Tanrenkan (鍛錬館, which means "Hardening hall") is an aikido dojo located next to the Ibaraki branch dojo (and opposite to Aiki Jinja). It is run by Hitohiro Saito, who is the son of Morihiro Saito. It is the main dojo of the Iwama Shin-Shin Aiki Shuren-kai.
Tanrenkan dojo was built in 2000.
Hitohiro's organisation was formed as a reaction to political friction between Morihiro Saitō (who had been designated by the founder as caretaker of the shrine and the instructor responsible for the training at the dojo) and the founder's organisation, theAikikai (owners of the property, including the dojo and shrine), in particular the Aikikai's reassertion of control of the facilities upon Saitō's death in 2002. However, some of Saitō's other followers (most notably the three that Saitō had promoted to 7th dan, William Witt,Paolo Corallini and Ulf Evenås) have remained affiliated with Aikikai.
It is generally not permitted to train at both Tanrenkan and at Aikikai Ibaraki branch.
Read more about this topic: Iwama Dojo