My Journey in Aikido

 It started in middle school.  I started getting beat up on a daily basis.  My mother did not want me learning violent martial arts, but it was getting so bad she had little choice.  My journey in the martial arts began at the age of 11.  I was enrolled in Master Hans Academy in Carrollton, Texas.  I was 11.

                                                              Master Han.My first teacher.

I went on to study fencing, jujitsu, kick boxing and kung fu in high school.  In 1994 I was studying Northern Shaolin Long Fist at White Tiger Kung Fu under John Shelly in Flower Mound, Texas. Sifu Shelly was a competition forms man, and slowly I became dissatisfied with this type of training. At the time I was working at Mr. Jim's Pizza in Lewisville Texas while I was attending the University of North Texas. A dojo opened up next to the pizza place. The new place was called Aikibudo dojo owned by Russell Waddell. The main instructors were Russell Waddell and Paul Fowler. This dojo was part of the Jiyushinkai organization. I used to spend my smoke breaks looking in the window and being amazed, martial artists that actually touch each other! (ribbing to my kung fu friends out there)


Russell Waddell my Teacher



Eventually I joined this dojo in fall of 1994. My progress was slow. I broke my toe after just a month, and that put me out for a while. I was going to school and working. My girlfriends always fought with me about spending time training. I attended as many seminars as I could afford taught by the Jiyushinkai top teachers Chuck Clark, Steve Duncan, and Stan Conner during this period. These men are true budo men and they helped me start on this path. Memories of lessons from this time period still flash before me like episodes of Kung Fu the TV show. While the Jiyushinkai is were I started, I do want to make it clear that I do not represent them, their teachings or their methods. I still consider them pivotal early influences.  I like these people and I hope my path will cross theirs again.



In 1997 I moved to Austin to struggle on my own for a while. During this period I did not train regularly under a teacher. I started my first informal training club at Esperanza Residential treatment facility. I started teaching boys who were in the system a few techniques, mostly non competitive walking and the release motions.

Around 1999 I moved back to Dallas. Most of my training at the time was in my garage dojo. I heavily focused on weapons and knife throwing at the time. I could not afford Aikido lessons through this time in my life. Waddell Sensei said I did not need to pay, but I always felt bad about not contributing. I went to his dojo before classes and vacuumed and wiped down the windows. My technique at this time was getting decent. Promotions hadn't happened in years though - probably because I was not a centered person.

By 2000 I decided to move to Japan to train. This was an act to commit myself to my training. This was the trip that became a pivotal time period in my life.

During my time there I trained in Daito Ryu Aikijujitsu and I finally received my first grade in an Aiki art. My teacher was Ikuo Ota.





Eric's Daito Ryu history and certificates     In July of 2003 I moved back to Austin, Texas. This was hard time of life for me - working three jobs. I was not training, but I went to every dojo in town to search for the one that was for me. I became very disappointed as I simply could not afford classes. I became very sad because I did not have a club. Even though I felt nether qualified nor did I want the job, I decided to start an informal club in the garage in October of 2004. It started out as a Daito Ryu club, because that was the only art I was certified to instruct. Quickly I started using the Tomiki system as it is a good system to instruct beginners with. In December of 2004 we moved into the South Austin location. We stayed there for six years until we moved to the 51st and I35 location.

The early days


I spent a year in political isolation, training hard with a handful of students. I tried contacting some organizations, but most did not respond back to me. When I called my old teacher Russell Waddell, he seemed excited about me having a club. He came down and started helping us get going and doing grading for us. He had retired from practicing so at my prompting he began training again.



12 years after I began training in Tomiki Aikido I finally received a shodan. I feel more than anything the long road was right for me. I earned it. I knew the material, I had matured into an adult. I had formed a club and was producing quality students.

Things began clicking for me, and I began to understand this stuff deeper. Teaching has always been a learning process for me, and teaching/learning worked well for me. Over a year after I received my shodan, I demonstrated for my nidan rank.





I started associating with more Aikido folks and I joined the American Tomiki Aikido Association. I gained a brother in the arts, the hard-headed-grease-monkey, Jeff Duncan. He is one of my best friends. Although he is a solid technician and a great teacher, he has never learned to do the walking kata correctly.  :)   The ATAA was kind enough to evaluate me and recognize the rank Waddell Sensei had given me. BTW I did that calligraphy on Jeff's wall.

                  
                               
My New Years resolution for 2009 was to meet more teachers and to start writing an Aikido Blog - thus this blog was born!Around this time I started looking to play with more teachers. I started training with judo teacher Matl Sensei and Brendan Hussey Sensei.

Brendan Hussey my teacher, throwing me


In the early days of 2009 I got in touch with Nick Lowry. I had him come down and teach a seminar. I decided that I wanted to join his organization, the Kaze Uta Budo Kai. I consider him to be a great friend and one my guides on the higher path of budo.

Lowry Sensei and me, July 2010


In April of 2009 my students and best friends, Michael Chihal and Scooter Dembowski earned their shodans - the first of my crew to reach this rank. They earned this rank through Russell Waddell's authority. In addition the Kaze Uta Budo Kai recognized Michael's rank.




After studying the art for 15 years, on November 21, 2009 the Kaze Uta Budo Kai granted me a yondan rank.



In the summer of 2010 I drove through Texas and Oklahoma looking to train with new teachers.  I met a man named J.W. Bode and we became friends.  I started to travel every six months or so to train with him in Lawton Oklahoma.  As of 2015 we went our separate ways. 

In January 2011 it was time to move to a new dojo.  Sadly we closed up the old dojo.We moved to a new location with Matl Sensei at I-35 and 51st.  Here is a picture of us putting the mat together.  I took it at an artsy angle that was a bad idea. But this is where used to train.  This dojo closed in 2015.  I have built a few more since then. 

I have been training with Jack Bieler for the past several years.  He is a great teacher and a wonderful friend.  I am hoping he will download his incredible knowledge of classical Japanese weapons into my brain over the next few decades.

On my summer trip to train with my teachers in July 2012, I held a knife seminar in Lawton, Oklahoma.  I enjoyed it immensely.  It was the first workshop I have held outside my own dojo, and it was a great success.  About 20 people attended throughout the day.

After the seminar my teacher J.W. Bode was impressed enough in my teaching he awarded my my 5th dan in Aikido.  Although the certificate says March 3, I did not get it till July.

I will be honest.  At this point in my martial arts career I hate ranks.  It pained me to get a 5th dan, a rank I honestly believe is above my caliber.  I decided I was not going to mention it, and stay a 4th dan.  The very next day I went to train with my friend and teacher Nick Lowry and he separately presented me with a godan.  Damn!

During my summer trip of 2012 I had the honor of training with hapkido master Jason Mix for a week.  He graciously invited me to teach at his school.  I taught Daito Ryu and Aikido concepts to his amazing community of artists at the Enso Center in Redmond, Washington.  I now am honored to train and teach at the Enso center every July.

My Daito Ryu AikiJuJutsu Training in Japan (and beyond)

contact Eric - thedragonsorb@gmail.com


I trained in Gunma Prefecture at the Numata Budokan from the August 24th 2000 until July of 2003. The art form was the mother art to Aikido, Daito Ryu AikiJuJutsu. I trained under Ota Ikuo Sensei. During my stay there Ota Sensei's teacher (Maeda) died, so he broke off from the Renshinkan Branch of Daito Ryu and formed his own school, the Shofukan (place of windy pines.) During this time period I logged in more hours than any other student. According to my records I logged between 376-400 hours of training time during this time period with Ota Sensei.

