^[1] The capital is Mito.^[2]

History[link]

This section requires expansion.

Ibaraki Prefecture was previously known as Hitachi Province. In 1871, the name of the province became Ibaraki.

Geography[link]

Map of Ibaraki Prefecture

Ibaraki Prefecture is the northeastern part of the Kantō region, stretching between Tochigi Prefecture and the Pacific Ocean and bounded on the north and south by Fukushima Prefecture and Chiba Prefecture. It also has a border on the southwest with Saitama Prefecture. The northernmost part of the prefecture is mountainous, but most of the prefecture is a flat plain with many lakes.

Cities[link]

Thirty-two cities are located in Ibaraki Prefecture:

Towns and villages[link]

Towns and villages in each district:

Mergers[link]

Economy[link]

Ibaraki's industries include energy, particularly nuclear energy, production, as well as chemical and precision machining industries. The Hitachi company was founded in the Ibaraki city of the same name.

As of March 2011, the prefecture produced 25% of Japan's bell peppers and Chinese cabbage.^[4]

Demographics[link]

Ibaraki's population is increasing modestly as the Greater Tōkyō region spreads out.

Culture[link]

Ibaraki is known for nattō, or fermented soybeans, in Mito, watermelons in Kyōwa (recently merged into Chikusei), and chestnuts in the Nishiibaraki region.

Ibaraki is famous for the martial art of Aikidō founded by Ueshiba Morihei, also known as Osensei. Ueshiba spent the latter part of his life in the town of Iwama, now part of Kasama, and the Aiki Shrine and dojo he created still remain.

There are castle ruins in many cities, including Mito, Kasama, and Yūki.

Kasama is famous for Shinto, art culture and pottery.

The capital Mito is home to Kairakuen, one of Japan's three most celebrated gardens, and famous for its over 3,000 Japanese plum trees of over 100 varieties.

Education[link]

University[link]

• Ami
  • Ibaraki Prefectural University of Health Sciences
• Hitachi
  • Ibaraki Christian University
• Mito
  • Ibaraki University
  • Tokiwa University
• Tsuchiura
  • Tsukuba International University
• Tsukuba
  • Tsukuba University
  • Tsukuba Gakuin University
  • National University Corporation Tsukuba University of Technology
• Ryugasaki
  • Ryutsu Keizai University

Sports[link]

The sports teams listed below are based in Ibaraki.

Football[link]

• Kashima Antlers (Kashima)
• Mito HollyHock (Mito)

Volleyball[link]

• Hitachi Sawa Rivale (Hitachinaka)

Rugby[link]

• Kashima Rugby Football Club RFC

Baseball[link]

• Ibaraki Golden Golds (Regional club)

Tourism[link]

• Kairakuen Park
• Mount Tsukuba
• Kashima Shrine

Transportation and access[link]

Railways[link]

• East Japan Railway Company
  • Jōban Line
  • Utsunomiya Line (Tōhoku Main Line)
  • Mito Line
  • Suigun Line
  • Kashima Line
• Tsukuba Express
• Kanto Railway
  • Joso Line
  • Ryugasaki Line
• Kashima Rinkai Railway Mito-Kashima Line
• Hitachinaka Seaside Railway (Katsuta-Ajigaura)
• Mooka Railway

Cable cars[link]

• Mount Tsukuba Cable-car
• Mount Tsukuba Cable-way

Roads[link]

Expressways[link]

• Joban Expressway
• Ken-O Expressway
• North Kanto Expressway
• East Kanto Expressway

National Highways[link]

• Route 4 (around Koga area)
• Route 6 (Nihonbashi of Tokyo-Toride-Tsuchiura-Mito-Hitachi-Iwaki-Sendai)
• Route 50
• Route 51 (Mito-Kashima-Itako-Narita-Chiba)
• Route 118
• Route 123
• Route 124
• Route 125 (Katori-Tsuchiura-Tsukuba-Koga-Gyoda-Kumagaya)
• Route 245
• Route 253
• Route 294
• Route 349
• Route 354
• Route 355
• Route 400 (Mito-Nakagawa-Nikko-South Aizu-West Aizu
• Route 408
• Route 461

