Aikido in the UK - The Beginning.

Aikido in the UK ~ The Beginning
By Henry Ellis

In 1951 at the day of 15 senescence I was due leaving school. I had already started a duration at the lifetime of 14yrs as a Date Research racing cyclist, eventually fitting a club antecedent band rider. At that age I could never scheme doing anything other than cycling and racing for the future.
That was until early 1956, when I visited a district Judo club in the London suburb of Hillingdon, The Abbe Academy of Budo the one shot discernment I went was to cheer my then girlfriends younger brother to join. I was straightaway attracted to Judo and I joined that twin evening, the adolescent boy lasted for approximately one month.
It was during the adjacent year in 1957 that I maxim the different Aikido troop which was growth taught by Ken Williams Sensei, who I closest construct to be the appropriate inceptive Aikido undergraduate in the UK of the legendary Budo adept Kenshiro Abbe Sensei who was pdq community in the UK and teaching at the Hut Dojo.
The crowd was also brief and the familiarity and discipline was extreme. I had been brought up by a model strict Victorian dad so the discipline and brawny regime did not discourage me , in fact, it was probably the claiming that was the existent attraction for me. Haydn Foster Sensei had good joined a infrequent months before me and we are much admirable friends today.
The consequent article is based enclosing what I personally contemplate the most engrossing and formative elderliness in the action of Aikido within the UK, from 1955, with the arrival of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei to the UK. Until eleven second childhood succeeding and my four agedness as assistant to Kazuo Chiba Sensei from 1967 and final in 1971.
After this bit Aikido became express fragmented with each wanting to foundation their own organisations, which resulted in masses of self-grading and foolish undeserved titles. I discharge good buy the sincere of some of these self delusional and egotistical citizens almighty sad. These are cats who would shot to silver our exact and gorgeous legend and lineage to suit their own devious ends.



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Which to my utter disgust would too constitute the entire collusion of the once respected British Aikido Board ( BAB ). The disgraced BAB are sadly the governments officially recognised governing target for Aikido within the UK.
The BAB exposition no recognition or esteem for the kosher version of Aikido within the UK. The preceding chairman stated in the year 2000 â We the British Aikido Board are not the custodians of British Aikido history, and in consequence hold no control in the duplicate !! â Kenshiro Abbe Sensei would much answer â No trouble your pretence, you are what you are and naught deeper â â â .. So extremely true.

Kenshiro Abbe Sensei 8th dan Judo
6th dan Karate â " 6th dan Aikido â " 6th dan Kendo â " 6th dan JuKendo
1915 - 1985
Kenshiro Abbe Sensei basic arrived in Britain in 1955 in response to an invitation by the London Judo Country ( LJS ). He was 8th Dan Judo. The youngest ever 5th Dan in Japan's Judo history, the youngest ever All Japan Judo Prizewinner at 18 oldness of age, some 15 senility succeeding he would ripen into the oldest All Japan Judo Champion at the hour of 33 yrs. He was besides graded in distinct other Martial Arts. Aikido 6th Dan â " Karate 6th Dan â " Kendo 6th Dan â " Ju-Kendo 6th Dan â " 6th Dan KyuDo. He was very accomplished with both the Yari and Naginata spears. During the moment sphere cold war Abbe Sensei was an officer and answerable for the adding to and intstruction to the Imperial Army of Ju-Kendo the craft of bayonet fighting.
Abbe Sensei introduced Aikido to Britain for the aboriginal clock in 1955, early at the LJS and in the equivalent year at the LJS Judo Championships 1955 at the Regal Albert Hall. Abbe Sensei was a manage student of O' Sensei Morihei Ueshiba who gave him his personal permission to exercise Aikido in the UK.
A Replace in my Career
As I sat and watched the individual Aikido collection in the UK in 1957. I was most impressed by this infrequent however beneficial Martial Art, this was the beginning era I had seen a teacher tiring a hakama. I confident to adhere the Aikido chop on the contrary as well linger with the Judo class.


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This was immediately end day and the cycle racing had to go, that was a fit accord that would next copper the succession of my integral life.
I asked some of the Judoka about Aikido, they even-handed shrugged and said they had never heard of it before.
A Being Changing Decision
After diverse months of both Judo and Aikido I untrue the fateful adjudication to dedicate myself to Aikido.
As I compass formerly stated, this was the one Aikido party in the UK at the promptly noted Hut Dojo as it was finer published rather than its actual flag of The Abbe Faculty of Budo . All he skilled names in Budo to stay the UK would salary a talk to the blushing â Hut Dojo â .

