Ole Kingston Jensen: Aiki–A Never Ending Journey

Ole Kingston with Seigo Okamoto Sensei

Shortly after his 16th birthday, on December 30, 1975 while riding his bicycle in Copenhagen Ole was hit by a car. Since that time he has lived in a wheelchair. Despite this, perhaps unbelievably for those who are unfamiliar with Roppokai Aiki techniques, he trains and instructs, executing throws while he wheels about.

Ole came to Japan recently for the promotion of the Japanese release of the feature film Aiki. The film, 10 years in the planning and making, was directed and written by Daisuke Tengan. It is based on the story of Ole and his encounter with Aikijujutsu and Okamoto Sensei. It was first released to the public at the 2002 Venice International Film Festival, and in Japanese theaters on November 30th. It has received favorable reviews in Japan, and one of the cast, Ryo Ishibashi, who plays the Aikijujutsu teacher Hiraishi (a character based upon Seigo Okamoto) won the best supporting actor award from Hochi Sports Newspaper for his portrayal in the movie. I had a chance to interview Ole on his recent trip to Japan about his life and Aiki career as well as the movie.

Have you ever trained in any other martial arts, before or after your accident?

I had trained a couple of months of boxing, 3 months in judo, 3 months in wrestling, 6 months of karate and did some Kung Fu—mostly from movies, with a little help from a Grill Bar owner. All of these were from the ages of 8 to 16.

After the accident I trained for 2 years in Shotokan karate, and 2 years of jujutsu, 3 months of Taichi, 3 months of Wing Chung, and 3 months of Hung Gar Kung Fu. All with little luck.

I have watched several hundred movies, exhibitions, and training videos, as well as read many books and magazines over the years, and I now own nearly every Aikido and Aikijujutsu video on the market. I talk to a lot of martial arts people about martial arts.

Poster for new film Aiki based on Ole’s lifeHow did you first hear about the Daito-ryu Roppokai, and how did you first contact Okamoto Sensei?

A friend saw a video of Okamoto Sensei in an exhibition of several martial arts styles and said to me, “Ole, if he can do it you can too.” The next day we visited the club and I said I wished to start, and they said OK, and I started the next day. It was October 1, 1986.

When did you first meet Okamoto Sensei face-to-face, and what was your impression?

I first met Okamoto Sensei in 1988 at a seminar in Copenhagen, and was amazed by his waza (technique) and his friendly, fun way to be.

Could you talk a bit about the history of the Copenhagen branch of the Roppokai?

The Copenhagen branch started in 1983 when a Danish guy went to Tokyo to visit Okamoto Sensei ( Okamoto Sensei talks briefly about this in the Aiki News Roppokai video). He was allowed to go home and try the waza he had seen in Tokyo at his jujutsu club. Sensei came to Denmark in 1985 to open the Roppokai club. There have always been about 20 dojo members on and off.

In 1990 this guy left the club and the no. 2 became no. 1. In 1993 the no.1 guy left the branch, and Tim Gullaksen, myself, and Sigurd Dahlberg were appointed the heads of the Danish branch. In 1995 Tim left due to a knee injury and I became the no. 1 guy with the highest rank. In 1995 I was promoted to okugi sandan (interviewer’s note: “inner sandan.” In the Roppokai this is the rank between sandan and yondan when the first scroll is received). I continued teaching and I have now been promoted to 4th dan and jun-dairi-kyoju in November 2002.

Could you talk a bit about your tattoos?

On one arm is a wild boar and the kanji for the year of the boar. I am born in the year of the boar and the actual kanji character was written by Okamoto Sensei. It was later copied from his calligraphy and tattooed together with the boar.

On the other arm is “Benkei” (interviewer’s note: Benkei is a historical Japanese character reknowned for his strength, who was the loyal vassal of Minamoto Yoshitsune. To use a Western analogy, their relationship and exploits are something along the lines of Robin Hood and Little John) I had several pictures of Benkei before I got the tattoo, and I also got some stamps from Sensei with pictures of Benkei on them. I later decided to get the tattoo because Sensei said, “You are like Benkei.” Benkei is also connected with the Minamoto clan. All of the tattoo work was done by my friend.

Is there a scene from the film that stands out in your mind as being particularly emotional or moving?

When Hiraishi (the character of the aikijujutsu teacher based upon Okamoto Sensei) says “Remember this feeling.” when doing aikiage (rising aiki) in the movie. Also when Taichi (the protagonist of the film, played by Haruhiko Kato) goes to bed with Samako (the female lead role in the film, played by Rie Tomosaka) reminded me of the first girl I was in bed with after the accident. Also when Hiraishi looks at the wheelchair it also reminded me of when Okamoto Sensei was in the hospital and sat in a wheelchair and asked some students visiting him to grab him and try to feel what I am feeling.

When were you first approached by the director, Daisuke Tengan, about making the movie Aiki? Did you think it would actually get made?

