Branches of Aikido

[tshadowchaser]

How many branches of Aikido are there today and what are the major diffrences in them.
I know most people think Aikido people try never to hurt anyone but it was taught as a much more violent way in the begining.
Shadow

 

[Rubber Ducky]

I think that the "main" branches are:

- Aikikai;
- Yoshinkan;
- Tomiki;
- Ki Society;
- Iwama;
- and others, many others I'm sure.

Aikikai is also "Hombu style", or the style that O Sensei's family has maintained control of. Aikikai is also a political body that maintains rank and certifies rank for other associations etc. Kind of an umbrella. However, the Hombu dojo does publish a curricula and the current Doshu - Ueshiba Moriteru (O Sensei's grandson) - is the head of this style and maintains its technical direction (at least in Japan).

Yoshinkan is, in some ways, a more "combative" style. I think, and I may be wrong, that it and Iwama share some similarities. I could look up more about it on the web, but I'm lazy.

Tomiki is a style of Aikido started by Tomiki Kenji. He was both a high ranking Judoka and Aikidoka. It is differentiated from other Aikido styles primarily in the fact that it has both kata and competition.

Ki Society was started by Tohei Koichi. I don't know much about it other than it is rumoured to be very soft (please note that I don't mean to imply ineffective). I've seen some bad demos of it online, but I haven't experienced it in person.


Iwama style is the style practiced by Saito Sensei at Iwama - the shrine set up at O Sensei's home - in Japan. Supposedly a more Aiki-Budo style of Aikido. Small, tight circles and hard throws etc. A more "hard" style of Aikido from an early stage of Aikido's development.

There is also Shodokan Aikido, which is an offshoot of Yoshinkan I believe.

Take all of this with a grain of salt, and look some of these styles up on the web. There's lots of info available.

Pierre

 

[Cthulhu]

I seem to remember a branch of aikido that was geared specifically towards law enforcement officers. Am I mistaken?

Cthulhu

 

[kimura]

The style you are thinking of is Yoshinkan Aikido...

Tokyo police train this and/or Kendo



Kimura...

 

[Cthulhu]

Thanks, kimura. I thought it was Yoshinkan, but wasn't terribly certain. Could Yoshinkan be considered more aikijutsu than aikido?

Cthulhu

 

[KumaSan]

Originally posted by Cthulhu
Could Yoshinkan be considered more aikijutsu than aikido?

I had heard this also and was somewhat curious. Unfortunately, I've never met anyone who studied that syle

 

[Mao]

There are various styles of aikido. It all came from, however, the same person. Many of the off shoots came after his death. Sounds a bit like many other styles. I believe that the biggest glaring difference between "do" and "jutsu" is mostly philisophical. It is the difference between satsu jinken and katsu jinken. One leads to destruction and the other to the possibility of a new beginning. So then, "do" leads to the possibility of a new beginning and "jutsu" often to destruction. In one you would break the arm, in the other you would not. I have heard that it all used to be 99% atemi. Obviously that has since changed.

 

[Rubber Ducky]

Originally posted by Mao
I have heard that it all used to be 99% atemi. Obviously that has since changed.

Mao, O Sensei said that Aikido is 99% atemi and I think it still applies.

If you examine the techniques as performed, many of them will not work without atemi and many of them provide openings for atemi. Still more of them have atemi at their core, but uke's protective action turns an elbow (for example) into a throw.

My instructor says "There is *always* atemi", and then demonstrates.

I think that atemi is one of those "left as an excercise for the reader" type of things. Is it an oversight? I don't know, but there's lots already in Aikido so I suspect not. One theory that I have (completely unsubstantiated of course) is that when O Sensei started teaching Aikido it was assumed that the students would know how to do the punch/kick thing considering they were all students of other arts first. So he didn't bother to re-teach it in Aikido, instead concentrating on the things they *didn't* know how to do, and thus it stuck.

Pierre

 

[Mao]

I agree with you. You are right that there is always atemi. And I teach it this way. What I meant to say is that so often nowdays many instructors do not. By and large, many aikidoka do not use atemi in their daily practice. Perhaps they are concentrating on, as you say, what they do not know. It has been my experience, however, that many people with whom I have trained couldn't punch or kick to save their hides!

 

[Jay Bell]

Could Yoshinkan be considered more aikijutsu than aikido?