Names such as Kenshiro Abbe â " Mutsuro Otani â " Tomio Otani â " Mutsuro Nakazono â " Tadashi Abe â " M Michigami â " M Noro â " H Koybayashi â " M Harada. N Tamara . K Chiba.
I was privileged to glance at with all of these extravagant Budo teachers whoâ s names are according to the whoâ s who of Budo. I enjoy written another article on my memories and experiences with these teachers â The Budo Masters â .

I was like now knowledge five nights a week and Sunday mornings. I was progressing quickly , when I reached 3rd kyu ( developing girdle ) Williams Sensei asked me to be his personal assistant, a position I eagerly accepted. From momentarily on the participation became harder than ever, with 200 push ups on the backs of the hands at the alpha of everyone class. This early style of Aikido was highly hardened and one would get excellent ukemi simply to survive injury, nowadays assorted students keep ukemi that resembles an acrobat or a gymnast and is used besides to conceive their nage glimpse spectacular . To this lifetime I achieve not proceeds a favorite uke with me, I simply acquaint the congregation that they can either oomph prettily or ugly, either design they are going.
A especial primary chip of our practice was the inclusion of Karate kicking and punching, this is all the more an integral bit of our training.

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During experience a student had to blitzkrieg middle at all times, whether he attacked off centre he would be punished, provided uke ever hit tori ( besides generally ) it was always considered toriâ s fault. Photo: K Abbe far left in suit 1959.
Kenshiro Abbe Sensei was a general guest to the Hut Dojo where he would direct with a shinai ( bamboo sword ) he spoke indubitable babyish English and rather than fling a burdensome explanation he would whack the offending arm or leg, one soon learned the fair movement. Abbe Sensei would add â My English is bad, my shinai speaks English pleasant â
In the 1950â s the techniques of Aikido did not hog names, Abbe Sensei would assert â Chief this mode â or he would modify the manner with â Fundamental â . It was not until Nakazono Sensei arrived that we were able to levy names to techniques. It must obtain been far out for strangers to hear teachers of Aikido saying imperative this and required that. I conjure up one recruit asking Derek Eastman Sensei if he was Japanese, After experience in the pub he was surprised to hear Eastman Sensei had a London accent. It seems a scream instantly nevertheless we all spoke with this abrupt pigeon English on the tatami.

Earliest American students of Aikido ?
In the tardy 1950â s we started to carry fairly a scarce American servicemen from the community West Drayton AFB attending Aikido classes. There were some firm guys amongst them, they were decent authentic guys on the other hand fashion it exhausting to receive techniques on face value, there was a piece of â what ifs â so the Hut Pub automobile arena became the testing ground for multiplied techniques, Williams Sensei would convey â Ellis, expedient display Mr Smiff Aikido in a de facto bearings â . So if anyone ever came to essay Aikido at the Hut Dojo, It would be sorted in the Hut machine stadium and then back to participation on the tatami.
In those early days there was no entail for the application of lots of Japanese terminology, something that today seems as well yet over the top. I get when I was assistant to Chiba Sensei and we visited a dojo in the north of England, the students were speaking a quota of nomenclature in Japanese, Sensei turned to me and said â Mr Ellis I annex no design what they are saying â . The purpose is that divers globe dialects are arduous to distinguish in ones own country, turn that into Japanese and you include something special.

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I am even amused as I retention multifarious caducity following I was invited to weekend a mammoth dojo in Texas USA, as the group lined up, there was a blatant refrain from all the students creation a stretched greet speech in Japanese of which I solitary false absent possibly two words.
The Elementary Eight UK Dan Grades

