One of the least known of the major Japanese aikido teachers who was highly regarded by Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba is Kanshu Sunadomari Sensei of Kumamoto, Kyushu. He is a devout believer in the Omoto religion and has a large aikido organization centered in Kyushu. Sunadomari Sensei elicited an enthusiastic response for his performance in the 1st Aikido Friendship Demonstration held in 1985 in Tokyo.

Available in our film archives is a fascinating video clip of all of the six instructors—Yasuo Kobayashi, Mitsugi Saotome, Kanshu Sundadomari, Yoshio Kuroiwa, Shoji Nishio and Morihiro Saito—from that demonstration that will give you an idea of Sunadomari Sensei’s movements and techniques.

In addition, please have a look at this Interview with Kanshu Sunadomari.

I remember once asking a famous teacher of a classical Japanese martial art if he thought a person could learn his budo by watching a video. His answer was, not surprisingly, “Of course not!” This seemed like a reasonable answer, one that I had heard many times before, and I thought nothing of it. Then, a short time later, someone at one of his seminars asked permission to videotape his class. “Dame da! Waza ga nusumareru!” (Absolutely not! My techniques would be stolen!) was his curt reply.

Later, he confided to me that a couple of students had visited his dojo from Eastern Europe. They had never studied with him or any of his affiliated instructors. Saying that they had merely been studying on their own by watching a videotape, the by-now-curious teacher told them to demonstrate what they had learned. He said he was amazed at how well they could mimic the martial forms just by studying the videos.

I never forgot what he said and, after many years, publishing and marketing videotapes, I have come to believe that such visual materials can indeed be a valuable aid for the martial arts learner.

This especially became the case after I began editing the Lost Seminars DVDs of Morihiro Saito Sensei. I realized that an edited version of a videotape containing complete subtitles would maximize the experience for the viewer, particularly if that person had some experience with Saito Sensei’s style of aikido.

(31 March 1928-13 May 2002). 9th dan Aikikai. B. Ibaragi Prefecture. Retired Japan National Railways and Aikikai Shihan. First taught by Morihei UESHIBA in Iwama in the summer of 1946. Received the property on which his house was built directly from Ueshiba out of gratitude for helping to settle a land dispute. Considered the leading expert on the AIKI KEN and AIKI JO based on his long tutelage under Morihei Ueshiba in Iwama and subsequent refinement of weapons curriculum. Author of six books on aikido, a Japanese-English five-volume series entitled Traditional Aikido and a short training manual entitled Takemusu Aiki. Former head of the Ibaragi Dojo in IWAMA and guardian of the AIKI SHRINE. Appeared in all four of the AIKI NEWS-sponsored FRIENDSHIP DEMONSTRATIONS. Taught on numerous occasions in the U.S., Europe, and Australia. Initiated a traditional style certification for the aiki ken and aiki jo beginning May 1989. Interviewed AN#32-34, 74-75.

If you enjoyed the video here are several products that we think will help you learn the material in the video.

1. Morihiro Saito: The Lost Seminars, Part 5

2. Morihiro Saito: The Lost Seminars, Part 7

3. 1st Friendship Demonstration, Part 2

4. Takemusu Aikido: Background & Basics (Vol. 1)

5. Takemusu Aikido: Kokyunage (Vol. 4)

If you would like to get more than one of the products listed Request a Custom Discount.

Make no mistake: There will be atemi, dageki, atari…, call them what you will: there are many nuances of striking well worth studying and practicing.

Tatakai or sentou, are terms used to define battle, fight, conflict, struggle and implicit is the concept of clashing or striking.

The aim of crude striking is to effect kirikuzusu (nota bene) or a break of some kind, including that of balance. Strikes alone do not usually succeed in this. Not at first. That’s why repeated blows are usually followed up. Mostly the only break, in the untrained, is in concentration. But that can be enough.

Receiving atemi focuses the properly practised. A moving target, one who knows how to move reduces the effectiveness of atemi. The sting brings to mind present time focus.

This is a collection of videos featuring Shioda Sensei from various stages in his life. If you enjoyed this video please take a look at several of the selections we offer from this fantastic teacher.

The Official Yoshinkan Aikido Training Manual, Volume 1

Aikido Classics 1: Postwar Greats

2nd Aikido Friendship Demonstration, Part 2

If you would like all three at a discount please use Create my own custom discount and select all three from the drop down menus.

This video showcases Christian Tissier aikido at a festival in Bercy. Please take a look at this incredible DVD set we offer for more from this fantastic teacher.

“Judo, as a classical budo, or martial “way”, of Japan, was intended by its founder, Jigoro Kano, to be less martial and to be rather a vehicle for the spiritual and physical development of man; it was deliberately designed as an educative system which gives built-in play man’s ability to demonstrate perseverance in useful endeavor. By perseverance, regardless of the superficial achievements (rank, contest successes, prestige), every judoist can realize improvement of mental and physical self, and can be prepared, therefore, to make a better application of his mental and physical energies in his daily living. Idealistically, it was additionally hoped by Kano that such concomitants would bring about a more cooperatively-harmonious society, since it was composed of persons matured as responsible citizens by Judo.”

Brian Kagen is an avid web researcher with a particular interest in martial arts. His training background includes both judo and aikido. He has contributed hundreds of article links over the years for AJ readers.

Click here to read entire article.

The article below has been selected from the extensive archives of the Online Aikido Journal. We believe that an informed readership with knowledge of the history, techniques and philosophy of aikido is essential to the growth of the art and its adherence to the principles espoused by Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba.

The scene is the annual All-Japan Aikido Demonstration held at the Budokan one fine spring day several years ago. A high-ranking shihan commits a slight error of timing during his performance and fails to unbalance or even touch his uke. The uke, obviously at a loss at what to do, looks to the left and then the right, and after an interminably long one or two seconds, falls down.

A search of the Internet has yielded the following video clip which may be of interest to Aikido Journal readers.

Click here to view video clip

The famous Gozo Shioda Sensei was an early student of Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba who began training in 1932. After World War II, Shioda founded Yoshinkan Aikido and was one of the those most responsible for the success of aikido as one of Japan’s newest modern martial arts.

Seigo Yamaguchi Sensei (1924-1996) was one of the most prominent of the postwar generation of aikido instructors of the Aikikai Hombu Dojo. Yamaguchi Sensei’s aikido was totally unique and he had many followers the world over and was especially popular in France. Unfortunately, he did not leave any books or commercial videotapes so little information is available about him. A viewing of the video clips on this website will give you an idea of how his aikido looked and why he was so highly regarded by all who had an opportunity to train with him.

Seigo Yamaguchi at 1993 All-Japan Aikido Demonstration
Seigo Yamaguchi at 1983 All-Japan Aikido Demonstration
Seigo Yamaguchi at Aikikai Hombu Dojo, 1973 - Part 1
Seigo Yamaguchi at Aikikai Hombu Dojo, 1973 - Part 2

Among the video clips in the Aikido Journal archives is one of Second Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba performing at the 1986 All-Japan Aikido Demonstration at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo. Doshu gave an especially energetic demonstration on this occasion and the three ukemi—Tsuruzo Miyamoto, Hayato Osawa, and Yoshiaki Yokota—are nothing short of phenomenal!

The Aikido Journal archives now include more than 800 articles in twenty different languages and numerous video clips. We are constantly adding new articles and translations in our effort to document aikido and related disciplines past and present. If you would like to support us in this effort by taking out a subscription to the Online Aikido Journal we welcome you to do so by clicking this link.