AIKIKAI

The Aikikai Foundation (財団法人合気会) is the original organisation for the
Japanese budo art aikido, officially recognized by the Japanese
government in 1940. It describes itself as "the parent organization
for the development and popularization of aikido throughout the
world", although there are several offshoots whose arts all are named
aikido. The Aikikai is often referred to as an umbrella organisation
for various national and other aikido organisations. Its headquarters,
Aikikai Hombu Dojo is located in Tokyo.

After the passing of Morihei Ueshiba, his son Kisshomaru Ueshiba took
over the leadership of the organisation. Current doshu of the Aikikai
is the grandson of Morihei Ueshiba, Moriteru Ueshiba. This system that
the heir of a martial arts school or system should be the son, either
natural or adopted for the sake of succession, was common in koryu
(old) budo and is referred to as iemoto.

Aikikai is sometimes described as Ueshiba Aikido, and is thought by
some to be the most traditional of the aikido schools remaining. It
has retained many of the aspects which Morihei Ueshiba valued in his
original aikido, such as the non-competitive training styles and the
emphasis on flowing technique.

Aikikai is also often referred to as an "aikido style", although
aikido within the Aikikai technically can be very different. The
students of Morihei Ueshiba each had their own interpretation of his
art, and in many cases other influences as well. This is reflected in
the technical diversity within the organisation.

An interview with Morihei Ueshiba O Sensei and Kisshomaru Ueshiba The following interview, conducted by two unnamed newspapermen, appeared in the Japanese-language text Aikido by Kisshomaru Ueshiba, Tokyo, Kowado, 1957, pages 198-219. It was translated from the Japanese by Stanley Pranin and Katsuaki Terasawa.

A: When I was a college student my philosophy professor showed us a portrait of a famous philosopher, and now I am struck by his resemblance to you, Sensei.

O Sensei: I see. Maybe I should have entered into the field of philosophy instead. The spiritual side of me is more emphasized than the physical side.

B: It is said that Aikido is quite different from Karate and Judo.

O Sensei: In my opinion, it can be said to be the true martial art. The reason for this is that it is a martial art based on universal truth. This universe is composed of many different parts, and yet the universe as a whole is united as a family and symbolizes the ultimate state of peace. Holding such a view of the universe, Aikido cannot be anything but a martial art of love. It cannot be a martial art of violence. For this reason Aikido can be said to be another manifestation of the Creator of the universe. In other words, Aikido is like a giant (immense in nature). Therefore, in Aikido, heaven and earth become the training grounds. The state of mind of the Aikidoist must be peaceful and totally nonviolent. That is to say, that special state of mind which brings violence into a state of harmony. And this I think is the true spirit of Japanese martial arts. We have been given this earth to transform into a heaven on earth. Warlike activity is totally out of place.

A: It is quite different from the traditional martial arts, then.

O Sensei: Indeed, it is quite different. If we look back over time, we see how the martial arts have been abused. During the Sengoku Period (1482-1558-Sengoku meaning "warring countries") local lords used the martial arts as a fighting tool to serve their own private interests and to satisfy their greed. This I think was totally inappropriate. Since I myself taught martial arts to be~used for the purpose of killing others to soldiers during the War, I became deeply troubled after the conflict ended. This motivated me to discover the true spirit of Aikido seven years ago, at which time I came upon the idea of building a heaven on earth. The reason for this resolution was that although heaven and earth (i.e., the physical universe) have reached a state of perfection and are relatively stable in their evolution, humankind (in particular the Japanese people) seems to be in a state of upheaval. First of all, we must change this situation. The realization of this mission is the path to the evolution of universal humanity. When I came to this realization, I concluded that the true state of Aikido is love and harmony. Thus the "Bu" (martial) in Aikido is the expression of love. I was studying Aikido in order to serve my country. Thus, the spirit of Aikido can only be love and harmony. Aikido was born in accordance with the principles and workings of the universe. Therefore, it is a Budo (martial art) of absolute victory.

B: Would you talk about the principles of Aikido? The general public regards Aikido as something mystical like ninjutsu, since you, Sensei, fell huge opponents with lightning speed and have lifted objects weighing several hundred pounds.

O Sensei: It only seems to be mystical. In Aikido we utilize the power of the opponent completely. So the more power the opponent uses, the easier it is for you.

B: Then, in that sense, there is Aiki in Judo, too, since in Judo you synchronize yourself with the rhythm of your opponent. If he pulls, you push; if he pushes, you pull. You move him according to this principle and make him lose his balance and then apply your technique.

O Sensei: In Aikido, there is absolutely no attack. To attack means that the spirit has already lost. We adhere to the principle of absolute nonresistance, that is to say, we do not oppose the attacker. Thus, there is no opponent in Aikido. The victory in Aikido is masakatsu and agatsu; since you win over everything in accordance with the mission of heaven, you possess absolute strength.

B: Does that mean ~o no sen? (This term refers to a late response to an attack.)

O Sensei: Absolutely not. It is not a question of either sensen no sen or sen no sen. If I were to try to verbalize it I would say that you control your opponent without trying to control him. That is, the state of continuous victory. There isn't any question of winning over or losing to an opponent. In this sense, there is no opponent in Aikido. Even if you have an opponent, he becomes a part of you, a partner you control only.

B: How many techniques are there in Aikido?

O Sensei: There are about 3,000 basic techniques, and each one of them has 16 variations . . . so there are many thousands. Depending on the situation, you create new ones.

A: When did you begin the study of martial arts?

O Sensei: At about the age of 14 or 15. First I learned Tenshinyo-ryu Jujitsu from Tozawa Tokusaburo Sensei, then Kito-ryu, Yagyu Ryu, Aioi-ryu, Shinkage-ryu, all of them Jujitsu forms. However, I thought there might be a true form of Budo elsewhere. I tried Hozoin-ryu Sojitsu and Kendo. But all of these arts are concerned with one-to-one combat forms and they could not satisfy me. So I visited many parts of the country seeking the Way and training. . . but all in vain.

A: Is that the ascetic training of the warrior?

O Sensei: Yes, the search for the true Budo. When I used to go to other schools I would never challenge the Sensei of the dojo. An individual in charge of a dojo is burdened with many things, so it is very hard for him to display his true ability. I would pay him the proper respects and learn from him. If I judged myself superior, I would again pay him my respects and return home.

B: Then you did not learn Aikido from the beginning.

B: When did Aikido come into being?

O Sensei: As I said before, I went to many places seeking the true Budo... Then, when I was about 30 years old, I settled in Hokkaido. On one occasion, while staying at Hisada Inn in Engaru, Kitami Province, I met a certain Takeda Sokaku Sensei of the Aizu clan. He taught Daito-ryu Jujitsu. During the 30 days in which I learned from him I felt something like an inspiration. Later, I invited this teacher to my home and together with 15 or 16 of my employees became a student seeking the essence of Budo.

B: Did you discover Aikido while you were learning Daito-ryu under Takeda Sokaku?

O Sensei: No. It would be more accurate to say that Takeda Sensei opened my eyes to Budo.

A: Then were there any special circumstances surrounding your discovery of Aikido?

O Sensei: Yes. It happened this way. My father became critically ill in 1918. I requested leave from Takeda Sensei and set out for my home. On my way home, I was told that if you went to Ayabe near Kyoto and dedicated a prayer then any disease would be cured. So, I went there and met Deguchi Onisaburo. Afterwards, when I arrived home, I learned that my father was already dead. Even though I had met Deguchi only once, I decided to move to Ayabe with my family and I ended up staying until the latter part of the Taisho period (around 1925). Yes . . . at that time I was about 40 years old. One day I was drying myself off by the well. Suddenly, a cascade of blinding golden flashes came down from the sky enveloping my body. Then immediately my body became larger and larger, attaining the size of the entire universe. While overwhelmed by this experience I suddenly realized that one should not think of trying to win. The form of Budo must be love. One should live in love. This is Aikido and this is the old form of the posture in Kenjitsu. After this realization I was overjoyed and could not hold back the tears.

B: Then, in Budo, it is not good to be strong. Since olden times the unification of "ken" and "Zen" has been taught. Indeed, the essence of Budo cannot be understood without emptying your mind. In that state, neither right nor wrong have meaning.

O Sensei: As I said previously, the essence of Budo is the Way of masakatsu and agatsu.

B: I have heard a story about how you were involved with a fight with about 150 workers.

O Sensei: I was? As I remember. . . Deguchi Sensei went to Mongolia in 1924 in order to accomplish his goal of a greater Asian community in line with the national policy. I accompanied him on his request even though I was asked to enter the Army. We traveled in Mongolia and Manchuria. While in the latter country, we encountered a group of mounted bandits and heavy shooting broke out. I returned their fire with a Mauser and then proceeded to run into the midst of the bandits, attacking them fiercely, and they dispersed. I succeeded in escaping danger.

A: I understand, Sensei, that you have many connections with Manchuria. Did you spend a long time there?

O Sensei: Since that incident I have been to Manchuria quite often. I was an advisor on martial arts for the Shimbuden organization as well as for Kenkyoku University in Mongolia. For this reason, I have been well received there.

B: Hino Ashihei wrote a story called "Oja no Za" in Shosetsu Shincho in which he discusses the youthful period of Tenryu Saburo, rebel of the Sumo world, and his encounter with the martial art of Aikido and its true spirit. Does that involve you, Sensei?

O Sensei: Yes.

