Aikido Pioneers tells the captivating story of the birth of aikido, based on the first-hand accounts of Ueshiba's top students prior to World War II. The interviews contained in Aikido Pioneers have been edited from hundred of hours of conversations conducted over a 30-year period with those closest to the founder.

Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969) drew on his extensive martial arts experience as a young man, fusing this knowledge with his deeply-held religious beliefs, to create the modern self-defense art of Aikido.During his long career, Ueshiba associated with some of prewar Japan's most colorful characters, including famous jujutsu master Sokaku Takeda, the charismatic religious leader Onisaburo Deguchi, and numerous members of Japan's military, political, and business elite. Here is the captivating story of the birth of aikido, based on the first-hand accounts of Ueshiba's top students prior to World War II.The interviews contained in "Aikido Pioneers - Prewar Era" have been meticulously edited from hundreds of hours of conversations conducted over a 30-year period with those closest to the Founder. These early devotees of the art offer an insightful portrayal of the character of the Aikido Founder, and a detailed description of his teaching and activities, spanning nearly half a century. More than 100 photos, many published for the first time, add an important visual dimension to the testimonies of the interviewees. This is an essential volume for those desiring to discover the roots of Aikido, a true cultural treasure of Japan

In this first full autobiographical work, the legendary aikido grandmaster Gozo Shioda tells of his exciting life. Born in Tokyo in 1915, Shioda excelled as a student of Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of aikido. He went on to win first place in the All Japan Martial Arts Exhibition in 1954; and later, founded the Yoshinkan school of aikido, considered a "hard" style for its rigorous training techniques and emphasis on correct form. In 1988, Shioda was awarded the title of Aikido Master by the International Martial Arts Federation. Over the course of his distinguisehd career, he also served as the chief instructor for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, the Air Self-defense Force, the Japanese National Railways, and a number of leading Japanese universities. In Aikido: My Spiritual Journey, Shioda relates moving, personal anecdotes about Ueshiba and imparts what he learned from his mentor. He offers a concise overview of the key elements of aikido, including breath power, focused power, and the power of the center line. About 20 rare photos of the author, chronicling his life in aikido, are also included. Yasuhisa Shioda, the author’s son and himself a prominent figure in the aikido world, has contributed the Afterword to this volume.

This work, "Takemusu Aikido, Volume 1: Background & Basics," is the first of Morhiro Saito s new comprehensive series of Aikido technical manuals. Saito Sensei, 9th dan, and one of Aikido s leading experts, presents more than sixty variations of ikkyo, nikyo, sankyo, and yonkyo techniques, the most essential of the art s basic forms. Illustrated with over 600 photographs and accompanied by clear and detailed step-by-step explanations, "Background & Basics" provides an indispensable guide for both beginning and advanced practitioners. Morihiro Saito, is the author of the highly acclaimed technical series, "Traditional Aikido," published in the early 1970s. Saito enrolled as a student of Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba in 1946. One of the art s foremost technicians, he was the acknowledged authority on aikido weapons training. Saito operated Ueshiba s private dojo in Iwama, Japan and served as guardian of the Aiki Shrine for more than 30 years. He traveled extensively throughout the world teaching his comprehensive aikido training methods for three decades.Stanley A. Pranin is a 5th degree black belt and editor-in-chief of "Aikido Journal." Pranin began Aikido practice in 1962 and started training under Morihiro Saito in Iwama in 1977. He served as Saito Sensei s interpreter at numerous international seminars during the 1980s. Pranin is the author of "The Aiki News Encyclopedia of Aikido" and "Aikido Pioneers - Prewar Era," a collection of interviews with early disciples of the Founder of Aikido.

Ellis Amdur's writing on martial arts has been groundbreaking. In Dueling with O-sensei, he challenged practitioners that the moral dimension of martial arts is expressed in acts of integrity, not spiritual platitudes and the deification of fantasized warrior-sages. In Old School, he applied both academic rigor and keen observation towards some of the classical martial arts of Japan, leavening his writing with vivid descriptions of many of the actual practitioners of these wonderful traditions. His first edition of Hidden in Plain Sight was a discussion of esoteric training methods once common, but now all but lost within Japanese martial arts. These methodologies encompassed mental imagery, breath-work, and a variety of physical techniques, offering the potential to develop skills and power sometimes viewed as nearly superhuman. Usually believed to be the provenance of Chinese martial arts, Amdur asserted that elements of such training still remain within a few martial traditions: literally, 'hidden in plain sight.' Two-thirds larger, this second edition is so much more. Amdur digs deep into the past, showing the complexity of human strength, its adaptation to varying lifestyles, and the nature of physical culture pursued for martial ends. Amdur goes into detail concerning varieties of esoteric power training within martial arts, culminating in a specific methodology known as 'six connections' or 'internal strength.' With this discussion as a baseline, he then discusses the transfer of esoteric power training from China to various Japanese jujutsu systems as well as Japanese swordsman-ship emanating from the Kurama traditions. Finally, he delves into the innovative martial tradition of Daito-ryu and its most important offshoot, aikido, showing how the mercurial, complicated figures of Takeda Sokaku and Morihei Ueshiba were less the embodiment of something new, than a re-imagining of their past.

