Re: It Had to Be Felt #11 - Abbe Kenshiro: "Trying to Catch the Wind"
Dear Henry,
As you say Abbe Sensei was a great Budo exponent.As a young man I met him .He visited our Judo club/dojo. He thew everyone around without breaking sweat.He then demonstrated Aikido, which I had heard of , but did not know any club that did this art, Abbe Sensei handled multiple attackers holding him [all of whom were tough guys]and threw them .He later went to a demo in Glasgow , St Mungo Halls in the Gorbals , and proceeded to throw at least a ten man line up of judoka Dan grades within minutes using different waza .As you know he was not a big man, not great on verbal instruction but he was great to watch, so fluid and never used strength.His theory of Kyu Shin Do was at odds with the then Judo establishment.Abbe Sensei also took us through Kiatsu .
Later I met the late Slim Coyle, then Chiba Sensei.Chiba Sensei was nominated to go to the U.K by O Sensei at the request of Abbe Sensei.The rest is ,as they say ,history.My own view that Abbe Sensei was one of the finest Budoka ever.
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