Will Tracy Kenpo History Articles Link (AWESOME!)

[Doc]

Lansh Shoares???? Come on now, that is the worst butchering of my name I have heard in a long while. I apologize, Senor Busman, not Bushman.

Hi Lance If it doesn't matter, we wouldn't be reading these threads and posting, would we?

I only posted my two cents and then I was going to leave it alone. You know what?... it really doesn't matter. I could care less what happened between the two men. Yes it is history, but you know what? will it effect me and the way I teach my students? probably not. I don't particularly care for people putting out statements that may or may not be true about a dead man but how is this different from any other "he said, she said" situation such as this one?
Out of curiosity, I noticed that there is a lot of mention of how you have talked to "sources". You also call for people to disprove what Will Tracy wrote and what you have researched. If someone were to produce documentation to disprove something would you devulge you "sources"?

Sources? Sources? Probably the same ones that Dan Rather used. "I can't tell you where I got the information, but I stand by it as credible." Bogus information usually comes from bogus secret sources."

Sources? Sources? We don't need no stinkin' sources!

 

[DavidCC]

"After the book came out Mitose went to the mainland, and none of the investors got a dime from the book sales"


well, I don't feel so bad about downloading a PDF of that book then %-}

+++++++++++

"If someone can find a specific mistake..."

I found one internal inconsistency - Will says that EP did not teach the last 10+ years, but then he describes a conversation with EP about his training of Jeff Speakman. So which was it?

 

[M.C. Busman]

Lance Soares wrote:

Lansh Shoares???? Come on now, that is the worst butchering of my name I have heard in a long while. I apologize, Senor Busman, not Bushman.

If it hadn't sounded incredibly funny, I wouldn't have bothered. Sometimes it's nice to get away from the grind and have a laugh over it all. No hard feelings from my side

[...]

I only posted my two cents and then I was going to leave it alone. You know what?... it really doesn't matter. I could care less what happened between the two men. Yes it is history, but you know what? will it effect me and the way I teach my students? probably not. I don't particularly care for people putting out statements that may or may not be true about a dead man but how is this different from any other "he said, she said" situation such as this one?

Nothing wrong with 2 cents. Nor should history affect technical or physical matters. Merely an observation that if it truely didn't matter, people wouldn't post, comment, or feel upset. I wish all of this stuff was clear, cut and dried. Easy. But it isn't. People will feel defensive over this stuff because it challenges comfortable beliefs they were taught by people they trusted. The purely physical/technical folks WON'T care either way because nothing they do will be affected. There's nothing anyone can do to "save" people's feelings other than dropping it--and that isn't going to happen.

Mitose stuff comes out: O.K., Parker Stuff: O.K., Tracy Stuff: O.K., other stuff: O.K.--it's there. Maybe some of it is "R" rated stuff. Maybe it shows human flaws. It is all part of a bigger picture.

Out of curiosity, I noticed that there is a lot of mention of how you have talked to "sources". You also call for people to disprove what Will Tracy wrote and what you have researched. If someone were to produce documentation to disprove something would you devulge you "sources"?

I don't understand the last part. History, people's recollections are not foolproof either. Witnesses forget things, people sometimes mix things up unintentionally. As to people I have spoken to and interviewed, I believe I have mentioned a number of people whom I've spoken with in another post. Some things were as simple as asking Ed Parker Jr. about some events surrounding the long beach internationals, or Juchnik something related to Motobu & Trias--hand written notes. They mean something to me, but I doubt these guys would remember someone who called them 5-10 years ago. So...personal edification, direction for further research, yes. Would I send duplicates to another historian: yes. Are phone notes something that is going for publication: probably not. On interviews, hopefully the first will see print in 6-8 months (permission pending). I am part of a group of a couple folks who are actively talking to the first generations of U.S. martial artists with the hope of preventing confusion for future generations. That way we're not stuck with just "______told me, but he told_________something else".

Doc mentions the CBS/Dan Rather incident. A good thing to point out. Whatever one thinks of Rather, politics & all that jazz, he righted his wrong by documenting how he screwed up, and he apologized. People screw up. A courageous man admits his mistake. A fool spins in circles trying to avoid the subject.


Y'all Take Care Now!

M.C. Busman

 

[Doc]

If you're looking for views, add this one from Furuya who also was there.
http://www.aikidocenterla.com/2004/9/22.html

Bits & Pieces - History of Aikido In Southern California:
dated 9/22/04

Today, someone directed me to another website on martial arts and I was quite surprised at some of the discussion going on. It is all rather embarrassing what people can say about each other and it makes me ashamed. So sad. However, I see that in many cases all of the facts are very inaccurately stated. I think this is because much of these topics start from gossip and heresay and there are very few records of the recent history of Aikido. In my later years, I am more nostalgic, so for prosperity, I am going to account some episodes in the history of Aikido in this country which I experienced first hand. Having been around since the very early days of Aikido in California, I was witness to much of this. I was very young at the time and very naive and much of what I saw really shocked and surprised me at the time so I do have a clear memory of it. Not because they were pleasant memories but because they were so disturbing to me. I have not discussed a lot of this - only with my most trusted assistants because it is not information which I thought good for the positive growth of Aikido. But nowadays I see this information circulating in the internet but much of it is very inaccurate. For the sake of accuracy of historical record - if this may serve any good purpose, I will record certain events here in my own website. I really hate to go onto other websites. . . . . . .
I saw a discussion about James Mitose and Aikido today and I was very disturbed about this. I was also surprised that such a topic was evn brought up. There is a discussion of some documents that Mitose received from O'Sensei which state that Mitose is awarded a 10th Dan and "responsibility" of the United States and on and on. . . . and this is followed by a long endless discussion. . . .