The anterior assemblage at the Hut Dojo were completetly committed and trained ideal hard, at the extent of the 1950/60s there were just now a complete of 8 dan grades, these were at once the lone dan grades in the full of the UK for Aikido and all in one dojo.
It was average training every Sunday forenoon to lock the dojo and confess matchless the dan grades and characteristic students to train. This was the continuance of testing the techniques and each other with essential fighting. There was usually blood spilt, but there were never any firm feelings afterwards, when the session ended we all would push hard by door to the Hut Pub and own a meagre pints of lager and count our lumps.
Ki Aikido
In those early days of Aikido the consultation Ki was too little mentioned. I once asked Kenshiro Abbe about Ki as he had mentioned it once or twice, he said he was teaching Ki in the techniques so no obligation to affliction ourselves, he said he would assert to us about Ki when we were ready, It is amusing directly to examine organisations offering Ki to first off class students.
The Aikido I glare existence offered as Ki Aikido is cher lousy object that if I had seen that in those early days I would never retain inured my bicycle away. The Aikido I head epigram was without suspect a prerrogative martial art, it saddens me to behold how humans corner changed Aikido into something that is instanter quasi religious. Why carry these wannbees turned Aikido into some bounteous of dance. I away beam some accomplish Aikido to music. Kazuo Chiba said and again repeated in an article on Aikido Journal, he saidthat OSensie had following persuaded to constitute Aikido available to all including the antique and the disabled along with the enervated and human beings who were not martial by nature, at the moment these body politic are saying â My Aikido is the actual Aikido â . Well, I blameless anticipation that if any of these persons are ever attacked in the street, their opposition is from their own dojo, as that is the peerless system their Aikido testament be of any advantage to them. I took effects in a seminar recently where a Ki teacher demonstrated Sankkyo from Ikkyo, as he brought the plam palm up from the mat he described the palm as a bowl of soup. The tendency boggles.

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Henry Ellis Learns a Primary Lesson

The smallest of all the dan grades was one Eric Dollimore, as he was leaving the tatami one Sunday morning, I challenged him to stab for actual he replied that he had arranged to snap to his boytoy friends household for Sunday lunch and was late. I regarded this as an pardon and had a imperceptible smile of pleasure to myself as I turned away, I then heard a call endure me bell gone â OK Harry, its got to be double time though ! â I brainwork to myself â It will be quicker than you can project â .

Eric Dollimore came elsewhere from the changing interval after removing his hakama, he stepped onto the tatami as the rest of the dan grades stopped to clock what was double time happening. Eric and I squared up to each other as I certain to point it all further quickly for him with a brisk punch to the head, as I punched he some how went under me and lifted me hovering and threw me into the dojo duty wall which was about 2mt off the tatami, I did not fair-minded hit the wall I went straight wound up it, as I looked up amidst all the dust and rubble Ken Williams Sensei was sitting at his desk, he looked down at me and snarled â Ellis! utilize the bloody door consequent date â . As if that was not humiliating sufficiently ? the next Sunday morning when all the dan grades were practising and sequential all in the pub, I was repairing the damaged Dojo occupation walls at my own expense.
Stumped
I be convinced the biggest lump anyone ever received was when we had a fit childlike guy attach us who had gone a leg in a motorcycle accident, he had an artificial wooden leg, in those days they were de facto wood and solid, someone threw him compact and aerial and there was a scream as he hit another student across the attitude with his wooden leg, we honestly idea he was dead, he was taken to infirmary but was released the adjacent day. When he came back to the dojo he asked what had absolutely happened to him. It was explained that he had been hit on the tendency with a wooden leg, he replied â bloody hell ! It felt bounteous conforming a tree â After that the guy with the wooden leg had as all the more mat amplitude as he wanted as everyone kept blooming unpaid of him.


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The Positive Thing
On some occasions we would split into two groups and imagination for the nearby forest, one cartel would be margin by K Williams Sensei and the other by his brother David. One troop would locate off and wait in ambush for the second group, they would leap outside of bushes and blop down from branches and some factual burdensome fighting took place. After all of this we would belief for a nearby pub and count each others lumps over a pint of beer, It seems positively delirious these days but to be above board I loved it. In those days we trained so oppressive physically that this and Sunday mornings was a favorable habitude to let off steam.
Derek Eastman Sensei recalls his front holiday with a mate to the Hut Dojo in 1958, as he walked into the dojo he was not indeed aware of what Judo or Aikido was, he walked in to study a guy in the centre of the mat with a blind fold on ( Henry Ellis ).
There were four other guys attacking him with shinaiâ s and bokkens. Derekâ s bosom buddy said to him â Part this I am off â but Derek solution he would agnate to commit it a try, that endeavor has nowadays lasted nearly 50 years.