Ports[link]

• Hitachi Port
• Hitachinaka Port
• Oarai Port - Ferry route to Tomakomai, Muroran of Hokkaido
• Kasima Port

Airports[link]

• Ibaraki Airport

Pronunciation[link]

The prefecture is often mispronounced "Ibaragi". However, the correct pronunciation is "Ibaraki." According to the author of "Not Ibaragi, Ibaraki" (いばらぎじゃなくていばらき ibaragi ja nakute ibaraki) [1], this is most likely due to a mishearing of the softening of the 'k' sound in Ibaraki dialect.

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 10-ISBN 0-674-01753-6; 13-ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 58053128

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ibaraki prefecture

• Official Ibaraki Prefecture homepage
• The E-Ibaraki Report: articles and commentary of foreigners living in Ibaraki, produced by the International Affairs Division, Ibaraki Prefecture
• Ibaraki Japan

v t e Ibaraki Prefecture Cities Bandō Chikusei Hitachi Hitachinaka Hitachiōmiya Hitachiōta Hokota Inashiki Ishioka Itako Jōsō Kamisu Kasama Kashima Kasumigaura Kitaibaraki Koga Mito (capital) Moriya Naka Namegata Omitama Ryūgasaki Sakuragawa Shimotsuma Takahagi Toride Tsuchiura Tsukuba Tsukubamirai Ushiku Yūki Higashiibaraki District Ibaraki Ōarai Shirosato Inashiki District Ami Kawachi Miho Kitasōma District Tone Kuji District Daigo Naka District Tōkai Sashima District Goka Sakai Yūki District Yachiyo

v t e Regions and administrative divisions of  Japan Regions Hokkaido Tōhoku Kantō Nanpō Islands Chūbu Hokuriku Kōshin'etsu Shin'etsu Tōkai Kansai Chūgoku San'in San'yō Shikoku Kyushu Northern Kyushu Ryukyu Islands Prefectures Hokkaido Hokkaido Tōhoku Aomori Iwate Miyagi Akita Yamagata Fukushima Kantō Ibaraki Tochigi Gunma Saitama Chiba Tokyo Kanagawa Chūbu Niigata Toyama Ishikawa Fukui Yamanashi Nagano Gifu Shizuoka Aichi Kansai Mie Shiga Kyoto Osaka Hyōgo Nara Wakayama Chūgoku Tottori Shimane Okayama Hiroshima Yamaguchi Shikoku Tokushima Kagawa Ehime Kōchi Kyushu Fukuoka Saga Nagasaki Kumamoto Ōita Miyazaki Kagoshima Okinawa

Coordinates: 36°14′N 140°17′E / 36.233°N 140.283°E / 36.233; 140.283

Morihiro Saito 斉藤 守弘 Saitō Morihiro
Born	(1928-03-31)March 31, 1928 Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
Died	May 13, 2002(2002-05-13) (aged 74) of cancer
Nationality	Japanese
Style	Aikido
Teacher(s)	Morihei Ueshiba
Rank	Shihan, 9th dan

Morihiro Saito (斉藤 守弘 Saitō Morihiro, March 31, 1928–May 13, 2002) was a teacher of the Japanese martial art of aikido, with many students around the world. Saito's practice of aikido spanned 56 years, from the age of 18, when he first met aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba, until his death in 2002.^[1]

Early life[link]

Morihiro Saito was born in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, on 31 March 1928. Growing up in a poor farming village in the 1930s and early 40s, he recounted having the same interest in historical heroes such as Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi and Goto Matabe as most other Japanese boys. In the Japanese schools at that time, the martial arts of kendo and judo were taught to students, and Saito chose to study kendo.^[2]