I was at the first several meetings attended by James Mitose when he first met Tohei Koichi in Los Angeles. Tohei was still Shihan Bucho or Chief Instructor of the Teaching Department at Hombu Dojo and still in control of the United States as his own teaching territory. This was in 1970 sometime after I returned from Hombu Dojo. In Southern California, there were only two professional instructors of Aikido, myself and the late Rod Kobayashi.

At this time, O'Sensei had just passed away and Tohei was weilding considerable political power both here and in Japan. He had great popularity in Hawaii and the West Coast at this time and visited Los Angeles quite often.

Although I was very young at the time, because I never drank, I always always assigned by Tohei as his driver. It was a custom then, after every practice and seminar, to drink. I don't drink and was the only one sober to drive him back safely from wherever he was partying. I was about 20 years old at the time. But I followed Tohei everywhere he went.

James Mitose first met Tohei Koichi at the Eigiku Restaurant in Little Tokyo. The dinner meeting was arranged by Mitose to meet Tohei whom he had heard was in Los Angeles at the time and had admired him from his reputation. This first meeting was attended by Tohei, Mitose, Rod and myself.

This was Mitose's first contact with Aikido. He had never met O'Sensei in his life and I think that Mitose had never been to Japan. I am sure that he never met O'Sensei. This was Mitose's first contact with Aikido - with Tohei at this dinner, one year after O'Sensei's passing.

Mitose wanted to meet Tohei because I think Mitose was very celebrity conscious. He introduced himself as a Methodist minister who did a great deal of fund raising and social work in the community. He had many photos he brought with him to show himself with many celebrities. This is how he impressed people and he used this tattered photo album as his credentials. Mitose was Hawaii-born and raised and his grandfather and father were kempo-karate teachers in Hawaii. He introduced himself as the 3rd generation "grandmaster of Hawaiian Kempo."

Tohei was very interested to meet Mitose because he thought that Mitose could be a source of funding for his separation from Hombu he had been planning for a long time now. After various talks and hearing of Tohei's plan, Mitose promised that he would build a five-story building on land he owned next to Disneyland in Anaheim and this could be the "new headquarters' for Aikido and Tohei's new organization. It seemed a pretty fantastic offer.

What was disturbing was that Mitose was often out of control during this meeting. He jumped up at several intervals and started to do kempo, punching and kicking in the air in the middle of the crowded restaurant between the tables. It was really surprising and appalling to me. The restaurant brought out three big plates of food which everyone was to eat from, one had tempura, one had beef teriyaki and one had something which I can't remember. Mitose rather drooled and spit on the food while he was talking so none of us could eat the food. At the time, everyone was drinking anyways, so I was the only one concerned with the condition of the comenstibles.

There were several more meetings after this at Rod's apartment which I attended. But I am sure there were other meetings which I did not attend. Because of Mitose's "generous" offer of financial aid and also the promise of this new headquarters in Amaheim, Tohei sped up his plans to separate from Hombu and it was at this time, that I announced that I was staying with Hombu and could not have any further part of this conspiracy. I dropped all contact with Tohei and Rod and do not know what happened after this. Shortly after in 1972, Tohei separated from Hombu and this was a very chaotic and sad time for the West Coast for whom Tohei was the only contact with Hombu.

Tohei had asked me my impression of Mitose after that first meeting and I told Tohei that I did not really trust him. Tohei replied to me that although he did not know him well at all, he offered so much money to his cause that he would have to treat him very well. Whatever documents Mitose had were generated by Tohei himself and not O'Sensei, I am quite sure of this.


Soon after Tohei's split, one of the biggest scandals to ever happen in the till then quiet Japanese American community was a murder of a elderly Japanese American and the attempted murder of his wife. They lived the the Crenshaw area only two blocks from Rod's apartment but one night while they were asleep, someone had broken in and tried to kill both of them in their sleep in bed with a screwdriver and a lead pipe. The husband was stabbed and knifed but fell over the body of his wife and although the wife was stabbed and beaten repeatedly, she survived.

Later, it was discovered the Mitose was embezzling monies from them in the amount of over $60,000.00 and when the daughter found out and was about to report Mitose to the police, Mitose with two of his students went to the victim's house. Mitose and one student, the driver, stayed in the car and the other student broke through the window and tried to kill them.


For the next 9 months, the murder trial was covered in the daily Japanese American newspaper, the Rafu Shimpo, so everyday I read about Mitose and it sickened me that he had such a relationship with Tohei. I should say that he never had a relationship with Hombu or O'Sensei, I must repeat again. I think anyone can tell that Mitose was a little imbalanced, I think manty were just blinded by all the money he offered. . . .not knowing that it was all stolen monies.

This trial was very shocking because no such murder had ever taken place in the Japanese-American community in Los Angeles like this and the news played up the fact the a "martial arts grandmaster" was involved in such embezzlement and murder of elderly seniors. The trial was made even more "spectacular" because the driver was also a prominent martial artist in the country (not Aikido).

