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Morihei Ueshiba was a martial arts enthusiast and had heard of the reputation of jujutsu expert Sokaku Takeda who was conducting jujutsu seminars in Hokkaido and elsewhere. Benefiting from an introduction from a mutual acquaintance Kotaro Yoshida, Morihei seized the opportunity to meet Sokaku in person in Engaru, a nearby town, in the winter of 1915. On this occasion, Morihei remained to study for about 30 days, impulsively leaving behind his family and leadership responsibilities in Shirataki…
May
19
Historical article: “Morihei meets Sokaku — “The Untold Story”
May
19
Rare training manual: Takemusu Aiki — Katatedori by Morihiro Saito
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This is the first of two technical volumes produced by Saito Sensei based on a series of several hundred black and white photos shot inside the Iwama Dojo. “Takemusu Aiki: Katatedori” was published in 1979 and contains 22 techniques, all from katatedori, the single-hand grab…
May
18
Popular! Morihiro Saito demonstrates ryokatadori techniques
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Morihiro Saito, 9th dan, once again reveals his encyclopedic knowledge of aikido by demonstrating a series of ryokatadori techniques. Morihiro Saito was one of the closest and talented of Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba’s students in the postwar period. Over his nearly 60 year aikido career, Saito Sensei taught widely both in Japan and abroad and left an important body of book and video materials that are considered among the best sources on aikido technique…
May
18
Shoji Nishio: “His technical legacy is totally unique in the aikido world”
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Nishio’s technical legacy is totally unique. Although Morihiro Saito’s aikido also included the use of the sword and staff, what Saito did was to preserve and formalize the founder’s weapons techniques with little modification. Nishio, instead, mastered the basics of several of the modern weapons systems from which he drew many elements in addition to his prior experience in judo and karate….
May
18
Video: Shoji Nishio: “Enter immediately from ‘shizentai’… a natural stance”
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Nishio chose the sometimes controversial path of not imitating the founder’s technique, but rather absorbing aikido’s essential principles and adapting them to the current cultural context. In this regard, his technique was constantly evolving as his technical understanding and skills improved. For this reason, Nishio’s aikido bore little resemblance to orthodox aikido exemplified by the Hombu approach that tended to be conservative in nature. “Budo must always reflect its surroundings. If it isn’t newer and stronger, it isn’t valid…”
May
18
Video: Shoji Nishio: “The highly complex and sophisticated techniques of Aikido”
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Aikido represents a major departure from its predecessor arts that focused exclusively on winning or defeating an opponent. It was created as an art to foster moral character. It is natural that the way to present aikido techniques differs greatly from that of other martial arts. It goes without saying that aikido techniques are highly complex and sophisticated…
May
18
Video: Shoji Nishio — “Successive atemi are always available!”
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When Nishio Sensei explained the use of atemi in aikido techniques he demonstrated their application at successive points in the movement showing that they are always available. No physical contact actually takes place in order to assure safe practice conditions. The movement corresponding to the atemi does indeed neutralize the opponent’s mind and body rendering him unable to continue his attack…
May
18
Get Un-Stuck! David Shaner presents principles of Ki Aikido at TED x Greenville
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A fine presentation of the philosophy and art of Ki Aikido applied to challenging our thinking patterns by one of the leading students of Koichi Tohei, 10th dan. Dr. David Shaner is a 7th Degree Black Belt in the Japanese art of Ki-Aikido. He is the Chief Instructor of the Eastern (USA) Ki Federation and Japan Headquarters Advisor to the Eastern Europe/Russia Ki-Aikido Federation where he teaches each year…
May
17
Video: Shoji Nishio — “Atemi to temporarily neutralized the opponent’s fighting ability”
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While atemi or preemptive strikes, have fallen into disuse in mainstream styles of aikido, Nishio saw their employment as essential to the success of aikido techniques: “I regard atemi as the soul of Japanese martial arts. Atemi temporarily neutralize the opponent’s fighting ability and allow him to correct his attitude and return to his previous condition”…
May
17
Modern Aikido began here… “Iwama: Birthplace of Aikido,” by Stanley Pranin
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The founder became quite ill toward the end of 1942 with an intestinal ailment and this may have affected the actual timing of his withdrawal to Iwama. The contrast with his hectic life in Tokyo was dramatic as rural Iwama had only a few thousand residents. As Ueshiba recovered from his illness, he began to devote his time to farming, training and meditation…
May
17
Video: Shoji Nishio — “Aikido represents a major departure from its predecessor arts”
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If you are not familiar with the aikido approach of Shoji Nishio, 8th dan, the video highlights below will quickly acquaint you with the essentials of his martial system. Particular points to watch for are Nishio Sensei’s initial set up movements, often accompanied by atemi strikes, rapidity and precision during application of techniques, and final controling movements and pins. In this system, for the most part, empty-handed techniques (taijutsu) have corresponding movements using the ken and jo…
May
17
Video: “Jo tai Ken… Nishio Syle”
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“A total of 4 downloadable videos are included and cover the following subjects: Gyakuhanmi Katatedori, Aihanmi Katatedori, Shomenuchi (1), Shomenuchi (2), Yokomenuchi, Ryotedori and Sodedori, Katadori Menuchi, and Aikido Toho Iai.”
