Kanai Sensei

Scott Stahurski · 06-12-2009, 10:05 PM

Is it me or watching Kanai just wants you to get on the mat.
I cannot believe its been 5 years since his passing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPcpeZf0yX0

KRJ · 06-12-2009, 10:27 PM

Nice video. Thank you for posting this. As someone who is just getting to know Aikido, I have to say that was great stuff.

Thanks,
Kevin.

Nafis Zahir · 06-12-2009, 11:14 PM

I had a chance to see him a couple of times before he passed. Great instructor and a very nice gentleman also.

JO · 06-13-2009, 07:13 AM

I saw him more than a couple times. I especially enjoyed the smaller seminars in Montreal, lots of powerful throws and not too many people. Just wish I had not squandered the few opportunities I had to actually talk to the man.

Peter Goldsbury · 06-13-2009, 07:31 AM

I trained at the old dojo in Central Square for two years in the mid 70s. (Of course, for some posters here, this is prehistory.)

At that time Kanai Sensei was much more vigorous than he was after he had his stroke. (Old students of Kanetsuka Minoru Sensei might have the same feelings; he was diagnosed with cancer in 1986, but fought it--and completely changed his aikido as a result.)

So the Youtube video takes me back to the time when Kanai Sensei's hair was longer (brushing it back always seemed part of the waza) and the ukes were mainly Steve Carabino and the late Fred Wagstaff. What he showed with Dave Halprin (I believe? We did not see his face) was a digest of what he used to do when he was younger. Really, with Steve C, who was young and flexible, he threw him right across the mat.

(Of course, there are many stories from those days.)

Best wishes,

PAG

Scott Stahurski · 06-13-2009, 09:24 AM

Yes, in the beginning it was Halprin Sensei that was receiving flying lessons.

JO · 06-13-2009, 08:35 PM

Hi Peter,
I have often wished that I could have experienced Kanai sensei at his physical prime. But as I was born in the mid-seventies, it was not to be.

As far as Kanai flashbacks go, here are a couple of the best I've found on YouTube.

In this one you get to see him brushing back the long hair.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJhNM...eature=related

And in this one he's so young even I feel old and creaky watching him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IT6CnUBYtE

jbblack · 06-14-2009, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Scott Stahurski wrote:

Is it me or watching Kanai just wants you to get on the mat.
I cannot believe its been 5 years since his passing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPcpeZf0yX0

Scott, I agree with "wants you to ge on the mat."

Kanai sensei was my first aikido teacher in 1967. I trained at the Cambridge dojo on Massachusetts Ave. I will never forget the first time I was on the mat, the energy was electric and something I had never experienced before. I still have my bokken from those days.
Cheers,
Jeff