Secondly, Mitose cursed and swore so much during the court proceedings, he was one of the first in a Los Angeles courtroom to ever have his mouth taped during the trial and later he was confined to a separate room separated by a glass partition because iof his bad behavior and antics during trial. Later in the proceedings, he was handcuffed because he made several attempts to smuggle in his own urine in a small bottle which he tried to dose the prosecuting attorney. He threw his urine all over the court.

I remember that the entire Japanese American community was so enraged and embarrassed and ashamed. I was angered that I had to read about this every day in our newspapers.

It was proven that he was not a Methodist priest and that much of the fund raising he did was bogus and that he had been involved in the embzzlement of monies of senior citizens for many years. Unfortunately, at this time, none of the other victims would show their faces. I think everyone was so ashamed.

I read the newspaper very carefully to make sure nothing was mentoned of his relationship with Aikido. There was even a rumour that came up in trial that he worked as an agent for the Japanese during the war while he was in Hawaii and much of the monies he embezzled from his victims in Hawaii went to the enemy. It was all very scandalous and sensationalized.

Anyways, he was convicted and spent his life in jail. He had several session to discuss his early release but these were always opposed by a community group who never wanted to see him free again.

While I was working as a book editor for a martial arts publishing company, Mitose's student wanted to republish Mitose's book on Hawaiian Kempo but I chased him out of my office.

This is such a horrible story but I set it down here just to keep the records straight for now and sometime in the future.

I want to make it very clear for the record that James Mitose never met O'Sensei. His first meeting was with Tohei and he was involved in Tohei's plan to separate from Hombu. Mitose never had anything to do with Hombu Dojo. I think the documents given to Mitose were written by Tohei, not O'Sensei, to Mitose and I think Mitose could not tell if they were geniune or not.

I deeply apologize to my readers if they are offended by such a story but I hope this will clear up many misunderstandings regarding this incident in local Aikido. I do want to see O'Sensei's name dirtied by this person. - In the website, several people expressed dismay that O'Sensei would have contact with such a person. Please know that this is untrue.

I was very saddend at this split from Hombu by Tohei. Many bad things happened which really disturbed me, but, in many ways, this firmly resolved my own conviction not to get involved in such ditry money politics and power pushing. Please learn from this very sad incident in our history.

Now add this Q & A with Tom Barrow from Inside Kung Fu Magazine: http://www.cfwenterprises.com/article.asp?content_id=67

Thomas B. Mitose: Carry On, My Wayward Son
By Jose Fraguas

Thomas Barro Mitose, son of the legendary James Mitose, is the 22nd Great Grandmaster of Kosho Shorei Ryu Kenpo. He inherited the system from his father and founded the International Kosho Shorei Association to help father James while he was in prison. In 1987 Thomas decided to reorganize the philosophies and techniques of kosho kenpo, as handed down from generation to generation, and come forward to preserve and teach his father's reorganized art in the traditional manner.
Many are the times Thomas thinks about what happened to his father, and what could have been had his father never been sent to prison. He carries on the family tradition because his father always talked to him about opening a family dojo where they could teach together.

Adopted as a child, Thomas B. Mitose didn't get to see his real father until later in life. Once father and son were reunited, Thomas commenced his studies in the kosho ryu art. On October 1995, kajukenbo founder Professor Adriano D. Emperado wrote a statement proclaiming Grandmaster Thomas Barro Mitose the rightful heir to the Mitose kosho ryu kenpo crown, according to James Masayoshi Mitose's last will and testament.

Q: Where did your father's system come from?

A: It was developed by the Koshogi monks of Japan. They combined jiu-jitsu and chuan fa Shaolin kung-fu and, of course, different traditions and cultural approaches from China.

Q: Is it a self-defense method?

A:A: Yes, it is. But you must remember that in 1953 my father, James Mitose, gave up teaching because he felt the students were leaning too much toward the violent side of the art and not studying enough of the spiritual aspects. Kosho shorei ryu is a philosophical and spiritual self-defense system where each physical technique has a spiritual complement. It also uses meditation and yoga as vehicles for that.

Q: You didn't get to know your father until much later in life, correct?

A: Yes. My parents weren't able to support me so they gave me up to adoption. Later on, my adoptive father and mother got divorced and I went to meet my real father in Los Angeles in the mid '60s. My adopted family name was Barro and I keep it out of respect for them, but I legally added the Mitose name to my own.

Q: Is that when you started to train under your real father?

A: Yes. The most important thing during the lessons from my father was to make sure that I gained the correct knowledge, techniques, and philosophies of kosho ryu as handed down from generation to generation. My father, James Masayoshi Mitose, was the 21st Great Grandmaster of Kosho Shorei Ryu Kenpo.

Q: Did he speak English?

A: He never felt very comfortable speaking in English. He liked to speak Japanese and even his way of reasoning was very Japanese. After all, that's the culture he grew up in.

Q: What was your first meeting with him like?

A: A relative of a close friend informed me that my real father was living in Los Angeles and I decided to go there. He opened the door looking really rough, saw me, and then closed it right in my face. I was shocked. A few minutes later he reopened the door with tears in his eyes, and was washed and clean shaven! Even after all that time he had known who I was from the very first moment he saw me.