A Authentic Cold sober Challenge
After one such session and consequent over a pint of beer, David Williams Sensei said to me â Ellis, you estimate you can hire me donâ t you ? â I replied â No Sensei, I never conclude about it â he was continuing in this way for some time. I eventually said â Sensei, this passage has never ever crossed my mind, but it would arise that it bothers you extra than me â this make-believe him and he challenged me to get-up-and-go away into the motorcar park.
David Williams was a vicious beneficent of man, we were forthwith surrounded by other students and other drinkers. He was a teacher of Aikido â " Karate and Judo, I knew this would be a bothersome for me.
He mythical assorted postures looking for an opening, while I aloof stood as relaxed as I could manufacture microscopic moves to avoid his individual attacks, I keep always been a bare acceptable man and on this point I specious one persuaded advance punching him in the intellect knocking him to the ground, I dropped on top him and immobilised him, he was unable to move, I asked â Sensei, is that enough ? â he replied â yes!â and I allowed him to predispose up, as I released him he punched me in the nose, breaking it, there was a abundance of blood as a result. He irretrievable a big league deal of dignity after that and successive left the Hut Dojo.
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Derek Eastman Sensei

In slow 1958 there was a dissimilar 16 year doddering student joined the Aikido shorten who was a common at ukemi and Aikido. I took him after a hardly any months to train as my own assistant. It became his craft to buy to the dojo early on a Sunday morning before familiarity and in the winter sweep the frost off the tatami, there was no heating in the Hut Dojo, it was adore a exorbitant fridge, the single warmness was from three paraffin heaters in the changing rooms, the students would all go-ahead their giâ s hanging from the ceiling beams. On a Sunday morning as Derek was sweeping a thick overnight frost from the mat I offered to shine the three paraffin heaters, I did not be informed that you had to disinfected the wicks first.
Soon the dojo was entire with thick murky smoke and it was cerebration the compass was on fire. Derek quickly sorted out the heaters and when the smoke cleared all the hanging giâ s were covered in jet soot. Mr Williams soon arrived and he went demented ( even worse than that ) he asked who was to blame ? I gave a nod in the line of Derek who took all the flack as a deluxe assistant should, he yet moans about that to this day. All the dan grades were going to hammer him and worse, they were demanding advanced giâ s . Continuance is durable activity an assistant (ukedeshi )

Ssshhh !! Donâ t Mention Haemorrhoids
When Derek Eastman Sensei became my assistant in 1959 I allowed him receive the genuine compressed sizzling up and utilize routines, one of which was bunny hops environing the inner path of the tatami and touching each corner. Remember, Derek is apart sixteen age of time and during one of these bunny hopping sessions a student limps over to Derek and whispers â Derek , I canâ t determine these bunny hops as they are so exact painful â Derek asks out blaring â Why are they painful ? â the student whispers in Derekâ s ear â I accept malicious piles ( hemorrhoids ) so Derek excused him, he then changed the exercise. The closest interval he is captivating the exercises again and said â Path up ready for bunny hopping, anyone with piles ( haemorrhoids ) honest stand to one side â EVERYONE got down in the bunny hop position including the student who isolated the age before had asked to be excused, Derek called him over and said â Why didnâ t you development back when I excused anyone with piles ? â .
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The male student looked at Derek in disbelief and said â Derek, NO ONE IS GOING TO ADMIT THEY Bear PILES !!!! â he then explained to Derek what piles were all about, as Derek had never heard of them before.

Ecstatic Christmas Harada Sensei
It was Christmas 1963 and Noro Sensei was visiting the Hut Dojo. Noro Sensei had commented on the pretty girls that I regularly had with me at the dojo before going out on the town. We had been discussing with Noro Sensei our arranged Christmas party. Noro Snsei said to me â Mr Ellis you posses diverse commendable woman friends, compelling you boast pretty peeress for Harada Sensie for the celebration tomorrow before dawn â I replied â Sensei it is very unpunctual to organize something alike that â Noro replied â The you must convey him your noblewoman classmate â .
I quickly phoned my babe brother and asked if she could bring another friend, she explained that everyone had already prepared plans, I said to her that if she did not bring a buddy then she had elite stay at home, she was of succession perfect upset, she phoned me next to asseverate she had father someone. On the bedtime of the crowd I walked into the auditorium with all the dan grades and Noro Sensie who asked at once â Where is female for Harada â I asked my bird boon companion who had equitable walked over to me â Where is your companion for Harada ? â she then pointed to a women sitting on the other side of the space who was hunched over with her elbows on her knees as if she had a hunch back.
It was suggested that it was non other than Quasimodo in drag. I looked down and saying that her legs were covered in else bandages than Tutankamoun . I could not lap up my eyes as I looked across at Noro Sensei who looked as shocked as I was, Noro said â Mr Ellis, If Harada sees this women he will do in you on the spot and I will associate him â . In cat fit I turned on my girlfriend and asked â where did you pay for that from ?â she replied that in desperation she had invited the profession cleaning countess who said she would mail her friend. Harada Sensei had any more gathered that we were talking about him and asked what was going on, I had told Derek to animation and sit with her which spoiled his Christmas. I then told Harada Sensei that Derek truly liked and had a fetish for dog women, they did not come any uglier than this one.


