YouTube: Koichi Tohei Sensei Video Clips

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Posted 2009-03-11 13:03:44 by Jun Akiyama
News URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnl-LHY-syQ

Here are a couple of YouTube video clips of Koichi Tohei sensei teaching aikido at the old Aikikai hombu dojo: Clip #1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnl-LHY-syQ), Clip #2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deP_NGZOwrc).

Terry Dobson may clearly be seen in a lot of the footage. Can anyone identify any others? Can anyone pinpoint the year of the videos?

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[AsimHanif]

Tamura, Saotome, Sugano Sensei…not sure about the others.

[gyudien]

Hi Jun,

Here's another Youtube clip of Tohei Sensei:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X64HWyWV0nI

This seems to be the same training session as in the clips you reference. It starts with some Japanese text that includes mention of "1962", which might be the year the film was shot, though I'd have to defer to your far greater Japanese language skills on that.

Regards,
Geoff

[kironin]

real question is who are any of the women ?

[akiy]

Here's another Youtube clip of Tohei Sensei:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X64HWyWV0nI
Thanks for that, Geoff. Nice find.

Here's my quick and loose translation of the initial text that is in the above video:
Tohei Koichi
Shinshin Toitsu Aikido Soushu, born 1920

These images are from a valuable film taken by an American movie company at Aikikia Hombu dojo in 1962. This aikido documentary project was never completed but the film was discovered "sleeping" in a California storage by our company president, Stanley Prain, in 1985.

Included are ki cultivation exercises, freestyle techniques (jiyuwaza), and multiple person attacks (tanin zugake) by the then senior head of the shihan group at Aikikai Hombu dojo, Tohei shihan.
Best,

-- Jun

[Josh Reyer]

Those attacks by Terry Dobson may be the most real I've ever seen in an aikido randori demonstration. He actually got a hold of Tohei, and made him earn the throw, which Tohei did quite nicely.

[kironin]

Thanks for that, Geoff. Nice find.

Here's my quick and loose translation of the initial text that is in the above video:

-- Jun

Thanks for the translation Jun! I wonder if this clip was taken off the Soden because of the reference to "Soushu" which is used on official KNK videos.

It's funny that in true youtube fashion, the caption "The man with the normal clothes is member of TV crew, who came to take this film." is totally wrong. Looks like Terry Dobson to me and it must have been the `how does he do against a big American in street clothes scene'.

All these film clips are interesting to me because everything I see in it is pretty much like practice today. I would be very much at home in that class.

Taigi 18 Ushirotekubitori uragaeshi

Taigi 23 jo tori - Munetsuki kokyunage zenpo

Taigi 22 tachi tori - Shomenuchi kokyunage irimi tori

Taigi 21 tanto tori - Sakatemochi yokomenuchi irimi gokyo

Ushiro tanto tori koteoroshi (not in a taigi but still practiced)

and 5 person randori which is what we still do on our nidan and sandan test.

definitely something for my ipod!

[David Yap]

Those attacks by Terry Dobson may be the most real I've ever seen in an aikido randori demonstration. He actually got a hold of Tohei, and made him earn the throw, which Tohei did quite nicely.

The jo tsuki by Sugano sensei was very committed and intense too. I am awed by his (Tohei sensei) calm and relaxed demeaner.

David Y

[Aiki1]

These clips are from 1962, footage that Stan Pranin released as an AikiNew video: "The Golden Age of Hombu Dojo." I don't know if it's still in his catalogue though. I have the old video from the mid-'80s. Saotome is uke a fair amount, Kanai is also on the tape.