B: Then, does that mean that you were associated with Tenryu for some period?

O Sensei: Yes. He stayed in my house for about three months.

B: Was this in Manchuria?

O Sensei: Yes. I met him when we were making the rounds after a celebration marking the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the government of Manchuria. There was a handsome looking man at the party and many people prodding him on with such comments as, "This Sensei has tremendous strength. How about testing yourself against him?" I asked someone at my side who this person was. It was explained to me that he was the famous Tenryu who had withdrawn from the Sumo Wrestler's Association. I was then introduced to him. Finally, we ended up pitting our strength against each other. I sat down and said to Tenryu, "Please try to push me over. Push hard, there's no need to hold back." Since I knew the secret of Aikido, I could not be moved an inch. Even Tenryu seemed surprised at this. As a result of that experience he became a student of Aikido. He was a good man.

A: Sensei, have you also been associated with the Navy?

O Sensei: Yes, for quite a long time. Starting in about 1927 or 28, for a period of about 10 years I was a part-time professor at the Naval Academy.

B: Did you instruct soldiers at the time you were teaching at the Naval Academy?

O Sensei: I have taught quite often for the military, beginning with the Naval Academy around 1927-28. In about 1932 or 19331 started a martial arts class at Toyama School for the Army. Then in 1941-421 taught Aikido to students of the Military Police Academy. Also, on one occasion I gave an exhibition of Aikido on the invitation of General Toshie Maeda, Superintendent of the Army Academy.

B: Since you were involved in teaching soldiers, there must have been a lot of rough types and many episodes.

O Sensei: Yes. I was even ambushed one time.

B: Was it because they considered you an overbearing teacher?

O Sensei: No, it wasn't that. It was to test my strength. It was at the time when I started to teach Aikido to military police. One evening while I was walking through the training grounds, I felt something strange going on. I felt that something was up. Suddenly, from all directions, from behind bushes and depressions many soldiers appeared and surrounded me. They started to strike at me with wooden swords and wooden rifles. But since I was accustomed to that sort of thing I didn't mind at all. As they tried to strike me I spun my body this way and that way and they fell easily as I nudged. Finally, they all became exhausted. At any rate, the world is full of surprises. The other day I met one of the men who attacked me. I am an advisor to the Military Police Alumnae in Wakayama Prefecture. During a recent meeting one individual recognized my face and came up to me grinning. After we had talked for a few minutes, I learned that he was one of the men who had attacked me that day many years ago. While scratching his head he related to me the following: "I'm very sorry for that incident. That day we were talking about whether or not the new professor of Aikido was really strong. A group of us, hot-blooded military police types, were discussing the matter and decided to test the new teacher. About 30 men lay in wait. We were completely amazed that we 30 self-confident men could do nothing against your strength."

C: Were there any episodes while you were at the Toyama School?

O Sensei: Strength contests?...One incident took place, I believe, before the episode with the military police. Several captains who were instructors at the Toyama School invited me to test my strength against theirs. They all prided themselves in their abilities, saying things like: "I was able to lift such-and-such a weight," or "I broke a log so many inches in diameter". I explained to them, "I don't have strength like yours, but I can fell people like you with my little finger alone. I feel sorry for you if I throw you, so let's do this instead." I extended my right arm and rested the tip of my index finger on the end of a desk and invited them to lay across my arm on their stomachs. One, two, then three officers by themselves over my arm, and by that time everyone became wide-eyed. I continued until six men lay over my arm and then asked the officer standing near me for a glass of water. As I was drinking the water with my left hand everyone was quiet and exchanging glances.

B: Aside from Aikido, you must have tremendous physical strength.

O Sensei: Not really.

Kisshomaru Ueshiba: Of course he possesses strength, but it should be described as the power of Ki, rather than physical strength. Some time ago, when we went to a new settlement in the country, we saw seven or eight laborers trying in vain to lift a huge tree stump. My father stood looking at it for a while and then asked them to step aside so he could try it. He lifted the stump easily and promptly carried it away. It is totally inconceivable to do such a thing with mere physical strength. Also there was an incident involving a certain Mihamahiro.

B: Was he the same Mihamahiro of Takasago Beya Sumo Wrestling Association?

O Sensei: Yes. He was from Kishu Province. When I was staying at Shingu in Wakayama, Mihamahiro was doing well in the Sumo ranks. He had tremendous strength and could lift three rods which weighed several hundred pounds. When I learned Mihamahiro was staying in town, I invited him to come over. While we were talking Mihamahiro said, "I've also heard that you, Sensei, possess great strength. Why don't we test our strength?" "All right. Fine. I can pin you with my index finger alone," I answered. Then I let him push me while I was seated. This fellow capable of lifting huge weights huffed and puffed but could not push me over. After that, I redirected his power away from me and he went flying by. As he fell I pinned him with my index finger, and he remained totally immobilized. It was like an adult pinning a baby. Then I suggested that he try again and let him push against my forehead. However, he couldn't move me at all. Then I extended my legs forward, and, balancing myself, I lifted my legs off the floor and had him push me. Still he could not move me. He was surprised and began to study Aikido.

A: When you say you pin a person with one finger, do you push on a vital point?

O Sensei: I draw a circle around him. His power is contained inside that circle. No matter how strong a man he may be, he cannot extend his power outside of that circle. He becomes powerless. Thus, if you pin your opponent while you are outside of his circle, you can hold him with your index finger or your little finger. This is possible because the opponent has already become powerless.

B: Once again, it's a matter of physics. In Judo also, when you throw an opponent or pin him you place yourself in the same position. In Judo, you move in various ways and try to place your opponent in such a position.

A: Is your wife also from Wakayama Prefecture?

O Sensei: Yes. Her maiden name in Wakayama was Takeda.

A: The Takeda family name is closely associated with the martial arts.

O Sensei: You might say that. My family has been loyal to the Imperial Household for many generations. And we have been wholehearted in our support. In fact, my ancestors gave up property and fortune and moved all over in service of the Imperial Family.

B: Since you too, Sensei, have been moving around continuously from the time you were a young man, it must have been very difficult for your wife.

O Sensei: Since I was very busy I didn't have very much leisure time to spend at home.

Kisshomaru Ueshiba: Since my father's family was rather well-to-do, he was able to pursue Budo shugyo (ascetic training in the martial arts). And another thing, another of my father's characteristics is that he has little concern for money. The following incident took place on one occasion. When my father settled in Tokyo in 1926, his second visit to the capital, he first came alone and then was followed by the family, which came up from Tanabe in 1927. The place where we all settled was at Sarumachi, Shibashirogane in Tokyo. We rented that place with the aid of Mr. Kiyoshi Yamamoto, a son of General Gambei Yamamoto. At that time, my father owned a fairly large amount of property around Tanabe, including both cultivated and uncultivated fields and mountainous terrain. However, he had little cash. He had to borrow money to get by. In spite of this, it never occurred to him to sell any land. Not only that, when his students brought over monthly offerings he would respond, "I don't want this sort of thing." He told them to offer it to the kami-sama (deity) and never accepted money directly. And when he was in need of money he would humbly present himself in front of the altar of the kami-sama and receive gifts from the deity. We never thought about charging money for Budo. The training hall at that time was the billiard room in Count Shimazu's mansion. Many dignitaries, including military officers such as Admiral Isamu Takeshita as well as many aristocrats, came to practice. The name we used was Aikijujitsu or Ueshiba-Ryu Aikijitsu.

B: What is a good age for starting Aikido training?

Kisshomaru Ueshiba: You can start training at around age 7 or 8, but ideally serious training should start at about 15 or 16. Physically speaking, the body frame becomes sturdier and the bones somewhat stronger at that age. Besides, Aikido contains many spiritual aspects (of course, so do other forms of Budo), so at that age one begins to acquire a perspective of the world and of the nature of Budo. So, all in all, I would say 15 or 16 is a good age for beginning the study of Aikido.

B: Compared with Judo, there are very few occasions when one grapples with his opponent in Aikido. So not much physical strength is required in Aikido. Besides, you can handle not just one but many opponents at the same time. It is truly ideal as a Budo. In that regard, are there also many hoodlum-types who come to study Aikido?

Kisshomaru Ueshiba: Of course, that sort of individual enrolls, too. But when this type of person studies Aikido with the intention of using it as a tool for fighting, they don't last long. Budo is not like dancing or watching a movie. Rain or shine, you must practice at all times during your daily life in order to progress. In particular, Aikido is like spiritual training practiced using a Budo form. It can never be cultivated as a tool by those who would use it for fighting. Also, individuals inclined towards violence cease to behave in that manner when they learn Aikido.

B: I see . . . through constant training they stop behaving like hoodlums.

O Sensei: Since Aikido is not a Bu (martial method) of violence but rather a martial art of love, you do not behave violently. You convert the violent opponent in a gentle way. They cannot behave like hoodlums any longer.

B: I see. It is not controlling violence with violence, but transforming violence into love.

A: What do you teach first as the fundamentals of Aikido? In Judo one learns ukemi (falling) . . .

Kisshomaru Ueshiba: First, body movements (taisabaki), then Ki flow. . .

A: What is Ki flow?

Kisshomaru Ueshiba: In Aikido, we constantly train to control our partner's Ki freely through the movement of our own Ki, by drawing the partner into our own movement. Next, we practice how to turn our bodies. You move not only your body but your arms and legs together. Then the whole body becomes unified and moves smoothly.