Here is a copy from the log at the Shofukan Dojo Daito Ryu AikiJuJutsu club at the Numata City Budokan. This was from 2002 or 2003. it shows the lineage of teachers and major students going back to the time of Takeda Sokaku.

My lineage

Takeda Sokaku - Toshimi Matsuda - Takeshi Maeda - Ikuo Ota - Eric Pearson



Here is a picture with Ikuo Ota Sensei and Eric Pearson (me). This photo is either late 2002 or early 2003. Ota Sensei was very kind to me. He grew up scared of foreigners, as he was child during the invasion of Japan during World War 2. I mostly remember him huddling around the space heater during the winter trainings, smoking cigarettes, and massaging his bad shoulder. He would walk around the dojo with an ash tray in one hand and a cigarette dangling from his lips. When he saw something he wanted to correct he would put the ashtray and cigarette next to you, then twist your body around for a while.

Ikuo Ota and Eric Pearson 2003

Ota Sensei is one of the best joint lock practitioners I have trained with. He never thought much of Aikido. He said Aikidoka use too much strength and pain compliance. His technique was very slow and soft. He moved me around easily despite my obvious size advantage.

In 2001 I had the chance to go down to Tokyo and meet Kondo Katsuyuki, the widely regarded head of what is refereed as mainline Daito Ryu. When I told Ota Sensei about my conversation with the head of Daito Ryu, Ota Sensei looked sour and waved his hand dismissively in front of my face. He made it clear that he cared nothing about the idea of "main line".  That being said I enjoyed my short conversation with Kondo Sensei.  My Japanese was particularly poor and he was patient with my grunting.

Here I am receiving my Daito Ryu certificate in 2002. Originally I was offered my Shodan after just 3 months due to my previous experience of 5 years in aikido. After some thought Ota Sensei told me to wait till the next grading one year later. The next year though, I angered the second senior instructor by throwing him. He did not appreciate it (it was a good throw though) So during the next grading a week later, he shamed me in front of the dojo and pressed sensei not to promote me. So, I learned some of the sticky politics of a dojo in Japan. His grudge cost me getting higher level rankings in the limited time I had there. Untangling the mess was perhaps the most profound lessons I had to deal with in this dojo.

Certificates 2002 - Numata Budokan, Gunma Prefecture

My shodan certificate

When the summer of 2003 came around it was getting time for my contract to end with Mumbusho and it was time to head back to the USA. I had a talk with Ota Sensei about the continuation of Daito Ryu training in the US. He told me that he felt like his study of Aiki was small and focused, and I saw it in a much larger way. He encouraged me to keep studying and to start a group in the United States. He issued me a "jun-kyouju" 準教授 rank or associate professor and granted me the right to have a Daito Ryu AikiJujutsu - Shofukan line dojo in America.  I am truly honored to have been given the opportunity to receive such an title. To my knowledge I am one of two people outside Japan that Ota Sensei honored with this title. The other is Andrew Deluna who currently trains in Katy Texas.

My jun-kyouju 準教授, associate instructor certificate

Training at the Shofukan 2003.  'Saka Tekubi Osaedori'

Training at the Shofukan. 

My Obi. Embrodery reads "Daito Ryu AikiJuJutsu and Shofukan" (Pine Wind Place)

Edit - September 2012

Since my return from Japan I started in 2006 a small club in Austin TX to study Daito Ryu, Tomiki Aikido and Judo principles.  The club has had a small and devoted crew that continues to train.

One of the small Daito workshops I held

In the summer of 2012 I attended the multi-discipline seminar hosted by George Ledyard Sensei in Seattle.  I met Daito Ryu AikiJujutsu teachers by the name of Howard Popkin and Joe Brogna.  I enjoyed their lesson, and was excited about having Daito Ryu people to train with again.

Popkin Sensei dropping me Seattle 9-2011

I decided to attend an intensive 4 day seminar in July 2012.  It was the spark I needed to reawaken a lot of the old training.   I filed an application to join their growing organization called Daito Ryu Ginjukai based on the Kodo Harakawa lineage. While the Daito Ryu lineage is different from the one I came from (Matsuda Toshimi), the feel and mechanics seem to have been preserved in both lineages.

Seminar in Seattle 7-2012

In March 2013 I attended a three day seminar in Oklahoma City at Windsong dojo.   It was a blast and I really hit a new level of understanding the mechanics in this art form.

 Windsong Dojo in OKC 3-2013 .  

Popkin sensei making fun of our comparative head sizes

Winter 2013 I was asked to share Daito Ryu with the Kaze Uta Budo Kai in Oklahoma City.

Budokai at Windsong 6-2014

Howard Popkin, Eric and Peter Boylan

In July of 2014 I returned to Japan to study with Ota sensei.  I learned a tremendous amount.  It was interesting to see how much sensei's technique evolved in the last decade.

Eric and Ota - 7-2014 at the Shofukan

I got to rekindle some old friendships and learn a lot about the Renshinkan, Shofukan history and kata.

Tsutsuni sensei and Eric

In January 2015 Andrew DeLuna ran a workshop on Daito Ryu principles at the Austin Budokan.  It has been his third or fourth visit over the past few years.

June 2015 Seminar at Windsong

Seminar at Windsong 4/29-5/1- 2016

7-2016 I attended one session with Brogna/Popkin in Seattle.

In May 2017 I picked up the phone and it was Roy Goldberg from the Kodokai coming through Texas.  He offered to do a 4 day workshop at my place.  He stayed with me and generously poured as much Daito Ryu information into me as I could handle.

Goldberg sensei's write up

While visiting Seattle I attended Daito Ryu Takumakai training with Kenneth Freeman.  He is a super cool and talented guy.  Sadly I lost my picture I took!

July 28-30 2017 I attended Ginjukai intensive with Howard Popkin.  It was a great seminar with a fun group.

Popkin Seattle 2017

In 2017 the Reshinkan Daito Ryu in Japan began to open up.  They began issuing videos and online courses.   They have been grading people to high ranks without ever meeting them, only online training.  I would like to publicly mention that I am opposed to this method of transmitting Daito Ryu.  I believe it hurts the art.  So after almost 20 years of promoting that line of Daito Ryu, I respectfully withdraw my endorsement of the Renshinkan.  After some spirited online debates they no longer endorse me either.  Chapter closed.  My relationship with Ito sensei is intact, as he too broke from the Renshinkan.


Roy Goldberg came to Austin again in Feb. 2018.  I got the chance to train with him at Rising Sun Aikido.

Goldberg Austin 2-2018


After teaching at the Enso enter I had the chance to train with Popkin/Brogna. 

Popkin/Brogna Seattle 8-2018

An American martial arts master

How Aikido Works

Here is a football video that has viral on the net. For good reason, it is clever. As a martial artist I think it shows us the lesson of how aiki works. Don't let the other person's system know you are fighting is the key. If you do an action calm and relaxed it does not trigger alarms in your partners or opponents nervous system.