I'd say no on that one. The closest to Daito ryu seems to be Jiyushinkai Aiki-Budo, from my visual understanding. I guess Kondo sensei, Soke Daire of Daito ryu, had wonderful things to say about them when watching their footage.

I study at the Jiyushinkan. Not Aiki-budo but Shindo Muso ryu. I've sat and watched their Aiki-budo classes....they are truly great Aikidoka.

 

[Rubber Ducky]

Ok, I understand you now

I agree, most Aikidoka (myself included) aren't very good punch/kick guys. I think the original deshi were, however, at least decent at it.

It's something I'm working on.

That and the knife thing...

Pierre

 

[arnisador]

Originally posted by Cthulhu
Could Yoshinkan be considered more aikijutsu than aikido?

Is there a distinction between aikijutsu and jujutsu? I have always thought of the former as a special cse of the latter. Is there a reason you used aikijutsu here rather than the presumably more general jujutsu?

 

[Rubber Ducky]

arnisador:

I think Cthulu probably just mis-spelled aiki ju jutsu.

That is, aiki ju jutsu is a form of ju jutsu - it just contains techniques that use "aiki" or "harmony" (I think). Daito ryu is an example (the only one?)

Pierre

 

[old_sempai]

There is an Aikido style known as Nihon Goshin Aikido that is not an off-shoot of Uyeshiba or any of his students. It was founded in 1946 on the Island of Hokkaido by Morita Shoda who received a teaching license from either Kotaro Yoshida or Takeda Sokaku in 1925. It was brought to the United States in 1963 and currently has approximately 25 dojo's and about 5000 practictioners. It's generally not acknowledged by the O'Sensei schools [so much for Universal Harmony].:asian:

 

[Yari]

Originally posted by old_sempai

There is an Aikido style known as Nihon Goshin Aikido that is not an off-shoot of Uyeshiba or any of his students. It was founded in 1946 on the Island of Hokkaido by Morita Shoda who received a teaching license from either Kotaro Yoshida or Takeda Sokaku in 1925. It was brought to the United States in 1963 and currently has approximately 25 dojo's and about 5000 practictioners. It's generally not acknowledged by the O'Sensei schools [so much for Universal Harmony].:asian:

Do you have any more info. about this style?


/Yari

 

[old_sempai]

:asian:

Founded by Morita Shodo, who lived in Hokkaido Japan. It is a 5 belt system, that starts with the beginner. The actual student belt levels are yellow, blue, green, purple, brown and black with the student learning 50 "classical" techniques divided across these 5 student grades. The art also teaches blocks, kicks, punching and chops along with falls and rolls, first aid and a series of exercises called Ki projection. It was introduced into the United States in 1962 by Richard Bowe, who had been stationed in Hokkaido, Japan. It traces its lineage back to Takeda Sokaku and the art of Daito Ryu.

Hope this answers most questions.

:asian:

 

[Jas]

Nihon Goshin Aikido is a unique and versatile combination of the most effective techniques from other established Martial Art forms. By utilizing striking techniques from Karate, throwing techniques from Judo, joint locking techniques from Jujitsu and a variety of techniques from Bo Jitsu and Yawara, Nihon Goshin Aikido presents a Martial Art that is extremely efficient in realistic self defence situations. As with other forms of Aikido, Nihon Goshin style uses the energy of the opponent by redirecting the attack in a circular motion and putting Uke(person being thrown) into a joint locking technique or submission hold.

 

[arnisador]

Originally posted by Jas

By utilizing striking techniques from Karate, throwing techniques from Judo, joint locking techniques from Jujitsu and a variety of techniques from Bo Jitsu and Yawara

Where is the Aikido in it?

I assume you use Yawara in the sense of the short stick, not the jujutsu-like martial art?

 

[Jay Bell]

By utilizing striking techniques from Karate, throwing techniques from Judo, joint locking techniques from Jujitsu and a variety of techniques from Bo Jitsu and Yawara

Interesting...I found this about the school:

Founded by Shodo Morita. He had a black belt in numerous arts and took what he considered to be the best techniques from each of Judo, Karate, Jujitsu, Bo-Jitsu, Yawara, Aiki-Jujitsu and other less known, but equally dynamic styles of combat self-defense, to form a complete self-defense system. These techniques included strikes, throws, joint locks, nerve pressure points and weapons. Although records are incomplete, it is most probable that Master Morita trained with Yoshiro Kotaro. He was secretary Daito-Ryu AikiJujitsu under Sokaku Takeda. Master Morita died in 1962 and was succeeded by his stepson, Tominosuke Nara. Master Nara closed the main dojo in Chitose, Japan in 1975 and continued to teach privately. Master Richard A. Bowe trained with Master Morita in Japan and introduced the art to the United States in 1962, He is the U.S. Director of the art and has been recognized as a Martial Arts Pioneer in the Northeast. Sensei Robert MacEwen, Jr. received his Shodan, Ni Dan, and San Dan by Master Bowe.

