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Old 09-22-2009, 09:04 PM   #56
Ellis Amdur
 
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Location: Seattle
Join Date: May 2003
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Re: "Hidden in Plain Sight" - Takeda Sokaku

BTW - I didn't reply to some posts a while back. Regarding thee character of Takeda Sokaku. Truth be told, as fascinating as the rest of the subjects of the rest of the book are to me, the ultimate reason I ended up turning those essays into book form was an opportunity to attempt a "resurrection" of Sokaku as a man, as well as the boy, Tokimune.
BTW - if it is true, as some in the know have asserted, that Tokimune didn't learn "aiki" deeply (and I think that may be true - based on his formulation of aiki as essentially the same thing as "kuzushi"), one thing that really grabs me. I can sort of understand him not learning from his father. Sokaku did not know how to teach children, and he was not present during much of his childhood. But the thing that bugs me is this - Sue dies in a theater fire, trampled to death, and Sokaku just hits the road, essentially abandoning the all the children to the "care" of Tokimune, then 15. In Daito-ryu Masters, Mrs. Horikawa describes, in circumspect fashion, Tokimune coming to their house for nurturance/guidance. Why did Horikawa Kodo not take the boy under his wing and teach him everything he knew? Ok, maybe he tried, and Tokimune refused - that's a possibility. Maybe he thought that if his Sokaku wanted that, HE would have taught him. But somehow, I don't think that's it. Another puzzle without an answer.
Ellis Amdur

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