Re: It Had To Be Felt #50: Masatake Fujita: When is a Hombu Deshi Not a Deshi? When He's Secretary

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[Robert Cowham]

Thanks Peter - a very interesting read: 23622

I attended seminars with the BAF in late 80's early 90's and saw Fujita sensei several times.

[SeiserL]

Fujita Sensei used to do regular seminars at Westminster Aikikai Tenshinkai Aikido on Los Angeles stop overs. One year, our dojo had burnt down and we were training in a storage room on carpet with construction lights. He was always very instructional, insightful, and inspiring. I refer to many things he said in my own practice and teaching.

[sorokod]

.... Kisshomaru Doshu told me himself that O Sensei had no postwar uchi-deshi and he himself had no uchi-deshi at all,...


How clear and unambiguous.

[David Yap]

Found in the Academy Juku Aikido Akikai Malaysia website:

"As confirmed by Aikido Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba, UCHI-DESHI never existed at Hombu even since the times of O-Sensei. Live-in students who are paid wages in return for their personal services are not called UCHI-DESHI. They are in fact employees of Hombu. According to Fujita Shihan, General Manager of Hombu Dojo, in the martial arts world of Japan in the old days the word UCHI-DESHI means a person who wishes to train in Aikido as his profession in life but who does not have the necessary financial means to do so and he applies to the Doshu to be allowed to stay at Hombu and study Aikido in return for providing personal services such as preparing the dojo before classes and cleaning up after classes. He is provided food and lodging and free lessons but is not paid fixed wages or allowances. SOTO-DESHI simply means day students that attend classes at Hombu but return home after class."

[David Yap]

Regretfully Fujita sensei passed away in Tokyo this morning (Tokyo time).

Rest in peace, Sensei.