View Single Post
Old 07-21-2014, 02:09 AM   #69
Chris Li
 
Chris Li's Avatar
Dojo: Aikido Sangenkai
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,313
United_States
Offline
Re: A question of style

Quote:
Maciej Jesmanowicz wrote: View Post
This job lasted six years and culminated with an event in 1925, and was recorded in history as an 'enlightment', or the birth of Aikido. This annoucement was made almost immediately after an unusual confrontation in the Ueshiba's dojo. That day he was visited by an anonymous naval officer, a recognized master of kendo. We can asume that there was a difference of opinions in terms of their skills. After being challenged, Ueshiba faced an oponnent carring a wooden sword, with his bare hands.

At the express request of Ueshiba the duel began, however not once was he touched by a wooden sword. The enemy, discouraged by his ineffective attacks, finally surrendered. As a result Ueshiba became convinced that remaining untouchable is possible, and fully justified the existance of the new martial art.

This historical reference explains my argument why aikido today is inefective in self-defense. Aikido, without mastering skills to become untouchable, loses its meaning as a martial art.

Aikido techniques however, are a completely different issue. Today their executions do not guarantee total destruction of the attacker.
Kisshomaru actually states that the person was a "young Naval Kendo instructor", which is slightly different from a "recognized master of kendo". Also, Ueshiba was hardly untouchable when Hideo Ohba gave him a hard time fifteen years later in Manchuria (although Ueshiba appears to have come out of that one alright).

As for the new martial art in 1925, he was teaching Daito-ryu at the time and for a number of years afterwards - as late as fifteen years later Ueshiba was still handing out Daito-ryu certificates.

Best,

Chris

  Reply With Quote