Ranks
At one point Saito-shihan gave out specific "Iwama-ryu" ranks at the insistence of his European students. However, he always awarded ranks through the Aikikai out of respect for the Ueshiba family.
Saito-shihan also gave out mokuroku (scrolls) for his aiki-ken and aiki-jo with levels loosely modeled after the traditional license system of classical Japanese martial arts.
Today, Iwama style aikido organisations can be found both within and outside of the Aikikai.
The main non-Aikikai branch is Iwama Shin-Shin Aiki Shuren-kai, founded by Morihiro Saito's son Hitohiro Saito. It continues to issue Iwama Ryu grading certificates.
Many of Saito's longest students have remained affiliated with Aikikai. In Europe some of these groups belong to the Takemusu Aikido Kyokai umbrella organisation. In the US, the Takemusu Aikido Association is an Aikikai organization that practices Iwama-style Aikido.
Read more about this topic: Iwama Style
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