Lowry Sensei has been using the phrase 'tactile invisibility' lately. I like that phrase.

Confuse your opponents nervous system with relaxed movement.

Lies about Knife Fighting by Marc MacYoung

So the research on the knife continues. A lot of beautiful exchanges and drills are shaping up around the dojo. It surprises me how in a just a few short weeks everyone is quickly adjusting to the new challenges of concentrated knife work.

I am fueling the tanto study mostly through the Tomiki 17 kata, but systema, kali, silat and a pot pourri of other influences are creeping in. At this point I make no other claims about the work we are doing other than it is a great way to work principles with a different set of factors.

Nick Ushin Lowry posted this link on his facebook. Well worth the read. In the somewhat lengthy article MacYoung describes some of the problems as he sees it with many martial knife systems. While i do not see this work as biblical knife cannon, I do see it as a useful tool to help balance the mentality of how I shape my practice.


(P.S. I made it to the range this weekend, and I love .22 magnum ammunition)



Lies about knife fighting

Rethinking Kyudo

When lived in Japan I had some brief training in archery, Kyudo. Here is Austin Texas there is a wonderful teacher at the Shambala meditation center teaching classes in traditional kyudo. I attended a handful of sessions with him. While I enjoyed the lessons and I loved the weapon, I found something lacking. You see in kyudo there is a lot of talk about the shot not being important. In the club here in town, all the lessons are firing into a straw bail just a few feet away. The emphasis is on the meditation. The message is that there is a dignity in the bow and such concepts as speed, accuracy, range and power are not addressed. The tradition I trained in does not even want to be thought of as a martial art, they are a meditation group.

I love and honor the modern expression of the art of kyudo. It is as wonderfully complex as the tea ceremony. I see the wisdom in their thinking and ways. I however am a budo man. I wish to learn more of the traditions of kyudo, but my true goal is something different. I am budoka and my Zen is the meditation in the pursuit of hitting a mark. Efficient, smooth and powerful motion is what seek with the bow. I want to play the bow like a deadly instrument and relish in the jazz that flows from arrows flying through space.

Today, like all days now, I shot the bow. First I work on technique. I shoot arrows for accuracy, with ever increasing range. Then I see how fast I can fire 10 arrows and still have the technique to hit the target from close range. I walked briskly and fired the bow while on the move. I worked on facing opposite the target then I turned and shot. I fired the bow while walking towards the target, and retreating from the target. You will never find these methods practiced in a modern kyudo dojo. I bet samurai archers who fought with the bow trained far different than the modern artists do.

I appreciate the traditional, but often I desire training outside the parameters of traditional thinking and practice. I personally seek samurai archery - battle and hunting archery. The zen evolves through a habit of striving for martial perfection. In my art meditation need not be the primary goal. It happens naturally with every practice. I do not want a non-martial version. I seek the martial archery. In my humble opinion the bow is a weapon, not a meditation pillow. I seek to honor it as such.

The difficulties of a knife program

Let's face it martial artists, fighting is really hard. Our art essentially is a series of games with rules to let us work on the principles we see as valuable in conflict. But when it comes down to it, I do not go to the dojo to fight. I go to the dojo, in case I ever find myself in a bad situation I will have some tools to protect self and others. All martial arts run under a system of rules and assumptions. Because as Tomiki Sensei once wrote, "martial arts without rules is just violence."

As some of my readers, teachers and students might know I am currently engaged in training around the concept of finding aiki in tanto jujutsu. It is a shift in thinking from the typical aikido and judo throw-is-goal mentality. I have watched the array of art forms practice with knives. There is some great stuff out there, and predictably there is a lot of work that is incomplete.

I would like to start looking at the problems surrounding knife work. The first problem is that knife fighting is difficult.

I would like to take a look at two art forms today.

The first is a Russian group calling themselves tanto jutsu. They look karate based, or at least atemi based system of fighting. They have knife competitions to add to their striking. It looks to be a dizzying brutal affair. These guys don't mess about. The initial engagement looks like power cuts from a fencing style model. There is some interception with strikes and some grappling.



After watching this, we see how unclean the lines are in engagements. Things get pretty wild real fast. The one thing about this video to consider is that they are all matched opponents for a contest. They know the rules and have certain expectations from their opponents abilities. Also, while I am sure they are not looking forward to getting hit, there likely is not the fear associated with real blades. An interesting case study anyhow.

The second clip illustrating the difficulty of knife work comes from my own beloved art of Tomiki Aikido. Some branches of Tomiki Aikido are known for having a sporting competition as part of their training. It typically looks like a man getting battered by another man holding a pickle. The assault continues for 3-5 minutes with the knifeless man getting cut 100 or so times. However there are very specific rules about how the knife attacker can score points, so most of these cuts are ignored. After getting murderd for a while, the man getting stabbed might get a riough and tumble variation on a judo throw, and everyone tumbles to the floor.



I am not a big fan of this kind of training, but by no means does it look easy. Again we have two trained competitors squaring off, knowing the specific rules and capabilities of the other person.

Needless to say, developing the training and skills to successfully deal with such a difficult situation will be a challenge. The moral of the story, knife fighting looks hard, never get into one. It looks like a a good training challenge though.

Some hot knife work

I have been deep in meditation on the problems that knife work. I have been sorely disappointed with the kata work of judo and aikido. It does not mean that the answers for the aiki of knife work are not out there, they just might come from a different school of thinking. I bumped into this video on my search, and I think this guy would probably best me in a knife engagement.

List of Dojos with Tomiki roots in U.S.A.

There is no single list of all the Tomiki lineage dojos on the United States (till now). It is has been quite a hard task putting this list together. It is invariably incorrect with many details. Many of the dojos have stylistically drifted and changes in the 30 years since Tomiki's passing. Some even no longer call their style a Tomiki style. My qualifier to make it on the list is that school or organization has roots in the teaching methods of Kano, Ueshiba, Tomiki, and Ohba.

Please write thedragonsorb@gmail.com with any thoughts,changes,additions or add it to the comments box below it. Last Update - November 2010


Numbers of Dojos in Organizations (A few dojos are in multiple organizations)

This section is incredibly inaccurate. There have been a great many political shifts in the past few years in American Tomiki Aikido and it is impossible to track until organizations update their websites.


