Titles

[dancingalone]

Ah, but one of the reasons that Ueshiba Morihei was given that title wasn't necessarily to do with his skills, it was because both he and his son, Ueshiba Kisshomaru, were instructors for the same student body. In order to differentiate which Ueshiba Sensei had given some instruction, or advice, the elder Ueshiba was referred to as "O Sensei", referring to him as the elder, or "bigger" of the two. It has since become more part of the mythos of Ueshiba, rather than being part of the original use.

Ueshiba Kisshomaru was referred to as Waka Sensei or 'young teacher' to differentiate him from his father. To my knowledge, once he became the second doshu he never used or was referred to as O'Sensei, which seemingly argues that it was a singular title reserved for his father.

I can see the point you are making. Perhaps O'Sensei did start as a mere way of distinguishing the father and son from each other. However today, O'Sensei means Ueshiba Morihei Sensei specifically.

 

[Carol]

Ueshiba Kisshomaru was referred to as Waka Sensei or 'young teacher' to differentiate him from his father. To my knowledge, once he became the second doshu he never used or was referred to as O'Sensei, which seemingly argues that it was a singular title reserved for his father.

I can see the point you are making. Perhaps O'Sensei did start as a mere way of distinguishing the father and son from each other. However today, O'Sensei means Ueshiba Morihei Sensei specifically.

In the English-speaking world perhaps but this is not the case in Japan. The prefix o- or go- is a prefix that denotes respect, veneration, tradition, etc. It is common in many Japanese words, such as (go)han for rice, and in forms of speech. Namae-wa nan desu ka? or [Your] name, what is it? is a way of asking a casual acquaintenance their name. O-namae-wa nan desu ka? is the more polite form...(Your) honorable name, what is it? if you will.

お先生 O-sensei is the politer version of 先生 sensei, its use in either form as Chris mentioned is not restricted to martial arts. One could use such a term when or referring to their doctor or their priest.

 

[dancingalone]

In the English-speaking world perhaps but this is not the case in Japan.

I am fairly confident that anyone in aikido, Japanese or not, means Ueshiba Morihei when referring to O-Sensei. Your point is taken about about O-Sensei being in use elsewhere outside of martial arts.

 

[Chris Parker]

Ueshiba Kisshomaru was referred to as Waka Sensei or 'young teacher' to differentiate him from his father. To my knowledge, once he became the second doshu he never used or was referred to as O'Sensei, which seemingly argues that it was a singular title reserved for his father.

I can see the point you are making. Perhaps O'Sensei did start as a mere way of distinguishing the father and son from each other. However today, O'Sensei means Ueshiba Morihei Sensei specifically.

And when it was applied, it referred to Ueshiba Morihei specifically, it's just that the original usage wasn't for his abilities, per se. That connotation was a later addition.

I am fairly confident that anyone in aikido, Japanese or not, means Ueshiba Morihei when referring to O-Sensei. Your point is taken about about O-Sensei being in use elsewhere outside of martial arts.

Again, just for reference, a few other systems use the term "O Sensei" as well, but most seem to be borrowing from the Aikido example. But yeah, O Sensei in Aikido has always referred to Ueshiba Morihei Sensei, my point was simply about the reason the term was used, which wasn't necessarily about his skills initially, although it did come to have that connotation later.