Free video: Newly uploaded promotional clip for “Morihiro Saito: Lost Seminars, Part 5”

Download trailer for Lost Seminars, Part 5 here

We have just released a new DVD featuring an Aikido legend, Morihiro Saito Sensei, one of Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba’s closest disciples. This exceptional DVD presents never-before-seen footage of Saito Sensei as he appeared in 1991 while teaching a seminar in San Diego, California. Without doubt, this program makes a significant contribution to the steadily growing catalog of techniques of Saito Sensei available on DVD. With a runtime of 120 minutes, the material covered in this DVD includes the complete series of morotedori kokyuho exercises, numerous ushiro ryotedori and eridori techniques, and—a special treat—the rarely seen ninindori series, advanced techniques against two opponents. Complete English subtitles have been provided to enable viewers to follow in detail Saito Sensei’s instruction.

September 7^th, 2008 (read more )

Recommended reading: “Interview with Yasuo Kobayashi (2)” by Stanley Pranin

The article below from Fall 1992 has been selected from the extensive archives of the Online Aikido Journal. We believe that an informed readership with knowledge of the history, techniques and philosophy of aikido is essential to the growth of the art and its adherence to the principles espoused by Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba.

I entered the Aikikai Hombu Dojo in 1955. Before that I practiced judo in junior and senior high school. I was invited to start aikido by a friend (the son of Danzaki Sensei of the Iaido Federation), but I had examinations and so I waited until after I entered the university to enroll. That was in April of 1955. At that time several families who had lost their homes during the war were living in the dojo. After these people left, the dojo was remodeled and made larger. I think this happened one or two years after I joined the Hombu Dojo

September 7^th, 2008 (read more )

Do you have a blog in you?

Readers have for many months been able to read literally hundreds of blogs written by a number of talented writers cum martial artists who have graciously contributed to this website. The likes of Ellis Amdur, Peter Goldsbury, George Ledyard, Nev Sagiba, Clark Bateman, Lynn Seiser, Toby Threadgill, Mark Bilson, Todd Jones, David Lynch and others have provided very thoughtful and stimulating content to the Aikido Journal website and we are very grateful for their input.

If you have something of importance to say and have confidence in your writing ability, we encourage you to submit your text for review by the Aikido Journal editiorial staff. The process for doing so is outlined below.

September 7^th, 2008 (read more )

“Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu Hiden Mokuroku” by Katsuyuki Kondo Sensei back in print!

We would like to bring to your attention that we have republished the authoritative work by Katsuyuki Kondo, Menkyo Kaiden, titled Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu Hiden Mokuroku.

This is the first book in English to introduce the technical curriculum of Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu as originally taught by Sokaku Takeda. It contains the 31 techniques of the ikkajo series of the Hiden Mokuroku, the first level of study in Daito-ryu.

September 6^th, 2008 (read more )

Recommended reading: “The Dawn of Tomiki Aikido” by Seiji Tanaka

The article below on Tomiki Aikido has been selected from the extensive archives of the Online Aikido Journal. We believe that an informed readership with knowledge of the history, techniques and philosophy of aikido is essential to the growth of the art and its adherence to the principles espoused by Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba.

First of all, I would like to explain how, where and why Tomiki Aikido started. It goes back to the month of April, 1958 when Waseda University approved our Aikido Club as an officially sanctioned sport club (called “Undo Bu” in Japanese), while no other universities recognized any Aikido clubs as such. Instead, all other Aikido clubs were called “Doko-Kai”, meaning a loosely organized club made up with people of the same interest. These unsanctioned sport clubs had neither the prestige nor the status of other sanctioned clubs such as Judo, Kendo, Karate, baseball, soccer, and other major sport clubs.

September 6^th, 2008 (read more )

Brian Kagen pick: “Tetsutaka Sugawara’s Aikido/Taijiquan combined form”

“Assuming they have supplemental training this is very nice. I can clearly see the parallels in application compared to Bagua.”

