Origin of the Hakama The Hakama are traditional Japanese pants, originally worn over a kimono by members of the higher classes of society. Its origins may be found in the Heian era (794-1185), when women of the imperial...
Archive - April 2019
Welcome to Black Belt Essentials
We’re proud to announce the release of Aikido Journal Academy’s newest course – “Black Belt Essentials” with Patricia Hendricks. This is a very special project for us. Stanley Pranin, the...
‘I’d rather see him as a human being’: Yoshimitsu Yamada on O-Sensei and the Future of Aikido
In 1955, Yoshimitsu Yamada was accepted to the Hombu Dojo uchi deshi program (live-in apprentice) at age 18. He studied directly under the founder, as well as Kissomaru Ueshiba, Koichi Tohei, Kisaburo Osawa and other...