Q: Who was you first martial arts instructor?

A: Mr.Joe Halbuna, a kajukenbo teacher.

Q: It is true that your father never gave you any rank or certificate?

A: He always felt that I didn't need it. He said that I had his blood in me and also his name. He said that even if some people claim to be masters, I should not pay attention to them, because unless someone comes from the bloodline of the grandmaster they will never have a full understanding and knowledge of the art.

Q: Did he ask you to change your name to Mitose?

A: Yes, several times. I guess it was a way of apologizing for not taking care of me when I was young. A way of correcting something he felt he did wrong. That's why I changed my name. But I kept "Barro" out of respect for my adoptive family.

Q: Does your father's kenpo system agree with other kenpo styles' methods?

A: Well, there are continual arguments about who is representing the true art. It happens in every system or style. What I really want is for all kenpo people to look deeper into the art than just self-defense techniques and fighting. You see, after my father retired, some students of kenpo liked to train very hard at the school. They were very intense about the physical and technical aspects of the art. To find out if the techniques was useful or not they used to get into several fights every day at bars, theatres, et cetera. This is what gave kenpo and other systems developed from my father's method such a violent reputation. This made my father very sad. I expect kenpo practitioners to incorporate the kosho philosophy into their styles. It's not a matter of changing the technique but rather the attitude and the philosophy.

Q: Is the kenpo style that you teach similar to the one developed by the late Ed Parker?

A: Our own art of kenpo is very different from Ed Parker's kenpo in both its approach and its goals. Our goal is not to teach a devastating street fighting art but to teach a life philosophy which happens to also include a component for physical self-defense. Our primary goal is to teach our students how to live a good life and become valued members of society. Our definition of self-defense is quite broad and our goals guide the training our students receive.
One major difference between kosho-ryu and other kenpo systems is that our students begin learning the spiritual arts before they are taught to punch and kick. We believe that by learning the spiritual arts first, the students who become proficient will revert to the spiritual side when threatened, rather than to the combative side.

Q: So the system is divided into spiritual and physical arts?

A: Yes. But these two aspects of the system cannot be studied separately and independently because they represent different aspects of one complete art. Also the physical art is divided in three systems. The first aspect of the fighting system teaches you to punch and kick, the kata forms, and so on. The second aspect is what we call the push-pull arts, and teaches you how to defend yourself by making use of push-pull patterns and strikes to the extremities. The third aspect – the true art of self-defense – teaches you how to use jumping patterns to escape from danger by using no physical contact with the opponent whatsoever. For this reason is called the true art of self-defense.

Q: You mentioned once that the true kosho practitioner would never kick or punch on the street. Why?

A: Because he would never be caught in the street! We look at true self-defense as the art of anti-cipation rather than the art of reaction. By anticipating trouble, the practitioner will simply never be there when trouble arrives. Self-defense is not, strictly speaking, a fighting method. It is a life philosophy characterized by survival methods according to the universal laws of God.

Q: So what's the use of learning how to punch and kick?

A: The main purpose for kicking and punching is to strengthen the body and to remove any evil in oneself by mentally transferring it to the object being kicked or punched. The only exception to this principle is during times of war.

Q: How is the concept of anticipation taught?

A: The students are taught to use their awareness to deal with conflict. It means to understand their environment and when they are most vulnerable to attack. They are taught to interact with people so that a conflict never arises. They are taught to become aware of dangerous environments and situations where they can be assaulted. They learn how to understand the opponent capabilities of sight, hearing, touch, and movement so that an attacker will never reach its mark. If all else fails, they concentrate on attacking an opponent's extremities in order to contain the attacker's ability to strike. Finally, they are taught the location of parasympathetic nervous system receptors in the body which, when activated, will counter the release of adrenaline from an enraged opponent.

Q: This is very different from other kenpo systems.

A: We work to make our more agressive students softer and to teach our less assertive students self-confidence. It is the weakness that require practice, not the strengths.

Q: Do you think teaching martial arts is like coaching sports?

A: Not at all. Teaching martial arts is something very different than coaching ball games. Improper teaching of martial arts can turn students into predators. The students are taught how to defend themselves, but are also taught to avoid harming another human being.

Q: Is it correct to say that kenpo roots are Chinese rather than Japanese?

A: Yes. Kosho shorei kenpo traces its roots directly from China without the Okinawan link.

Q: It is said that your father was very skilled in jiu-jitsu and that he taught techniques resembling modern aikido.

A: It is true. My father was not an aikido man, but Morihei Ueshiba, the founder himself, specified in his will that James Mitose should be promoted to 10th dan in aikido and given the title of "remonstrant" for all aikido in America. My father was highly respected by O Sensei Ueshiba.

Q: How do you remember you father?

A: Many people think of my father, James Mitose, as a mysterious figure who taught early kenpo practitioners how to punch and kick in the kenpo way. I really do believe that all his teaching boils down to one single principle which is the essence of kenpo – live an ethical life, do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. All the techniques, katas, forms, and strikes are just tricks.

End Article

The contridictions are huge, but That last line just has me ROFLMAO. I may think Mitose was a lot of things but mysterious is not the word I come up with. Some people are living in la la land with HUA. Now I know why they never talk about technique.