Tetsutaka Sugawara was born in Hokkaido in 1941. In 1960, he began Aikido at the Hombu Dojo, Tokyo, under O-Sensei Morihei Ueshiba, founder of Aikido. In 1961, he became uchideshi under O-Sensei at the Ibaraki Dojo.

In 1964, he returned to Tokyo and entered Chuo University. In 1973, he established Minato Research and Publishing Co. (currently Sugawara Martial Arts Institute, Inc.) In 1975, he entered the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu recieving the ‘kyoshi’ instructor’s license in 1986.

September 6^th, 2008 (read more » 1 comment )

DVD featuring Seigo Okamoto of Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu Roppokai

We would like to bring to your attention the availability a DVD product that features Seigo Okamoto, founder of the Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu Roppokai, demonstrating the fine points of the basic and advanced techniques of this soft-style of Daito-ryu. The Roppokai features many unusual unbalancing techniques seen in no other art. This DVD is an instructional program that includes complete English voiceover of explanations of more than 90 Daito-ryu techniques plus a fascinating interview with Okamoto Sensei.

Okamoto is a leading student of Kodo Horikawa of Kitami, Hokkaido who established the Kodokai in 1950. Following the passing of Horikawa, Okamoto became independent establishing the Roppokai based in Tokyo. Okamoto travels frequently abroad giving seminars in Europe and the USA.

September 5^th, 2008 (read more )

Recommended reading: “Sokaku Takeda Biography (4)” by Tokimune Takeda

The article below has been selected from the extensive archives of the Online Aikido Journal. We believe that an informed readership with knowledge of the history, techniques and philosophy of aikido is essential to the growth of the art and its adherence to the principles espoused by Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba.

The invading army surrounding the Wakamatsu Castle numbered 20,000 soldiers with over one hundred cannons against only 3,000 Aizu soldiers. Heavy fighting began raging throughout the castle town starting on August 23, 1868. The Aizu defended themselves desperately even advancing to inflict defeats on the enemy. The battle at Suwaguchi was particularly violent. The soldiers of the Choshu, Hikone and Bizen clans fired cannonball volleys from the mound at the entrance of Yutsuji Temple. The Aizu soldiers built a mound at Suwaguchi to fight to the end. Also, other strong Aizu forces sallied forth from the castle to fight. Although they repeatedly engaged in desperate struggles to maintain their position, an attack from the flank by Choshu soldiers of the western army defeated the besieged Aizu army.

September 5^th, 2008 (read more )

Aikido Training in Las Vegas: “With consistency there can be progress” by Brandon Clapp

This is the sixth of a series of blogs submitted by aikido students of Aikido Journal Editor Stanley Pranin who are currently training in Las Vegas.

I have been thinking about something that Sensei has said several times now during training, that is we are undergoing a reprogramming. I believe this to be absolutely true since this kind of rewiring is critical to the brain’s development of new neural pathways. What I mean is that when we are doing something new for the first time such as Aikido or playing the guitar or any new activity, for that matter, we are clumsy or slow at first. This is because we have not had sufficient time doing the new activities that will allow our brain to create new neural pathways for faster execution of the particular activity. For those who are just starting aikido who feel like this will never happen for them, think about the last time you drove your car. Did you have to think about specific tasks before you performed them? Did you have to actually think about applying the turn signal before switching lanes? I am confident in saying that you most likely did not have to actually think about such things before performing them. Well the same thing will happen in your training if you give it time and vigorous practice.

September 5^th, 2008 (read more )

Morihiro Saito: Aiki Ken and Jo in 3 languages!

We are now offering the outstanding Aiki Ken and Jo DVD set by Morihiro Saito Shihan in a multilingual edition. When viewing the DVDs, you can choose to listen to Saito Sensei in the original Japanese or your preferred voiceover in English or French.

We feel that this wonderful innovation will permit a much wider audience to view and understand the teachings of Saito Sensei on the weapons training of aikido.