7 ATAA (American Tomiki Aikido Association)
13 Jiyushinkai
14 Aikido America International
21 Kaze Uta BudoKai (not yet posted all)
28 TAA (Tomiki Aikido of the Americas) formally JAA
51 Fugakakai (might be old information) added members up to New York
2 International Aikido Alliance (maybe 8)
? Zan-totsu Kai (NW group that I currently have no information on)

Top 3 Tomiki States

19 dojos Oklahoma
18 dojos Texas
12 dojos Ohio

Number of dojos on list

131




The Dojos




Alabama


Kumayama Dojo *American Tomiki Aikido Association*
Frankie Canant, 6th Dan Aikido
Hueytown, AL
Phone: (205) 497-3151
Email: kumayamadojo@gmail.com

Onami Dojo *American Tomiki Aikido Association*
Johnathan Mayhall, Rokudan
Jasper, Alabama

Kurokawa Dojo *American Tomiki Aikido Association*
Beau Burchfield
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Henry Copeland Aikido & Jyodo *Fugakukai*
Henry Copeland, Aikido 8th Dan
2005 Alpine Drive; Florence, Alabama
Phone: (205) 766-6939
E-Mail: chcopeland@comcast.net


Arkansas


Crow Mountain Dojo *Fugakukai*
Dan Martin Aikido 6th dan
Russellville, Arkansas 72802
Phone: (479) 890-0033
E-Mail: martinaikido@hotmail.com
http://www.crowmtndojo.com

The Thicket Aikido Dojo *Fugakukai*
Vicki Goodman 1st dan
Brinkley, Arkansas
Phone: (870) 589-0263
E-Mail: vjkgoodman@hotmail.com

Monticello Aikido Club *Fugakukai*
Robert Kersten Aikido 2nd Dan
256 Mason Hill Road; Monticello, Arkansas 71655
Phone: (870) 853-2320

Monticello Aikido Club *Fugakukai*
Kavan Dodson Aikido 2nd Dan
UAM Wesley Foundation; Monticello, Arkansas 71655
E-Mail: edwardkavanaugh@hotmail.com

Peder Jensen, 7th Dan Aikido
Little Rock, AR
Phone: (501) 590-2788
Email: pederjense53@hotmail.com

Vernon Dutton, 4th Dan Aikido
Phone: (501) 223-3724
Email: vernon.dutton@regionsinsurance.com

Triangle Aikido Club *Tomiki Aikido of the Americas*
Impact Martial Arts
Ed Mink
16 W Township Fayetteville, AR 72703
479-251-8783
edmink@comp.uark.edu
www.fayettevillemartialarts.com

Conway Aikido *Fugakukai*
Jason Brantley Aikido 2nd Dan
566 Hwy 64 E; Conway, Arkansas 72032
Phone: (501) 733-5412

Little Rock Athletic Club - Aikido *Fugakukai*
Gary Moore, Aikido 4th Dan
Little Rock, Arkansas
E-Mail: webmaster@moorecsi.net


Arizonia


Renshinkan *Jiyushinkai*
Charlie Atkinson Instructor
Michael Hacker Instructor
415 S. McClintock Rd #7
Tempe, AZ 85281-2250
Phone: (480) 968-6646 Dojo

Mushin Aikido Dojo *Tomiki Aikido of the Americas*
In Step School of Dance
Tom Manfredi, 4th Dan
340 W. Wickenburg Way
Wickenburg, AZ 85390
928-684-7149
tom.manfredi@gmail.com www.mushindojoaz.com

Arizona Aikido Clubs *Fugakukai*
Saul Alverez, Phillip Norrell 3rd Dan
Wickenburg and Yuma
Phone: (520) 684-5529 or (520) 783-5160
E-Mail: pnorrell@bannerhealth.com or soa@sleepcenterofyuma.com


California


Aishinkan *Jiyushinkai*
Marc Fox, Chief Instructor
PO Box 2292
Alpine, CA 91903
Phone: (619) 445-5968

Shakokan *Jiyushinkai*
Toby Hill, Chief Instructor
2745 Waltrip Lane
Concord, CA 94518
Phone: (925) 798-1111

Pacific Tomiki Aikido *Aikido America International*
Instructor: Marc Kantorow
Los Angeles, California
E-Mail: kantorow@jseint.jsei.ucla.edu

Bat Area Shodokan *T.A.A.*
Warren Pottebaum, 3rd Dan
Ash Morgan, 3rd Dan
Berkeley, CA (see website for locations)
bayareashodokan.org/
wpottebaum@hotmail.com
ashmorgan@bayareashodokan.org

Intel Santa Clara Aikido *T.A.A.*
Shane Branch 1st Dan
Santa Clara, CA
branchsc@gmail.com

Univ. of California San Diego Tomiki Aikido Club *T.A.A.*
Bob Dziubla, 7th Dan
UCSD main gym (next to Natatorium and outdoor basketball courts)
858-699-4367
rdziubla@kenworthcapital.com

USC Shodokan
Mark Colopy
USC Campus
markcolopy@cox.net

Ted Miller Aikido *Fugakukai*
Ted Miller
San Diego, Ca
Phone: (619) 725-3629 and (858) 457-4431
E-Mail: tedamiller@earthlink.net


Colorado


Colorado Shodokan Aikido *T.A.A.*
Dave Nettles, 6th Dan
Alpine Cheer, 18850 Clarke Rd
Parker, CO
303-740-7424
nettles@tomiki.org

DBT Aikido *T.A.A.*
Ron Abo, 5th Dan
Denver Buddhist Temple Gym, 1947 Lawrence St
Denver, CO
ron@theabogroup.com

Colorado Aikido *Fugakukai*
Mary Steffeck, Aikido 6th Dan
Aurora, Colorado
Phone: (303) 424-1457
E-Mail: mlsteffeck@comcast.net

Mark Owens, 5th Dan Aikido
Castle Rock, CO
Phone: (303) 589-3456
Email: amarkowens@yahoo.com

Hyland Hills Tomiki Aikido *T.A.A.*
Seiji Tanaka, 8th Dan
9165 Lowell
Westminster, CO
303-427-7906

Atlantic Aikido
Brian Sutherland 5th dan
1750 30th st, Boulder, CO, 80309
(303) 819-6456

Connecticut


Central Connecticut Tomiki Aikido Club
Tiffany Doan, 2nd Dan
Kaiser Hall "Bubble"
Central Connecticut State University
New Britain, CT
tiffperu@yahoo.com


Florida


Mushindo Dojo *Fugakukai*
John LaCorte, Aikido 4th Dan
Sebastian, Florida
Phone: (772) 539-1906
Email: offbalanceone@yahoo.com

Vero Beach Aikido *Fugakukai*
Kevin J. Anderson, Aikido 5th Dan
Vero Beach, Florida
Phone: (772) 559-8193
Email: aikidoverobeach@gmail.com
http://www.verobeachaikido.8m.com

Martial Arts of Jupiter
Jerry Dooley, Judy Shedd, Mike Exizian
Jupiter, FL
Phone: (561) 744-9025 home, (561) 747-5717 dojo
Email: tigua@evcom.net

Ken Nin Dojo *Jiyushinkai*
Jim Hanna, Chief Instructor
Steven Bonett, Asst. Instructor
World Martial Arts Center
6020 NW 4th Place, Suite "G"
Gainesville, Florida 32607
Phone: (352) 375-4348

West Coast Aikikai *Jiyushinkai*
Jim Hanna, Chief Instructor
208 43rd Street Blvd N.E.
Bradenton, FL 34208
Phone:(941) 745-2919

Dharmakaya Aikido *Fugakakai*
Charles M. Crist Aikido 2nd Dan
481 Rio Grande Way; Poinciana, Florida 34759
Phone: (321) 746-9811
E-Mail: dharmakaya_aikido@yahoo.com
WWW: www.aikidodharmakaya.8m.com-a.googlepages.com

Ohrikai Dojo *Fugakukai#
Tim Dudley, Aikido 6th Dan
4020 42nd Street; Sarasota, Florida 34235
Phone: (941) 426-7675
E-Mail: tomothym.dudley@gte.net
WWW: http://www.ohrikai.org