 

[M.C. Busman]

Right, Ron. No mystery here...

Between selling the monk story (elusive suckers, no?), saying he met his da' in the mid-'60's and learned the whole system (instead of later when James was in prison), that kosho got its lineage directly from China without the bothersome Okinawan link...that James received judan from Ueshiba (rather than Tohei)...

This is the myth. It's a nice myth, offering a pretty picture of a nice guy who inherited a nice system and passed it on to his nice son. How nice.

The mystery is why people insist on clinging to a sanatized version that can't possibly true. Unless one buys conspiracy theories that the world was out to frame this "poor Japanese American preacher-man/secret disciple of monks". You've got to hand it to TBM. He's protecting an image he feels is important for whatever reason. Economically or emotionally invested? No doubt.

No matter what evidence is presented by the likes of Ken Furuya, trial transcripts, probation reports, and eyewitness news reports, there will always be the loyalists who see only a railroaded gentle soul (J. Mitose). That is what they want to see. Anything said that conflicts with official versions will be filtered out.

Ah well! To each their own.


Have a Fair Monday,

M.C. Busman

 

[M.C. Busman]

These last two posts and this one would probably have been better of in the Kosho forum. I'll finish it here for clarity's sake & the mod can move it if deemed necessary.

On Mitose's "Last Will and Testament", no such document is known in public records. That isn't to say some handwritten will or other doc couldn't exist...just that no-one has seen it. Juchnik & Golub were both honest in sharing Mitose's expressed verbal statement for his son to be the next inheritor and head of KR.

In Japan, traditional systems are usually passed on to lineal descendants (read: family, blood). Traditional as in Koryu, or "old school" (pre-meiji arts). Sometimes the top student is chosen outside family when no viable family member is available, sometimes a family member who knows nothing about training remains the lineal "head" while a chief instructor oversees all training (as w/ katori shinto-ryu). Now-a-days it is still common to see power passed on to lineal descendants, or at the very least for the son to fight for his father's "kingdom" when it has been passed on to others (look up the International Taekwon-do Federation split). The founder or headmaster would seem to have the final say. Then again, it only matters if their wishes are respected (research the USKA after the death of Robert Trias, and the abandonment of his chosen successor and daughter Roberta Trias-Kelley by virtually all USKA Shurei high ranks who started their own org). It isn't the end of the world, people are always free to break away and start their own family system under the philosophy, "why feed another man's children?". Of course, then they have the task of paying lip service to the founder while having defied the founder's wishes...no easy answers on this. Loyalty is a gift.

The real question doesn't seem to be who is head of Kosho, but what they are head of. An ancient art? A modern art? Or something created by James Mitose in the late '30's in Hawai'i? Did his prison conferrals really entail anything other than a desire by James to be free again? Can an immoral man be taken seriously when preaching about ethics? Can a man with a history of using people, abandoning people, and not being truthful be trusted in any regard? We get to decide.


Stay Safe,

M.C. Busman

 

[John Bishop]

Right, Ron. No mystery here...

Between selling the monk story (elusive suckers, no?), saying he met his da' in the mid-'60's and learned the whole system (instead of later when James was in prison), that kosho got its lineage directly from China without the bothersome Okinawan link...that James received judan from Ueshiba (rather than Tohei)...

This is the myth. It's a nice myth, offering a pretty picture of a nice guy who inherited a nice system and passed it on to his nice son. How nice.

The mystery is why people insist on clinging to a sanatized version that can't possibly true. Unless one buys conspiracy theories that the world was out to frame this "poor Japanese American preacher-man/secret disciple of monks". You've got to hand it to TBM. He's protecting an image he feels is important for whatever reason. Economically or emotionally invested? No doubt.

No matter what evidence is presented by the likes of Ken Furuya, trial transcripts, probation reports, and eyewitness news reports, there will always be the loyalists who see only a railroaded gentle soul (J. Mitose). That is what they want to see. Anything said that conflicts with official versions will be filtered out.

Ah well! To each their own.


Have a Fair Monday,

M.C. Busman

Much of this is based on what James told his son. It is known that they did meet in the 60's. In fact James lived with Tom for short period of time in No. Calif. This was witnessed by many Bay Area martial artists. Tom will not talk about why he asked James to leave, other then James had not changed his ways, and there was bitter feelings for many years after that. Exactly how much information was passed on to Tom by James, only the two of them know.
Tom keeps a low profile. He owns the rights to James's books, and could sell them for top dollar, but he is not into empire building, or hawking videos and books. He simple tries to be a good teacher, and wants to bring some respect back to his family name.

 

[distalero]

Here is the history of Kenpo most people don't hear in school
These articles disappeared from the main Tracy web site several years ago--parts 4 & 5 were not originally made available to the public. If you've ever wondered about Jimmy Wing Woo's (not the same Jimmy Woo of San Soo Kung Fu) contributions to American Kenpo, his time with Ed Parker, etc. this is what you've been waiting for (see sections 4 & 5).

