Morihei Ueshiba and Sokaku Takeda in Shirataki

New blog post - "Morihei Ueshiba and Sokaku Takeda in Shirataki".

Enjoy!

Chris

I think I trained with the author of the article in the Dojo in Shirataki on a couple of gasshuku. The Aikikai still maintain a dojo. It's an amazing place. If you practice there over a couple of days, all you can hear is the sound of the river running by the dojo and times stops. The place hasn't changed in over a hundred years, and there's a powerful energy in the village(the best way I can put it). You can visit Ueshiba's shrine too! Highly recommended to visit and train.

That article really adds to the humanization of Sokaku. Ellis Amdur opened up the gates to Takeda's life and humanity in his book, "Hidden in Plain Sight," but I wonder how many other articles are floating around out there, that contain even more anecdotal insights into his life and character.

I have to admit, though, the story of Sokaku chasing people out of his garden makes him come across as the quintessential cranky old man who sits on the porch and yells at the kids to "Get off my lawn!" Well, except that he chased them with a big stick. Getting tackled by a farm woman probably did not do anything to soften his crankitude, either.

Cady, you and I can relate to that woman :-)

Janet Rosen wrote: Cady, you and I can relate to that woman :-)

Yep!
The power of her adrenaline and spontaneity in defending her man (or her horse... it isn't clear which) seems to have overcome the seasoned warrior-minded Sokaku. How humiliating must that have been for him, to have let his guard down in the heat of the moment?

Now available in Russian, courtesy of Vitaliy Gukengeimer. The original English version is available on the Aikido Sangenkai blog.

Best,

Chris