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Tadashi Abe Sensei
I credit it was in 1959 that Tadashi Abe Sensie came over from France and taught he further attended an naked truth with Kenshiro Abbe Sensie, he had a fearsome label which we soon learned was great deserved. Abe Sensei had trained during the strike as a one mortal suicide co-pilot on a one male submarine. Chiba Sensei said that Tadashi Abe Sensei never got over the act that the bloodshed ended before he had the chance to die for his sovereign state and Emperor. Tadashi Abe Sensei latest visited the Aikikai in 1967 where he demanded the carefulness of all present, he was holding his diplomaâ s as he apologised to all the ladies contemporaneous and stated â This is not Aikido, this Aikido is for ladies onliest â he then threw his diplomas on the tatami and walked out, he never ever returned again. Abe Sensei would take a cutlass with him and he did not gain to gaze for episode as it always commence him, when threatened he generate the ooloo and pitch it to his dissenter saying â please for you !!â . He would divulge that a human race with dispassionate his fists was not a right challenge, a person with a dagger was acceptable for the spirit.

The Ahead Ever UK Aikido Seminar
Aikido demonstrations were at once duration requested at crowded of the top Judo Events. The designation of Aikido was becoming known. Judo clubs would invite us to returns humble classes encircling the country. The bona fide inaugural Aikido seminar was at a Judo club in the Wiltshire town of Devises under Sensei Graham Burt. Sensei Williams had at that future a colossal controlling Ariel Square 4 motorcycle with a passenger sidecar, I traveled in that damned casket attached to the motorbike, I swore never again, I never did.

Devises was the headmost seminar and straightaway Aikido was becoming mere able-bodied declared with innumerable of the dan grades enchanting baby seminars wherever requested. Aikido owes a fine deal to its early success from the backing of the Judo Clubs and teachers who would avow us to convenience a abbreviate of their tatami to edify a meager class. I should add that although the Judoka were considerable in helping with the promotion of Aikido, they could further be some of the most laborious to teach, they would check our facility at every opportunity. If we had not been so brawny and absolute they would not acquire had any bout for us.


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Kenshiro Abbe Sensei & The British Judo Council

Kenshiro Abbe Sensei was nowadays identical bleak with his stage at the LJC. He felt that some of the Judoka dan grades did not homage him. On the mat one duration he lined up 31 senior Judoka, he then walked down the edge telling each one what way he would custom to hurl each of them, he then told each one if the means would be a left or equitable handed technique, he did correct that, and beat every unmarried dan grade conscientious as he had stated. He subsequent left the LJS.
Abbe Sensei had been in public contact with Matsutaro Otani Sensei who had his own organisation.

They joined calm and created the â British Judo Council â ( BJC ) and the â British Aikido Council â ( BAC ) & â British Kendo Council â ( BKC ).
Kenshiro Abbe Sensie lived in the goodly at rest of the Otani family in Acton London. I would energy there to either collect Sensei or haul him somewhere. When I went into his time he would always hold the window manage winter or summer.
There would be heterogeneous types of escaped birds on the window sill and in the room, they were so tame, as I walked in they took no cognizance of me, if Abbe Sensei left the margin they would nowadays all fly away.

I visited Abbe Sensie one period and to my suprise and total disappointment he was watching the â Sphere Cricket Series â on TV. I antipathy cricket, I was disappointed to gaze my teacher watching such a dopy entertainment . He was correct dumb so I ventured â Sensei, you analogous cricket ? â
He replied sharply â NO ! dull sport â I was promptly amazed as he watched the TV intently, I took a process back and asked â Sensei, why bring about you chronometer cricket then ?? â He said something actual profound that I had never actually doctrine about before as he answered â They phone this creation series, not world, by oneself countries that Britain get colonised play cricket, dull game, he said â I wristwatch dim pastime every generation and I never find out dense game, he then turned the TV off and never mentioned it againâ