B: Watching Aikido practice, students seem to fall naturally. What kind of practice to you do for ukemi?

Kisshomaru Ueshiba: Unlike Judo, where you grapple with your opponent, in Aikido you almost always maintain some distance. Consequently, a freer type of ukemi is possible. Instead of falling with a thud as in Judo, we take circular falls, a very natural form of ukemi. So we practice those four elements quite diligently.

B: So you practice tai no sabaki (body movements), Ki no nagare (Ki flow), tai no tenkan ho (body turning), ukemi, and then begin the practice of techniques. What type of technique do you teach first?

Kisshomaru Ueshiba: Shiho nage, a technique to throw an opponent in many different directions. This is done in the same manner as the sword technique. Of course, we use bokken (wooden swords) as well. As I said before, in Aikido even the enemy becomes a part of your movement. I can move the enemy freely at will. It follows naturally that when you practice with whatever means you have available, like a staff or a wooden sword, it becomes as much a part of you as an arm or a leg. Therefore, in Aikido what you are holding ceases to become a mere object. It becomes an extension of your own body. Next is Iriminage. In this technique you enter just as your opponent tries to strike you, and at that time two or three Atemi (strikes) are made. For example, the opponent strikes at the side of your face with his fist or hand blade (tegatana). Using your opponent's power, you open your body to the left rear as you lead the opponent's right hand with your two extended hands, continuing the direction of his movement. Then, holding your opponent's hand you move it in a circular motion around his head. He then falls with his hand wrapped around his head .... This, too, is the flow of Ki There are various sophisticated theories about this point. The opponent is left totally powerless, or rather, the opponent's power is led in the direction you want to take him. So the more power the opponent has, the easier it is for you. On the other hand, if you clash with you opponent's power you can never hope to win against a very strong person.

O Sensei: Also, in Aikido you never go against the attacker's power. When he attacks you striking or cutting with a sword, there is essentially one line or one point. All you need to do is avoid this.

Kisshomaru Ueshiba: Next we do the following techniques: seated Ikkyo from shomenuchi attack, Nikkyo, then joint techniques and pinning techniques, and so on...

B: Aikido contains many spiritual elements. How long would it take to acquire a basic understanding of Aikido starting from the very beginning?

Kisshomaru Ueshiba: Since there are both coordinated and uncoordinated people I can't make any general statement, but when a person practices for about three months he comes to have some understanding of what Aikido is. And those who have completed three months of practice will train for six months. If you practice for six months, then you can continue for an indefinite time. Those who have only a superficial interest will quit before three months.

B: I understand there will be a Shodan examination the 28th of this month. How many black belt holders are there currently?

Kisshomaru Ueshiba: The highest rank is 8th degree, and there are four of them. There are six 7th degree black belt holders. And the 1st degree holders are quite numerous, but of course this figure only includes those having contacted Hombu Dojo after the War.

B: I understand there are a considerable number of people learning Aikido in foreign countries as well.

Kisshomaru Ueshiba: Mr. Tohei has visited Hawaii and the U.S. for the purpose of teaching Aikido. The most popular place for Aikido is Hawaii, where there are 1200 or 1300 practitioners. This figure for Hawaii would be equivalent to 70,000 or 80,000 Aikidoists in Tokyo. There are quite a few black belt holders in France as well. There is one Frenchman who began studying Aikido after injuring himself practicing Judo. He wanted to experience the spirit of Aikido but was not able to accomplish this in France. He felt that to seek the true spirit of Aikido he had to go to the birthplace of the art. He explained that this is why he came to Japan. The Panamanian ambassador is also studying Aikido, but it seems that the climate in Japan is too cold for him and he doesn't practice in the winter. Also, there is a lady named Onada Haru who went to Rome to study sculpting. She has been coming to the dojo since the time she was a student at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts. I just recently received a letter from her where she says she happened to meet an Italian who practices Aikido, and he treated her very well.

A: And concerning the interpretation of Aikido techniques?

O Sensei: The essential points become masakatsu, agatsu, and katsuhayai. As I said previously , masakatsu means "correct victory" and agatsu means "to win in accordance with the heavenly mission given to you." Katsuhayai means "the state of mind of rapid victory".

A: The Path is long, isn't it?

O Sensei: The Aiki Path is infinite. I am 76 years old now, but I am still continuing my search. It is not an easy task to master the Path in Budo or the arts. In Aikido you must understand every phenomenon in the universe. For example, the rotation of the Earth and the most intricate and far-reaching system of the universe. It is a lifelong training.

B: So, Aiki is the teachings of Kami (God), as well as the martial way. Then what is the spirit of Aikido?

O Sensei: Aikido is Ai (love). You make this great love of the universe your heart, and then you must make your own mission the protection and love of all things. To accomplish this mission must be the true Budo. True Budo means to win over yourself and eliminate the fighting heart of the enemy... No, it is a way to absolute self-perfection in which the very enemy is eliminated. The technique of Aiki is ascetic training and a way through which you reach a state of unification of body and spirit by the realization of the principle of heaven.

B: Then Aiki is the way to world peace?

O Sensei: The ultimate goal of Aiki is creation of heaven on earth. In any case, the entire world must be in harmony. Then we do not have a need for atomic and hydrogen bombs. It can be a comfortable and pleasant world.

How to make a bokken

Wood selection: You must balance weight, strength and crush resistance according to what you are going to use the wood for. Price, especially if you are making your own is not as crucial since you will pay more for a cheap "maple" bokuto from Taiwan than you would for that much ceylon ebony.

Weight is crucial especially for the Aikido types who tend to go up against sensei not having the faintest idea what he is going to do. If your bokuto (OK Boken... OK OK Bokken) is slower than his (due to massive weight) you often get clunked. I make sure my boken is lighter than sensei's if I can manage it. (Gifting him with a heavy one usually works).

Strength is related to the "absolute" strength of your wood, and to the "relative" strength of your bokuto compared to your partner's. A good Brazillan Blackwood bokuto will simply destroy a red oak bokuto within about three hits. Crush resistance is the ability of the wood to dent without the fibres breaking causing splintering.

You also need to worry about the grain pattern of the wood. No knots, and a smooth grain that doesn't run out half way down the blade. The grain must run down the blade (obvious) and also be lined up so that it runs from back to edge (not so obvious). THIS MEANS THAT BLOCKING WITH BOKUTO SHOULD BE DONE WITH THE EDGE not the shinogi as is being suggested in some of the mail here. (There are some thoughts on blocking like this from some senior Japanese sensei as well, I'll try to find the relevent item in the newsletter and post it soon). This is the reason ironwood is usually not good for bokuto, the grain usually goes all over hell and you're sure to get some that go the wrong way about 1/2 way down the blade.

North American Hardwoods:

Hard Maple: Good crush resistance, tight grain, good strength and weight for everyday practice.

White Oak: Often poor crush resistance due to porous grain, if a tight grained piece can be found, will often make an excellent bokuto. Red Oak, Pin Oak etc. are NOT suitable.

Hickory: My favourite, it often shows heartwood and outerwood of two different colours, one harder than the other. Hickory is slightly "shaggy" and so must be sanded fairly often. Excellent crush resistance and strength with fairly low weight. Probably the best all round North American wood for weapons.

White Ash: Usually a bit light, but strong. Open pores make it "crushable" like oak. A tight grained piece makes a good weapon for smaller students who can't safely use heavier bokuto.

I've used other woods such as cherry, elm, beach etc. but the suitability generally depends on the piece of wood more than the species.

Exotic Woods

Here are some of the woods I've used for bokuto.

Purpleheart: Deep red colour, nice straight grain, a little bit crushable but can be an excellent everyday bokuto if you want more weight.

Ebony, Makassar: Fairly strong, black with brown stripes, more suited for lone practice (suburi) than partner practice. Moderately heavy. Ebony, Ceylon: Black, VERY expensive and hard to find in suitable grain patterns (as if you could see the grain in some pieces) I've seen these bokuto literally explode on contact due to stress cracks inside the wood. Not recommended for use in partner practice.

Brazilian Blackheart (redheart): Was being imported as an ebony substitute, but not any longer. It would not glue to anything due to the resins in it, and it had a bad habit of dulling tools. This is the strongest wood I've ever seen, I weigh 230 pounds, my Tachi Uchi no Kurai (Iaido partner practice) weighs at least that much, and we use a pair of these to demonstate. Some of the kata require full stop blocks against a full strength strike. These things don't even dent. Interestingly, I once accidentially sliced a piece off one of them with my "dull" aluminum iaito.

Ipe: Another very hard wood. This one is a lighter brown that, with a good finish, shows rainbow coloured flecks that make it look like you are actually seeing into the wood. Not as heavy as blackheart (not much is). The sanding dust from this wood is green and turns blood red when you wash with soap. A small note here, there is such a thing as carpenter's cancer (nasal cancer) and these exotics with their resins are great for it. Some of these woods can cause an almost instant irritation so be careful.

Cocobolo: Deep red with black stripes and swirls. Grain tends to be screwy but it is so tight it doesn't matter. Heavy. Tools must be very sharp as the resins in this can literally bounce a spokeshave off of itself.

Kingwood: Very pretty, more for looks than for partners. Expensive.

Ziricote and Bokote: These are rosewoods, brown an black grain, the ziricote tends to be blacker and harder. It also produces a very irritating dust, I prefer working with bokote. Mainly for show but will stand light partner work. (Heavy if used against anything bought in the local martial arts store).

