Author: Christopher Li

About Christopher Li

Chris is an instructor at the Aikido Sangenkai, a non-profit Aikido group in Honolulu, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. He has been training in the traditional and modern Japanese martial arts since 1981, with more than twelve years of training while living in Japan.

Interview, Translation

Talking to Tsuneo Ando Part 1 – the Gozo Shioda that Nobody Knew

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Gozo Shioda and Tsuneo Ando at Yoshinkan Hombu

Gozo Shioda with Tsuneo Ando, Yoshinkan Hombu Dojo Tsuneo Ando (安藤毎夫) spent 14 years as uchi deshi to Gozo Shioda, the founder of Yoshinkan Aikido, and is said to closely resemble him in terms of size, speed and style. Born in 1956 in Nihama City, in Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, he first encountered Aikido after joining the Tokushima University Aikido Club. After graduation … Continue reading Talking to Tsuneo Ando Part 1 – the Gozo Shioda that Nobody Knew »

Interview, Translation

Interview with Aikido Shihan Kanshu Sunadomari – Part 2

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Kanshu Sunadomari at Ueshiba Dojo

Kanshu Sunadomari (砂泊 諴秀) in front of Ueshiba Dojo – 1954 Kanshu Sunadomari’s family had close ties to Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba through their belief in the Omoto-kyo religion. His older brother, Kanemoto Sunadomari (砂泊兼基), was one of the early students of O-Sensei and the author of the first biography of the Aikido Founder ever published. His sister, Fukiko Sunadomari (砂泊扶妃子), served for many years as … Continue reading Interview with Aikido Shihan Kanshu Sunadomari – Part 2 »

Interview, Translation

Interview with Aikido Shihan Kanshu Sunadomari – Part 1

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Sunadomari and Ueshiba

Kanshu Sunadomari and Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei around 1960 Born into a family of Omoto-kyo believers in Kagoshima Prefecture in 1923, Kanshu Sunadomari (砂泊 諴秀) became an uchi-deshi to Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei shortly before World War II. Returning to Kyushu after the war he gave the first public demonstration of Aikido there in 1953, and opened the Manseikan Aikido dojo in Kumamoto … Continue reading Interview with Aikido Shihan Kanshu Sunadomari – Part 1 »

Interview, Translation

Hidemine Jibiki – Hakko-ryu, Daito-ryu Aiki-Budo, and “The Road to Softness”, Part 4

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Hidemine Jibiki Typhoon Relief

Hidemine Jibiki makes a donation to Taiwan disaster relief for the Typhoon of August 2009 Hidemine Jibiki (地曳秀峰)  trained in Shotokan Karate, Hakko-ryu Jujutsu, Daito-ryu Aiki Budo, Taiji Quan, Xing Yi Quan, and Ba Gua Zhang. He is President of the of the Japan Chapter of the International Cheng-ming Kung-fu Association (AJSMAF), and of the Japan branch of the International Chinese Kuoshu Federation. He is … Continue reading Hidemine Jibiki – Hakko-ryu, Daito-ryu Aiki-Budo, and “The Road to Softness”, Part 4 »

Interview, Translation

Hidemine Jibiki – Hakko-ryu, Daito-ryu Aiki-Budo, and “The Road to Softness”, Part 3

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Smith and Wang

Robert W. Smith punching Wang Shujin in 1960 Born in 1927, Hidemine Jibiki (地曳秀峰) started training in Okinawan Karate then moved on to Japanese Hakko-ryu Jujutsu and Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu. In this section of a four part interview he discusses meeting Wang Shujin, a noted Chinese teacher of Bagua Zhang, Taiji Quan, and Xingyi Quan. Wang was also a leader in a Taoist Sect called the … Continue reading Hidemine Jibiki – Hakko-ryu, Daito-ryu Aiki-Budo, and “The Road to Softness”, Part 3 »