Biscayne Park Aikido Club *International Aikido Alliance*
Ron Gotlin, Aikido 6th dan
Susan Gotlin, 6th Dan
Ed Burke Recreation Center
11400 NE 9th Court
Biscayne Park, Florida 33161
Phone: (305) 945 - 7863
E-mail: tsunamido@aol.com

Tampa Judo and Aikido Dojo
Phil Van Treese, Aikido 7h dan
1005 W. Busch Blvd (Chamberlain Square)
Tampa, Florida
Phone: 813-892-5317 or 813-968-7647


Illinois


Chicago Jiyushinkai Aikibudo *Jiyushinkai??*
Vladimir Stoyanov, Chief Instructor
Arlington Heights, IL
E-Mail: davidsmartin@hotmail.com

American Aikido Society *T.A.A.*
Gary Wyshel, Mike Walters
Gompers Park, 4222 W. Foster Ave
Chicago, IL
GaryWyshel@earthlink.net

New City Aikido *T.A.A.*
Stan Nevin, 5th Dan
Chicago, IL
stannevin@mac.com
www.newcityaikido.org


Indiana


Yobushin Dojo *Jiyushinkai*
Paul Smith, Chief Instructor
7487 N. John Young Rd
Unionville, IN 47468
Phone: (812) 336-8036

Aikido club of Lafeyette
Not a tomiki school but they have a Tomiki kata 15 study group
Thomas Burdine
111 South 7th Street
Lafayette, IN 47901
(765) 423-1962


Kansas


Walter Lee, 5th Dan Aikido
Wichita, KS
Phone: (316) 978-6139
Email: walter.lee@wichita.edu


Louisiana


Gentle Wind Dojo *Jiyushinkai*
Denzil Miracle, Chief Instructor
11153 Muriel
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
Phone: (225) 272-8500

Mokurin Dojo *Jiyushinkai*
Shane Mokry, Dojo cho
1430 W. Elm St. Suite B
PO Box 698
Jena, LA 71342
Phone: (318) 992-8045

Shodokan of New Orleans
I cannot find information about this dojo
I did find a youtube site
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNoGTfbayWg

New Wind Dojo *Fugakukai*
Chainn Gahagan, Aikido 2nd Dan
301 Memorial Drive; Ruston, LA 71270
Phone: (318) 255-4291 or (318) 280-0841
E-Mail: cgahagan@hotmail.com

West Monroe Aikido *Fugakukai*
Steve Horne, Aikido 4th Dan
5709 New Natchitoches; W. Monroe, LA 71292
Phone: (318) 255-4291 or (318) 280-0841
E-Mail: hornesk@worldnet.att.net


Maryland


Aikido - Baltimore Tomiki Center *Aikido America International*
Frank Faris
Baltimore, Maryland
Phone: 410-727-5457

Atlantic Martial Arts *Aikido America International*
Jeff Mims Aikido 2nd dan
Baltimore, Maryland
E-Mail: brian@atlanticmartialarts.com
Phone: 410-944-1559

Catonsville Aikido Club *Aikido America International*
Dean Clarke
Catonsville, Maryland
E-Mail:sharonrosewag@aol.com
Phone: 410-747-5779

Chesapeake Aikido Club *Aikido America International*
Richard Kelley, Glenn Beaumann, Ray Mack
Arnold, Maryland
E-Mail: gatorgraph@toad.net
Phone: 410-360-1328

Columbia Aikido & Judo Club *Aikido America International*
Dr. Yoji Kondo
Columbia, Maryland
Phone: 410-730-6744

Loyola College Aikido Dojo *Aikido America International*
Bert Graham
Baltimore, Maryland
Phone: 410-435-6871

Aikido of Maryland *Fugakukai*
Roma Strathman, Aikido 7th Dann
College Park, Maryland
Phone: (301) 441-2647
E-mail: aikido@aikidomd.com
http://www.aikidomd.com

Towson Aikido Dojo *Aikido America International*
Brian Sutherland, Bert Graham
Towson, Maryland
Phone: 410-435-6871


Minnesota


Uptown Aikido *Fugakukai*
Deanna Newman, Aikido 5th Dan
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Phone: (612) 377-2154
E-mail: webmaster@uptownaikido.com
http://www.uptownaikido.com


Mississippi


Mississippi State University Aikido Club
Dr. John Usher, Aikido 6th Dan
Starkville, Mississippi
Phone: (662) 325-7624
E-Mail: usher@ise.msstate.edu
http://www.msstate.edu/org/aikido/

Mokuren Dojo
Patrick Parker, Aikido 6th Dan
Magnolia, Mississippi
Phone: (601) 248-7282
Email: mokurendojo@gmail.com
http://www.mokurendojo.com

Dallas Lloyd, 2nd Dan Aikido
Longbeach, MS
Phone: (228) 871-7003
Email: knapster66@yahoo.com


New Hampshire


Manchester YMCA Aikido Club *Aikido America International*
Manchester, New Hampshire
Instructor: Ben Duggar
E-Mail: benduggar@pobox.com


New Jersey


New Jersey Shodokan *TAA*
Ari Reinstein, 3rd Dan
Sussex County YMCA
15 Wits End Road
Hardyston, NJ
arijodi@embarqmail.com


New Mexico


New Mexico Aikido Club *Fugakukai*
Robert Romero, Aikido 6th Dan
Espanola, New Mexico
Phone: (505) 753-1892 or (505) 747-2285 (Gym)
E-Mail: robert_l_romero@hotmail.com


New York


Kinetic Symmetry Aikido *Fugakukai*
Nicholas George, Aikido 6th Dan
Hudson Falls, NY
Phone: (518) 926-8688
E-Mail:Nick@kineticsymmetry.com
http://www.kineticsymmetry.com/aikido/index.php

CNY Tomiki Aikido *Fugakukai*
Dan McCarthy, Aikido 3rd Dan
4936 TinderBox Circle; Manlius, NY
Phone: (315) 682-0825
E-Mail:danbo@twcny.rr.com
WWW: http://home.twcny.rr.com/cnytomikiaikido

Tomiki Ronin *TAA*
Manny Vargas, 5th Dan
tomikironin@optonline.net

Vassar College Aikido *TAA*
Sean Flynn, 3rd Dan
Vassar College, 124 Raymond Ave, #424
Poughkeepsie, NY
flynn@vassar.edu
http://vassar-aikido-club.com

Yama Arashi Dojo *TAA*
Alex Izaguirre, 2nd Dan
200 Hamilton Ave. Suite 15 B
White Plains, NY
914-584-5958
yama_arashi@msn.com
http://www.stormingmountain.com


North Carolina


Asheville Aikido *Fugakukai*
David Russell, Aikido 6th Dan
Asheville, NC
Phone: (828) 628-0462
E-Mail: david@ashevilleaikido.com
http://www.ashevilleaikido.com

Raleigh Aikido Club *Aikido America International*
Jason Koch
Green Road Community Center, Raleigh, North Carolina
E-Mail: aikidokoch@gmail.com
Phone: 919-694-4919

UNC at Chapel Hill *Aikido America International*
Erik Townsend
UNC Fetzer Gym, Chapel Hill, NC
E-Mail: tomikiaikido@gmail.com
Phone: 919-622-4928
Website: http://studentorgs.unc.edu/aikido

Winston-Salem Aikido *Aikido America International*
Brian Wright
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
E-Mail: wrightb@mindspring.com