I'm interested in how Morita san could have claimed lineage back to Takeda...if the above is true. There wasn't a Marita Shodo that received Kyoju Dairi or Menkyo Kaiden as far as I'm aware within the Daito ryu....so I read on and found this:

The origins of Nihon Goshin Aikido can be traced to Daito ryu Aikijitsu whose greatest proponent was Sokaku Takeda.

Master Shodo Morita founded the art of Nihon Goshin Aikido. He was trained by Yoshiro Kitaro, an instructor of Daito ryu Aikijitsu. Master Kitaro also trained in his family system of self-defense. In addition to training in Daito ryu, Master Morita trained in Judo, Yoshikan Aikido, Kobudo (weapons), Karate, and the esoteric arts. After Master Morita mastered these arts he realized that although they were highly effective, no single style was complete. Each art focused on a separate element of self-defense: The karate arts focused on striking. The judo arts focused on throwing. The jujitsu arts focused on joint locks. Master Morita incorporated principles and techniques of each system into a new system called Nihon Goshin Aikido. It is significant to note that he did not merely choose the best techniques from each system, but a variety of techniques, recognizing that what works well for one person may not be effective for a second person due to height differences. Nihon Goshin Aikido is a highly effective form of martial arts due to its variety of principles.

This is somewhat interesting. There was not a "Yoshiro Kitaro" of the Daito ryu. Yet, there was Kotaro Yoshida who passed on in 1964 (as the above explained).

The above mentioned incomplete records. Out of all of the budo schools I've ever heard of, incomplete records and Daito ryu do not go together. Takeda had student ledgers and attendance sheets for *everyone* that he ever taught...even for seminars. I'm sure this tradition would be handed down, especially since Yoshida Kotaro sensei was so prominant within the Daito ryu.

I'm still pretty curious as why the art is called "Aikido" at all.

It's generally not acknowledged by the O'Sensei schools

I can see why..

Uh oh...I just checked out the photos page. During the clip of "Spinning Hip Throw" it said "Morita-ha Daito ryu". The pile just gets deeper...

 

[old_sempai]

:soapbox:

Well, for those that are doubters you’re invited to visit the website Aikidoinc, and if you can’t figure out the prefix and suffix let me know. If you look carefully at the photos of Mr. Bowe, he’s easy to recognize since he’s the only “tenki teki amerikaijin” in the pictures. Now look beyond Mr Bowe at the other students and take careful notice of their embroidered Kanji characters they have on their Gi, for those that don’t possess a Nelson’s Dictionary I’ll translates. It reads: “Goshin Aikido,.” And Mr Bowe added the prefix Nihon when he opened the first Aikido school in 1962 in North Jersey.
Whether Morita studied under Takeda or Kotaro is a small matter.

However, I’m not surprised by the condescending comments since Uyeshiba adherents would have us believe that it is they that are the true possessors of the moral high ground., and that only they possess the true ability to harness Ki. Unfortunately, these same individuals have no clue regarding the significance of Uyeshiba’s belonging to the Kendo Club at Keio University in the 1920’s & 30’s, or of Keio University itself, nor that he was rabidly Xenophobic. Nor the significance of his membership in the Black Dragon Society, or what the Omoto sect was truly about, or the truth behind the concepts of Kotodama, or Kokutai for that matter. As for Ki/Chi that’s another PC fairly tale they love to tell as well. These same adherents would have us believe that their “Way of Harmony” is not unlike the ancient name of Japan “Dai Wah -Great Harmony.” But, fail to understand that Ai is actually a contraction of the verb “Awaso” meaning “to unite,” nothing more. And that until the Pacific War came to an end that the only people being taught by Uyeshiba were high ranking military and political leaders, and these same individuals were also responsible for prolonging the war. And no they were not thwarting the will of the Emperor, far from it, they were following his dictates. But, then I’m digressing.

I'll close for now, and climb down thereby providing those that have nothing better to do than throw stones with a more readily available target for their feeble little arms

Regards


:asian: :asian: