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The Last Swordsman: The Yoshio Sugino Story, by Tsukasa Matsuzaki
“Something that caught Kurosawa’s attention was Sugino’s solid, well-balanced personal deportment, and he ordered the actors to emulate this as best they could…” Yoshio Sugino (1904-1998) Yoshio...
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Magazine: Aiki News Number 88, Summer 1991
“One day, O-Sensei said, “Taijutsu which encompasses the theory of the sword is aikido.” Aiki News Number 88, Summer 1991 Contents ● Editorial – The Winds of Change, by Stanley Pranin ●...
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Historical photo with Morihei Ueshiba and Gozo Shioda: “Atemi and pressure...
“Modern aikido has tended to neglect such techniques which have true martial application” The other day on Facebook, some kind soul posted a very rare photo of Morihei Ueshiba taken c. 1940. If you...
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An Overview of Aikido History, by Stanley Pranin
“Morihei immersed himself in intensive training and prayer in an effort to further perfect a martial art dedicated to achieving the peaceful resolution of conflict.” It is difficult to appreciate the...
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Historical photo: Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei and Morihiro Saito at Self-Defense...
Here are three rare photos from the personal collection of Morihiro Saito taken c. 1955. Morihei is aged 71 years and Saito Sensei is about 27 years old. Although the exact location is unknown, it...
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Iwama: Birthplace of Aikido by Stanley Pranin
Aiki Shrine in Iwama “The inconspicuous village of Iwama situated in a farming area of Ibaragi Prefecture seems an unlikely candidate for the birthplace of aikido.” Ask even a beginning aikidoka who...
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Interview with Takako Kunigoshi by Stanley Pranin
A young Takako Kunigoshi in a featured article that appeared in the Shukan Asahi magazine about 1935 “The dainty lady who lit up Morihei Ueshiba’s Kobukan Dojo” The following interview with Ms. Takako...
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Kisshomaru Ueshiba, John Stevens, and Kodansha: “Shapers of the Image of...
Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969) “The contents of Kisshomaru’s books on Morihei present a family viewpoint, and one that reflects the agenda of the Aikikai Hombu Dojo in Tokyo” An old saying...
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“Interview with André Cognard (1),” by Stanley Pranin
André Cognard was born in France in 1954. He was 17 years old when he started teaching aikido to adults, by opening five dojos in several cities in France. Four years later, he received the French...
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Video: Morihei Ueshiba —“Channeling the Power of the Gods,” by Stanley Pranin
“Many of the old-timers spoke of some kind of extraordinary power that O-Sensei possessed beyond the dimension of physical strength.” I began collecting films of the Founder Morihei Ueshiba at a young...
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Satsujinken and Katsujinken, by Dane S. Harden
“Sometimes the movies get it right…” “Go seek balance Daniel-san”…these were the words Miyagi Sensei spoke to his pupil at a time in Daniel’s life when he needed help. All of us face challenging times...
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Magazine: Aikido Journal Number 102, 1995
“Even if you cut off my head, it has no more effect than stroking the spring breeze that whispers now across these fields.” Aikido Journal Number 102, 1995 Contents ● Editorial – Can competition...
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Interview with Koichi Tohei (1), by Stanley Pranin
Koichi Tohei teaching at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo in 1962 “I began studying aikido because I saw that Ueshiba Sensei had truly mastered the art of relaxing. It was because he was relaxed, in fact, that...
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Founder of Aikido (12): The First Encounter with Master Sokaku Takeda by...
Sokaku Takeda posing for a technique at the Asahi News Dojo in Osaka c. 1939 “Though Morihei was physically stronger than Takeda, he was powerless in the face of his teacher’s control of technique and...
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Magazine: Aiki News Number 62, July 1984
“O-Sensei was at his best in the later years of his life, perhaps. I believe he reached his highest level of development after the Iwama years…” Aiki News Number 62, July 1984 Contents ●...
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Historical photos: Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei warmups, February 1969
Recently, we uploaded a rare photograph of Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba that was taken in February 1969 at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo in Tokyo. This was only a few weeks before his passing on April 26....
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Autobiographical article (2): Koichi Tohei–Training in Japan by Stanley Pranin
Koichi Tohei Sensei demonstrating at the Los Angeles Aikikai in 1965 “I felt poorly prepared for the fast pace of training and the variety of styles where the same techniques were executed in...
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Magazine: Aikido Journal Number 108, 1996
Aikido Journal Number 108, 1996 Contents ● Editorial – Aikido & Weapons: The Last Word?, by Stanley Pranin ● Journal News, by Diane Skoss ● Letters to the Editor ● Seigo...
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Video: Koichi Tohei teaches Ki Society Seminar in Osaka, 1983 — Part 1
“What was Koichi Tohei teaching after the Aikikai?” Koichi Tohei Sensei needs no introduction. He is one of the most important figures in the postwar development of aikido, and was the first and only...
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Morihei in Tanabe by Stanley Pranin
Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969) “Unlike other periods in the life of Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba, his early years in Tanabe and family circumstances are not well documented.” Introduction...
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