Aikido and Dan Inosanto < Blog Post

[Xue Sheng]

Aikido and Dan Inosanto < Link to Blog

From the Article in Aikido Journal
Dan Inosanto: On Bruce Lee and Aikido

 

[Buka]

Maybe it's my Mac, but it won't let me read that no matter which way I try.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Maybe it's my Mac, but it won't let me read that no matter which way I try.

which link did you try, the one to the blog or the one to the article?
Due to MT's change, the blog appears to be dead. Click the one to the actual article.
It has worked for me on a Windows PC, a Mac laptop and a Linux laptop too.

this is the link to the article itself

Dan Inosanto: On Bruce Lee and Aikido – Aikido Journal

aikidojournal.com

 

[Dirty Dog]

which link did you try, the one to the blog or the one to the article?
Due to MT's change, the blog appears to be dead. Click the one to the actual article.
It has worked for me on a Windows PC, a Mac laptop and a Linux laptop too.

this is the link to the article itself

Dan Inosanto: On Bruce Lee and Aikido – Aikido Journal

aikidojournal.com

Blogs are apparently not supported in this newest version of the Xenforo software. I don't know if that is something that will return in the future or not.

 

[Dirty Dog]

which link did you try, the one to the blog or the one to the article?
Due to MT's change, the blog appears to be dead. Click the one to the actual article.
It has worked for me on a Windows PC, a Mac laptop and a Linux laptop too.

this is the link to the article itself

Dan Inosanto: On Bruce Lee and Aikido – Aikido Journal

aikidojournal.com

And... it looks like the blog support is being added back in. It doesn't look like that part is online though. You can click on the BLOGS tab at the top of the screen, and your blog is still there and available but the posted link doesn't work. The URL for the blog posts has changed.

 

[Buka]

which link did you try, the one to the blog or the one to the article?
Due to MT's change, the blog appears to be dead. Click the one to the actual article.
It has worked for me on a Windows PC, a Mac laptop and a Linux laptop too.

this is the link to the article itself

Dan Inosanto: On Bruce Lee and Aikido – Aikido Journal

aikidojournal.com

I did both. Several times. Probably my Mac

 

[Taiji Rebel]

This part of the interview caught my eye:

Tohei tried to apply some techniques to Villabrille, but I guess he, at that time, couldn’t throw Villabrille. That’s the Filipino version of the story, anyway. They went back and forth for a while testing each other but it ended in kind of a draw or stalemate. And then Tohei said to the audience, “This man and I are of the same ability and I cannot throw him.” So Villabrille said, “Let’s do it for real.” Tohei replied by saying, “No, I’m here not for that. That’s not the purpose of Aikido. I’m here to introduce Aikido in Hawaii and that’s my purpose. I’m not here to show that I’m better than, or worse than any man.”

And it’s interesting because Villabrille talked to me about that afterwards, specifically as a character lesson. Villabrille told me that on that day, Tohei was a better man than him because of the way he handled the situation. Later, Tohei gave Villabrille a knife, a Japanese tanto, out of goodwill. And Villabrille showed it to me when I was in there in Hawaii. So he had a very high regard for Tohei.

There is respect and understanding in this exchange. Aikido is the way of harmony and Koichi Tohei demonstrated this with his response. Offering the gift of a tanto as a mark of respect was a great gesture too. Martial arts have more to share than their physical techniques. There are many aspects of martial arts that extend far beyond the mat, and post-war Aikido holds this as one of its core principles.

And Dan Inosanto is another superb role-model for martial artists of the modern age!

 

[O'Malley]

This part of the interview caught my eye:

Tohei tried to apply some techniques to Villabrille, but I guess he, at that time, couldn’t throw Villabrille. That’s the Filipino version of the story, anyway. They went back and forth for a while testing each other but it ended in kind of a draw or stalemate. And then Tohei said to the audience, “This man and I are of the same ability and I cannot throw him.” So Villabrille said, “Let’s do it for real.” Tohei replied by saying, “No, I’m here not for that. That’s not the purpose of Aikido. I’m here to introduce Aikido in Hawaii and that’s my purpose. I’m not here to show that I’m better than, or worse than any man.”

And it’s interesting because Villabrille talked to me about that afterwards, specifically as a character lesson. Villabrille told me that on that day, Tohei was a better man than him because of the way he handled the situation. Later, Tohei gave Villabrille a knife, a Japanese tanto, out of goodwill. And Villabrille showed it to me when I was in there in Hawaii. So he had a very high regard for Tohei.

There is respect and understanding in this exchange. Aikido is the way of harmony and Koichi Tohei demonstrated this with his response. Offering the gift of a tanto as a mark of respect was a great gesture too. Martial arts have more to share than their physical techniques. There are many aspects of martial arts that extend far beyond the mat, and post-war Aikido holds this as one of its core principles.

And Dan Inosanto is another superb role-model for martial artists of the modern age!

Good diplomacy from Tohei.

That said, aikido has never been about "harmony", not in the sense that is commonly intended. Morihei Ueshiba was actively involved in fascist circles. For example, he commanded his students to provide personal protection to Kingoro Hashimoto (a figurehead of Japanese fascism at the time, involved in atrocities during Japan's occupation of Manchuria as well as in two terrorist attacks, one of which directly involved Ueshiba). See the comments there:

https://www.reddit.com/r/aikido/comments/dza5sn

The modern Aikikai maintains its relationships with these spheres. For example, one of the key figures of the Japanese neofascist movement regularly appears alongside the current Doshu and does the opening of major Aikikai events. For more, see

https://www.reddit.com/r/aikido/comments/12wecn0

"The world is one. Nations large and small must gather together under Japan. The organization for this must be firmly arranged. Human beings have forgotten the number one nation at the center of the Earth, the primary central nation of Japan. Since this appears in the teachings of our Imperial Ancestors it is something that you all know well." - Morihei Ueshiba in "Takemusu Aiki"

 

[Taiji Rebel]

Am I correct in my understanding that Koichi Tohei was a key player in spreading the modern approach to aikido in the western world?

 

[O'Malley]

Koichi Tohei was the head instructor at the Hombu (central) Aikikai dojo for many years and modified the curriculum along with the founder's son, Kisshomaru Ueshiba. They have introduced many ideas which are now commonly practiced in mainline aikikai aikido, so yeah they are the "fathers" of modern aikido.

The Ueshiba Legacy - Part 2, by Mark Murray - Aikido Sangenkai Blog

Part 2 of Mark Murray's essay on the two legacies of Aikido - that of Morihei Ueshiba and that of his son, Kisshomaru Ueshiba.

www.aikidosangenkai.org

 

[Holmejr]

I think Dan is being very gracious. Dan is a big “absorb what is useful” MAist. Josh’s school is close to me.

 

[Taiji Rebel]

The evolution of martial styles is often fractured by older students creating splinter groups when the founder dies. Seeing how Aikido has blossomed into a passive and peaceful practice for the majority of the world is quite fascinating. There are many authors and Aikido teachers who prefer the style, and the founder, to be seen as a peaceful solution to the more aggressive factions of humanity.

Morihei Ueshiba seems to have been a complex individual with plenty of confusing and contradictory thoughts shared over the years.

A provocative interview with Morihei Ueshiba – Aikido Journal

aikidojournal.com