September 5^th, 2008 (read more )

Brian Kagen pick: “Iwama city ( 岩間 ) Japan -The home-town of Aikido-“

From YouTube.com

“Countless people in both the east and west study Aikido as result of this man’s hard work and insight into the spiritual and martial. This, you see lots of signs of everywhere in Iwama.

I went there to shoot these clips for a really great friend of mine who studies Aikido. (I don’t study the art myself) The trip was a bit of an insight into how much one man can effect the rest of the world in a positive way once he really puts his heart in it.”

September 4^th, 2008 (read more )

“Ki” by Nev Sagiba

The word Ki in Japanese language carries many and nuanced connotations. It can refer to mood, ambience, feeling, a tree, attitude, inclination, atmosphere, caring, worry, attraction, consciousness, the way colour or patterns affect the viewer, or the weather and a range of other possibilities, which can be inferred depending on the context of its use.

Such a way of denoting gives rise to a vast range of nuanced meanings arising from the ancient, and more correct, way of thinking in which all things were seen as connected.

Nev Sagiba — September 4^th, 2008 (read more » 1 comment )

5 outstanding O-Sensei DVDs at more than 30% off!

Save over 30% off retail price!

We are offering a special set of 5 outstanding DVDs featuring Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba. We feel that it is important for aikidoka to be familiar with the life and art of this incredible martial artist. These DVDs contain rare film clips of Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei at various stages of his life. If you’ve never see O-Sensei in action before you’ll be dazzled and inspired by his wizardry on the mat! The 5 DVDs retail normally for $199.75, but during this special you will save more than 30% off as this special offers sells for $134.95 plus shipping & handling.

September 3^rd, 2008 (read more )

Recommended reading: “Aikido and Injuries: Special Report” by Fumiaki Shishida

The important article below on the subject of aikido injuries has been selected from the extensive archives of the Online Aikido Journal. We believe this subject to be of such importance that we periodically call your attention to it so that you are aware of some of the training abuses that continue to occur.

The cases contained in the documents in Chapter 1 and other materials and testimonies offered by the individuals in question such as alumni who responded to my requests for data are listed in the table included. I chose to reproduce all information in cases where data was limited and attempted to select information for its instructional value in those cases where space limitations caused me to omit details where the data was ample. I have omitted the names of the victims and universities in consideration of the persons involved. I have assigned numbers to the cases according to the date of occurrence of the accident.

September 3^rd, 2008 (read more )

Brian Kagen pick: “What is ki?” by Mario McKenna

See page 16 of newsletter for article:

“This all didn’t change that much until entered university and came into contact with other budo groups, mostly kendo, judo and aikido. Out of those three I was most struck by the aikidoka. Sitting and talking to them gave me a whole new perspective on budo, what I labeled the “flower-child” mentality. They constantly talked about things that I considered quite esoteric, “harmonizing with your opponent”, “being one with the universe” and of course “ki”. We discussed things and compared ideas, but compared to the aikidoka, I suppose I had a “hammerhead” mentality because I didn’t have much use for those concepts.”

September 3^rd, 2008 (read more )

New DVD! Morihiro Saito: “Lost Seminars, Part 5!” Two hours of expert instruction by one of Aikido’s greatest teachers!

We have wonderful news for Aikido Journal readers! We have just released a new DVD featuring an Aikido legend, Morihiro Saito Sensei, one of Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba’s closest disciples. This exceptional DVD presents never-before-seen footage of Saito Sensei as he appeared in 1991 while teaching a seminar in San Diego, California. Without doubt, this program makes a significant contribution to the steadily growing catalog of techniques of Saito Sensei available on DVD.

With a runtime of 120 minutes, the material covered in this DVD includes the complete series of morotedori kokyuho exercises, numerous ushiro ryotedori and eridori techniques, and—a special treat—the rarely seen ninindori series, advanced techniques against two opponents. Complete English subtitles have been provided to enable viewers to follow in detail Saito Sensei’s instruction.

September 2^nd, 2008 (read more )