Honolulu, Hawaii – Oahu
Sadao Takaoka Sensei (1916-2002) in 1993 Sadao Takaoka was one of the lesser known direct students of Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba. He began training in O-Sensei’s home town of Wakayama in 1939, but he did not actually meet the Founder until well after the war, in 1951. And although he enjoyed a personal relationship with the Founder and often participated in the annual All Japan … Continue reading Aikido Shihan Sadao Takaoka – Meeting O-Sensei
Seiseki Abe (阿部醒石), 1915- 2011 Amenotakemusu Juku Aikido Dojo (天之武産塾合気道道場) Seiseki Abe was born in Osaka, Japan. A teacher of Japanese calligraphy, he was also a student of Misogi under Dr. Kenzo Futaki, who had trained under Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba. He began training in Aikido after encountering the Founder in Osaka in 1952 and then began teaching him calligraphy a few years later, thereby occupying … Continue reading Aikido Shihan Seiseki Abe – Meeting Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei
Happy New Year 2017 – the Year of the Rooster! Thank you all for your help and support over the last year. We had a great time training with everybody in 2016, and we’re looking forward to even more of us getting to train together in the coming year! Can you spot the rooster on our New Year’s card? The illustration here is from the cover of “Budo”, a 1933 … Continue reading Happy New Year of the Rooster 2017 from the Aikido Sangenkai
“Kannagara no Budo, Daito-ryu Aiki Budo Hiden” – 1940 (惟神の武道・大東流合気武道秘伝 – 昭和15年) “In the spring of 1933, the bureau chief of the Asahi News sales office, Mr. Mitsujiro Ishii, who is presently the Minister of Justice, introduced us to Morihei Ueshiba Sensei, vouching for him as an expert on a par with the founder of judo [a reference to Jigoro Kano]. He recommended to the … Continue reading Takuma Hisa – Kannagara no Budo, Daito-ryu Aiki Budo Hiden 1940
Mamoru Okada Sensei (岡田主), 1921-2014 This is another of a type of essay that I really enjoy reading – memories of meeting and training with Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba from the perspective of ordinary students. In this essay Mamoru Okada recounts his memories of meeting Morihei Ueshiba in Osaka in 1949, after seeing him at a public demonstration held for members of the Nishi Health System. Interestingly, it … Continue reading Mamoru Okada – Training with Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba