![]() |
Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
I was watching an older National Geographic special on Aikido and saw Hikitsuchi Sensei teaching. I was wondering if there was a special significance to him wearing a white hakama? Was it because of his 10th Dan rank? I have never seen a white one before.
On a side note, I like the way it looks. :D |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei
Here is a link chock full of hakama info.
http://www.apparelsearch.com/definit...definition.htm |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
Several years ago, I participated in a koryu demonstration in St. Louis with many of the major non-Japanese high ranking individuals in koryu
[IMG]file:///Users/ellisamdur/Pictures/BudoFriends/Group.JPG[/IMG]. A member of the audience asked Phil Relnick the significance of the hakama colors and he, unwisely, turned the question over to me. I replied, "As you see, I am wearing all white. That is because I have embraced the way of goodness and truth. Those around me, wearing dark, have embraced the ways of Satan. My student here, with a white top and black hakama still hasn't made up his mind which way to go." |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
@Ellis: LOL!
After posting I actually found some information and it did say that it was because of rank. From the Aikido Encyclopedia: "At present, the white hakama usually implies master status" |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha excellent post Ellis!
In gassho, Mark |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
The only white hakama I've seen are in photos of O'Sensei. Even Saotome Shihan wore blue or black at the seminars of his I've been to. One convenience drawback of a white hakama might be that it's appearance would soil easily, requiring washing after perhaps each class.
You gave me also a good chuckle, Amdur Sensei. I really like the contrast of white and black...sort of a yin-yang thing I suppose...and I have a yin-yang sewn on my left shoulder. Drew |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
Quote:
:) |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
Quote:
Before the war, beginning students at the Kobukan were apparently instructed to wear white hakama for a time (and examples can be seen in some of the Noma Dojo photos of that period), but the cleaning issue eventually led to a shift to dark hakama. White is also traditional for pilgrims, and it's worth noting that Wakayama (the three shrines of Shingu/Kumano/Nachi in particular) has been a popular pilgrimage destination for many, many centuries.Indeed, the founder was often combining pilgrimage and instruction at Hikitsuchi's dojo when he headed down that way, a point which couldn't help but flavor the instruction, clothing, and props used. Best, Fred Little |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
If I recall correctly, Hikitsuchi Sensei was also a Shinto priest.
|
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
Quote:
FL |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
Quote:
A little unrelated, but interesting I think, is a video of my sensei, Motomichi Anno Shihan who is the succesor of Hikitsuchi Sensei and is now the dojo cho of the Kumano-Juku Dojo in Shingu( formerly Hikitsuchi sensei's 'home' dojo). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD5OtEHPi58 Best, Jen |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
Quote:
Thanks for the video, I enjoyed watching it! |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
Im not too sure, but i have seen video's of O'sensei wearing white hakama's. If that helps any :p
-morgan |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
Quote:
in aiki, morgan |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
Quote:
|
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
I just moved this query over from another thread, since it seems a distraction from the main topic there; perhaps it is more appropriate here.
In The thread: Pre War Aikido, 1930 through Iwama period Quote:
This is an interesting point. You noted in your earlier post that Ikkusai Iwata studied with the Founder prior to the War. This is also true of Hikitsuchi. Was the wearing of the white hakama 1) a practice he had continued from his early days of pre-war training when the deshi at the Kobukan wore white hakama 2) something (like Hikitsuchi) connected with a Shinto ordination of some sort 3) a practice he adopted later in life (as is sometimes the case with senior kendo instructors) 4) some combination of the above or 5) something else entirely? More generally, was Rinjiro Shirata ever known to wear a white hakama in his later life? And just as interestingly, how did others respond to his Iwata's choice? Best regards, FL |
Re: Black, Grey or White: "or you can do combinations".
Hello Fred,
For me, the answer given by Ellis (Post #3) gets the tone about right. I never asked Iwata Sensei why he favoured white, so I don't know. However, I suspect that E J Hobsbawm's 'Invention of Tradition' has some relevance here. Japanese weddings and student graduation ceremonies are a good subject to study in this respect. Do you know Takano Sensei? Very nice man. I think he's 6th or 7th dan. Has been a Hombu student for years. His dojo is in Azabu and he does "combinations". One back panel is dark grey, the other is white. Similarly with the front. I once asked him why and he mentioned purity and the reverse, yin and yang, the balance of the universe: a combination was clearly more 'cool' than one or other extreme--and then you can bring in all the stuff about harmony, for which aikido is so famous. Hikitsuchi, Bansen Tanaka, Iwata all wore white hakama, as did O Sensei himself on occasion. Kisshomaru favored a grey colour and this seems to have been exclusive to him. The present Doshu regards it much more as a uniform, with little scope for variations. I myself am skeptical about the 'shinto' explanation: it covers too many things here to have enough depth. I am sure I could order a white hakama from Iwata tomorrow, use it in my dojo and explain to those who batted any eyelids that I do so for the same reason that all taxi drivers wear white gloves. That would be enough. Best, |
Re: Black, Grey or White: "or you can do combinations".
Quote:
|
Re: Black, Grey or White: "or you can do combinations".
Quote:
Hobsbawm's 'Invention of Tradition' is a wonderful book, to be sure. The person who introduced me to it is now the chair of my dissertation committee. Apparently, I'm her first advisee, so there's a bit of "the whole nine yards" for both of us. This is the first I've heard of Takano Sensei, but I think I like his fashion sense. Veblen would almost certainly approve of the current Doshu's attitude. For my part, I was brought up in a realm in the South where there is a certain expectation that whites and pastels are first worn on Easter Sunday, and appropriate from then until Labor Day. The once inviolable Labor Day rule seems to be observed more in the breach in recent years, and I'm not convinced that's a bad thing, especially in the midst of a warm Indian Summer. Of course, when I was growing up in the South, it's also true that I had come from elsewhere, and learned very quickly that the first rule is not to upset the locals too terribly much. Best regards, FL |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
Quote:
I went there severeal times and have known Blaize and the americans too from my experience with Hikitsuchi sensei! Every morning he used to come aupstairs to make a tea for OSENSEI and myself,too. I would like to go again to SHINGU,tell me your tel no.please!!! Matthias K.Kroll Aikikai 3 dan (Kumano Juku) |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
Hello Jennifer,
I`m Lotta and live in Germany. I´m looking for women in Aikido. Where do you train/give trainings? I`d like to exchange what we find in our dojos, about styles and so on. I try to follow Endo style, very soft, because I´m over 50 now. Perhaps you like to write an email. Lotta |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
Quote:
I'll PM you. Jen |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
Quote:
Hi Matthias, I'm practicing in Santa Cruz, CA. There is a long and strong Shingu tradition and connection here. Shingu is our Sister City. MMany earlier instructors here trained with Hikitsuchi Sensei and I, myself, have trained extensively with Anno Sensei, Mary Heiny Sensei & Clint George Sensei. My previous teachers are also Shingu 'Stylists' , mostly Linda Holiday, who I trained with for 13 years, but I've also trained a bit with Jack Wada. I would love to chat. I'll PM you. |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
Say, I'd love to attch a photo from my desktop but I don't know how. Can anyone help here?
Gracias, Jen |
Re: Hikitsuchi Sensei and White Hakama
Quote:
He still farms, he has retired from the paper factory and he also has a couple of grand-daughters who are the apples of his eye and also keep him scrambling. When here for a visit he taught my kids class and kept laughing and saying , 'they never listen to me. But they listen to you." Well, they don't listen to me either, and I'm pretty sure they do listen to him. But that is Anno Sensei, isn't it? Being near him is reason enough to train for an entire lifetime! |
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:54 PM. |
Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.