The passing or handing down of martial arts techniques and styles among family members and clans over generations is something common in the martial arts world especially in Asian countries such as China and Japan. Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu is an example of this. It is a traditional Japanese martial art that was passed down within the Takeda family (Aizu) and was only shared with others towards the end of the 19th century.

By the name itself, Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu is a martial art that has the principles of both Jujutsu and Aiki. In that sense, it involves the use of minor weapons and unarmed fighting techniques that are specialized against armored and armed opponents, as in Jujutsu; and the flexibility of strategies, techniques as well as combination of balance of offense and defense, as in Aiki.

The combination of physical and fatal strikes of Jujutsu added to the strategic principles and techniques of Aiki used in the right way could pose a formidable opponent even against an armored person. This is because Jujutsu does not focus on using strikes and hits, as they will be rendered useless against armored opponents. Practitioners of jujutsu focus on grappling, joint-locks, throws and the like until they area able to find the opportunity to strike. And when they do strike, it is limited to only when the opportunity of landing a fatal blow arises. This is where Aiki comes in.

Aiki is known for the principle of flexible strategies. Your opponent forms a strategy based on what strategy he reads from. That being said, if you don't have a strategy, the opponent won't be able to read you therefore not being able to strategize at all. The idea is for you to have several strategies and being so flexible among them as your opponent reacts to each move that it is difficult to tell exactly what your strategy is. Now we see why combining the style that makes opportunities and the style that waits for that opportunity is a very good idea.

Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu's principles were developed for self-defense; preventing instead of causing violence and using violence only when necessary. It is also concerned with one's body and spirit as well as the practitioners way of thinking, taken perhaps from the Aiki principles where a practitioner is supposed to have his ki/energy in balance. This is one reason why Daito-ryu does not adhere to competitive matches but is greatly reliant on training with kata or forms.