Featuring original writings by the founders of some of the world's most popular karate styles, this volume includes untranslated texts by Miyagi Chojun, Mabina Kenwa, Motobu Choki - each of them founders of their own schools of karate."

This landmark work provides a wide-ranging scholarly consideration of the traditional Asian martial arts. Most of the contributors to the volume are practitioners of the martial arts, and all are keenly aware that these traditions now exist in a transnational context. The book's cutting-edge research includes ethnography and approaches from film, literature, performance, and theater studies. Three central aspects emerge from this book: martial arts as embodied fantasy, as a culturally embedded form of self-cultivation, and as a continuous process of identity formation. Contributors explore several popular and highbrow cultural considerations, including the career of Bruce Lee, Chinese wuxia films, and Don DeLillo's novel Running Dog. Ethnographies explored describe how the social body trains in martial arts and how martial arts are constructed in transnational training. Ultimately, this academic study of martial arts offers a focal point for new understandings of cultural and social beliefs and of practice and agency.

A detailed and coherent account of the social significance and the politics underlying sports, Global Games demonstrates that sports are not a trivial pursuit but are deeply embedded in the way individuals and nations wish to be perceived. Book jacket.

Living Aikido contains excellent tips that would help sharpen the novice technique through the advanced practitioner. In the process of reading it, one undergoes an enlightening experience.

Giving this book to the readers I deeply believe that I will contribute to the greater popularisation of aikido in the world. I have divided the book "Bokken. Sword in Aikido. Kihon Aikiken. Volume I" into two thematic blocks. The first of them has a historical background. In it I refer to the history of Japan and, above all, to the most important social and military conditions that shaped for centuries the art of sword. In this part I describe the Japanese warrior and the katana sword. I also present here important facts from the life of master Morihei Ueshiba and the profiles of his students. That's how I wanted to refresh the increasingly weakening memory of the people who participated in the creation the aikido art. I have devoted a few dozen pages to this because I think it is an extremely important element of the tradition of the art, giving meaning to the identity of people practising aikido. I have devoted the second thematic block to the technical grounds of aikiken. From this part, the reader will learn what is necessary for mastering the skills of wielding a bokken. It is obvious that the book in no way will replace the practice and knowledge derived from the teacher. However, I hope that not the book alone, but my experiences - collected for over twenty years - described in it will systematise the knowledge about aikiken and encourage you to start training with a sword. See you on the mat... Author of the book, Bartosz CiechanowiczTable of Contents:From the authorChapter 1. The samuraiKatanaThe main stages of making a katana Stage I. Steel meltingStage II. Forging the blade and the tangStage III. Hardening the bladeStage IV. Grinding, polishing and sharpening the bladeStage V. Sword bindingElements of the construction of the swordBladeHilt and fastenersSword guardScabbardChapter 2. BokkenThe elements of bokken constructionTypes of bokkenChapter 3 O`Sensei Morihei Ueshiba. The samurai in the service of peaceThe Ueshiba family and Morihei's childhoodAdolescent yearsTime in TokyoIllness and return to TanabeService in the armyReturn to TanabeTime on HokkaidoMeeting master Sokaku TakedaMeeting Onisaburo DeguchiMoving to AyabeLeaving for MongoliaReturn to AyabeMoving to TokyoOpening of the Kobukan DojoVisits to ManchuriaThe foundation of Kobukai and the creation of the aikido nameWorld War II and time in IwamaThe period after the end of the Second World WarMorihei in filmsState decorations for MoriheiMorihei and shodoThe last years of O`Sensei's lifeChapter 4 Profiles of O`Sensei's studentsMain schools of aikidoEvolution in the message of aikidoStudents of master Morihei UeshibaShogo - master clasificationsChapter 5 The historical background of aikikenThe genesis of aikikenTimes of conflicts and warsTimes of peaceSources of knowledge for aikikenShouchikubai - a sword in harmony with natureChapter 6 Basics of the practice. Kihon aikikenChoosing a bokkenAwareness of dangers and methods supporting the organisation of classesTraining forms and group formationsReigi. What is traditional in aikikenBokken handlingAreas of improvement of aikiken techniquesThe hilt gripAdvantages of hanmi - lateral body positionBody stability and hip mobilityThe distance between tori and uke in the context of hanmiField of view, perception and elements of combat psychologyThe guard of the bodyCoordination of breath and body workLines and directions. Zones and goalsSuburi. The road to perfectionBasics of defence. Static and dynamic defenceDefence with distanceDefence with reactionAiki harmony. Otanashi no kenChapter 7 Positions with a sword. Bokken no kamaeTriangleSquareCircleChapter 8 Moving with the sword. Tai sabaki aikikenMovement in straight lines (omote)Movement in curves and circles (ura)Chapter 9 Sword techniques. Aikiken wazaEPILOGUEDICTIONARY