Welcome to AikiWeb Aikido Information
AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information
AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.

Sections
home
aikido articles
columns

Discussions
forums
aikiblogs

Databases
dojo search
seminars
image gallery
supplies
links directory

Reviews
book reviews
video reviews
dvd reviews
equip. reviews

News
submit
archive

Miscellaneous
newsletter
rss feeds
polls
about

Follow us on



Home > AikiWeb Aikido Forums
Go Back   AikiWeb Aikido Forums > General

Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history, humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced features available, you will need to register first. Registration is absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 03-31-2005, 01:09 AM   #1
Fred26
Dojo: Budo Kai, Ki-Aikido
Location: Östersund
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 61
Sweden
Offline
Smile Aikikai: Style or organisation?

I was browsing through a wikipedia article regarding aikido-styles and I realised that I'm unsure of what Aikikai is. (I belong to Ki-aikido myself)

As I have understood it in the past, aikikai is an organisation which encompasses several styles of aikido, many of which are very different in terms of techniques but still conformed to aikikai standards in terms of rules&regulations&limitations and grading-system. Any style of Aikido that does not conform to such a system cannot be part of aikikai, such as Ki-aikido. Thats the impression I have had of aikikai as a whole.

But when I read an article where it said that Aikikai was a single style and not just an organisation....I suppose my own interpretation of aikikai then is a bit shaky.

Here is the pickle though: If I remember correctly, the style of aikido developed by Nishio-sensei has two grading systems (weapons and regular I believe) and has been described as close to Ki-aikido (on a few issues), not to mention it describes itself as "independent yet bound to aikikai".

So if aikikai is a style, then what is Nishio's type of aikido? I'd apreciate any information bout this subject so I can get my facts straight.

Last edited by Fred26 : 03-31-2005 at 01:14 AM.
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2005, 02:54 AM   #2
Hrvoje
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 23
Offline
Re: Aikikai: Style or organisation?

To the best of my knowledge the Aikikai is an organisation. It is not a style in itself, but is a system where the individual dojos or organisations are recognised by the aikikai(hombu?), as long as they follow the set regulation guidelines. most aikikai dojos follow "similar" grading requirements, but I have seen throughout the various Aikikai associated organisations, a spectrum of variation on each and every technique. Aikikai is just the principle mainstream, a large group that recognises Doshu as the head(hence all gradings are recognised through him for aikikai, from shodan up i believe?). So your first assumption was right, it's an organisation,not a style.
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2005, 03:48 AM   #3
ruthmc
Dojo: Wokingham Aikido
Location: Reading, UK
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 393
United Kingdom
Offline
Re: Aikikai: Style or organisation?

Here in the UK it's both a style and an organisation.

Confusing eh?

Ruth
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2005, 03:57 AM   #4
Fred26
Dojo: Budo Kai, Ki-Aikido
Location: Östersund
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 61
Sweden
Offline
Re: Aikikai: Style or organisation?

Well surely Humbo-dojo must have an official position on what they describe themselves as? Is it really this complicated that they are both a style and an organisation of different styles at the same time or is it the simple answer that they are an organisation with seperate styles involved?

I'll develope a brainlock if I dont clear this out before dinner.
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2005, 04:22 AM   #5
Hrvoje
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 23
Offline
Re: Aikikai: Style or organisation?

It's an organisation that was O-Sensei's , its mainstream, all his students studied under him(duh), so you could say its all the same style with different forms of expression, which gives the impression of different styles. its an organisation that has a set of guidelines that create a mainstream measure so it is the same style too, with variations, then again aikido is varied from person to person, you gotta add your own flavour to everything, otherwise we'd be robots
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2005, 04:27 AM   #6
batemanb
 
batemanb's Avatar
Dojo: Seibukan Aikido UK
Location: body in UK, heart still in Japan
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 1,031
Offline
Re: Aikikai: Style or organisation?

Quote:
Ruth McWilliam wrote:
Here in the UK it's both a style and an organisation.

Confusing eh?

Ruth

Sorry Ruth it's not, although some do refer to "Aikikai style", as I have done myself on occasion. It's an easy referral if someone asks you what style you are doing, but The Aikikai is in fact an umbrella organisation, it is not a style.

Regards

Bryan

A difficult problem is easily solved by asking yourself the question, "Just how would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2005, 04:30 AM   #7
batemanb
 
batemanb's Avatar
Dojo: Seibukan Aikido UK
Location: body in UK, heart still in Japan
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 1,031
Offline
Re: Aikikai: Style or organisation?

Quote:
Fredrik Hall wrote:
Well surely Humbo-dojo must have an official position on what they describe themselves as?

From the Aikikai Homepage:

Aikido is a new Japanese martial art created during the 1920s by Morihei Ueshiba, an expert who reached the highest level of mastery in the classical Japanese martial arts. Officially recognized by the Japanese government in 1940, the Aikikai Foundation (Aikido World Headquarters) is the parent organization for the development and popularization of Aikido throughout the world. Under the leadership of Moriteru Ueshiba Doshu, instructors are teaching Aikido according to the ideals of the Founder (Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei) to students in Japan and throughout the world.


Regards

Bryan

A difficult problem is easily solved by asking yourself the question, "Just how would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2005, 07:30 AM   #8
David Humm
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 269
United Kingdom
Offline
Re: Aikikai: Style or organisation?

Personally I don't think that "style" as a word fits the description of Aikido methods particularly well.

As a member of the "Aikikai" I was told some time ago that style can and is easily related to the way each student interprets 'Aikido', we will each have a slightly different 'style' of performing technique however; the "School" of aikido which one studies is IMHO far a better way of describing the supposed method.

Regards
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2005, 07:42 AM   #9
Amir Krause
Dojo: Shirokan Dojo / Tel Aviv Israel
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 692
Israel
Offline
Re: Aikikai: Style or organisation?

From my poor knowledge of the language, "Kai" means an organization in Japanese.

However, most groups in the organization do have a very similar style. Those that do not conform with that style, normally consider themselves as part of a style and the organization. So, when trying to describe the style of the members who do not have special style, most would call it "AikiKai style".

This is the best explanation I can give as an outsider.

Amir
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2005, 07:53 AM   #10
SeiserL
 
SeiserL's Avatar
Location: Florida Gulf coast
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 3,902
United_States
Offline
Re: Aikikai: Style or organisation?

IMHO, both.

Lynn Seiser PhD
Yondan Aikido & FMA/JKD
We do not rise to the level of our expectations, but fall to the level of our training. Train well. KWATZ!
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2005, 09:18 AM   #11
ruthmc
Dojo: Wokingham Aikido
Location: Reading, UK
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 393
United Kingdom
Offline
Re: Aikikai: Style or organisation?

Quote:
Bryan Bateman wrote:
Sorry Ruth it's not, although some do refer to "Aikikai style", as I have done myself on occasion.
Exactly - therefore "Aikikai" can be used to describe a style, just as "Iwama" or "Ki" can.

Quote:
Bryan Bateman wrote:
The Aikikai is in fact an umbrella organisation, it is not a style.
Kinda sorta. "The Aikikai" is not the name of any organisation I know of in the UK, but we do have the BAF, UKA etc. The Aikikai would describe the affiliation of the above organisations, however, and of course the wider global organisation of Aikikai Hombu itself.

So I still reckon "Aikikai" can be used for both

Ruth
  Reply With Quote

Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Aikido And the military. Gallu General 34 11-24-2009 11:07 AM
Aikido in Amsterdam, Terry Lax style... tiyler_durden General 11 11-03-2008 08:31 AM
Aikikai Pioneers in Europe Demetrio Cereijo General 10 02-16-2007 05:12 AM
Shomen Uchi Ikkyo (aikikai style) p00kiethebear Techniques 14 11-11-2004 07:19 AM
Aki-Jitsu The One General 40 04-01-2001 03:41 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:05 PM.



vBulletin Copyright © 2000-2024 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited
----------
Copyright 1997-2024 AikiWeb and its Authors, All Rights Reserved.
----------
For questions and comments about this website:
Send E-mail
plainlaid-picaresque outchasing-protistan explicantia-altarage seaford-stellionate