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Sammy Briggs
15th January 2002, 23:20
It is my understanding that during his youth, Doshin So was taught a form of jujutsu by his Grandfather. Does anyone know what style of jujutsu he was being taught, and how long his training lasted?

Other than what is already common knowledge, it seems impossible to find any info on Doshin So!


Sincerely,
Sammy Briggs

Sammy Briggs
17th January 2002, 03:04
Just to add to my previous post:

According to Draeger (Modern Bujutsu and Budo, pg165), after Doshin So returned to Japan in 1946, he began training in Hakko Ryu under Okuyama Yoshiji. Draeger goes on to say that he gained considerable skill in Hakko Ryu, but left a short time after he began his training.

I have never heard of this outside of Draeger's writings and it seems highly improbable, since Doshin So founded the Nippon Seito Hoppa Shorinji Kempo Kai (Nippon Den Sei To Shorinji Kempo) in Tadotsu on October 25, 1947. Why would the Founder begin training in Hakko Ryu, while at almost the same time establish his own organization. In addition to this, it seems unlikely that So Doshin would be able to gain much skill at all in such a short period of time, despite being a very gifted student.

Anyone who has read Draeger's short passage on Shorinji Kempo in Modern Bujutsu and Budo will know why I question his writings. For whatever reason, he seems very biased when refering to the art. Unfortunately, Draeger opted not to include a bibliography in this book, so who knows where this came from. As with many of his other writings, should this passage also be taken with a grain of salt?

Any takers?


Sammy Briggs

colin linz
17th January 2002, 22:35
Sammy,

I have read this story a few times. Kaiso himself states that he re-examined a number of Martial arts on his return to Japan. My understanding comes from what I’ve been told, and my own research. I believe that the son of Yoshiji Okuyama, and now head of the Hakko Ryu has stated that Doshin So studied with his father for about 2 years, and learnt up-to the nidan Kata. The following information comes from th Aikido Journal. When researching Doshin So be sure to include his former name, Michiomi Nakano.

Influences on Aikido

Modern Aikido is firmly rooted in the following three Martial Arts: Kito Ryu Jujutsu, Goto-Ha Tagyu Ryu Jujutsu and Daito Ryu Jujutsu. Practitioners of Kito Ryu Jujutsu perform their techniques in full armor or in formal robes representing full armor; techniques are centered upon throwing an opponent to the ground. Dr. Jigoro Kano combined the best elements of Kito Ryu Jujutsu with Tenjin-shinyo to found modern Kodokan Judo. Goto-Ha Yagyu Ryu Jujutsu traces it's origin to Iajutsu or the Art of Sword Drawing. Of all three, Aikido is primarily influenced by Daito Ryu Jujutsu.

Daito aikijutsu is said to have been founded by Prince Teijun, the sixth son of the Emperor Seiwa (850 - 880 AD.). Through the prince's son, Tsunemoto, it was passed on to succeeding generations of the Minamoto family. By the time the art had reached Shira Saburo Yoshimitsu, the younger brother of Yoshiie Minamoto, it would appear that the foundations of the present Aikido had already been laid. Yoshimitsu was apparently a man of exceptional skill and learning. He realized that a warrior's hands and wrists, uncovered and unprotected as they were could be especially vulnerable and he therefore developed techniques to be applied against these points. It is believed he called his system Daito Ryu Aikijutsu after his house "Daito Mansion".

Yoshimitsu's second son, Yoshikiyo, lived in Takeda in the province of Kai, and he eventually became known by this name. Subsequently, the techniques were passed on to successive generations as the secret art of the Takeda house and made known only to members and retainers of the family. In 1574, Taken Kunitsugu moved to Aizu and the techniques passed on to his descendants came known to be as Aizu-todome techniques.

Thereafter the art remained an exclusively samurai practice and was handed down within the family until Japan emerged from isolation into the Meiji period in 1868. At that time Sokaku Takeda, the head of the family, began to tech the art outside the Takeda household, travelling widely throughout Japan and finally settling in Hokkaido. His son, Tokimune Takeda, opened the Daitokan dojo in Abashiri, Hokkaido, and continued to further the development of Aikido as the head of the Daito school.

The teachings of the Daito Ryu Aikijutsu continue today and Tokimune Takeda is its current headmaster in Japan. The leading exponents of this traditional sect are Kotaro Horikawa, Yukiyoshi Agawa, Takuma Hisa, Hosaku Matsuda, Tomekichi Yamamoto and Richard Kim in the USA. Matsuda trained two other leading proponents of aikijutsu. Yoshiji Okuyama and Sachiyuki Oba. Okuyama is the founder of Hakko Ryu Jujutsu, a modern Bujutsu and includes among his many disciples Michiomi Nakano who, as Doshin So is the founder of the Nippon Shorinji Kempo system.

The most outstanding of Sokaku Takeda's pupils was Morihei Ueshiba (often referred to by his title 'O-Sensei' or 'Great Teacher'). O-Sensei, a man of rare ability, brought to the Daito school the skills of other ancient martial art schools and added techniques of his own setting the stage to develop modern Aikido. O-Sensei, prior to studying under Sokaku Takeda, had received certificates from Tokusaburo Tozawa of Kito Ryu Jujutsu and Masakutsu Nakai of Goto-Ha Ryu Jujutsu.

One other interesting thing is that they have him listed in their Geaneology of Aiki jutsu, under Traditional Derivetive. The following is their extrac.


