Tag Archives: profiles

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

Interview with Aikido Shihan Yoshimitsu Yamada, Part 2

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Yoshimitsu Yamada in Hawaii 2011

Yoshimitsu Yamada at Aikido Celebration Hawaii 2011 the 50th Anniversary of O-Sensei’s 1961 visit to Hawaii Pat Hendricks taking ukemi Yoshimitsu Yamada was sent to the United States in 1964 by the Aikikai in order to help spread and develop Aikido in America. He was followed by Mitsunari Kanai Sensei, Akira Tohei Sensei and Kazuo Chiba Sensei, whose cooperation eventually led to the formation of … Continue reading Interview with Aikido Shihan Yoshimitsu Yamada, Part 2 »

Interview, Translation

Interview with Aikido Shihan Yoshimitsu Yamada, Part 1

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Yoshimitsu Yamada Kauai

Yoshimitsu Yamada on Kauai, Hawaii in 1966 seated between Hawaii Aikikai instructors Yukiso Yamamoto and Sadao Yoshioka Yoshimitsu Yamada was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1938, entered Aikikai Hombu Dojo as an uchi-deshi in 1956 and was dispatched to New York to aid the development of Aikido in the United States in 1964, the year that I was born. I last saw him in 2011 … Continue reading Interview with Aikido Shihan Yoshimitsu Yamada, Part 1 »

Interview, Translation

Interview with Aikido Shihan Masatake Fujita, Part 2

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Masatake Fujita

Masatake Fujita sensei on the cover of the April 2000 Aiki News Masatake Fujita (藤田昌武) was born in Japanese occupied Manchuria in 1937. Returning to Japan after the war, he enrolled as a student at Aikikai Hombu Dojo – some of that story is told in Part 1 of the interview that is concluded below. Fujita sensei summarized his technical approach to Aikido in this … Continue reading Interview with Aikido Shihan Masatake Fujita, Part 2 »

Interview, Translation

Interview with Aikido Shihan Masatake Fujita, Part 1

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Masatake Fujita taking ukemi for O-Sensei

Masatake Fujita taking ukemi for Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba Aikikai Hombu Dojo, 1969 Masatake Fujita (藤田昌武) was born in Japanese occupied Manchuria in 1937. Returning to Japan after the war, he enrolled as a student at Aikikai Hombu Dojo – some of that story is told in the first section of the interview below. Fujita sensei is famous for his powerful techniques. Here is what … Continue reading Interview with Aikido Shihan Masatake Fujita, Part 1 »