Search results for: “sagawa”

  • What is Aiki? Introduction to a method of analyzing Aiki. (Part 2)

    What is Aiki? Introduction to a method of analyzing Aiki. (Part 2)

    Sagawa Dojo

    January 1998, Dojo-biraki at Sagawa Dojo
    Yukiyoshi Sagawa’s last commemorative photo at age 95

    Masaru Takahashi left, next to Yukiyoshi Sagawa – Kimura Tatsuo front, second from right

    An approach to Aiki through simple mechanical principles.

    Masaru Takahashi (高橋賢) began training with Yukiyoshi Sagawa on May 5th of Showa year 47 (1972), and continues to instruct at the Sagawa-den Daito-ryu Aiki Budo Sagamihara branch dojo (佐川伝大東流合氣武道相模原支部) and at the Daito-ryu Sagawa Dojo hombu (大東流佐川道場本部) in Kodaira city. He also runs an acupuncture clinic in Sagamihara City, and teaches Taiji as taught to him directly by Ryuchi Matsuda (松田 隆智), a well known Japanese researcher of Chinese martial arts and author of a popular Japanese manga called “Kenji”.

    拳児

    The manga “Kenji” (拳児), by Ryuchi Matsuda

    Yukiyoshi Sagawa became a student of Daito-ryu Chuko-no-so (“Interim Reviver” / 中興の祖) Sokaku Takeda somewhere around 1913 – some three years before Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba would meet Takeda at the Hisada Inn in Hokkaido. Sagawa’s father Nenokichi (佐川子之吉 1867–1950) was a long time supporter of Takeda, and was actually present at the Hisada Inn when Ueshiba was introduced to Takeda by Kotaro Yoshida.

    Takahashi sensei is a frequent contributor of articles researching the Japanese martial arts and Daito-ryu to the monthly Japanese Budo magazine Hiden (月刊秘伝), published by BAB Japan (“BAB” stands for “Budo and Bujutsu”).

    He is also the author of a book on Chinese Qigong, 中国秘伝の秘伝術気功法, which has been translated into English and published as “Qigong for Health“.

    This article is the second part of an excerpt from Takahashi sensei’s book “The Truth of Daito-ryu Aiki” (大東流合気の真実), which was published in Japanese by Fukushodo Co. Ltd. in September 2007.

    Other sections from this book appear in the articles “Sagawa Yukiyoshi, Masaru Takahashi and Breath Training in Daito-ryu” and “Strange, Odd and False Theories of Aiki“.

    You may wish to read part one of this article before continuing. (more…)

  • What is Aiki? Introduction to a method of analyzing Aiki. (Part 1)

    What is Aiki? Introduction to a method of analyzing Aiki. (Part 1)

    Yukiyoshi Sagawa Aiki-nage

    Yukiyoshi Sagawa demonstrates Aiki-nage on Masaru Takahashi

    Masaru Takahashi Sensei explores a method of analyzing Aiki.

    Masaru Takahashi (高橋賢) is one of the senior students of the famous Daito-ryu instructor Yukiyoshi Sagawa, who was a direct student of Sokaku Takeda and one of Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba’s seniors in the art of Daito-ryu. He entered Sagawa Dojo on May 5th of Showa year 47 (1972).

    He currently instructs at the Sagawa-den Daito-ryu Aiki Budo Sagamihara branch dojo (佐川伝大東流合氣武道相模原支部) and at the Daito-ryu Sagawa Dojo hombu (大東流佐川道場本部) in Kodaira city.

    Takahashi sensei has contributed a number of articles researching the Japanese martial arts and Daito-ryu to the monthly Japanese Budo magazine Hiden (月刊秘伝), published by BAB Japan (“BAB” stands for “Budo and Bujutsu”).

    This article is the first part of an excerpt from Takahashi sensei’s book “The Truth of Daito-ryu Aiki” (大東流合気の真実), which was published in Japanese by Fukushodo Co. Ltd. in September 2007.

    Other sections from this book appear in the articles “Sagawa Yukiyoshi, Masaru Takahashi and Breath Training in Daito-ryu” and “Strange, Odd and False Theories of Aiki

    (more…)

  • Aiki is Love, isn’t it? Aiki isn’t Love, is it?

    Aiki is Love, isn’t it? Aiki isn’t Love, is it?