Lignum Vitae: The hardest wood around. LV is used in steamships as a bearing for the propeller shaft, not steel ball bearings but just a chunk of this stuff. I've never found a piece big enough to make a bokuto out of. Made a shoto though, even with a crack it would pound anything else to pieces. Slightly greenish wood.

Tulipwood: Not the North American wood that is like (is?) Poplar but the stuff that some company in England made sports car frames out of. Expensive, and hard to find a good piece. I've made a few canes out of this wood which is red and cream striped. Good properties.

I've probably tried a few more woods but can't remember them right now, if anyone wants to try another let me know and I'll tell you if I've tried it.

For a first try I'd recommend maple. It's a nice wood to work and can be found easily. Hickory is a bit more difficult to find since it isn't really a woodworker's wood. (More a tool maker's wood ie ax handles etc.) Poplar is showing up in some of the softwood lumberyards around here, it's a bit soft. If you're wondering about a new wood, try the thumbnail, rip and bend test. (Sounds painful? Let go of your thumbnail then.) 1. Press your thumbnail into the wood at a corner, does it crush easily. 2. Take a loose sliver at the end and rip it down, is it a long fibre or a short one? Does the fibre break easily (is it brittle) or does it bend? 3. Take a board and put one end on the floor, hold the other end. Look around and make sure nobody's in sight. Now lean on the board, if you hear it start to crack it's probably not very strong. If the wood passes all those tests, find a piece with good grain and start cutting.

About long fibres, I once made a bokuto out of a wood called Ramin. It had very long, strong straight fibres and seemed to have good crush resistance. The first time the student used it the damn thing split right down the long axis. I swear that wood has absolutely no cross connections at all. Don't use Ramin.

Parts of the bokuto
Here is a list of parts on the bokuto, they are the same as the names for the parts of a live blade.

Kissaki: the tip.
Mune: the back of the blade.
Monouchi: the cutting portion of the edge, the 1/3 closest to the kissaki.
Chu-o: the middle third of the blade.
Tsuba moto: the third of the blade closest the handle.
Tsuba: the guard, not present on most Aikido bokuto.
Tsuka: the handle.
Shinogi: the ridge between the mune and the edge.
Shinogi-ji: the flat plane between the mune and the shinogi
Jigane: the flat plane between the shinogi and the temper line (edge).
Ha: the edge
Tsuka gashira: strictly the pommel fitting, butt end of the bokuto.
Obtaining a bokuto
The wooden sword is usually made from oak, maple or hickory if it is to be used in partner practice. These woods have a high degree of strength and impact resistance. Maple and hickory are especially resistant to the splintering which may occur after repeated denting of the blade in the contact with another weapon. Other, more exotic woods, such as ebony, cocobolo or blackheart are sometimes used for their density, the greater weight more closely matching the metal katana. These woods are expensive and often contain flaws which make them less suitable to use in partner practice but ideal for individual training. While the weight of the bokuto may approach that of a katana, the balance is always different. The katana, due to its metal blade and wooden handle, has a balance point much further forward than that of a bokuto.

Specially shaped wooden swords called suburito are used to practice the individual cuts of a sword school. These weapons are designed to approximate the balance of a katana but are much different in shape and size. Often suburito of great weight are used to strengthen the arms and improve the posture.

Once a student has decided to study the bokuto the selection of a good weapon is of great importance. The suitability of a sword will determine to a large extent the ease with which a swordsman completes his practice. A student will own a bokuto for many years if it is chosen carefully and one should look for several characteristics when buying the weapon.

The shape and colour of the sword should be pleasing to the eye, the grip should feel smooth and free of stickiness which will cause blisters. The grip should also be large enough in the hand so that the fingers don't touch the palm. A badly sized handle can cause excessive cramping in the hands and a poor pattern of callous formation on the palm. The wood grain should be straight, with no knots and run from the handle to the tip. The growth rings should also run from the top of the sword to the edge. This pattern will give the strongest Bokuto possible. Look for a tight, closed grain which will resist denting. No warps or cracks should be seen. The wood should only be finished with tung oil or boiled linseed oil. Hard surface finishes such as varnish will cause the handle to be sticky. The weight of a Bokuto should be such as to allow the completion of a two hour practice which might include several thousand cuts. For this reason, students should consider beginning with a lighter sword and then moving to a heavier version when the arm and shoulder strength permits. A sword that is too heavy can cause muscle strain, and the slowness with which it must be moved can cause problems during partner practice.

Making a bokuto
With a few basic tools it is not hard to make a bokuto. The first consideration is which wood to use. The choice will depend on what style of sword is being made and whether or not it is to be used for partner practice. Once a source of suitable wood is found the actual piece must be chosen. Use a board that is about one inch thick and at least two inches wide for a bokuto. A suburito may require other dimensions. The grain must be straight and preferrably running along the wide dimension of the end of the board, rather than across it.

I'm going to describe how to use a lot of power tools to make your bokuto, you don't need all of these, so adjust the instructions according to what you have.

Much of the wood available these days is not fully dry. If it is practical, buy your wood and store it for several months to a year in conditions similar to your practice place. This will ensure that the wood is at a proper humidity level and any faults that are going to develop will do so before you start working.

The easiest way of laying out a pattern for the curve is to use a bokuto you have already decided you like. If you don't have a pattern then cut the board to about 41 inches long and at least two inches wide. Check the grain patterns and decide which end of the board is weakest, this is your handle. If the grain has a curve then the curve of the sword will follow it. Decide how far along the blade the bottom of the curve will be. For Bizen style blades the point of maximum curve is close to the handle, for other styles it is closer to the middle of the blade. Mark out a curve so that the bokuto is about one inch tall (from ha to mune). The top of the handle and the point will touch one side of the board. The point of maximum curve on the edge touches the other side if the board is 2" wide. Cut out this sword blank with a band saw or a sabre saw. I even used a 5 1/4 inch circular saw for a few blades when I had nothing else. The small blade will make this curve.

This is the time to decide what tip shape you desire, some sword styles leave the point blunt while others use a modified point. The commercial bokuto mimic the point of the katana. If you want a point cut the end at the angle preferred.

If your bokuto is going to taper toward the tip (it should to look good), and you have access to a jointer, mark the taper on the concave and convex sides and by using a series of longer and longer passes over the blades, create the taper on the sides of the blade. If you don't have a jointer you'll simply do this by hand when working on the shaping of the blade.

To carve out the shape some people prefer a wood rasp, some a plane. I prefer a combination of a spokeshave and a Stanley Surform depending on which wood I am using. I have a Workmate bench which is about the correct height for me to work on. Start with the blade section and do the handle last since the squared handle will allow you to keep the blade in the correct orientation while creating the long straight lines needed to produce a good looking bokuto.

Clamp the wood so that you can cut out the back ridge. For this you also need to have the blade clamped straight up and down. Hold the spokeshave at the chosen angle and use long smooth strokes to cut the shoulders. A 45 degree angle will make a round looking blade while an angle more toward vertical will create a thin blade. This is a matter of taste. When you have these shoulders cut to a straight pleasing line then you can start on the edge. Turn the blade over and work the curve into the bottom of the blade. A more rounded edge will create a heavier sword with a more resistant striking surface. A sharper edge, while weaker, will have a more pleasing shape. Make sure while you are working that the edge is lined up with the top of the blade. Clamping the squared handle will help with this. The edge will often wander as you cut so be careful. It is at this point that you determine the balance of the blade by how much you taper the blade toward the tip.

If you want to mimic the katana point use a Surform to cut a plane in from each side at the tip. If there is to be no point or a modified point then use the Surform to round off the edges of the tip and the base of the handle. Now is the time to even out any wavers in the lines along the back.

Clamp the blade carefully and cut out the handle. This is an important step since the handle is what you grip and it must agree with the curve of the blade. As a general rule the handle should be an oval shape with the long axis of the oval arranged so that you know where your blade edge is facing. In other words, the top and bottom of the oval must line up with the mune and ha.

If you have access to a fixed belt sander then use two hands to smooth off the wood. Your straight lines will become straighter at this point, and a lot of shaping can be done with a 36 grit belt. If the sander has a large flat bed you will have to create a padded "hump" on the bed with foam and masking tape so that the belt moves in a curve to fit the concave mune.

If you don't have a sander, you must work much more carefully with the hand tools unless you like blisters on your hands from the hand sanding. Use several grits of sandpaper to smooth the wood and close the pores. After sanding apply boiled linseed oil or Tung oil to finish it. Do not use surface finishes like varnish, urethane or danish wood oil. These will create a sticky surface that will give you blisters. An oil finish allows the wood to soak up the sweat on your hands while keeping the grain from lifting too much. If you use linseed oil make sure it is boiled, raw oil will never dry. I prefer tung oil.

If the blade feels good in your hands and is the right weight, the appearance is not important. This is a tool and it will soon be banged up so don't worry if it is not a museum piece.

The bokuto should be carried in a bag to protect it from sudden changes in temperature and humidity. The wood is not fully sealed by the oil finish so changes in the atmosphere may cause warping or checking. Never store the bokuto for a long period without support along the length, and keep it out of the sunlight. Treat it with the proper care and it will be useful for many years of hard service.

Interview with Steven Seagal

Insight on Aikido Question:

The interview actually is two separate articles, and was originally published in two separate issues of "Off The Matt," the newsletter from Steven Seagal's Tenshin Bugei Gakuen - partially in the Fall of 1990, and the balance in the Fall of 1991.

