The relationship between
Tomiki's Aikido
and
Daito Ryu AikiJutsu
Aiki age is a Daito ryu principle. It's "rising energy". There are 2 aikido schools who have used
this phrase -- those of Tomiki and Shioda. They were Daito ryu students of Ueshiba.
We always say there is a relationship between Tomiki's Aikido and Daito Ryu AikiJutsu.
Our koryu no kata are the links with the old school of Takeda : Daito Ryu
Morihei Ueshiba was one of the major student of Takeda and he transmitted the art in the prewar period to
Kenji Tomiki and Hideo Ohba. But it is also possible there was influence of other exponents of Daito Ryu.
It is said that Kenji Tomiki asked advice from Maeda (Daito Ryu) to create Kodokan Goshin Jitsu no kata.
We are using alot of tegatana no kuzushi (4-hon no kuzushi, 7-hon no kuzushi, …..). We can see in these
exercises the influence of aiki age and aiki sage.
We always say these are kuzushi methods - breaking balance. Maybe we can give another way of thinking
to these methods : how to control the opponent' s power and use it.
The art of Aiki
In the next page you will find some exercises to develop an "aiki" structure which you can use in Tomiki's Aikido.
Some of the text is in English but also in French.
Some of the examples are from a Japanese magazine : HIDEN
This is far from complete and need much more study
Content
Judo Taiso
How to use a spear
Taijutsu apllication of the movements how to use the spear
Judo Taiso or Yawara Taiso
Teruo Fujiwara (graduated in 1958)
The time when I studied under Tomiki-shihan in 1956-1958 is called 'the age of Judo Exercise'. The main
ways of moving the body and hands were picked from Aiki skills, then simplified and abstracted and
organized as the exercise forms. These forms are 'Judo Exercise'. The plan of making 'Judo Exercise' is
that by doing them repeatedly, we can learn Aiki as if we learned hundreds of thousands of skills which can
benefit our bodies in a positive fashion. . 'Judo Exercise' is the valuable legacy of Tomiki-sensei.
Tomiki-sensei wrote in the pamphlet Judo Exercise (published as the text of regular subject physical education in
April 1957) that he made 'Judo Exercise' as the way to practice Aiki, which couldn't be a sport, and that when
practicing aikido, we must study for correctness and beauty, rather than strength. That is why our time is called 'the
age of Judo Exercise'.
I could study the beauty of Aiki following Tomiki-sensei without hesitating but there were many students interested
in the strength of Aiki. It may be natural for young men who would like to study martial arts. Tomiki-sensei said that
they must satisfy their desire for strength by practicing the other skills in 'Judo Exercise' but they didn't always follow
his suggestion.
In 1958, Aikido Club which was previously not an official club (in early times, Aikido Club was a part of Judo Club.
Tomiki-sensei was also the shihan of Judo Club) was granted official status in the Department of Sport and Physical
education at Waseda University. As a condition of becoming an official club, Aikido Club was required to practice as
a competitioncompetitive sport. There is no doubt Tomiki-sensei was considering how to develop aikido into a
competitioncompetitive sport as the ultimate goal, yet, he did not expect the situation to become an urgent matter. It
was this requirement that forced Tomiki aikido to step into 'the age of sport: Randori'.
Today Sport Aikido is moving toward completion step by step. However, the skill level of Sport Aikido is
not the same as our 'age of Judo Exercise'. While we must accept that wrong forms will happen in sport,
Randori, 'Judo Exercise' is useful as the model for checking and correcting them. I think that such a
correction will bring sport Randori higher, with beauty and grace. For the beginner, 'Judo Exercise' is the
proper guidance of skills. I think it is necessary that beginners learn to perform the correct postures and
beautiful movements by training in 'Judo Exercise'. This method will help them avoid incorrect forms in
future Randori practice. .
In 1952, Judo Exercise was adopted into the regular physical education curriculum at Waseda University. In 1961,
when Hideo Oba-shihan, an ardent Tomiki supporter, and one of Tomiki's oldest and best students, became a part-
time instructor, it seems that the title the program was renamed aikido. Tomiki had a good supporter.
After founding Aikido Club in 1958, began to think Randori-Aikido which had been studying before the war. There
is another reason for that beginning. When Aikido Club was founded, there is a trouble. Tomiki wrote that as follows;
Waseda University Aikido Club was founded in April 1958 and then aikido was practiced as one of regular subjects
of physical education in our university. To decide the foundation and practicing aikido, the council of physical
education (composed by each chief of faculty, each chief of sport club, and professors in the department of sport
and physical education) set the condition of explaining or handing information of these things;
1. The historical and traditional meaning as Japanese martial arts
2. The meaning as modern physical education and the system of practice
3. The possibilities of spreading worldwide in the future
and so on. Especially, the strict opinion was "Is it possible that they have games as a sport in aikido?"
As lessons in the history of kendo and judo have shown, it is the duty of martial arts in modern times to have
instances of wining or losing, which allow students to test their skills, reflect and improve their skills, all while
practicing with each other under safe conditions. If actual combat was the only way to measure ability in aikido,
then aikido could not be the martial art of peace. So, the council permitted the founding of the Aikido Club and
agreed to adopt aikdo as part t of the regular physical education curriculum on the condition that aikido be practiced
as a sport. (Tomiki, The Past, Present and Future of Aikido---congratulating the 20th anniversary of founding Aikido
Club, 1978)
(From the Waseda Aikido Club website)
Judo Taiso
Exercise 4
1. vertical strike
2. horizontal strike
3. inward diagonal strike
4. outward diagonal strike
This exercise is similar to some exercises from Seiryoku-Zen'yo Kokumin-Taiiku (Kodokan).
Also in Daito Ryu we find similar exercise.
Seiryoku-Zen'yo Kokumin-Taiiku (Kodokan)
Kuzushi - jodan movement - Aiki age
Above is jodan kuzushi by Teruo Fujiwara.
On the left is Aiki age by Daito Ryu adept.
Both are stepping in when they are lifting the
hand up.
This is an application of kihon no kamae, the
unified power posture.
Using the jo
The jo in our aikido system has his origin in so-jutsu and/or juken (spear and/or bayonet).
In Daito Ryu the spear is used as a training tool to strengthen a wrist grip.
In case of Fujiwara an Tomiki, it seems they are attacking the throat and not the stomach. This is also for the Daito
Ryu with the spear.
The same height is also in jukendo (from an old military manual circa 1940)