Ohio


David Szerensci - Aikido
David Szerensci, Aikido 5th Dan
Richfield, Ohio
Phone: (216) 659-6985

Massillon Aikido Academy
John Brown, 3rd Dan Aikido
Massilon, OH
Phone: (330) 833-2396
Email: sandan1@ibm,net

Black Walnut Dojo *TAA*
Bob King, 5th Dan
1342 US Highway 42
Ashland, OH
robertking@zoominternet.net

Churchill Aikido Club *TAA*
Michael Gelum
189 Churchill-Hubbard Rd
Liberty, OH
330-219-0146
SenseiArashi@WarrenBudokan.com
http://warrenbudokan.com

Warren Budokan/Academy of Arts and Humanities *TAA*
Michael Gelum
261 Elm Road
Warren, OH 44483
330-219-0146
SenseiArashi@WarrenBudokan.com
http://warrenbudokan.com


Warren Budokan - Shizuka na Arashi Aikido Dojo *TAA*
Michael Gelum
1549 Transylvania
Warren, OH
330-219-0146
SenseiArashi@WarrenBudokan.com
http://warrenbudokan.com

Crossroads Aikido *TAA*
Keith Sigler
Vandalia Parks and Recreation
Vandalia, OH
937-836-6252
ssigler@woh.rr.com

CSM Aikido *TAA*
Wade Current, 5th Dan
12475 State Route 29
Conover, OH
csmaikido@hotmail.com

Just This Aikido *TAA*
Moe Stevens, 6th Dan
The Mojo, 1470 Hiner Rd
Orient, OH
614-871-3268
mastevens@columbus.rr.com
www.justthisaikido.com

KCW Aikido Club *TAA*
Carol Apple, 5th Dan
Butler H.S. Student Athletic Center, 600 S. Dixie Dr
Vandalia, OH
capple555@hotmail.com

Mansfield Aikido Club *TAA*
Scott Calderhead, 5th Dan
Sensei Bob King, 5th Dan
Mansfield YMCA, 750 Scholl Rd
Mansfield, OH
scalderhead@neo.rr.com
www.mansfieldtomikiaikido.com

Piqua Tomiki Aikido *TAA*
Steve Wood, 6th Dan
Miami County YMCA, 223 West High St
Piqua, OH


Oklahoma


Windsong Dojo *Kaze Uta Budo Kai*
Nick Lowry, Aikido 8th, Judo 8th, Jyodo 8th
Oklahoma City, OK
phone: (405) 943-6246
Email: nick@windsongdojo.com
http://www.windsongdojo.com/

Autumn Wind Dojo
Jason Junkens, 5th Dan Aikido
Tahlequah, OK
Phone: (918) 633-4219
E-Mail: junkens@nsuok.com
http://www.budoarts.com/tahlequah

Charles Corey - Aikido
Charles Corey, Aikido 6th Dan
Edmond, Oklahoma
Phone: (405) 340-7918

Shobu Aiki Dojo *Jiyushinkai*
920 W. Britton Rd
Oklahoma City, OK
David Martin (5th dan)
405-364-3665
www.shobuaikidojo.com

Elk City Aikido Club
Paul Firth, Aikido 2nd Dan
Elk City, Oklahoma
Phone: (580) 821-1202
E-Mail: aikido@itlnet.net
http://www.itlnet.net/aikido

Hikari Aikido Dojo
Will Gable, Aikido 8th Dan
Edmond, Oklahoma
Phone: (405) 495-8128
E-Mail: angesan999@yahoo.com
http://hikariaikido.com/

Lawton Aikido
George K. Spriggs, Aikido 6th Dan
Lawton, OK
Phone: (580) 536-3697
http://www.lawtonaikido.com

Mountain Spirit Dojo
Mike Lewis, Aikido 2nd Dan
Claremore, Oklahoma
Phone: (918) 740-2958
E-Mail: mrmikesauto@sbcglobal.net

Stepwaters Dojo *Kaze Uta Budo* Kai
Jack Burdett, Aikido 4th Dan
Norman, OK
Phone: (405) 364-0966

Rafael Nerris, 4th Dan Aikido
Lawton, OK
Phone: (580) 353-7955
Email: rjjbn4@att.net

Wes Griffee, 3rd Dan Aikido
Phone: (580) 510-0309
Email: wesgriffee@sbcglobal.net

Preston Rash, 1st Dan Aikido
Stilwater, OK
Phone (405) 747-6444
Email: prestonrash@hotmail.com

Ed Cunliff
Edmond, OK
Phone (405) 341-2926
Email: mandoaiki@yahoo.com

Shadow Mountain Dojo
Jimmy Jones, 5th Dan Aikido
Claremore, OK
Phone: (918) 344-0938
Email: shadowmountaindojo@sbcglobal.net

Chuck Rowden, 3rd Dan Aikido
Claremore, OK
Phone: (918) 343-1393
Email: cwkjpr@rapidfire.net

Bruce Selby, 3rd Dan Aikido
Enid, OK
Phone: (580) 242-3356
Email: fritz10000000@aol.com

Tulsa Tomiki Aikido Club *TAA*
Dave Axe
111th and Memorial
Tulsa, OK
918-747-1260
ADaxaroo@aol.com

Tulsa Tomiki Aikido and Jujitsu *TAA*
William Sharp, 3rd Dan
8190 South Memorial
Tulsa, Oklahoma
918-459-0657
aikido21@cox.net

Lawton Aikido Club
J.W. Bode
Lawton Oklahoma
Phone:580-514-9915



Oregon


Portland Jiyushinkai Dojo *Jiyushinkai*
8440 SE 55th Ave
Portland, OR 97206
Steve Duncan, Chief Instructor
Yoko Sato, Instructor
503-775-5615


Pennsylvania


Philadelphia Judo and Aikido
John J. Disimone, 4th Dan
Philadelphia, PA
Phone: (215) 888-4354
E-Mail: phillyjudo@aol.com

Aikido of Pennsylvania *TAA*
David Thorne
Wayne, PA
610-687-1141
davidlthorne@cs.com


Tennessee


Red Dragon Martial Arts Center
John Kirby, Aikido 5th Dan
Jefferson City, TN
Phone: (865) 475-8510
http://www.rdkarate.com
E-Mail: jkirby00@hotmail.com


Texas



Clif Norgaard
Clif Norgaard, Aikido 9th Dan
Phone: (956) 793-1896

Kitae Dojo (Houston) *Jiyushinkai*
Denis Dorris
Phone: (281) 364-0531

Clear Creek Aikido *American Tomiki Aikido Association*
Tim Cleghorn
Clear Creek Aikido
11419 Hall Road
Houston, Tx
281-450-0373

Charles Harris Tae Kwon Do & Aikido
32932 Katy Freeway Suite 106
(Mason Creek Business Park)
Katy, Texas 77450

Ray Williams *Aikido America International*
League City, TX
E-Mail: rawilliams@sbcglobal.net
Phone: 281-338-4668

Aikibudokan *International Aikido Alliance*
L.F. Wilkinson 8th dan
Crown Door Business Park
5701 Bingle Road (at 290), Suite B - 101
Houston, Texas 77092-2155
713-826-5877
sensei@aikibudo-aikido.com