Credits go to: Janet Pyle - Founding Editor, Original Concept and Design, Layout and Graphics, Interviewer Juan Carlos Gonzalez - Assistant to the Editor, Senior Editing Consultant, Interviewer Brian Jamison - Senior Graphics and Layout 1991-4 Shaun Ravens - Managing Editor, 1990, Editor In Chief, Graphics, Photographer and Interviewer 1991-1995 Mino Osaka - Translator, 1990-97, Editor in Chief, 1995-7 Chuck Holland - Senior Graphics and Layout 1994-7 John Spezzano, David Bunnell - Photographer 1991-3 Matsuoka Sensei - Senior Technical Advisor on all issues, Translator Mark Greenfeld, Christie Beyer, Garth McLean, Staff Assistants Nobuko Takei, Miho Tsujimura, Yumiko Okamoto - Translator.

What is Aikido? Sensei: Got a couple of years? Aikido in the advanced stages becomes much more complicated. It's theoretically based on harmony rather than blocking, kicking and punching. We allow the other person to attack and use his own attack against him by becoming one with his movement and utilizing anatomical weak points, joint blocks and throws, etc. In a life and death situation the harder the technique becomes. Often times, the attacker creates the life and death situation, because the harder they come the harder they fall. These techniques will work on anybody but you really have to learn them. Aikido is not a quick art to learn.

Q: Why did you study Aikido instead of karate? Sensei:I started in karate and was in search of a teacher who could teach me the mystical aspects of the martial arts. The people I studied with in karate didn't give that to me. I found Aikido and read some of O-Sensei's speeches and saw him.

Q: What master(s) did you study under? Sensei: I was in and out of Japan as a youth and saw Tohei Sensei when he was still with Hombu Dojo. I studied with numerous teachers who you don't know and never heard of; from Isoyama Sensei to Abe Sensei. Just a bunch of people most of who are dead.

Q: Was there ever a critical point in your training career where you made a dramatic change? Sensei: Yes, for six years I practiced about eight hours a day, that's a lot, in Japan. I was beating my head against the wall and I was making no progress. I wanted to transcend the physical aspects of Aikido. I was trying to do some of the things 0-Sensei was doing but I was getting nowhere because I was trying,. Finally one day, I went out into Kameoka in Ayabe province and started training with some of 0-Sensei's mystical teachers and started spending more time on the mystical aspects of Aikido. I experienced tremendous and dramatic changes in my technique in the first six months.

Q:Why didn't more of 0-Sensei's students find the mystical aspects of the technique interesting or important? Sensei: 0-Sensei had a real old dialect named Tanabe. There's this place way up in the mountains, its a country area with a dialect, that's really hard to understand. I would talk to the other guys and I'd ask them what he was saying. They would say, "ah, he's talking about God and religion and that crap, forget about that and learn how to fight." That was the attitude. Yet, when I went up and studied with some of the same priests that taught 0Sensei, I began to understand Aikido for the first time in my life. Because Aikido is more than waza.

Q: Have any of 0-Sensei's mystical teachings been translated into English? Sensei: 0-Sensei was a priest in a sect called Omotekyo. They have some stuff in English, but I don't think you can get it in the United States, sorry

Q:I've heard a lot about hard-line and soft-line Aikido, can you touch upon what the difference is? Sensei: 0- Sensei always talked about Go-ju-ryu, the circle, the square and the triangle. Aikido has to have all of these lines together. The basic movements are square, very square. When you get to the intermediate level, the square is always there but you see a lot of the triangle. When you get into the advanced level you see mostly the circle. But the square is always there.

Q:Do you ever use Ki-ai in your techniques? I don't think I've ever heard it from you. Sensei: You won't want to. Ki-ai is very effective and when you do it right you'll paralyze your opponent.

Q: Is there a correct position to start? Sensei: When somebody comes up and they're going to do something, you stand how ever is comfortable and you do what you have to do. The idea is if I am in left hanmi and somebody comes at me, he probably won't come at me in right hanmi because his face is going to be in your fist. However, you never know, the idea in the street is to empty yourself and let it come.

Q: In terms of technique what would you say is the most important? Sensei: I would say "irimi" is the most important.

Q: In Aikido is it just practising to fight, or life and death situations? Sensei: The difference between a real fight and sparring on the mat is the difference between swimming in the ocean and swimming on the mat.

Q: Is a technique based upon someone fully advancing and fully committing their body weight to you? Sensei: Yes. In basic, beginning Aikido. But in advanced Aikido it doesn't matter.

Q: Not even with a punch like a boxer would punch? Sensei: Not at all. It doesn't matter if they stay, if they run from me, if they stand there and do jumping jacks If I think I have to terminate a situation or neutralize a situation, I'm going to go after you. That is advanced Aikido. I don't need you to move. You can punch at me, you can do whatever you want.

Q: Then Aikido can be aggressive? Sensei: Let me tell you a secret, those who practiced with 0-Sensei, whenever they attacked him, they were afraid the'y were going to die. Ask my advanced black belts if they find it a piece of cake when they attack me. It is not a cake walk. For example, I'm in a restaurant and somebody pulls a gun and holds a bunch of people hostage. If I don't have a gun, I'm not going to wait for him to try and pistol whip me. I have to do something then, I have to know techniques where I can go to him, and that is what "irimi" is all about. Covering space from here to there as quick as I can with irimi. That is any one of a number of techniques. If you do them quick enough and your opponent doesn't move with it, they become strikes. Because they're going to hit and they're going to hit hard. if your opponent doesn't understand how to move with them, they're going to get hit in the real world.

Q: How can a disabled student get involved in the martial arts? Sensei: It would depend on how disabled they are and which way they are disabled. If you have the use of your hands and your arms, then you can do Aikido almost the same as I can. The concept is that somebody must come to you. Once they come to you, the hand movements, the movements of the torso, and everything else are the same. In a lot of ways you can become a very good Aikidoist. I know that during the times I got hurt very badly I learned my technique properly was because I couldn't move.

Q: Can people that are 55 or 65 practice Aikido? Sensei: I've had people in their 70's train in Japan and in their 60's and 70's train here.

Q: Could you explain zanshin and mushin? Sensei: In the martial arts there are many concepts. I could write a book, I could spend the next several hours on these subjects. They are not something I would even attempt to talk about in 5 minutes, but I will take a second to talk about "mushin" because I mentioned it earlier. Mushin means empty heart, empty mind. Its very, very important in the martial arts. When Yagyu Tajimano Kami and different great mushin masters talk about this concept, they talk about the perfect and accurate reflection of all that is. I've taught courses on this. Its a very long story. One analogy is: the reflection of the moon on a placid Lake.When the moon breaks through the clouds, when the wind blows, the lake gets ripples in it the image of the moon gets distorted. Likening this to your mind and your heart. When you have thoughts in your mind and your heart, everything is distorted. In order to become one so that you can understand everything and sense everything the way it really is... you have to be completely-empty; completely calm. That is mushin.

Q:What is the relationship between Budo and Aikido? Sensei: They are the same.

Q:There's some confusion because there's a wide range of attitudes towards Aikido, from a very soft martial art to a killing martial art. Sensei: I think those are just silly aberrations. I think Bugei, if you look, Budo, if you look at the original Chinese calligraphy and you break it down, it means to stop war. Stop arms, stop war. So Budoka is a heihoka ,a warrior is really a warrior for peace, or a man of peace. You have to be powerful enough to stop war, you see what I am saying, because if you're weak you can't stop war, you get warred upon. You understand? And Budo has that yin and yang, it has that Tate to yoko no ito, izu no mitama to mizu no mitama. These are all Shinto terms. Yoko no ito means moon, feminine, water, love, the power of forgiveness, the power of love. Tate no ito means sun, we talk about masculine, we talk about fire, we talk about the power of decision. That is the time when you don't forgive, that is the power to cut. Those two elements have to live our within you in perfect harmony or you're out of balance, and that is the to murder your essence of Budo too. You have to have the ability and capability to decide to make decisions,to cut,to kill,and at the same time,you have to have the ability to love,to forgive,to be understanding.And those have to work together,but Budo is all of those things and Aikido is one of the millions of martial arts under the vast umbrella of Budo,you understand?

Q: What can we as Aikido students do to improve the political situation of Aikido? Sensei: Unfortunately a lot of the teachers of Aikido are more concerned with who's better than who and who has more students. Am I wrong? In Aikido it doesn't matter who is better. It doesn't matter who's right and who's wrong, or who has how many students or whose dad is bigger than whose. Who cares? None of this matters, it has nothing to do with Aikido. What matters is that we all try to help each other to improve ourselves as human beings. Whatever styles come to us are welcome, nobody is better than anybody. Concentrate on the philosophical and the spiritual aspects of Aikido rather than who's affiliated with who.

Q:Sensei, I've been interested in Kotodama, could you explain it for us? Well, that's like trying to explain Buddhism or Christianity or any other mystical art. Kotodama would take me a couple of weeks to talk about, to where I felt comfortable. Kotodama is really the power of sound; holy sound and unholy sound. If I may use your sensei for a second, as he comes to punch me (Wada Sensei punches and Master Seagal lets go a "kiai") I do that. That is not a word, it is a sound he felt. He felt it in here (pointing to his heart) and in here (pointing to his head). Some of you felt it and some of you didn't. The power of sound can be used in a lot of different ways, but kotodama encompasses holy words and unholy words in sounds. Kotodama can be used for healing or killing, it is like any other magic, it can be used in both ways.

