My cousin, who runs a karate school in San Jose, California, says that the one who controls the distance in an encounter is the one who controls the situation. One of the shihan of the Japan Aikido Association, when...
Archive - August 2002
Josh GoldSticks and Stones Will Break Your Bones: A Look at Jo and Bo by Meik Skoss
First of all, I’ve never heard of an art such as ishinagejutsu, the art of throwing stones, at least in terms of an organized system, so that part’s easily disposed of. I don’t know why it is, but it...
Jujutsu and Taijutsu by Meik Skoss
“The close quarters tactics of the day called for closing with the enemy, throwing him down, and taking his head.” Japanese unarmed grappling arts have been around for a very long time. The first references...
Toda-ha Buko-ryu Naginatajutsu
My last few columns have strayed somewhat from a discussion of specific kobujutsu (classical martial arts) and their ryugi (traditions), so in this issue I’d like to return to my main focus. My topic this issue...
Transmission and Succession in the Classical Arts by Meik Skoss
In the study of the kobudo and kobujutsu (Japanese classical martial arts and ways), one of the more intriguing questions is that of the transmission and succession of the different martial traditions via the soke or...
Okinawan Koryu Karate
Aikido practitioners often think of karate in terms of sparring competitions and kata demonstrations, but the original style of karate is quite different. On August 5th, 1992 we visited the dojo of Kenji Ushiro, who...
Becoming an Uchideshi, or How to Train Seriously in Japan
During the last few years, several of my students have been preparing themselves to experience uchideshi life in Japan, I have also received requests from Aiki News readers who, having read my interview in Aiki News...