Originally Posted by
Lance Gatling
The Dai Nihon Butokukai originally had two divisions: Gekiken and Kyujutsu.
I think Naginatajutsu was next.
Then Kano Jigoro and others convinced it to add a jujutsu division. Shortly after, he chaired a committee of jujutsu masters and their reps to establish the common jujutsu kata. That's well known. Their work created and confirmed the Randori no Kata, known today as two separate kata: Nage no kata and Katame no kata.
The jujutsu division was eventually renamed the judo division, about the same time the gekiken division became kendo.
When aikibudo showed up, to the extent that it participated in the DNBK, it was tucked under the judo division. Nagaoka sensei headed that for decades.
I dug up the founding documents of the new Dai Nihon Butokukai after the old one was shut down. Ueshiba Morihei sensei is named as an advisor in his own right. This is the Butokukai that was headquartered in the powerful Home Ministry in Tokyo rather than Kyoto.
The establishment of the new Dai Nihon Butukokai and Hirai Minoru sensei's interaction with it led to the name aikido. No surprise, except to the apparent surprise of Ueshiba sensei, who wasn't directly involved.
I've been looking for years for Hirai sensei's book that supposedly offers the standard 'aikido' kata to the Dai Nihon Butokukai - even today, his grandson (son?) claims he teaches it. I've never seen a copy of the book, but have been told by a student of Hirai sensei what is taught today in Korindo aikido is not the same.
Lance,
Have you any comments on Denis Gainty's Martial Arts and the Body Politic in Meiji Japan?
Best wishes,
Peter Goldsbury
Peter Goldsbury,
Forum Administrator,
Hiroshima, Japan