    合気・愛気

    “Ai – Ki” – “Ai (Love) – Ki”

    Morihei Ueshiba and Aiki, both Technical and Spiritual

    The dichotomy between Aiki as a technical principle and Aiki as a spiritual principle has come up in a number of conversations recently, but I suspect that this has been a matter of discussion since Taisho year 14 (1925), upon Morihei Ueshiba’s spiritual experience after defeating a young naval officer’s attack with a bokuto (bokken):

    武道の根源は、神の愛–万有愛護の精神–であると悟り得て、法悦の涙がとめどなく頬を流れた。

    I attained the realization that the source of Budo is the love of the Gods, the spirit of Universal Loving Protection, and tears of ecstasy streamed endlessly down my cheeks.  (more…)

  • Strange, Odd and False Theories of "Aiki"

    Strange, Odd and False Theories of "Aiki"

    佐川幸義・高橋賢

    Yukiyoshi Sagawa Sohan demonstration Aiki-nage on Masaru Takahashi Sensei

    Masaru Takahashi Sensei on explaining Aiki

    Masaru Takahashi (高橋賢), one of the senior surviving students of the famous Daito-ryu instructor Yukiyoshi Sagawa, entered Sagawa Dojo on May 5th of Showa year 47 (1972).

    植芝盛平・教授代理

    Sokaku Takeda’s Eimeroku, showing Morihei Ueshiba’s Kyoju Dairi certification on the right

    Yukiyoshi Sagawa (佐川幸義) was one of the senior students of Sokaku Takeda, Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei’s instructor in Daito-ryu, and was actually designated as the successor to Takeda at one point in time. He began studying Daito-ryu under Takeda Sokaku after first learning the art from his father, Nenokichi Sagawa (佐川子之吉 1867–1950), who was a student and ardent supporter of Takeda, as well as a holder of a Kyoju Dairi (assistant instructor’s licence) in Daito-ryu – the same license that Morihei Ueshiba himself received from Sokaku Takeda. Yukiyoshi Sagawa received his own Kyoju Dairi certification in 1932.

    Takahashi Sensei instructs at the Sagawa-den Daito-ryu Aiki Budo Sagamihara branch dojo (佐川伝大東流合氣武道相模原支部), at the Daito-ryu Sagawa Dojo hombu (大東流佐川道場本部) in Kodaira city, and has published a number of books and articles researching the Japanese martial arts and Daito-ryu.

    This article is an excerpt from his book “The Truth of Daito-ryu Aiki” (大東流合気の真実), which was published in Japanese by Fukushodo Co. Ltd.(http://fukushodo.com/) in September 2007.

    Another excerpt from this book appears in “Sagawa Yukiyoshi, Masaru Takahashi and Breath Training in Daito-ryu“.  (more…)

  • Aiki Budo is de Weg van Menselijke Ontwikkeling [Dutch Version]

    Aiki Budo is de Weg van Menselijke Ontwikkeling [Dutch Version]

    Sagawa Scroll

    Aiki Budo is de Weg van Menselijke Ontwikkeling

    *This is a Dutch translation of the article “Aiki Budo is the Way of Human Development – The philosophy of Aikido…maybe?“, courtesy of Ernesto Lemke of Seikokan Aikido.

    De filosofie van Aikido….wellicht?

    Ik was door Kisshomaru Ueshiba’s boeken aan het spitten, ‘The Spirit of Aikido’ en ‘De Kunst van Aikido’ en het viel me op dat er in beide boeken nagenoeg geen vermelding stond van Daito-ryu. Uiteraard zijn beide geen historische werken maar ik vond het opvallend vreemd dat er geen melding werd gemaakt van de kunst die Morihei Ueshiba langer dan 20 jaar bestudeerde; de enige kunst waarin hij licentie had om les in te geven; de enige kunst waar hij (naast zijn eigen kunst) ooit certificaten van bekwaamheid in uitgaf.

    Ok, laten we doorgaan naar ‘Best Aikido, geschreven door Kisshomaru Ueshiba en Moriteru Ueshiba. Hierin wordt Daito-ryu kort vermeld als een van de vele kunsten die Morihei Ueshiba bestudeerde maar er wordt niets verteld over de diepgang van de studie van die andere kunsten. De tweede editie meld het feit dat, met uitzondering van Daito-ryu, al die kunsten uitermate kort bestudeerd werden al helemaal niet meer.

    De tweede editie eindigt met te impliceren dat Morihei zelf ook maar enige wezenlijk verband met Daito-ryu ontkende. Dit is een veel voorkomend thema. Bekijk dit artikel maar eens voor een ander voorbeeld van het verdoezelen van de geschiedenis van Aikido.

    Ik weet het, dit is een oud verhaal. De meeste mensen zijn tegenwoordig op de hoogte van de grote technische erfenis die Aikido Daito-ryu schuldig is, hoofdzakelijk door de inspanningen van Stan Pranin van Aikido Journal.

    Ter aanvulling, in twee voorgaande Blogs, ‘Kiichi Hogen en het Geheim van Aikido’ en ‘Morihei Ueshiba, Budo en Kamae’ heb ik de mogelijkheden van een verband tussen de kern trainingsmethodes van Morihei Ueshiba en traditionele Chinese krijgskunst paradigma’s verkend.

    Maar hoe zit het met de andere helft van de kunst? De grote filosofische en spirituele herbestemming van de krijgskunsten die zogenaamd door Morihei Ueshiba werd geïmplementeerd?  (more…)