In the years immediately following the end of World War II, the carrying of weapons of any kind, as well the practice of martial arts, was prohibited by the GHQ. As a result, Saito felt he should study some kind of unarmed self-defense technique, and began training in Shinto-ryū karate at the Shudokan in Meguro. After a short time, his work with the Japanese National Railways transferred him to Iwama, and he was forced to find other martial arts training. Thinking judo would be a useful complement to his kendo and karate skills, he began training at a judo dojo in Ishioka. In the summer of 1946, however, Saito heard stories about an "old man doing strange techniques up on the mountain near Iwama." It seemed that people were confused about what martial art, exactly, this old man was practicing, but one judo instructor said the man was teaching "Ueshiba-ryū Judo."^[2]

Meeting aikido's founder[link]

By July 1946, the GHQ-imposed ban upon the practice of martial arts had forced Morihei Ueshiba into an official "retirement" from practice for several years. Ueshiba took this opportunity to seclude himself in the small town of Iwama, and was engaged in the practice of ascetic training (shugyō), and some believe that it was during this period that Ueshiba was perfecting the practice of aikido.^[3]

It was at this time, at the age of 18, that Saito joined Ueshiba for training, which already included then live-in students Kisshomaru Ueshiba, Koichi Tohei, and Tadashi Abe. This early training was quite brutal, but after persevering for several years, Saito became one of Ueshiba's closest students. Much credit is given to the fortuitous work schedule Saito had with the Japanese National Railways, where Saito worked 24 hours on, 24 hours off. As a result, Saito was often the sole training partner of Ueshiba, and had the unique opportunity to train with Ueshiba in the practice of the sword and short staff, which occurred early each morning before the other students arrived.^[3]

Training[link]

Training at the Iwama dojo consisted of a great deal of farmwork. The life of the full-time live in students consisted of prayer each morning before sunrise, two meals of rice porridge each day, and training interspersed with copious amounts of work on the farm. As a result of Saito's 24 hours on, 24 hours off, position with the National Railway meant that he would train and live as a live-in student only every other 24 hours. Eventually, the other live-in students moved away, and when Saito returned from work, he would train alone with Ueshiba.^[4]

Although other students such as Koichi Tohei trained with Ueshiba for more years than Saito did, Saito's work allowed him to train almost as an uchideshi, for long periods as the only student.

From 1946 until Ueshiba’s passing in 1969, Saito served as Ueshiba's assistant in a variety of ways at Iwama while his wife served Mrs. Ueshiba. During Saito’s period as a deshi he taught classes in the Iwama dojo.

Ueshiba's death[link]

Before his death Ueshiba gave Morihiro Saito the responsibility of carrying on the teaching at the Iwama dojo and also the position of caretaker of the Aiki Jinja located in Iwama.

Training methodology and philosophy[link]

Saito's instruction of aikido is particularly remembered for its emphasis upon the basics of aikido, and especially upon the relationship between the armed and unarmed aspects of the art.^[5]

Kazuo Chiba, a live-in student (uchideshi) of Ueshiba at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, recalled in particular the intensity of the training that occurred at the Iwama dojo,

Chiba also emphasized Saito's focus upon katai-keiko (固い稽古^?), or vigorous practice without holding back, which Ueshiba taught and Saito demonstrated in his methods of teaching and practice. Apparently, this rigorous training with Saito, which Ueshiba would often observe, also included intense conditioning exercises, as well as general farmwork that students at the Iwama dojo were expected to assist with.^[6]

Other students of Saito attest to his commitment to carry on Ueshiba's legacy, and to follow and preserve Ueshiba's teachings as Saito had learned them.^[7] Saito believed that striking techniques (atemi) are a "vital element" of aikido, and also that the principles of swordsmanship formed the basis of aikido techniques. He also advocated training to cope with the attacks of other martial arts, such as the kicks practiced in karate.^[8]

According to Saito's son, Hitohiro Saito, Saito believed that the basis of all empty-handed, sword, and staff techniques was the mastery of aikido's basic posture (hanmi). Saito believed that once the correct posture was mastered, the next step was to develop a proper kiai (sometimes translated as "spirit shout").^[9]

Legacy[link]

In the beginning of the 1970s, aikido students from outside Japan began traveling to Iwama to train under Saito. Later they would return to their native countries to teach what they had learned. There were also a small number of Japanese students of Saito who travelled abroad to teach Aikido, such as Takayasu-shihan.

The kind of aikido that Saito's students do is often referred to as Iwama aikido or Iwama style. In the West, Saito, along with many of his students, formed a dan-ranking network of dojos called Iwama Ryu, with ranks received directly from Saito rather than or in addition to those from the Aikikai although Saito never left that organization.

Saito family line[link]

After Saito's death, his son Hitohiro formed the independent Shinshin Aikishuren Kai (神信合気修練会^?). Some of the Iwama Ryu network dojos joined Hitohiro while others including some of Saito's longest students chose to remain affiliated with the Aikikai.

Hitohiro had already been the main instructor at Iwama dojo. Like the Aikikai Doshu, he does not claim a dan rank.

Senior (6th and 7th Dan) Direct Students[link]

United States:

• William Witt shihan (7th Dan)^[10]
• David Alexander (6th Dan)^[11]
• Dennis Tatoian (7th Dan)^[12]
• Hans Goto (7th Dan)^[13]
• Patricia Hendricks (7th Dan)^[14]

Japan

• Hiroki Nemoto (6th Dan)^[15]

The Netherlands:

• Lewis Bernaldo de Quiros (6th Dan) ^[16]

Italy:

• Paolo Corallini shihan (7th Dan)^[17]

Sweden:

• Ulf Evenås shihan (7th Dan) ^[18]

Portugal:

• Tristão da Cunha (7th dan SSASK) ^[19]

United Kingdom:

• Tony Sargeant (6th Dan)^[20]

Australia:

• Saburo Takayasu shihan (6th dan)^[21]

Published works[link]

Books[link]

• Saito, Morihiro (July 1, 1974). Traditional Aikido. Japan Publications Trading Co. ISBN 978-0-87040-287-6. 
• Saito, Morihiro (December 1984). Aikido: Its Heart and Appearance. Cheng & Tsui. ISBN 978-0-88727-040-6. 
• Saito, Morihiro (1994). Takemusu Aikido. Aiki News. ISBN 4-900586-16-1. 
• Saito, Morihiro (1997). Takemusu Aikido, Volume 4: Kokyunage. Aiki News. ISBN 4-900586-24-2. 
• Saito, Morihiro (1999). Takemusu Aikido Special Edition: Budo (Commentary on the 1938 Training Manual of Morihei Ueshiba). Aiki News. ISBN 4-900586-56-0. 
• Saito, Morihiro (2001). Takemusu Aikido, Volume 5: Bukidori & Ninindori. Aiki News. ISBN 4-900586-61-7. 
• Saito, Morihiro (2007). Takemusu Aikido, Volume 2: More Basics. Aiki News. ISBN 4-900586-20-X. 

Film[link]

• Saito, Morihiro (2003). Aiki Ken (DVD). Aikido Journal. 
• Saito, Morihiro (2003). Aiki Jo (DVD). Aikido Journal. 
• Saito, Morihiro (2005). Morihiro Saito: The Lost Seminars, Part 1-6 (DVD). Aikido Journal. 
• Saito, Morihiro (200?). Saito Sensei Paris 2000 pt. 1-4 (DVD). Aikishop.com. 
• Saito, Morihiro. 1990 U.S.A. West Coast Tour (DVD). Firelight Films. 

References[link]

External links[link]

• http://www.saitosensei.com
• http://www.takemusu.org