Some people consider these articles (and Will Tracy--but that's a whole other story) controversial, you must decide for yourself. The 5 part series is superb. I recommend printing 'em out, makin' yourself comfortable, and reading 'em with a glass of tea or some sherry. Or a beer.

http://www.sanjosekenpo.com./articles.htm

Make yourself @ home


Happy Labor Day,

M.C. Busman

Interesting. As someone not in the AK "lineage", and as a last time poster headed for the exit anyhow, I'd expect to be persona non grata, and consequently have no perceived relevance in your forum, but I couldn't help but make one last observation. The quote above initially presents the articles in a more or less carte blanche way, so it's natural that the discussion would wander around the content a little, and it did: it quickly went to Woo and the (probable) transgressions involved, then to Mitose and that whole (ultimately inconsequential) issue. Know what I, as a pre AK practitioner immediately focused on? W. Tracy's statement that Kenpo, as it existed with whatever influences or "fathers" it had prior to AK, was gutted, stripped of it's content and presented as a skeletonized, commercialized product, ie AK. For me that's the donut in this, all the rest are the "sprinkles", because it implies several more fundamental things uncomfortable for AK practitioners. Is that why no one discussed this aspect of things? You'd think that the "old timers" here would at least give it a passing mention. I wonder why they didn't.
Oh well, keep asking the questions, that's always a good thing to do (you might make sure you have a tree before you argue about the "roots"). Good luck to all.

 

[Doc]

Interesting. As someone not in the AK "lineage", and as a last time poster headed for the exit anyhow, I'd expect to be persona non grata, and consequently have no perceived relevance in your forum, but I couldn't help but make one last observation. The quote above initially presents the articles in a more or less carte blanche way, so it's natural that the discussion would wander around the content a little, and it did: it quickly went to Woo and the (probable) transgressions involved, then to Mitose and that whole (ultimately inconsequential) issue. Know what I, as a pre AK practitioner immediately focused on? W. Tracy's statement that Kenpo, as it existed with whatever influences or "fathers" it had prior to AK, was gutted, stripped of it's content and presented as a skeletonized, commercialized product, ie AK. For me that's the donut in this, all the rest are the "sprinkles", because it implies several more fundamental things uncomfortable for AK practitioners. Is that why no one discussed this aspect of things? You'd think that the "old timers" here would at least give it a passing mention. I wonder why they didn't.
Oh well, keep asking the questions, that's always a good thing to do (you might make sure you have a tree before you argue about the "roots"). Good luck to all.

Actually I have addressed this issue, and in many cases, it is the source of some disagreement between myself and contemporary AK students whose exposure does not pre-date the commercial motion based model.

However, Al Tracy and others are being disingenuous to suggest Parker "stripped" Kenpo as he learned it from Chow, (which is also how Al learned it from Parker), and somehow he went back to the Mitose lineage to find the "true" (there's that word again) art.

 

[Goldendragon7]

Interesting.
Know what I, as a pre AK practitioner immediately focused on? W. Tracy's statement that Kenpo, as it existed with whatever influences or "fathers" it had prior to AK, was gutted, stripped of it's content and presented as a skeletonized, commercialized product, ie AK. For me that's the donut in this.

You'd think that the "old timers" here would at least give it a passing mention. I wonder why they didn't.

Well, for me........ I have a diametrically opposed opinion to W. Tracy's story! So for me you see....... I don't like those types of donuts, but each to his own. You see, I was there and actually learned from the man first hand and have actually used it and well, you don't want to hear what I have to say........LOL it doesn't make for good banter..........

now..... there ya' go ..... there is my passing mention


:asian:
from just a local.......

 

[Doc]

Well, for me........ I have a diametrically opposed opinion to W. Tracy's story! So for me you see....... I don't like those types of donuts, but each to his own. You see, I was there and actually learned from the man first hand and have actually used it and well, you don't want to hear what I have to say........LOL it doesn't make for good banter..........

now..... there ya' go ..... there is my passing mention


:asian:
from just a local.......

Oh! So now you show up.

 

[Karazenpo]

Much of this is based on what James told his son. It is known that they did meet in the 60's. In fact James lived with Tom for short period of time in No. Calif. This was witnessed by many Bay Area martial artists. Tom will not talk about why he asked James to leave, other then James had not changed his ways, and there was bitter feelings for many years after that. Exactly how much information was passed on to Tom by James, only the two of them know.
Tom keeps a low profile. He owns the rights to James's books, and could sell them for top dollar, but he is not into empire building, or hawking videos and books. He simple tries to be a good teacher, and wants to bring some respect back to his family name.

Yes, agreed, John on your perspective of Gm. Thomas Barro Mitose. I have heard nothing but good things about him. No son should be held accountable for the sins of the father.

 

[M.C. Busman]

[...]Know what I, as a pre AK practitioner immediately focused on? W. Tracy's statement that Kenpo, as it existed with whatever influences or "fathers" it had prior to AK, was gutted, stripped of it's content and presented as a skeletonized, commercialized product, ie AK. For me that's the donut in this, all the rest are the "sprinkles", because it implies several more fundamental things uncomfortable for AK practitioners. Is that why no one discussed this aspect of things? You'd think that the "old timers" here would at least give it a passing mention. I wonder why they didn't.
Oh well, keep asking the questions, that's always a good thing to do (you might make sure you have a tree before you argue about the "roots"). Good luck to all.

Funny, I discounted most of the comments about watered-down AK (assumed opinion--redoing curriculum not necessarily= to "watered down") & focused on what you'd call the "sprinkles" that matched things I'd read and asked old heads about

It does help explain the avoidence factor though! That and the lack of people who were actually there in the late-'50's & early '60's.