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The BJC with its indefinite organisations organized the Public Summer Schools at Grange Farm Sports Centre in Chigwell Essex. These summer schools were a seam event with all the disparate martial arts life cool during the week of training, we had students attend from all over the UK. This company of all the teachers was very positive for Aikido as general public who had never heard or seen Aikido before were instantly getting to gaze and catch on and about Aikido, they in turn were immediately inviting instructors to sojourn all over the UK. These summer schools gave students an event to effort Judo â " Kendo â " Karate â " Aikido. Students would dash off friends of students of other disciplines as I did my self, friends I still chalk up to this day.
I attended the fundamental Summer School, there were exclusive three students of Aikido there from the Hut Dojo, Eric Dollimore , Haydyn Foster and Henry Ellis ( me ). Aikido was practically ignored during that cardinal week, all the other martial arts were inclined precedence over the mat space. The alone Aikido instructor there was Abbe Sensei and he was very on assignment with the Judo which was the largest group. Happily the weather was very worthy so the three of us equal went into the following existence and practised Aikido for a week. The expression of Aikido was spreading close-mouthed hurried and the closest summer schools were very contrary with Aikido lifetime one of the biggest groups.
The summer schools changed with the invitation of M Nakazono Sensei. We had been told by Abbe Sensei to be strong, not to dish out or potency for any approach unless it was fully applied, to act otherwise would be seen disrespectful by Nakazono Sensei. Sensei had a certain solid lifetime teaching us and had to exercise his influence to gate us, which he did but with the inevitable injuries that had to follow. Sensei did not appreciate why we were vitality so able-bodied and resistant when after all he was here to nourishment us, adjacent Abbe Sensei explained why we were as we were and Sensei then understood, he then explained the bona fide announce of Aikido and we learned so still from him on that course. Nakazono Sensei had all the dan grades on the tatami for 10 hrs a day. In those days the pubs in Great britain closed at 10-30pm and Sensei had us on the tatami until 10pm. Ken Williams who was the Governmental Coach said to me during one of these rigid evenings â Ellis, as my assistant it is for you to demand Nakazono Sensei for permission to dispensation the tatami at 9-30pm so that we can excite a carry on couple of pints of beer, I reluctantly approached Sensei who himself a non drinker.
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I asked if we could stop a embryonic earlier to moxie to the pub, he was so furious with me, he said â I junket indefinite miles to drill you direct Aikido and all you requirement to conclude is life to the pub â â â I felt as if I had been smashed with a bokken between the eyes, I took the go back as an essential NO !!....................................

Tomiki Aikido

It was at about this period that we heard of a cutting edge Aikido crowd in London.
Tomiki Aikido was first introduced to the UK by Senta Yamada Sensei in the early 1960s. Yamada Sensei 6th dan Judo was a highly respected Judoka, he was extremely chummy with Kenshiro Abbe Sensei. We heard that this advanced Aikido institute had opened in North London. It was sure that K Williams and his eight dan grades would pament them a visit.
Our vacation was unannounced and we were not favorably received. Williams Sensei politely asked if we could train with them, the instructor said emphatically NO , Williams Sensei asked â WHY NOT ? â , the Tomiki instructor said that we could not train as we wore hakamaâ s and they did not, Williams Sensei replied that we had no complication training without our hakamaâ s. We were then informed that we were a at variance organisation, I replied that organisations were particular on paper and Aikido was Aikido. There was no plan this instructor was going to admit us in his class. If we had stormed the mat Abbe Sensei would have been very dismayed about that. We watched the assemblage for a unusual minutes and we could eye why they did not longing us to bracket them. We went to a pub decent down the road, we were surprised some epoch later to look the Tomiki bunch come in the bar, the students came over and spoke to us and they seemed just good and friendly. One commodious guy who introduced himself as a 1st kyu apologised for the point that we were not allowed to bang on the mat, we spoke about techniques and our differences, he asked about a method that we called Nikkyo, he tried to manipulate the procedure on me, nix !,( Gyaku Hanmi Katate Tori ) I did it on him and he screamed as he went down, I did not intend to contused him as I discerning he was stronger than that, he said that my technique was incredible and took me over to his teacher who was in a argument with Williams Sensei. The first kyu asked his ( insisted ) that his teacher slap Nykkyo on me, his teacher tried to handle the technique, nothing!, the teacher said to his student that I was forging the arm of stone and if he were to employ the brain of stone he would discontinuity my arm. I asked him to breach my arm, he tried and his faculty of stone was no contrasting to whatever his previous mindset was. as he was attempting to gap my arm one of my friends assign a pint of ale on the bar later to me, I picked up the pint and drank it in one go, something I had never done before or since. You can affirm that was a show of arrogance and I guess you would be correct, that was condign how it was in those early days.




The Dirty deed of the Floppy Rubber Knife
The later year I did a indicate somewhere and was surprised to contemplate another demonstration of Aikido by the corresponding Tomiki group, I have no doctrine why we were both there. I did certain cutting edge and when the other accumulation did their expo they used a floppy rubber knife.

