View Single Post
Old 08-10-2007, 09:44 AM   #63
MM
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,996
United_States
Offline
Re: Ellis Amdur's Post on Aikido Journal

Quote:
Ellis Amdur wrote: View Post
The story I cited elsewhere from Hal Sharp re Tomiki throwing the ripsnorting foreign kenkusei of the Kodokan, one-by-one with one hand - after saying he was going to show them aikido. And an interview I can no longer find, where Oba, Tomiki's closest disciple came back after seeing a demo of Daito-ryu which had, I believe the waza where a number of people pin the teacher, and with a single move, he throws them off. And Tomiki said, "Oh, I can do that," got a bunch of people together and did. But apparently Tomiki didn't like to present this stuff and I do not believe that he taught it - I don't think, actually, that he believed it was germane to what he was trying to develop any more than Kano Jigoro did for judo.
Not that I don't believe you. But, I did find corroborating material for the theory that Tomiki didn't think aiki was that "germane".

Found this on Aikido Journal:
http://www.aikidojournal.com/article.php?articleID=394

Nishimura Sensei: ... I believe that I am a man of foresight, you know. I encouraged Mr. Tomiki to start the art because I thought that the art was just wonderful. I myself didn't practice the art much, though. But Mr. Tomiki has been practicing for nearly 40 years. That's where he is so great. Ueshiba Sensei thought that Tomiki lessened the value of aiki, and Mr. Tomiki also had trouble with the Kodokan. However, he is a fine, serious man. He gradually attained proficiency in the art and now has many fine successors. He is now a university professor. One can continue to teach as a professor until the age of 70.

Sunadomari Sensei: I believe that Ueshiba Sensei misses his students from the old days. He often talks about them.

Nishimura Sensei: Well, we were all directly taught by Sensei. Also I was his first student from the judo world. Because Seishi told me to practice the art, I could do it with great confidence.

Mr. Tomiki is having a hard time in his position between judo and aiki, but as could be expected, he has cooperated with judoka. You must have a dojo to practice in, you know. The Judo Federations of Kita Kyushu aixd Yamaguchi Prefecture are now beginning to include aiki. In present-day judo, people as they age gradually lose physical stamina. This is the reason aiki is now being taught to judo 1st and 2nd dans. In this way they can continue to run the dojo. You have to be successful financially to run a dojo, you know.

Sunadomari Sensei: It seems so. Judo people have started to change their attitude toward aikido these days.

Nishimura Sensei: The credit should go to Mr. Tomiki. Whenever I meet judoka who know aiki, they all know it through Mr. Tomiki.
  Reply With Quote