We talked about the movie about 10 years ago and it seemed like it would be fun to do, but I didn’t really believe it would get made. But every other year Okamoto Sensei talked a bit about it, so I hoped it would get made, but I didn’t believe it would.

One of my favorite aspects of the film was how it doesn’t try to gloss over what life in a wheelchair is like, particularly the difficulties of doing such things that most people take for granted, such as using the toilet. What was your impression of the film?My impression of the movie was great. It really looked as if it was my own story and the actors and actresses really did a fine job. Playing the role of a handicapped person is especially difficult. Like you said, visiting the toilet, sexual problems, looking for a job, etc., and how Director Daisuke Tengan manages to get a whole story and keep it together without any holes, how one thing leads to the next is great.

Do you have any particular Aiki technique that is your favorite?

I like aikiage, even though it is difficult for me to keep my balance. I love aiki kiritsuke (cutting aiki), aikitsuki (aiki punch), aiki sukuiage (aiki scooping throw), aiki tekubigaeshi (aiki wrist turn)—those waza make me do nearly everything in aiki.

Could you explain about your impressions of the difference between Daito-ryu Roppokai and aikido?

In Daito-ryu and aikido the kihon (basic) waza you do nearly the same technique, but in aikido they tend to soften the waza. In Daito-ryu the basis is jujutsu and techniques are done as jujutsu and it is a bit hard on the opponent. In Daito-ryu, later you use aikinage (aiki throw) to make the basics more fluid and more soft in nature, and use aiki to break the opponent’s balance and then finish off with jujutsu: kime, katame, shime, etc. In aikijujutsu, it seems that that part in particular is more like aikido. But, in aikido you tend to move around the opponent rather than moving the opponent around you, which you do in aikijujutsu. Also in Roppokai the waza are many times smaller than in aikido, and the aiki no jutsu [compiled of nuki aiki (releasing aiki), tome aiki (stopping aiki), fure aiki (touching aiki), aikizeme (aiki attack), aikime (eye aiki), hiki and zeme (pull and attack), kokyu (breath), circular motion and conditioned reflex] are of great importance to executing small waza.

There are many ideas and interpretations about the definition of aiki. Could you explain a bit about what you think aiki is?

Aiki—isn’t that a feeling? And a state of mind? Combined with the training over the years, isn’t it a bit like when you are in love—you don’t need to eat or sleep and you have a lot of surplus energy, and people tell you that you are thinking with your heart and not your brain?

Or is it a feeling, a state of mind that comes from the smell, touch, hearing, seeing, and being with other persons together that creates a feeling we call love? Like I said before, there is a feeling and a state of mind and a special way of training with special techniques within Daito-ryu that creates the sensation of aiki. Of course, you also make use of kokyu/ breathing, but the breathing is normal. The worst thing you can do is to hold your breath, and you have to coordinate your breath with the technique as well.

As a fellow Roppokai member, it seems to me that one of the most important parts of learning the art is taking ukemi directly from Okamoto Sensei in order to feel the technique. As being in a wheelchair prevents you from rolling, what methods do you use to learn and absorb the techniques?

By training in the techniques, watching, hearing, remembering, feeling, and thinking of the techniques, having a certain amount of intuition, and most of all believing in aiki and the forces of nature, it is possible to grasp the essence of aiki and use Aiki without taking ukemi. However, at the same time, I am often in the training line with the students in order to feel the first part of the technique from other students as well as Okamoto Sensei. The senior students know how to apply waza on me to my limit without throwing me out of the chair. All of my previous martial arts training also gave me some idea of what it is all about.

One of if not the most important and fundamental principles in martial arts is the use of the waist and hips to generate power. As you cannot move from the chest down, could you talk a bit about how you are able to do Roppokai techniques?

Some people say there is aiki in kihon/basic waza (the hiden mokuroku consists of 118 jujutsu waza). In short, I will say there is no aiki in those waza. But, a little deeper answer is this: if a new comer is practicing aikiage is there much aiki in the technique? I will say no. So, for example if there is a aikiage-type hand movement in a shihonage type throw (the hanmi handachi technique in the Roppokai, for example)—is there any aiki in that technique when a newcomer does that technique? The answer is no. But by practice aikiage, aikisage (lowering aiki), aikizeme, aiki tekubigaeshi, and aikinage etc. you gradually begin to be able to execute aiki, and then can apply the aiki technique to the kihon waza. Now it is no longer basic jujutsu, it is the next level—aikijujutsu.

Try to sit in a chair without a back , then raise your legs from the ground and perform the shihonage/hanmi handachi type of waza without turning or touching the floor and try to feel where the balance is lost, then you get an idea of how it works for me. But also, within that experience I know where walking people lose their balance, so walking or not, you must find your own balance within the waza, use the correct way (kata/form) of the waza, the aiki feeling or state of mind and the small waza of Daito-ryu, and it will work. That’s why I think the small fast circular techniques were invented and are most effective. You don’t get tired or lose your balance, and they are not easy to counter.

All of that put together with a mental attitude and you are able to generate power from within. That’s aiki.