Q: Could you describe your focusing process on- someone when you are getting prepared for techniques? It seems like you're going through a very specific focusing process. It's a cycle. When I'm instructing, it's just their body position and my body position. When you really throw, you have to collect yourself and start to culminate energy. You'll set them up, grab their "ki", you grab them from way out and you bring them to you. When they come to you, you do what you want to do, it's like lightning. Onisaburo, who, as you know, was 0sensei's spiritual teacher, wrote the Kanji ku kaminari which means"Budo is lightning." The culmination of electricity and power between heaven and earth, that's really what bugei (the martial arts) is.

Q: How should the uke be setting up for this? The uke should not be thinking about taking anything nor thinking about doing his ukemi. He should only be thinking about attack. In the advance stages you don't even think about attack, you just attack.

Q: Could you give me your interpretation of Musubi? Sensei: Something meets to become one, its very simple.

Q: Like the relationship between uke and nage? Sensei: It can be, I can say Musubi in 15 million ways-it's like taking the word marriage in English. Musu means to become one to bring together.

Q: Would you elaborate on how you breath? Sensei: I don't breathe. (Picking someone for ukemi). I'm not going to throw him, I'm not going to do any technique. He's going too attack. (He attacks). Can you see where I stopped and started breathing? You probably can't see it. I never breath during one confrontation. When I do multiple attack with 3,4, or 5 people attacking me at the same time, I'm breathing very, very slightly between each one. This is the way I do it. I'm not saying that your sensei would do it that way.

Q: Why do you do that? Sensei: Because with me ;the epitome of my power is in a position where I am flexing and bringing everything together. Its more of an exhale: you inhale when you want to bring somebody in or grab them and once you get them you can't inhale because they can penetrate you.

Q:Sensei, I've been reading a little about the Mushin and the proper state of mind to have when fighting-not to draw back, not to draw forward, to wait to have the open mind. Are there any exercises to develop that? Sensei: I think meditation, understanding that when you become one with all things, you develop a sphere, like a mirror, that is a perfect and accurate reflection of all that is. When somebody attacks with great evil, you reflect that and their greatness will come back at them. You are not God ,but you become one with God and you allow God to be the judge of how that technique will come back at them. In other words, if somebody attacks me out on the street, I don't think to myself, "I'm going to get this guy and I'm going to kill him." I don't think at all, I just react to his specific energy and I do what I have to do. In accordance with what I've said earlier; whether I take a life or save a life, ultimately there is no difference. I would rather save a life. But if, for example, I was standing in the middle of the street and saw the "night stalker" slit someone' s throat and then he turned to kill me;my action might be to terminate him. I would feel bad about taking human life, but I don't feel it would be my decision. It would be an act of my training. Action and reaction in terms of force and levels of negativity. Does that make sense to you? I would rather be nice as I said earlier, but if I have to not be nice, I'm very prepared to do that.

Q:So what you're saying is not a question of you being nice or not nice, but of you're reflecting what is in the mirror? Sensei: That's exactly what I was trying to say.

Q:I'd like to know if you have a similar attitude in relation to healing, for people who need help? Sensei: Well, it's very different ... but similar in the sense that I don't treat too many people anymore and the only people I do treat are people I feel want to be better and have a, kind of karma with life that I can appreciate. In other words if somebody comes to me who has a bad heroin habit and thinks he wants to get better but I know he's not going to, I'm not going to treat him. if somebody in this dojo came to me' today and said, "I'm having a problem with I my ovaries and if I felt this person really wanted to get better, I would treat her. Do you see what I am saving? I look at the individual and see what I can see from them and try to work with that.

Q: And your experience with 0-sensei? Sensei: I have very little experience with 0-sensei. I was able to see him several times. I've seen him speak. I was very close to his spiritual teachers and I still am. I think I was the only white person to ever go exactly in the footsteps of 0-sensei in terms'of his mystical training. I became a priest in O'moto Kyo and went to all the aesthetic training with the priest that 0-sensei was raised with. I never really knew him. I never got to butt heads with him on the mat or was thrown around by him or anything else.

Q: I read in an article that kenjutsu is a part of your life? Sensei: Well, to me Aikido and kenjutsu are the same thing. If you've seen my technique, I'm always cutting. Today we just did a couple of stabs at this and that, but when you watch me a lot you'll see I'm always cutting with the feet and the hand; tesabaki, ashisabaki. The hand and feet angles are all kenjutsu.

Q:It seems today that your Aikido was very pragmatic; a street oriented type rather than other Aikido styles which are not as pragmatic as your style. I was wondering if you at any point explored any others avenues of Aikido? Sensei: The physical technique of Aikido at the level I'm teaching has nothing to do with the mystical applications in the way that you're referring to, i.e.,there is Go-ju-Ryu (hard, soft and flowing). Now 0-sensei always said, "Bugei wa Bugei desu." The martial arts are the martial arts. And, "Aiki wa odorijanai." He always said that Aikido is not dance. If you ever took 0-sensei's Aikido, or watched him, you'd be scared to attack him because he didn't play. As soft as he was, if you weren't there, you'd get hurt. Aikido is serious and it has to work. That is what the founder said and he was right.Aikido has to work. All I'm doing is teaching you how to make your Aikido work because it doesn't work for a lot of you. I try to teach you how to make it real. There is nothing unspiritual about that at all. In fact it's more spiritual. It's real, it's not an illusion, it's not a cartoon. You have to feel it to understand it. 0-sensei was a great mystic but his Aikido worked. There are lots of people who tried to get him on many different occasions, from before he started Aikido to long after. They found out it's no joke. And if you can't do that; if you can't walk out into that street and let a couple of gang bangers come at you with baseball bats, and know that you' re going to do the right thing, you don't know Aikido. It has to be real; otherwise take up aerobics or something. I go into some dojos and see somebody attacking and the guy falls and nobody touches anybody. Is there anybody in here who can throw anybody without touching them? You've got to make it work. I'm serious.

Q: Are you saving that some Aikido dojo's are too passive? Sensei: There are dojo's that teach that way (throwing without touching); and I think that in order to teach that way you first have to learn the basics and within the basics you have to be able to make them work. Once you've learned the basics and made them work you can get into the magical stuff that takes 20-30-40-50 years to get the feel for.

Q: How would one pursue the mystical aspects of Aikido after achieving the basics? Sensei: It would be available with me, or any other person who has that kind of mystical background. When you get close enough to your teacher, he decides if he wants to teach you.

Q: Can another religion or spirituality be just as valuable as Omoto Kyo has been to your Aikido? Sensei: I would imagine so, it certainly could be. One thing about Omoto kyo, and even 0-sensei said, that every religion says, "We are the path, any other path is wrong and you will go to hell." There is no religion that I know that doesn't say that except Omoto-kyo. We're all going up the same mountain, there might be different paths but we're all trying to get to God. Everybody has their own way to get there.

Q: What part of Aikido came from swordsmanship? Sensei: All parts, when I do nikyo, I cut. When I do irimi, I cut, shihonage, it's all kenjutsu.

Q: How old were you when you opened your dojo? Sensei: About 22. Thank you all very much.

oOo

Biography of Morihei Ueshiba

The founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, was born on December 14, 1883, to a farming family in an area of the Wakayama Prefecture now known as Tanabe. Among five children, he was the only son. From his father Yoroku, he inherited a samurai's determination and interest in public affairs, and from his mother an intense interest in religion, poetry and art. In his early childhood, Morihei was rather weak and sickly, which led to his preference of staying indoors to read books instead of playing outside. He loved to listen to the miraculous legends of the wonder-working saints "En no Gyoja" and "Kobo Daishi," and was fascinated by the esoteric Buddhist riturals. Morihei had even considered becoming a Buddhist priest at one time.

To counteract his son's daydreaming, Yoroki would recount the tales of Morihei's great-grandfather "Kichiemon," said to be one of the strongest samurai of his day, and encouraged him to study Sumo wrestling and swimming. Morihei became stronger and finally realized the necessity of being strong after his father was attacked and beaten by a gang of thugs hired by a rival politician.

School seemed to bore Morihei as his nervous energy needed a more practical outlet. He took on several jobs, but they too seemed to disillusion him. During a brief stint as a merchant, he finally realized he had an affinity for the martial arts. He greatly enjoyed his study of Jujutsu at the Kito-ryu dojo and Swordsmanship at the Shinkage Ryu training center. But as luck would have it, a severe case of Beri-Beri sent him home, where he later married Itogawa Hatsu.

After regaining his health during the Russo-Japanese War period, he decided to enlist in the army. Standing at just under five feet tall, he failed to meet the minimum height requirements. He was so upset that he went immediately to the forests and swung on trees trying desperately to stretch his body out. On his next attempt to enlist, he passed his examination and became an infantryman in 1903. During this time he impressed his superiors so much that this commanding officer recommended him for the National Military Academy, but for various reasons he declined the position and resigned from active duty.

Morihei returned home to the farm. Having grown strong during his time in the military, he was now eager to continue physical training. His father built a dojo on his farm and invited the well-known Jujutsu instructor Takaki Kiyoichi to tutor him. During this time, young Ueshiba became stronger and found he possessed great skills. At the same time he became more interested in political affairs. In the Spring of 1912, at the age of 29, he and his family moved into the wilderness of Hokkaido. After a few years of struggle, the small village started to prosper. Ueshiba had grown tremendously muscular, to the point that the power he possessed in his arms became almost legendary.

