About Aikido and Tomiki Aikido

Aikido was created by Morihei Ueshiba (植芝 盛平 Ueshiba Morihei, 14 December 1883–26 April 1969), also known by aikido practitioners as Ōsensei ("Great Teacher"). Ueshiba developed aikido primarily during the late 1920s through the 1930s through the synthesis of the older martial arts that he had studied. The core martial art from which aikido derives is Daitō-ryū aiki-jūjutsu, which Ueshiba studied directly with Takeda Sokaku (武田 惣角 Takeda Sōkaku, 1859–1943), the revivor of that art. Additionally, Ueshiba is known to have studied Tenjin Shin'yo-ryū with Tozawa Tokusaburō (戸沢 徳三郎, 1848–1912) in Tokyo in 1901, Gotōha Yagyu Shingan-ryū under Nakai Masakatsu (中井 正勝, fl. 1891–1908) in Sakai from 1903 to 1908, and judo with Kiyoichi Takagi (高木 喜代子 Takagi Kiyoichi, 1894–1972) in Tanabe in 1911. ^[2]

The art of Daitō-ryū is the primary technical influence upon aikido. Along with empty-handed throwing and joint-locking techniques, Ueshiba incorporated training movements with weapons, such as those for the yari (spear), jō (a short quarterstaff), juken (bayonet) and most notably kenjutsu. Aikido practitioners move as 'empty-handed swordsmen'.

Ueshiba moved to Hokkaidō in 1912, and he began studying under Takeda Sokaku in 1915. His official association with Daitō-ryū continued until 1937. However, during the latter part of that period, Ueshiba had already begun to distance himself from Takeda and the Daitō-ryū. At that time, Ueshiba was referring to his martial art as "Aiki Budō". It is unclear when exactly Ueshiba began using the name "aikido", but it officially became the name of the art in 1942, when the Dai Nihon Butokukai (Great Japanese Martial Virtue Society) was engaged in a government sponsored reorganization and centralization of Japanese martial arts. ^[3]

------------

Tomiki Aikido is one of the major branches of modern Aikido. It was developed by Kenji Tomiki, who studied directly under both Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, and Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo. Tomiki was the first of Ueshiba's senior students to be awarded a menkyo kaiden in Aikido. This was very prestigious because in the days before the modern Dan ranking system for black belts became widespread, the menkyo was THE seal of approval given by a Sensei to a student. Quite often, a Sensei might go his entire teaching career and only award a handful of menkyo certificates, and only to those students who had truly mastered all that the Sensei had to teach. The menkyo gave official right for a student to teach the Sensei's system, and as such carried huge prestige and authority. After Ueshiba Sensei decided to utilize the modern Dan ranking system for black belts, all menkyo kaidens, including of course Tomiki's, were converted to 8th Dan black belts.

After awarding the 8th Dan to Tomiki, Ueshiba Sensei urged his senior students to go "find their own Aikido." Tomiki Sensei took this advice to heart, and his path led him to a synthesis of sorts between Aikido and Judo, bringing to bear the training methods of Judo--especially sparring and competition--upon the techniques of Aikido. (Click here for a Tomiki Sensei biography.) This synthesis came easily to Tomiki, as he was one of the foremost Judo authorities in the world, and indeed died an 8th Dan in Judo as well as an 8th Dan in Aikido.

Judo is a sports version of jujitsu, but one in which only safe techniques are allowed. This element of safety allows its practitioners to spar full speed without having to worry about maiming or killing each other. Such full speed sparing develops the timing necessary to use Judo as a method of self-defense. Tomiki's contribution to Aikido was to develop a method of full-speed sparing and "free-play" such that Aikido practitioners could gain benefits similar to those known to Judo practitioners. Such sparring is safe, but is still full-speed, and is done against an opponent who is doing his level best to frustrate you at every turn. As such, it adds a touch of realism not available through training in forms alone.

In addition to sparring in practice, tournaments are also held, at which Aikido players can test their skills against others. No one is required to participate in tournament bouts, but tournaments are held regularly, and all are welcome to come and play. However, the uninformed spectator might find the tournaments rather odd, as everyone is friendly and few seem to care if they win or lose. That is because winning is not the goal. The tournaments are held "to raise the skill levels of all the participants," and everyone plays with that in mind. All of the matches are very friendly--as indeed are the many toasts made and drunk in the evening following.

Before he died, Tomiki Sensei created the Japan Aikido Association to supervise the system of Aikido instruction which he created. His hand-picked successor, Tetsuro Nariyama, serves as Chief Technical Director (i.e., head instructor) of the organization, which has its headquarters at Shodokan Hombu Dojo in Osaka, Japan. The widow Tomiki serves as the JAA's President.

Information presented here was gathered at Wikipedia and from tomiki.org