As his uke attacked him with the floppy rubber lance I started to count the times he had been stabbed with the floppy rubber knife, eventually Tori disarmed his uke and took the floppy rubber dagger from him. he then declared himself as the winner. When Tori came off the mat I asked â what was that all about ? â
He said that the body was to disarm his attacker which he had, I said â You cannot disarm a workman that has dependable stabbed you 8 times thanks to you are dead â ..




Have Hakama will Travel

Ken Williams Sensei then suggested that Henry Ellis and Derek Eastman accept one year out from duty and overnight the UK to spread the expression of Aikido to a wider audience. I asked Williams Sensei â Where shall we pep ? â he looked at me as if I was deficient and replied â Where there is no Aikido of trail â â This was totally a test and after much debate it was agreed to complete this. In 1963 I had a little Austin Miniature van and we place off without a system or a meaning of genuine direction. We had in our joint pockets the grand sum of  20. Times were existing impenetrable back then. We headed north and went in a comprehensive circle of Britain durable for 12 months. We knew of some Judo Dojos to ring in to, other clubs we ethical stopped and introduced ourselves. Some fabricated us receive and some were not in reality interested. No one was able to fee us for teaching.

If we were fortunate we would move a bedstead and a meal with a teacher or student. We soon ran out of wealth and we would elbow grease for a rare days to earn a hardly any coinage to gratify by. As we arrived in a town or metropolis we would best shot to chat up the resident girls where ever we could, they would repeatedly holding us back to their homes for food, and if we were very lucky a blackness sleeping on the sofa, we would and chat up the girls mothers who compatible the daughters loved to hear the London accent, we became very first-class at this and it became an asset, these were desperate times and we frequently slept in the vehivle which was a most disagreeable forbearance in the brumal of Northern England. We took so alive with differential jobs from building laborers â " Painters â " Photographers on a sea front â " Assistants to a funeral director, where we would collect bodies from the morgue and booty them to the chapel of rest. I was later caught in the Chapel of Rest with the directors daughter who I was laying to rest, although she was adequate of life, and the undertaker had caught us placing a coffin with an senile duchess in on the roof holder of the petite to pose for a photo.
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His daughter in the Chapel of Rest and the ancient gentlewoman in the coffin was honorable also much for the boss, that was the site of that job, we were first off on the path again. We worked in the northern steel works - Plan sweepers and draining the British bowler hats which added to the fun. There were so frequent others too. We besides worked on an geriatric railway, it was a de facto disagreeable job, we called it the The Railroad End we did not stay there for long.

In one field we were introduced to the sense of a institution who allowed us to manifest our Aikido and from there Aikido was now universal into the As well Education method in the UK. This was an incredible breakthrough for the promotion and inevitable of Aikido.
In one sphere there was one student whoâ s father had been working on the M1 superhighway advancing ( Britainâ s first motorway ) his father and crew had constitute indefinite copious urns of Roman Coins and he gave me a handful of these misshapen bronze coins which I would panoply just the one to the girls we met , I would authorize them the coin had been in the family for hundreds of dotage and I would adoration for them to have it, that would recurrently secure a bed and chuck for a infrequent nights.
Masahilo Matsutaro Nakazono Sensei

In the early 1960â s Kenshiro Abbe Sensei invited Matsutaro Nakazono Sensei to stop the UK. Sensei arrived at the now famous Hut Dojo with Pierre Chassang Sensei. Nakazono Sensei imaginary bountiful visits to the UK and to this date he is the one teacher that is remembered fondly and with extended account by all the ancient dan grades from that era. I was on page with Nakazono Sensei at the BJC Federal Championships 1963. This point was at the Royal Albert Foyer in London. This catastrophe I have always believed did enhanced to build up and showcase Martial Arts in the UK than anything before or since. With so various barn door names such as the succeeding senseiâ s - Kenshiro Abbe â " Matsutaro Otani â " Matsutaro Nakazono â " M Michigami â " M Harada â " M Noro . The thrill and excitement of career a thing of this chance and in the ample arena at the Royal Albert Entry is with me to this very day.










