Aikido Flavours: Aikikai to Yoshinkan: What's in a Name?

[aikidoc1]

Soren:


Velkommen. Er du Dansk? Min bestefar kommer fra Trondheim. Jeg snakker bare lit Norsk.

Hilsen,

John

[Mushin Ronin]

I am a practicioner of the Fugakukai branch of Aikido myself. I liked the reference that Usheiba was responsible for the termed "fragmentation" of Aikido. My take on this was that he wanted what he had developed to become more than it was...to allow for new philosophies and ideas...and to take it to the next level. I see it as a positive thing...though I believe Kisshomaru Ueshiba and Moriteru Ueshiba have an elitist mindset which inhibits them from growing and expanding beyond what they were and are. Most unfortunate.

John

[P Goldsbury]

Mr Winter (aka Mushin Ronin),

Welcome to E-Budo. I am one of the moderators of the Aikido Forum.

One of the rules that you agreed to keep when you joined E-Budo was to sign your posts with you full name (see Forum Rules, in the bottom left hand corner of the desktop).

Please keep this rule. You can do this easily by adding your name to your signature.

Best wishes,

P A Goldsbury

Man can inherit mony, bulidings, organisaions,
but imagination, inspiration and intuision is the result of mans individuel spiritual work.
In that sens, traditions last max. 3 generations. Then you nead new concepts.

[marnen]

I'd like to ask a question that no one has yet answered in this thread: where does Nihon Goshin Aikido fit in? It seems to be quite popular, at least in this geographic area. My impression from reading about it is that it's a rather harder style than Ueshiba-ryu, with perhaps more explicit emphasis on self-defense (in fact, many of its dojos are called "Aikido School of Self-Defense"), but I really haven't been able to confirm that, and it's not mentioned in any list of aikido styles that I've yet seen. Anyone feel like answering this?

Sidenote: I notice that on the Nihon Goshin Aikido Association's description of the style, no mention is made of anything to do with Ueshiba. So is this another case of an art that more or less developed from Daito-ryu Aikijutsu and took the name Aikido independently?

[aikihazen]

Interesting thread. I don't post here much but that's going to change.LOL In my experiance there are two distinct styles of Aikido and as such the explaination for all the "branching off"... One is kind of like Tai-Chi with a partner...Where you learn to work with energy and blend with it. There other is closer to a true Budo and if you needed to use it in a violent encounter it would be effective for you. Before O'Sensei passed away is has been reported that he said to a few of his Senior Students (including Nishio Shihan) "This old man has taken Aikido this far, It is up to all of you to take it into the future." or something to that effect. Our style of Aikido is more Budo or "Martial" and attempts to encompass both the loving Philosophy of the founder with the effectiveness of a Budo. So far so good!

Duality... it's a human thaaang....

William Hazen

[Mushin Ronin]

Originally posted by P Goldsbury
Mr Winter (aka Mushin Ronin),

Welcome to E-Budo. I am one of the moderators of the Aikido Forum.

One of the rules that you agreed to keep when you joined E-Budo was to sign your posts with you full name (see Forum Rules, in the bottom left hand corner of the desktop).

Please keep this rule. You can do this easily by adding your name to your signature.

Best wishes,

P A Goldsbury

My appologies, I thought I had...I'LL rectify the error immediately.

John Winter

Originally posted by Steven Miranda
The moment you start throwing around and attaching the term "STYLE" to the various schools and teachers, you open yourself up to debate. The Aikikai is not a "STYLE". And the YoshinKAN is not run by the YoshinKAI. There one in the same. In my view, there are know "STYLES" in Aikido. There are many different schools, but only ONE Aikido.

Steve I don't know what you were implying, but the governing body of Yoshinkan Aikido is most definetely Aikido Yoshinkai. All dan ranks within Japan and those above 4th dan internationally are issued by Aikido Yoshinkai.

[Steven Miranda]

Originally posted by Darren_Friend
Steve I don't know what you were implying, but the governing body of Yoshinkan Aikido is most definetely Aikido Yoshinkai. All dan ranks within Japan and those above 4th dan internationally are issued by Aikido Yoshinkai.

Woa .. obviously I haven't been paying this thread much attention. Simply, what I'm "TRIED" to say, badly at that, is the Yoshinkan and Yoshinkai are not two seperate groups. They are one in the same and managed as you mentioned.

You'd be surprised how many e-mails I get from folks asking me what the difference is between the two. That question was even posted once over on Aikido Journal I believe.

Sorry if I mis-spoke and thanks for the correction.

[Mateo]

Some history of the style can be found here.

http://www.aikidoinc.com

under the history section.

The style seem to focus more on practical applications of technique to self defense situations than some.

The demonstration I saw by Rob(?) MacEwan on videotape was quite impressive. Their organization seems quite small and based in the New York state area from what I understand.

I'd train with those fellows if given the chance.

Matthew Rogers
www.spiritforging.com

Wasn't it OSensei that said, I can't teach you Aikido, you must find your own Aikido.

I probably grossly misquoted him it seemed to fit the situation.

[Brian Owens]

Originally posted by tmanifold
Just list different styles or noteworthy branches. Only ment to be a basic list not an indepth descussion.

Well, the original intent didn't seem to hold up very long.

First time browsing this forum (I'm usually in the Sword or Members' Lounge fora), but saw this and thought I'd add my 2 yen's worth:

Aikido Seiki Kai
Kurita Minoru, 8th Dan, Kaicho (9/3/1943 - )
Kawagoe, Japan

Began training at the Tokyo Aikikai Dojo circa 1960. Later became an uchideshi (one of O-sensei's last) and instructor at the Aikikai. Also was a student of Tempu Nakamura (Shin Shin Toitsu Do).

In 1974, and then a 6th Dan, joined with Koichi Tohei in founding the Ki Society. Later founded Aikido Seikikai, an independent organization with dojo in Japan, the USA, Mexico, and Brazil.

Also heads Seiki Ryu Kenjutsu/Jodo.

[EDIT] A Web search revealed that there is now at least one Seiki Kai dojo in Cuba. I didn't know about that.

[chrismoses]

Last I heard Seikikai had closed up shop in Mexico. Parks and Kangas decided to go to Cuba instead and left Senior Leone in the lurch. To my knowledge, there is little contact anymore between any of the Western teachers of Seikikai and Kurita Sensei.

[Brian Owens]

Originally posted by chrismoses
Last I heard Seikikai had closed up shop in Mexico.

The Web site I came across is new since the last time I searched (about 6 months ago), and still lists dojo in Mexico, so I am not sure what the current status is.

Originally posted by chrismoses
To my knowledge, there is little contact anymore between any of the Western teachers of Seikikai and Kurita Sensei.

Unfortunately, I have heard the same thing.

Hopefully, somewhere down the road that can be changed.

Also, I believe the Brazilian arm was directly under Kurita Sensei, and was independent of the North American branch under Kangas/Parks.

Lastly, at one time the were two sensei in the U.S.A. who were senior to Parks and Kangas, Mssrs. Hauenstien (sp?) and Dodds (from Colorado, I think), but I don't know if they are still affiliated with any of the other parties mentioned.

[younggun]

I just finished reading through this thread, and though it is a pretty old post, Professor Goldsbury mentioned that he was working on an "Aikido Family Tree" Any chance you completed it Professor? I'd love to see it if so. If it has been posted elsewhere, please redirect me.

Thanks,

Michael Young