It was during this time in Hokkaido that he met Sokaku Takeda, grandmaster of Daito-ryu Aiki Jutsu. After meeting Takeda and find himself no match for his teacher, Ueshiba seemed to forget everything else and threw himself into training. After about a month, he went back to Shirataki, build a dojo and invited Takeda to live there, which he did.

Upon hearing of his father's serious illness, Ueshiba sold off most of his property and left the dojo to Takeda. He would not to return to Hokkaido. On his journey home, he impulsively stopped in Ayabe, headquarters for the new Omoto-kyo religion. Here he met the master of the new religion, Deguchi Onisaburo. After being enthralled with Ayabe and Deguchi, he stayed three additional days and upon returning home, found that he had stayed away too long. His father had passed away. Ueshiba took his father's death very hard. He decided to sell off all his ancestral land and move to Ayabe to study Omoto-kyo. For the next eight years, Ueshiba studied with Deguchi Onisaburo, taught Budo, and headed up the local fire brigade.

A pacifist, Deguchi was an advocate of non-violent resistance and universal disarmament. He was noted to have said, "Armament and war are the means by which the landlords and capitalists make their profit, while the poor suffer." It is intriguing that a man of this nature could become so close to a martial artist such as Ueshiba. However, it did not take long for Deguchi to realize that Ueshiba's purpose on earth was " to teach the real meaning of Budo: an end to all fighting and contention. "

The study of Omoto-kyo and his association with Onisaburo profoundly affected Ueshiba's life. He once stated that while Sokaku Takeda opened his eyes to the essence of Budo, his enlightenment came from his Omoto-kyo experiences. During his early 40s (around 1925), Ueshiba had several spiritual experiences which so impressed him that his life and his training were forever changed. He realized the true purpose of Budo was love that cherishes and nourishes all beings.

For the next year, many people sought Ueshiba's teaching, among them Tomiki Kenji (who went on to make his own style of Aikido) and the famous Admiral Takeshita. In 1927, Deguchi Onisaburo encouraged Ueshiba to separate from Omoto-kyo and being his own way. This he did and moved to Tokyo. Ueshiba's following had grown to the point that he was moved to build a formal dojo in the Ushigome district of the city (the present site of the Aikido World Headquarters). While the dojo was being constructed, many high-ranking instructors of other arts, such and Kano Jigoro, came to visit. They were so impressed that they would dispatch their own students to study under Ueshiba.

In 1931, the "Kobukan" was finished. A "Budo Enhancement Society" was founded in 1932 with Ueshiba as Chief Instructor. It was about this time that students such as Shioda Gozo, Shirata Rinjiro and others joined the dojo. Up to the outbreak of World War II, Ueshiba was extremely busy teaching at the Kobukan, as well as holding special classes for the major military and police academies. For the next 10 years, Ueshiba became more and more famous and many stories began to appear in writing. His only son, Kisshomaru, being the "bookworm" that he was, did much of the writing and documenting of the evens of his life.

In 1942, supposedly because of a divine command, he longed to return to the farmlands. He had often said that "Budo and farming are one. " The war had emptied the Kobukan, and he was tired of city life. Leaving the Kobukan in the hands of his son Kisshomaru, he moved to the Ibaraki Prefecture and the village of Iwama. Here he build an outdoor dojo and the now famous Aiki Shrine.

Iwama is considered by many to be the birth place of modern-day Aikido, "the Way of Harmony." Prior to this move, his system had been called Aikijutsu, then Aiki-Budo, still primarily a martial art rather than a spiritual path. From 1942 (when the name Aikido was first formally used) to 1952, Ueshiba consolidated the techniques and perfected the religious philosophy of Aikido.

After the war, Aikido grew rapidly at the Kobukan (now called Hombu Dojo) under the direction of Kisshomaru Ueshiba. Morihei Ueshiba had become famous as "O Sensei" or "The Grand Teacher," the Master of Aikido. He had also received many decorations from the Japanese government. Right up to the end of his life, O Sensei refined and improved his "Way", never losing his dedication for hard training.

In early Spring 1969, O Sensei fell ill and told his son Kisshomaru that "God is calling me...." He was returned to his home at his request to be near his dojo. On April 15th, his condition became critical. As his students made their last calls, he gave his final instructions. "Aikido is for the entired world. Train not for selfish reasons, but for all people everywhere."

Early on the morning of April 26th, 1969, the 86-year-old O Sensei took his son's hand, smiled and said, "Take care of things" and died. Two months later, Hatsu, his wife of 67 years, followed him. O Sensei's ashes were buried in the family temple in Tanabe. Every year a memorial service is held on April 29th at the Aiki Shrine in Iwama.

Aikido development and history

Aikido's founder, Morihei Ueshiba, was born in Japan on December 14, 1883. As a boy, he often saw local thugs beat up his father for political reasons. He set out to make himself strong so that he could take revenge. He devoted himself to hard physical conditioning and eventually to the practice of martial arts, receiving certificates of mastery in several styles of jujitsu, fencing, and spear fighting. In spite of his impressive physical and martial capabilities, however, he felt very dissatisfied. He began delving into religions in hopes of finding a deeper significance to life, all the while continuing to pursue his studies of budo, or the martial arts. By combining his martial training with his religious and political ideologies, he created the modern martial art of Aikido. Ueshiba decided on the name "Aikido" in 1942 (before that he called his martial art "aikibudo" and "aikinomichi").

On the technical side, Aikido is rooted in several styles of jujitsu (from which modern judo is also derived), in particular daitoryu-(aiki)jujitsu, as well as sword and spear fighting arts. Oversimplifying somewhat, we may say that Aikido takes the joint locks and throws from jujitsu and combines them with the body movements of sword and spear fighting. However, we must also realize that many Aikido techniques are the result of Master Ueshiba's own innovation.

On the religious side, Ueshiba was a devotee of one of Japan's so-called "new religions," Omotokyo. Omotokyo was (and is) part neo-shintoism, and part socio-political idealism. One goal of omotokyo has been the unification of all humanity in a single "heavenly kingdom on earth" where all religions would be united under the banner of omotokyo. It is impossible sufficiently to understand many of O Sensei's writings and sayings without keeping the influence of Omotokyo firmly in mind.

Despite what many people think or claim, there is no unified philosophy of Aikido. What there is, instead, is a disorganized and only partially coherent collection of religious, ethical, and metaphysical beliefs which are only more or less shared by Aikidoists, and which are either transmitted by word of mouth or found in scattered publications about Aikido.

Some examples: "Aikido is not a way to fight with or defeat enemies; it is a way to reconcile the world and make all human beings one family." "The essence of Aikido is the cultivation of ki [a vital force, internal power, mental/spiritual energy]." "The secret of Aikido is to become one with the universe." "Aikido is primarily a way to achieve physical and psychological self- mastery." "The body is the concrete unification of the physical and spiritual created by the universe." And so forth.

At the core of almost all philosophical interpretations of Aikido, however, we may identify at least two fundamental threads: (1) A commitment to peaceful resolution of conflict whenever possible. (2) A commitment to self-improvement through Aikido training.

Introduction To Aikido, What is Aikido?

Whenever I move, that's Aikido.
O Sensei, Morihei Ueshiba

Aikido is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba (often referred to by his title 'O Sensei' or 'Great Teacher'). On a purely physical level it is an art involving some throws and joint locks that are derived from Jujitsu and some throws and other techniques derived from Kenjutsu. Aikido focuses not on punching or kicking opponents, but rather on using their own energy to gain control of them or to throw them away from you. It is not a static art, but places great emphasis on motion and the dynamics of movement.

Upon closer examination, practitioners will find from Aikido what they are looking for, whether it is applicable self-defense technique, spiritual enlightenment, physical health or peace of mind. O Sensei emphasized the moral and spiritual aspects of this art, placing great weight on the development of harmony and peace. "The Way of Harmony of the Spirit" is one way that "Aikido" may be translated into English. This is still true of Aikido today, although different styles emphasize the more spiritual aspects to greater or lesser degrees. Although the idea of a martial discipline striving for peace and harmony may seem paradoxical, it is the most basic tenet of the art.

We could attempt to pigeonhole Aikido into a synopsis of X number of words, but that would not do it justice, so we leave the practitioner of Aikido to find out what Aikido is for themselves without any preconceived notions.

What are the different styles in Aikido?
There are no 'styles' of Aikido. It is like cheese cake. You can cut it in wedges or squares or just dig in with your fork but it is still cheese cake!

Aikido was originally developed by one man, O Sensei. Many students who trained under O Sensei decided to spread their knowledge of Aikido by opening their own dojos. Due, among other things, to the dynamic nature of Aikido, different students of O Sensei interpreted his Aikido in different ways. Thus different styles of Aikido were born. The more common are listed here along with a brief explanation of what is different about the style. Each style has its own strengths and weaknesses, but all are firmly rooted in the basic concepts which make Aikido the unique art that it is. None should be considered superior or inferior to any other, but rather an individual must find a style which best suits him or her. Outside factors such as geographic location may of course limit one's options.
No matter which style you choose, you are going to be taught that particular instructors interpretation of it, and you yourself are going to develop your own particular Aikido. One might say that there are as many different styles of Aikido as there are practitioners.