Full Circle Aikido *American Tomiki Aikido Association*
Jeff and Gail Duncan, Aikido 3rd dan
2707 Poage Circle
Killeen Tx 76543
(254)466-8980
Jeff@fullcircleaikido.com

Dallas Aikido Club
Mark Morgan, Aikido 6th Dan
Dallas, Texas
Phone: (972) 396-1438

Jita Kyoei Dojo *Jiyushinkai*
Chamberlain Studios of Self-Defense
Bill Parker, Aikido 4th dan
2739 Bachman Drive
Dallas, TX 75220
phone: 214-351-5367


Denton Aikido Club *Kaze Uta Budo Kai*
Jack Bieler, 7th Dan Aikido
Denton, Texas
Phone: (940) 382-0780
E-Mail: jjbieler@airmail.net
http://www.dentonaikido.com

Karl Geis Judo School, Inc.*Fugakukai*
Karl Geis, Aikido 10th Dan
Houston, Texas 77080-7611
Phone: (713) 468-4879
http://www.karlgeis.net

Robert Graham - Aikido
Robert Graham, Aikido 4th Dan
Pottsboro, Texas
Phone: (903) 786-2715

Kihara Budo System *Fugakukai*
Rianard Jackson, Aikido 7th Dan
Corpus Christi, Texas
Phone: (512) 882-9655
http://home.swbell.net/rianardj/aikido_jodoswbell2.html

Tim Joe's School Judo-Aikido *Fugakukai*
Tim Joe, Aikido 9th Dan
Amarillo, Texas
Phone: (806) 353-1011

Weatherford Aikido Club
Robert Himes, Aikido 2nd Dan,
Nathan Himes, Aikido 2nd Dan
Weatherford, TX
Phone: Robert (817) 374-3368;
Nathan (817) 565-7452
E-Mail: nathan_himes@yahoo.com
http://www.weatherfordaikido.com

Galvan's Martial Arts
Emmanuel Galvan, Aikido 1st Dan
Brownsville, TX
(956) 504-5566
http://www.galvansmartialarts.com

KyuRyu AikiBudo *Kaze Uta Budo Kai* *A.T.A.A.*
(South Austin)
Eric Pearson, 4th Dan Aikido
Glen "Scooter" Dembowski, 1st dan Aikido
Austin, TX
(512) 947-9585
Email: thedragonsorb@gmail.com

Austin Center For Martial Arts or Austin Budokan
(I-35 and 51st)
Zdenek Matl, 9th dan Judo
Eric Pearson, 4th Dan Aikido
Austin, TX
(512) 947-9585
Email: thedragonsorb@gmail.com


Aikibudo Dojo
Russell Waddell, 6th dan Aikido
1128 W. Main
Lewisville, Texas 75067

Bonsai Dojo *Kaze Uta Budo Kai*
James Bedwell, Aikido 5th Dan
Shelby Bedwell, Aikido 2nd Dan
Arlington, TX
Phone: (817) 563-6769
WWW: http://sites.google.com/site/bedwellaikido
E-Mail: james_bedwell@sbcglobal.net


Washington


David Sipe, 1st Dan Aikido
Anacortes, WA
Phone:(360) 395-5829

Jiyushinkan *Jiyushinkai*
Monroe, WA
Aaron Clark, Dojocho Aikido 6th dan
C. Clark, Chief Instructor Aikido 8th dan
Phone: (360) 863-2627


West Virginia


Almost Heaven Aikido/Judo Academy
John C. Allen, 8th Dan Aikido
Parkersburg, WV
Phone: (304) 991-2150
Email: ajohntori@aol.com
http://almost-heaven-aikido-judo.com/

The Tomiki Aikido Club of West Virginia University
*Aikido America International*
Dr. Marc Kantorow
Morgantown, West Virginia
Phone: 304-293-5201, ext 2557

Yamada Senta Sensei

It is with deep sadness and regret to announce the passing of, Senta Yamada Sensei, who died at 5pm on the 8th August 2010, after battling with Pancreatic Cancer. His daughter, Tomiko, was at his bedside, lovingly nursing him throughout his illness. He was 86 years old. John & Pepi Waite........., Peter Martin and Adrian Walters, managed to visit Yamada sensei a few times during their visit to Fukuoka and although he was in too much pain to speak they did manage to obtain recognition from him by the way he smiled and held their hands.He will be greatly missed by all his Family and many, many Friends worldwide.The funeral will be held on Thursday the 12th of August.

Nothing Is Original

Some Dai San thoughts

I have been working through some of the problems of the Tomiki Koryu Dai San kata lately. I will try to make Wilkinson Sensei (my internet kata enthusiast friend) happy and practice them more regularly. The Koryu Dai San is a large 2 person collection of techniques.

To be honest I am not always the biggest fan nor advocate of the rigid and overly structured kata system. There are hundreds of redundant techniques piled haphazardly together in this gargantuan system.

But not to keep my students from being exposed to the katas, we have been digesting various pieces from time to time. I am beginning to find a new relationship with the higher kata of the Tomiki system. They remind me of chess puzzles. In chess they have puzzles that are the last few moves of a game. They take the skills you have, and allow you to exercise them in a particular context. Thus, the theory might be that it exercises the mind to play effectively in more circumstances and with differing patterns. Ok I buy it. They may not be the meat and potatoes of the system, but they may be a useful game to play.

To add one stipulation though, I do find that I change the techniques around my ideal of what aikido should be. , but I will fix all the bad ideas as I go. Isn't that the way it should be? (I can already hear the strict kata buffs groaning and gnashing their teeth.)

Differing connections through weapons

I feel that the usual Aikido weapons ciriculum is somewhat lacking. There is the Jo and Bokken. Sometimes the tanto is used, bit only to be taken away.

In the history of Aikido we see OSensei exploring and using a variety of implements. I know he studied spear, jo and sword. He has been pictured using fans. I read he even explored the naginata upon request. I think modern players can expand greatly upon his work.

So here at the Dragon's Orb blog I would like to suggest budoka start exploring different weapons and different connections through objects. Last week I posted a lovely randori with escrima men with sticks. At my dojo we can been using hula hoops, ropes, knives, double sticks, wakizashis and sai lately.

Today I have a short film with my favorite Silat teacher, Guru Maul. His scarf work is worthy of some deep study.

Tomiki and Ueshiba in Manchuria

I have been reading the histories of famed Aikido teachers Morihei Ueshiba , Kenji Tomiki, and Hideo Oba. Again and again it comes up that Kenji Tomiki went upon Ueshiba's request to teach budo in Manchuria. Ueshiba and his son went there yearly to teach and demonstrate. What bugs me is this is the period of the Manchurian invasion. This was a period of facist Japan at it’s worst. This was essentially Japan's lowest and bloodiest point, perhaps in it's entire history. The Japanese army marched in, committed mass executions, pillaged, raped, did sick medical experiments on civilians and enslaved a nation. And in the middle of it all we find famous teachers arming the military with aiki-budo techniques.
I would like to look at the political climate of the time to understand what Ueshiba and Tomiki were doing in China during this dark time.



