Aikido styles

Though the art of aikido is characteristically different from other Japanese martial arts, it has a variety of identifiable styles within the family of organizations descending from the teachings of Morihei Ueshiba.

Pre-war aikido

In the pre-war period, aikido was still in formation and had not yet established itself as a separate art from that of Daito-ryu aiki-jujutsu. However, it was fast attaining an identity of its own. In 1942, the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai, in its efforts to standardize Japanese martial arts, came to an agreement with representatives of Ueshiba's school that the name aikido would be used to refer to the jujitsu derived art form Ueshiba had brought to prominence.[1]

Post-war aikido (first 40 years)

In the post war period, the Aikikai Foundation led by the Ueshiba family has become the most successful organisation in terms of growth in numbers and prominence in the public eye. However, it was not the first to bring aikido to prominence in Japan in the immediate post-war period.

Immediately after the war, due to the ban on martial arts imposed by occupying US forces, aikido was not being taught in Tokyo. A number of students including Koichi Tohei and Gozo Shioda took it upon themselves to become active in disseminating aikido. Some years later, Kisshomaru Ueshiba, the Founder's son began to actively revive the Aikikai Headquarters in Tokyo.[1]

From the post-war period until the 1980s, numerous aikido organizations evolved in parallel to the main branch led by the Ueshiba family.[1]

The earliest independent styles to emerge were

The emergence of these styles pre-dated Ueshiba's death and did not cause any major upheavals when they were formalized. Shodokan aikido, did cause some controversy as it introduced a unique rule-based competition that some felt was contrary to the spirit of aikido.

After Ueshiba's death, more senior students branched out on their own to establish independent schools.

  • Iwama Ryu - This style evolved from Ueshiba's retirement in Iwama, Japan, and the teaching methodology of long term student Morihiro Saito. It is unofficially referred to as the "Iwama style". Saito's students have split into two groups; one remaining with the Aikikai and the other forming the independent organization Shinshin Aikishuren Kai (神信合気修練会) in 2004 around Saito's son Hitohiro Saito (斎藤 仁弘 Saitō Hitohiro, born 1957).
  • Ki Society - Another event that caused significant controversy was the departure of the Aikikai Honbu Dojo's chief instructor Koichi Tohei, in 1974. Tohei left as a result of a disagreement with the son of the founder, Kisshomaru Ueshiba (植芝 吉祥丸 Ueshiba Kisshōmaru, 1921–1999), who at that time headed the Aikikai Foundation. The disagreement was over the proper role of ki development in regular aikido training. After Tohei left, he formed his own style, called Shin Shin Toitsu aikido, and the organization which governs it, the Ki Society.[6]

Other important styles and organizations include:

  • Wadokai Aikido - Suenaka-ha Tetsugaku-ho, founded by Roy Suenaka in 1975.[7][8]
  • The Kokusai Aikidō Kenshūkai Kobayashi Hirokazu Ha, or Kobayashi aikido, founded by Hirokazu Kobayashi.
  • Tendoryu aikido (天道流合気道 Tendō-ryū Aikidō); founded by Kenji Shimizu (清水 健二 Shimizu Kenji, born 1940) in 1982. Founded the "Shimizu Dojo" in 1969, renamed it the Tendokan (天道館 Tendōkan) in 1975.
  • Shingu Style referring to the students of Michio Hikitsuchi
  • Nishio Style referring to the style of Shoji Nishio
  • Yamaguchi Style referring to the highly influential Seigo Yamaguchi
  • Manseikan Aikido founded by Kanshu Sunadomari

Aikido of the modern period (1980 - present)

Today, the Aikikai is an umbrella organization, home to numerous senior teachers and sub-organizations with their own teaching methods and technical characteristics. Leadership of the group has remained centered on the Ueshiba family, and is currently headed by the founder's grandson, Moriteru Ueshiba (植芝 守央 Ueshiba Moriteru, born 1951).[9]

The current generation of senior teachers continue to branch out on their own, with the senior students of the senior students of the Founder (grand-students) coming to prominence in their own right.

Unrelated arts using the term "aikido"

The above styles can trace their lineage through senior students back to the founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba. Two other prominent martial arts use the name aikido but are not directly related. They are Korindo aikido founded by Minoru Hirai (平井 稔 Hirai Minoru, 1903–1998) and Nihon Goshin aikido (日本護身合気道 Nihon Goshin Aikidō) founded by Shodo Morita 書道森田 (Morita Shodo, fl. c. 1930s–1962). These schools, with some historical justification, suggest that the name aikido is not the exclusive domain of arts derived from the teachings of Morihei Ueshiba.

Shoot Aikido is a style founded Fumio Sakurai and promoted by Aikido S.A., International Practical Aikido Federation (国際実践合気道連盟 合気道S.A., Kokusai jissen aikidō renmei aikidō S. A.). Descendant style of Yoshinkan Aikido, Fumio Sakurai was student of Gozo Shioda. Aims to create more combat realistic version of Aikido and promotes tournaments where practitioners from styles other than Aikido are welcome to.

Full Contact Aikido is a style advocated by Hatenkai, an aikido organization based in Yokohama and hosts the International Aikido Federation. It is characterized as "fusion of aikido technique and full contact fighting".

References
  1. Pranin, Stanley. "History of Aikido In Japan". Encyclopedia of Aikido. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05.
  2. Pranin, Stanley (2006). "Yoshinkan Aikido". Encyclopedia of Aikido. Archived from the original on 2007-09-26.
  3. Pranin, Stanley (2006). "Mochizuki, Minoru". Encyclopedia of Aikido. Archived from the original on 2014-08-26.
  4. Shishido, Fumiaki; Nariyama, Tetsuro (2002). Aikido: Tradition and the Competitive Edge. Shodokan Publishing USA. ISBN 978-0-9647083-2-7.
  5. Pranin, Stanley (2006). "Shin'ei Taido". Encyclopedia of Aikido. Archived from the original on 2007-10-16.
  6. Pranin, Stanley (2006). "Tohei, Koichi". Encyclopedia of Aikido. Archived from the original on 2007-08-07.
  7. Suenaka, R. & Watson, C. "Spiritual Versus Martial Aikido – Explanation & Reconciliation," Journal of Asian Martial Arts, Vol. 5 # 1, 1996.
  8. Suenaka, R. & Watson, C. Complete Aikido, Tuttle Publishing, 1998.
  9. Shishida, Fumiaki. "Aikido". Encyclopedia of Aikido. Archived from the original on 2007-09-26.
  10. Gaku Homma, "Silent Pioneer: Shuji Maruyama Sensei, Kokikai Founder," Archived 2007-10-14 at the Wayback Machine Aikido Journal, November 17, 2002
  11. Brian Ashenfelder, "Aikido: Traditional Martial Art or New Age Fad?," Archived February 4, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Japan Now, Vol. 2, No. 5 (March 21, 2006)
  12. Gaku Homma, "A New Leader in Iwama," Archived 2008-05-25 at the Wayback Machine Aikido Journal, March 8th, 2004
  13. Pranin, Stanley (2006). "Maruyama, Shuji". Encyclopedia of Aikido. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05.
  14. Aikido Journal entry for Keijutsukai Archived 2006-05-07 at the Wayback Machine
  15. Bennett, Gary (1997). Aikido Techniques and Tactics. Human Kinetics Europe Ltd. pp. 24. ISBN 978-0-88011-598-8.
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