Since this list is going to be challenging enough without looking for extra work, we'll restrict our definition of Aikido to mean styles that clearly trace their lineage to Ueshiba O Sensei. The classification into categories is fairly arbitrary.

The "Old" Schools
Here we'll list the schools that developed from the pre-war teachings.

Aiki-Budo
This is the name given to the art O Sensei was teaching early in his development. It is very close in style to previously existing Jutsu forms such as Daito-ryu Aiki-Jutsu. It is considered to be one of the harder forms of Aikido.
Most of the early students of O Sensei began during this period and much of the early practice overseas was in this style (e.g. Abbe Sensei's teaching in the UK in the 50s).

Yoseikan
This form was developed by Minoru Mochizuki, who was an early student of O Sensei and also of Jigoro Kano Sensei at the Kodokan.
This style includes elements of Aiki-Budo together with aspects of Karate, Judo and other arts.

Yoshinkan
This is the style taught by the late Gozo Shioda. Shioda Sensei studied with O Sensei from the mid-30s. After the war, he was invited to begin teaching and formed the organization known as the Yoshinkan. Unlike many later organizations, the Yoshinkan has always maintained friendly relations with the Aikikai both during and after O Sensei's life.
The Yoshinkan is a harder style of Aikido, generally concerned with practical efficiency and physically robust techniques. It is taught to many branches of the Japanese Police.
The international organization associated with the Yoshinkan style of Aikido is known as the Yoshinkai, and has active branches in many parts of the world. In recent years, there have been a number of offshoots of this style, usually developing for political reasons.

The "Modern" Schools
This includes most of the variants taught today. Most of these "styles" are taught by various senior students of O Sensei, with the divergences coming after the death of the Founder. Most would claim to be teaching the art that O Sensei taught them - and this is probably true even though some have little in common with others! Taken together with O Sensei's notorious obscurity in teaching style, the story of the elephant and the blind men may give us some clue as to how this could have come about :-).
Most of us have our biases and preferences amongst the various styles but can recognize that all have their strengths and weakness and we all have something to learn from all of them.
The "Traditional" Schools

Aikikai
The Aikikai is the common name for the style headed by Moriteru Ueshiba, O Sensei's grandson, as taught under the auspices of the International Aikido Federation. Most regard this school as the mainline in Aikido development.
In reality, this "style" is more of an umbrella than a specific style, since it seems that many individuals within the organization teach in quite a different manner. The Aikido taught by Ueshiba Sensei is generally large and flowing, with an emphasis on a standard syllabus and little or no emphasis on weapons training. Other teachers within the auspices of the Aikikai (like Saito Sensei) place much more emphasis on weapons practice.

Iwama-ryu
The style taught by Morihiro Saito, based in the Iwama dojo, is generally considered sufficiently stylistically different from mainstream Aikikai that it is named individually, even though it still is part of the Aikikai.
Saito Sensei was a long time uchideshi of O Sensei, beginning in 1946 and staying with him through his death. Many consider that Saito Sensei was the student who spent most time directly studying with O Sensei Saito Sensei says he is trying to preserve and teach the art exactly as it was taught to him by the Founder. Technically, Iwama-ryu seems to resemble the Aikido O Sensei was teaching in the early 50s mainly in the Iwama dojo. The technical repertoire is larger than in most other styles and a great deal of emphasis is placed on weapons training.

The "Ki" Schools
One of the most noticeable splits in the Aikido world occurred in 1974 when Koichi Tohei, then the Chief Instructor at the Aikikai, resigned from that organization and founded the Ki no Kenkyukai to teach Aikido with strong emphasis on the concepts of Ki. Since that time, there has been little interaction between the traditional schools and the Ki schools.
All of these arts tend to refer to themselves as Ki Aikido, even though there is little contact between some of the styles.

Shin-shin Toitsu Aikido
The style founded by Koichi Tohei - Aikido with Mind and Body Unified. Tohei Sensei places a great deal of emphasis on understanding the concept of Ki and developing this aspect independently of the Aikido training for application to general health and daily life.
This style is one of the softest styles of Aikido and is characterized by soft movements that often involve the practitioner jumping or skipping during the movement. Most schools are not concerned with practical application of the techniques, considering them exercises to further develop Ki.
In recent years, Tohei Sensei has been moving further and further away from Aikido and has devoted himself almost exclusively to Ki training. The latest news is that Ki no Kenkyukai has started an initiative to make Shin-shin Toitsu Aikido into an International Competitive sport.

The "Sporting" Styles
One of the other big breaks in Aikido history occurred during O Sensei's life when Kenji Tomiki proposed "rationalizing" Aikido training using Kata and Competition. Since that time, there has been little commonality between the Tomiki schools and the mainline Aikido schools.
In recent years there have been a number of offshoots of Tomiki-ryu that have abandoned the idea of competition.

Tomiki-ryu
Founded by Kenji Tomiki, and early student of O Sensei and of Judo founder Jigoro Kano. Tomiki Sensei believed that a "rationalization" of Aikido training, along the lines that Kano Sensei followed for Judo would make it more easily taught, particularly at the Japanese Universities. In addition, he believed that introducing an element of competition would serve to sharpen and focus the practice since it was no longer tested in real combat. This latter view was the cause of a split with O Sensei who firmly believed that there was no place for competition in Aikido training.
Tomiki-ryu is characterized by using Kata (prearranged forms) in teaching and by holding competitions, both empty handed and with a rubber knife.

Can Aikido be used for self-defense?
"Those who are skilled in combat do not become angered,
those who are skilled at winning do not become afraid.
Thus the wise win before the fight, while the ignorant fight to win."

Yes, Aikido can be a very effective form of self-defense However, it can take considerable time and effort before Aikido (or any martial art) can be used effectively in a self-defense situation.
Does Aikido take longer time to master and apply than other martial arts?
"If you knew the time it took me to gain my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful."
Michelangelo

The simple answer is "yes". A year in Karate/Tae Kwon Do/Kempo and you can probably fight much better than before. It takes well over a year before you start feeling comfortable enough with Aikido techniques to imagine using them in "real life".

The complex answer is "no" in the sense that I don't think anyone ever feels like they have "mastered" an art. If they do then they've stopped growing, or the art is too simple. In Funakoshi's autobiography you definitely get the feeling that he doesn't feel like a "master" and is bemused to be considered one.

An old story might tell you some of the mindset you ought to apply when studying martial arts:

A young boy traveled across Japan to the school of a famous martial artist. When he arrived at the dojo he was given an audience by the Sensei.
"What do you wish from me?" the master asked.
"I wish to be your student and become the finest kareteka in the land," the boy replied. "How long must I study?"
"Ten years at least," the master answered.
"Ten years is a long time," said the boy. "What if I studied twice as hard as all your other students?"
"Twenty years," replied the master.
"Twenty years! What if I practice day and night with all my effort?"
"Thirty years," was the master's reply.
"How is it that each time I say I will work harder, you tell me that it will take longer?" the boy asked.
"The answer is clear. When one eye is fixed upon your destination, there is only one eye left with which to find the Way."

Is Aikido better than karate/judo/any other martial art?
Though there are many paths
At the foot of the mountain
All those who reach the top
See the same moon.

This is an extremely controversial question and has generated much heated debate in forums such as the rec.martial-arts newsgroup.

The answer to this question is very subjective - students of any particular martial art tend to favor that one over any other (otherwise they would probably be studying the other martial art).

There are many different but equally valid reasons for studying any martial art, such as for self defense, for spiritual growth or enlightenment, for general physical health, for self-confidence and more. Different martial arts, and even different styles within a particular martial art, emphasize different aspects.

Hence 'better' really depends on what it is you want out of a martial art. Even given this distinction, it is still a very subjective question so perhaps a better one would be 'Is Aikido better than any other martial art *for me*?'

This can only be answered by the individual asking the question. The rest of this FAQ may help you in some way towards finding that answer.

An alternative way to answer this question is to simply say, 'No, Aikido is not 'better' or 'worse' than any other martial art. It is simply different.'
Can I train an additional martial art while training Aikido?
Eat right, exercise regularly, die anyway.

Yes. There is no problem in training several martial arts at the same time, but there is one thing to watch out for. If you have not gotten yourself a solid base in one martial art first you are going to confuse yourself when you start your second art. The result is (very likely) that your progress in both martial arts is going to be slower than if you trained first one and then another.

What kind of martial art you choose to train in addition to Aikido is of course entirely up to what you yourself like and feel comfortable with. A suggestion is that if you start to train an additional art early, the more different from Aikido the better, as you'll probably not be too much confused then.

Does Aikido have competitions?
"I like tall men. I like to turn them into small men."
A Tomiki Aikido Sensei

It is often said that Aikido does not have any competitions. It is true that the founder of Aikido (Morihei Ueshiba, or O Sensei) felt that competition was incompatible with Aikido, but that does not mean that everyone agrees.

One popular style, Tomiki Aikido, does have competition. It is not however considered to be a fundamental part of the style. On the other hand, the majority of Aikido schools do not have any competition.

Most Aikido training, even in schools with competitions, is of a cooperative rather than antagonistic nature, with both thrower (nage) and throwee (uke) working as partners and trying to optimize the experience of the other.

This "working partnership" is also necessary to a) minimize the chance of injury from practicing (potentially dangerous) Aikido techniques, and b) to develop both partners' capacity to "take ukemi" - to be relaxed and able to take care of oneself when responding to "falling" or being thrown in a martial situation.