The War In Manchuria

“The Mukden Incident, also known as the Manchurian Incident, was an early event in the Second Sino-Japanese War, although full-scale war would not start until 1937. On September 18, 1931, near Mukden (now Shenyang) in southern Manchuria, a section of railroad owned by Japan's South Manchuria Railway was dynamited.[1] The Imperial Japanese Army, accusing Chinese dissidents of the act, responded with the invasion of Manchuria, leading to the establishment of Manchukuo the following year. While the responsibility for this act of sabotage remains a subject of controversy, the prevailing view is that Japanese militarists staged the explosion in order to provide a pretext for war.”

Wikipedia

“Following the Mukden Incident in 1931 and the subsequent Japanese invasion of Manchuria, Inner Manchuria was proclaimed as an independent state, Manchukuo. The last Manchu emperor, Puyi, was then placed on the throne to lead a Japanese puppet government in the Wei Huang Gong, better known as "Puppet Emperor's Palace". Inner Manchuria was thus formally detached from China by Japan to create a buffer zone to defend Japan from Russia's Southing Strategy and, with Japanese investment and rich natural resources, became an industrial powerhouse. However, under Japanese control Manchuria was one of the most brutally run regions in the world, with a systematic campaign of terror and intimidation against the local Russian and Chinese populations including arrests, organized riots, and other forms of subjugation.[26] The Japanese also began a campaign of emigration to Manchukuo; the Japanese population there rose from 240,000 in 1931 to 837,000 in 1939 (the Japanese had a plan to bring in 5 million Japanese settlers into Manchukuo).[27] Hundreds of Manchu farmers were evicted and their farms given to Japanese immigrant families.[28] Manchukuo was used as a base to invade the rest of China, an action that was very costly to Japan in terms of the damage to men, matériel and political integrity.”

Kenji Tomiki in Manchuria

From Aiki News #128 by Stanley Pranin

Aikido Journal

“Relocating to Manchuria in March 1936, Tomiki became a part-time instructor at Daido Gakuin and taught aikibudo to the Kanton Army and the Imperial Household Agency. In the spring of 1938, he was appointed to the staff of the newly established Kenkoku University in what was then Shinkyo (present-day Changchun). This appointment came about due to Tomiki’s connection with Ueshiba’s Kobukan Dojo. As a historical note, Rinjiro Shirata, one of Ueshiba’s best prewar students, was originally selected for the Kenkoku University post, but was forced to bow out following his conscription into the Japanese Imperial Army in 1937.”
“Tomiki was living in a house in Daiyagai in Shinkyo where he also operated a private dojo. This was in addition to his teaching activities at Kenkoku University. He taught people from the town and commuted to the Military Police Training Hall and the university. Another top prewar student of Ueshiba named Shigemi Yonekawa also lived with Tomiki for a time and assisted him in his teaching duties.”

“ Largely through Tomiki’s efforts, aiki training become a compulsory subject for students of judo and kendo, and therefore he sent for his close associate Hideo Oba, then a 5th dan, from Akita in order to develop a teaching staff. Also, Morihei Ueshiba made regular fall trips to Manchuria during these years also to conduct classes at Kenkoku University. Professor Tomiki made great strides during the Manchuria years in fleshing out his theory of rikaku taisei. This term refers to the use of techniques for dealing with attacks by an opponent separated from the defender. This was part of Tomiki’s view of a “complete judo” which encompassed two parts: “grappling judo” (kumi judo) which equated to Kodokan Judo, and “separated judo” (hanare judo) which was equivalent to aikido.”

“Ueshiba began to adopt the dan ranking system about this time and promoted Tomiki to 8th dan in 1940. Tomiki was the first person to receive this rank from Ueshiba and this honor reflected the high regard in which he was held by the aikido founder. For the next four years, during the summer months Tomiki would visit Japan where he would give instruction to senior judo dan holders at the Kodokan.”

Seated front: Kenji Tomiki and Morihei Ueshiba; standing right: Hideo Oba. Photo taken in 1942 in front of Shimbuden Hall of Kenkoku University, Manchuria

So what was this university in occupied Manchuria? From what I have been able to piece together, the university was a wing of the fascist mass party, manipulated and controlled by the Japanese military, mobilizing rather than responding to popular opinion. Students entering the "Great Unity" college charged with training civil servants (Daido Gakuin, founded 1932) It appears that great numbers of Japanese citizens were being shipped over to Manchuria to repopulate and take over government control. I surmise that this university was a education center to educate a populace in the takeover to help run a puppet government set up on the mainland.
Kenji Tomiki’s work in Manchuria was going on with a backdrop of tyranny. The following atrocities happened the year after Kenji Tomiki arrived in Manchuria.

Link

“When the victorious Japanese poured in, they brought wholesale carnage. Frightened Chinese who made the mistake of running - or standing still - were bayoneted or shot. Houses were entered repeatedly and their trembling occupants robbed, beaten and raped. One young Chinese girl brought on a stretcher to a missionary hospital more than a month after the city's fall described how she had been carried off from her home and kept in a hovel for 38 days at the pleasure of her Japanese captors, who attacked her as many as 10 times a day. Chinese men suspected of having served as soldiers were tied together in groups and machinegunned, used for bayonet or hand-grenade practice or simply doused with gasoline and set afire. According to evidence collected by members of the International Relief Committee, more than 40,000 unarmed Chinese were slaughtered by one means or another during the atrocities at Nanking.”

While by no means am I accusing Kenji Tomiki of participating in these crimes, I think it is worth noting he could not have been ignorant of the terrible oppression that was going on all around him. There he was in the true bloody beginning of the Second World War watching his nation devour another right at the front lines.

“Mr. Tomiki was actually recruited from the Kobukan Dojo to go to Manchuria by Hideki Tojo. Tojo had become the provost marshal of the Guangdong Army sometime before Kenkoku University was established. Mr. Tomiki came to Manchuria and set up the Tomiki Dojo in Daiyagai. Mr. Tomiki came to Manchuria and set up the Tomiki Dojo in Daiyagai. He was the Manchukuo government’s official aiki bujutsu teacher at Daido Gakuin and also an instructor to the military police. Kenkoku University was established a little later, in 1938, and from then on Hideo Oba taught the military police while Mr. Tomiki went to Kenkoku University as an assistant professor.….The military police took their aiki bujutsu training very seriously.” (Pranin, Aikido Journal)

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When I look at the entire picture of the times it becomes clear to me that the entire staff of famed aikido teachers that actively taught in Manchuria were a product of this dark time. Somehow these great men got caught in the cogs of the fascist machine of imperial Japan. While each individual may have been innocent of war crimes, I think if we look realistically at the dark history of Japan at the pivotal time in the evolution of aikido we see them giving the weapons of budo to those who would use them for aggression and harm.
Perhaps it is in the face of these darkest times, we find the true birth of aikido. Perhaps after seeing the evil of war we may understand why Morihei Ueshiba switched gears and after the war he sought a more peaceful path.

Aikido Journal

“To continue, Ueshiba’s religious and ethical views assumed greater importance in his concept of budo due to the physical and psychological devastation Japan suffered during World War II. Aikido in its modern form developed during the founder’s intensive period of study in Iwama which spanned the period of 1942 through the mid-1950s. Ueshiba’s main impact on aikido during the postwar period was in a spiritual and symbolic sense, rather than technical.”

More readings about Tomiki and Ueshiba in Manchuria
Aikido Journal