Happy Tuesday,

M.C. Busman

 

[M.C. Busman]

Much of this is based on what James told his son. It is known that they did meet in the 60's. In fact James lived with Tom for short period of time in No. Calif. This was witnessed by many Bay Area martial artists. Tom will not talk about why he asked James to leave, other then James had not changed his ways, and there was bitter feelings for many years after that. Exactly how much information was passed on to Tom by James, only the two of them know.

If you know it from first hand accounts, I'm not one to doubt you, John. Thank you for the information.

Tom keeps a low profile. He owns the rights to James's books, and could sell them for top dollar, but he is not into empire building, or hawking videos and books. He simple tries to be a good teacher, and wants to bring some respect back to his family name.

Ken Furuya mentions chasing out someone who came into an MA publisher's office w/ Mitose's books. Back in the So-Cal days, I suppose?

No doubt all these Kosho guys have good intentions. Thomas Barro Mitose has the added distinction of being part of both his father's ryu-ha (as the named head regardless of said ryu-ha's age or origin) and being part of the Kajukenbo lineage. "Family" is always a touchy subject, blood or not.

Few bonds are stronger it is said, than Ohana.


Stay Safe,

M.C. Busman

 

[Goldendragon7]

Oh! So now you show up.

Well, I was always reading the thread, but finally did a Popeye ... LOL, you know..... "that's all I can stands..... I can't stands no more" Besides ... I just got back from my trip to San Francisco (went to talk to the REAL players in China Town myself) LOL

 

[Danjo]

If you're looking for views, add this one from Furuya who also was there.
http://www.aikidocenterla.com/2004/9/22.html

Bits & Pieces - History of Aikido In Southern California:
dated 9/22/04

Today, someone directed me to another website on martial arts and I was quite surprised at some of the discussion going on. It is all rather embarrassing what people can say about each other and it makes me ashamed. So sad. However, I see that in many cases all of the facts are very inaccurately stated. I think this is because much of these topics start from gossip and heresay and there are very few records of the recent history of Aikido. In my later years, I am more nostalgic, so for prosperity, I am going to account some episodes in the history of Aikido in this country which I experienced first hand. Having been around since the very early days of Aikido in California, I was witness to much of this. I was very young at the time and very naive and much of what I saw really shocked and surprised me at the time so I do have a clear memory of it. Not because they were pleasant memories but because they were so disturbing to me. I have not discussed a lot of this - only with my most trusted assistants because it is not information which I thought good for the positive growth of Aikido. But nowadays I see this information circulating in the internet but much of it is very inaccurate. For the sake of accuracy of historical record - if this may serve any good purpose, I will record certain events here in my own website. I really hate to go onto other websites. . . . . . .
I saw a discussion about James Mitose and Aikido today and I was very disturbed about this. I was also surprised that such a topic was evn brought up. There is a discussion of some documents that Mitose received from O'Sensei which state that Mitose is awarded a 10th Dan and "responsibility" of the United States and on and on. . . . and this is followed by a long endless discussion. . . .

I was at the first several meetings attended by James Mitose when he first met Tohei Koichi in Los Angeles. Tohei was still Shihan Bucho or Chief Instructor of the Teaching Department at Hombu Dojo and still in control of the United States as his own teaching territory. This was in 1970 sometime after I returned from Hombu Dojo. In Southern California, there were only two professional instructors of Aikido, myself and the late Rod Kobayashi.

At this time, O'Sensei had just passed away and Tohei was weilding considerable political power both here and in Japan. He had great popularity in Hawaii and the West Coast at this time and visited Los Angeles quite often.

Although I was very young at the time, because I never drank, I always always assigned by Tohei as his driver. It was a custom then, after every practice and seminar, to drink. I don't drink and was the only one sober to drive him back safely from wherever he was partying. I was about 20 years old at the time. But I followed Tohei everywhere he went.

James Mitose first met Tohei Koichi at the Eigiku Restaurant in Little Tokyo. The dinner meeting was arranged by Mitose to meet Tohei whom he had heard was in Los Angeles at the time and had admired him from his reputation. This first meeting was attended by Tohei, Mitose, Rod and myself.

This was Mitose's first contact with Aikido. He had never met O'Sensei in his life and I think that Mitose had never been to Japan. I am sure that he never met O'Sensei. This was Mitose's first contact with Aikido - with Tohei at this dinner, one year after O'Sensei's passing.

Mitose wanted to meet Tohei because I think Mitose was very celebrity conscious. He introduced himself as a Methodist minister who did a great deal of fund raising and social work in the community. He had many photos he brought with him to show himself with many celebrities. This is how he impressed people and he used this tattered photo album as his credentials. Mitose was Hawaii-born and raised and his grandfather and father were kempo-karate teachers in Hawaii. He introduced himself as the 3rd generation "grandmaster of Hawaiian Kempo."

Tohei was very interested to meet Mitose because he thought that Mitose could be a source of funding for his separation from Hombu he had been planning for a long time now. After various talks and hearing of Tohei's plan, Mitose promised that he would build a five-story building on land he owned next to Disneyland in Anaheim and this could be the "new headquarters' for Aikido and Tohei's new organization. It seemed a pretty fantastic offer.