15
A evening by the Aikikai rep H Koybayashi Sensei 1965/6

M Nakazono Sensei came to visitation the Hut Dojo with an unforeseen visitor in 1965/6 (?) a fearsome looking H Koybayashi Sensei, who had been sent by the Doshu K Ueshiba to call and announcement back to the Aikikai on the customary and progress of Aikido in Europe . He sat on the tatami and never spoke or smiled, he gave each one of the dan grades a piercing stare before stirring along the line. Nakazono Sensie sat back as if observing this from a distance. As I have already written, we sole knew one means to assailing an enemy and that was indurated and always to centre, Kobayashi Sensei stood up and glowered at the dan grades and then suddenly pointed at one in specific and handed him a bokken and then indicated to incursion him to the purpose shomen â .. The student did fair that and divide to centre and to our shock and horror went straight to Kobayashi Senseiâ s head, he blinked where as any other subject would have collapsed, I at the moment looked across at Nakazono Sensie and to my surprize he was not as shocked as we were, I am confident there was a trace of a slight smile as he was great-hearted of his British students, I have ofttimes wondered if he had ever warned Kobayashi Sensei of our cocksure avenue to Aikido. I would add that Kobayashi Sensei did not construct any also mistakes after that.

On Nakazono Senseiâ s first appointment to the Hut Dojo we were suddenly informed that all the dan grades who had been graded by Kenshiro Abbe Sensei were now to be re-graded to cook up positive that they met the virgin time standards of the Aikikai.
We faced a very dense re-grading, where one student was de-graded to shoden and to add to his humiliation, Nakazono said â Exigent sell your gi while prices are gigantic â .
Nakazono Sensei told all eight dan grades that their guideline was very capital and they could all knowledge on identical terms with the students at the Aikikai.
The Hut Dojo was the kernel of all Aikido in the UK. There were no other dan grades out of the Hut. Aikido was now spreading all approximately the UK, the dan grades were outside most weekends teaching up and down the territory with courses â " seminars and demonstrations. There was no distrust that there was a scarcity of dan grades, but dan grades of the principles of the Hut took men of a persuaded caliber and a enlarged time.

16
Ken Williams Sensei undeniable that it would be a useful estimate to fabricate honory dan grades encompassing the UK. I did not akin this conclusion at all, clan were attracted to the forceful Aikido of the early Hut dan grades, what would they anticipate if they proverb heads who were not of that morals acting as dan grades. I was always very attached to Williams Sensei but I just could not select this. I complained bitterly, my complaints were ignored, I was assured that these modern dan grades would letter in to the Hut monthly reports on their progress, undeniable enough the first report came in at the foot of the month, Sensei Williams thrust the report in my face and said â there !! what did I declare you â I looked at the report and persuaded enough it contained some details of this human beings progress, and signed Billy Bloggs Shodan, I handed Williams Sensei the report and asked him â where is the honory signature on this folder â , that did not birr down right at all.
I conjecture that this was the launch of the split down of that bull camaraderie at that had existed Hut for the former various years.

Kazuo Chiba Sensei arrives in the UK 1966.
Kenshiro Abbe had absent back to Japan for the Olympics, whilst there he unreal a interview to scrutinize OSensei, he had not discussed this deliberate tarriance with Sensei Williams or anyone else, so one can think it was a shock when Chiba Sensei arrived at the Hut Dojo. This was now a severe evaluation of loyalties as not only the Hut dan grades had to fabricate some deadpan decisions. Some months later I positive to blend Chiba Sensie. Haydn Foster Sensei trustworthy to stay at the hut and when Williams Sensie later moved to Wales he took over the dated Hut dojo, some dan grades were so disillusioned that they totally gave up Aikido.
Derek Eastman Sensei went elsewhere for a year to donkeywork on the North Sea Oil rigs, when he came local he started his own dojos, he later asked me if he could commence the Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido to which I agreed, I joined Derek and we have been teaching and training well-balanced ever since.
I became assistant to Chiba Sensie from 1967 until 1971 during that hour we were to be present on TV and BBC globe radio, seminars and demonstrations.

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I firm in 1971 due to strength of duty and family to operation back from the hectic programme of continuance with Chiba Sensei. I am still in contact with Kazuo Chiba Shihan who personally invited me to his 40th year in the UK Celebrations in London in Oct 2006.

Henry Ellis 5th dan
Co-author of Confident Aikido
Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido
www.geocities.com/britishaikido


Henry Ellis a sincere student of the legendary Budo skillful Kenshiro Abbe Sensie from 1957. Ellis first started Judo in 1956 at the now famous Hut Dojo where he became one of the very first students of Aikido in the UK and is now a meaningful innovator of British Aikido. Ellis is an avid writer on the honest story of Aikido in the UK and a fixed prickle in the sides of those that would crack to corrupt that glorious history, lineage and legacy left in our anxiety by the early teachers of the Martial Arts.

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