Born in Hirosemura, Kawanuma-gun, Aizu near Aizubange-cho, in present-day Fukushima Prefecture, Takeda Sokaku was the second son of Sokichi Takeda. Takeda was the primary disseminator of Daitoryu Aikijujutsu in 20th-century Japan. He traveled extensively throughout Japan, giving seminars mainly to well-to-do persons, police and military officers. He left behind extensive written records in the form of Eimeiroku and Shareikoku documents which give a good idea of the extent of his teaching activities.

Takeda's form of jujutsu is the most successful of the surviving Japanese schools, and his technical influence on Aiki Budo and, hence, modern aikido, is great. He was reputed to have taught some 30,000 students during his long career. Takeda first taught Morihei Ueshiba in Engaru, Hokkaido in 1915. Among his other students of note were Kotaro Yoshida, Yukiyoshi Sagawa, Kodo Horikawa and Takuma Hisa. Takeda was succeeded by his son, Tokimune.