What was disturbing was that Mitose was often out of control during this meeting. He jumped up at several intervals and started to do kempo, punching and kicking in the air in the middle of the crowded restaurant between the tables. It was really surprising and appalling to me. The restaurant brought out three big plates of food which everyone was to eat from, one had tempura, one had beef teriyaki and one had something which I can't remember. Mitose rather drooled and spit on the food while he was talking so none of us could eat the food. At the time, everyone was drinking anyways, so I was the only one concerned with the condition of the comenstibles.

There were several more meetings after this at Rod's apartment which I attended. But I am sure there were other meetings which I did not attend. Because of Mitose's "generous" offer of financial aid and also the promise of this new headquarters in Amaheim, Tohei sped up his plans to separate from Hombu and it was at this time, that I announced that I was staying with Hombu and could not have any further part of this conspiracy. I dropped all contact with Tohei and Rod and do not know what happened after this. Shortly after in 1972, Tohei separated from Hombu and this was a very chaotic and sad time for the West Coast for whom Tohei was the only contact with Hombu.

Tohei had asked me my impression of Mitose after that first meeting and I told Tohei that I did not really trust him. Tohei replied to me that although he did not know him well at all, he offered so much money to his cause that he would have to treat him very well. Whatever documents Mitose had were generated by Tohei himself and not O'Sensei, I am quite sure of this.


Soon after Tohei's split, one of the biggest scandals to ever happen in the till then quiet Japanese American community was a murder of a elderly Japanese American and the attempted murder of his wife. They lived the the Crenshaw area only two blocks from Rod's apartment but one night while they were asleep, someone had broken in and tried to kill both of them in their sleep in bed with a screwdriver and a lead pipe. The husband was stabbed and knifed but fell over the body of his wife and although the wife was stabbed and beaten repeatedly, she survived.

Later, it was discovered the Mitose was embezzling monies from them in the amount of over $60,000.00 and when the daughter found out and was about to report Mitose to the police, Mitose with two of his students went to the victim's house. Mitose and one student, the driver, stayed in the car and the other student broke through the window and tried to kill them.


For the next 9 months, the murder trial was covered in the daily Japanese American newspaper, the Rafu Shimpo, so everyday I read about Mitose and it sickened me that he had such a relationship with Tohei. I should say that he never had a relationship with Hombu or O'Sensei, I must repeat again. I think anyone can tell that Mitose was a little imbalanced, I think manty were just blinded by all the money he offered. . . .not knowing that it was all stolen monies.

This trial was very shocking because no such murder had ever taken place in the Japanese-American community in Los Angeles like this and the news played up the fact the a "martial arts grandmaster" was involved in such embezzlement and murder of elderly seniors. The trial was made even more "spectacular" because the driver was also a prominent martial artist in the country (not Aikido).

Secondly, Mitose cursed and swore so much during the court proceedings, he was one of the first in a Los Angeles courtroom to ever have his mouth taped during the trial and later he was confined to a separate room separated by a glass partition because iof his bad behavior and antics during trial. Later in the proceedings, he was handcuffed because he made several attempts to smuggle in his own urine in a small bottle which he tried to dose the prosecuting attorney. He threw his urine all over the court.

I remember that the entire Japanese American community was so enraged and embarrassed and ashamed. I was angered that I had to read about this every day in our newspapers.

It was proven that he was not a Methodist priest and that much of the fund raising he did was bogus and that he had been involved in the embzzlement of monies of senior citizens for many years. Unfortunately, at this time, none of the other victims would show their faces. I think everyone was so ashamed.

I read the newspaper very carefully to make sure nothing was mentoned of his relationship with Aikido. There was even a rumour that came up in trial that he worked as an agent for the Japanese during the war while he was in Hawaii and much of the monies he embezzled from his victims in Hawaii went to the enemy. It was all very scandalous and sensationalized.

Anyways, he was convicted and spent his life in jail. He had several session to discuss his early release but these were always opposed by a community group who never wanted to see him free again.

While I was working as a book editor for a martial arts publishing company, Mitose's student wanted to republish Mitose's book on Hawaiian Kempo but I chased him out of my office.

This is such a horrible story but I set it down here just to keep the records straight for now and sometime in the future.

I want to make it very clear for the record that James Mitose never met O'Sensei. His first meeting was with Tohei and he was involved in Tohei's plan to separate from Hombu. Mitose never had anything to do with Hombu Dojo. I think the documents given to Mitose were written by Tohei, not O'Sensei, to Mitose and I think Mitose could not tell if they were geniune or not.

I deeply apologize to my readers if they are offended by such a story but I hope this will clear up many misunderstandings regarding this incident in local Aikido. I do want to see O'Sensei's name dirtied by this person. - In the website, several people expressed dismay that O'Sensei would have contact with such a person. Please know that this is untrue.

I was very saddend at this split from Hombu by Tohei. Many bad things happened which really disturbed me, but, in many ways, this firmly resolved my own conviction not to get involved in such ditry money politics and power pushing. Please learn from this very sad incident in our history.

Doc,
I just read this thread today, but MAN is it interesting! Thanks for putting up for free what I'm certain could have been an article sold to a magazine. Fills in a lot of gaps regarding Mistose and what happened there.