Aikijutsu and Aikido Genealogy

* Shinka Saburo Yoshimitsu, 12th Century, Daito-ryu
* Saigo Chikamasa, 1829-1905, Oshikiuchi
* Takeda Sokaku, 1858-1943, Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu
* Yong Sul Choi, Hapkido, Derivative Traditional
* Shodo Morita, Nihon Goshin Aikido, Derivative Traditional
* Matsuda Hosaku
* Okuyama Yoshiji, Hakko-ryu Jujutsu, Derivative Traditional
* Nakano Michiomi, Shorinji Kempo Derivative Traditional
* Yamashita Minoru, Shindo-ryu Jujutsu
* Yamada Saburo, 1926-1976, Yamate-ryu Jujutsu Derivative Traditional

* Takeda Tokimune, 1925-, Daito-ryu Aikibudo, Aikibudo, Main-line Traditional
* Ueshiba Morihei, 1883-1969, (with Ueshiba Kisshomaru), Aikido, Derivative Modern
* Tanaka Setaro, Shinriaku Heiho
* Noguchi Senryuken, Shindo Rokugo-ryu
* Fukui Harunosuke, Yae-ryu
* Otsuki Yutaka, Otsuki-ryu
* Inoue Noriaki, Shin'ei/Shinwa Taido
* Hoshi Tetsuomi, Hoshi-ryu Kobujutsu
* Hirai Minoru, Korindo
* Mochizuki Minoru, Yoseikan Budo
* Shioda Gozo, Yoshinkan Aikido
* Tomiki Kenji, Tomiki-ryu Aikido
* Tohei Koichi, Ki no Kenkyukai/Shinshin Toitsu Aikido
* Ueshiba Kisshomaru, 1921-1999, (with Ueshiba Morihei), AikikaiAikido, Main-Line Modern

It’s all very interesting and I’m sure it will cause some debate.


Cheers
Colin Linz

Sammy Briggs
18th January 2002, 05:58
Colin,

Thank you for the post. Both the passages that you've included are very interesting. The "Aikijutsu and Aikido Geneology" seems more like a list of well known practitioners than a geneology. The fact that Nakano Michiomi and Yong Sul Choi are included among them seems odd. Do you know what issue of Aikido Journal this came from???


Sammy Briggs

colin linz
20th January 2002, 02:46
Sammy’

I’m sorry I can’t find the actual articles, I know they came from an online Aikido publication. There is another good research spot, the address is http://ejmas.com/ you will need to go through a lot of information though.

I think that the genealogy relates to where the founders gained there technical influences. The founder of Hapkido studied Aiki Jujutsu in Japan before forming his style of Hapkido, and Kaiso certainly had some exposure to Jujutsu. certainly the Juho has similarities to some Aiki Jutsu waza.

Cheers
Colin Linz

colin linz
25th January 2002, 01:16
Sammy,

I found the site for the genealogy. It's http://www.aikidofaq.com/history/genealogy.html I hope it's of interest.

Cheers
Colin Linz

mick p
28th January 2002, 10:06
I have read the same info, but not in Don DRAEGAR's material, but it appears in the book 'Beginning Jiu Jitso' by Shortt and Hashimoto, ( Paul Crompton 1979), stating that Doshin So joined the Hakkoryu in 1945 on his return from Manchuria and studied under the founder, Ryuho Yoshiji Okuyama. He apparently used his original name of Michiomi Nakano. They don't mention where they get their material from.
I have noticed that the technique of Konoha - Okuri, from Shorinji Kempo - Philosophy and Technique is similar to that described in the Hakkoryu book secret nidan Techniques by Palumbo as Mune Kohona Gaeshi.
.
Maybe there is alink there after all.

Sammy Briggs
28th January 2002, 20:17
Thank you Mick and Colin. I've actually been able to piece together a few more "pieces to the puzzle". As per the recent post, conducting research on these issues would be far easier with more translated writen material.

It is interesting to note that Okuyama Yoshiji (Ryuho) had strong political ties with the common goal of "reforming the Japanese society from decline". He also had developed his own version of modern day shiatsu. Seems Okuyama may have had some influence on So Doshin. More detailed info can be found at the Happo ryu home page.

Sammy Briggs

Casero
28th February 2003, 19:22
Hi there
So Doshin trained in Hakko Ryu indeed, but apparently only during some months, as Hakko Ryu´s founder´s son himself states. Between So Doshin´s arriving to Japan in June 1946 and Shorinji Kempo´s foundation in October 1947 is only fourteen months. In such a short period of time, So Doshin could be influenced by Hakko Ryu, but Shorinji Kempo´s foundation can´t be understood for only this influence.
In a recent interview, in www.aikidojournal.com, Okuyama´s son, current Hakko Ryu´s grandmaster, stated literrally: “So Doshin (Doshin Nakano) was one of them (students). My father taught him only the first or second technique. He complained of lot of pain and so he learned the rest of the technique by correspondence. Then he later combined our techniques with Nihon Kenpo and created Shorinji Kenpo”.
Amazing!
Why does Okuyama´s son talk about So Doshin in that way?
Perhaps So Doshin and Hakko Ryu´s founder had an unhappy ending.
If So Doshin hardly studied Hakko Ryu, why Hakko Ryu´s practitioners, in some statements, label him as an outstanding Hakko Ryu expert?
I think it´s a great honour for Hakko Ryu practitioners to count Shorinji Kempo as one of their derivatives, although Hakko Ryu ´s true influence on Shorinji Kempo be rather small. Who wouldn´t like to adopt a famous son?
And what have Nihon Kenpo got to do with this?
I recomend you to look for “Nihon Kenpo” (Nippon Kempo) in the web. Nihon Kenpo fists have a striking similarity to Shorinji Kempo fists.
Regards.
Rogelio Casero