Screencast: Focus on History — “Morihei demonstrates jodori with his son, Kisshomaru”

In this screencast, Stanley Pranin presents an unusual photo of Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba shot around 1961. The Founder is shown handling a jo thrust attack from his son, Kisshomaru Ueshiba.

Duration: 4:40 minutes
Access: paid subscribers

Transcript of screencast
Hi, I’m Stanley Pranin, and welcome to another episode of “Focus on History”

Today, we have another unusual photo to show you. Of course, on the right is Morihei Ueshiba, the Founder of Aikido, and I would estimate him to be about 77 years old. That would date the photo to around 1961. Morihei’s partner is none other than his son, Kisshomaru Ueshiba, who would have been about 40 at this time.

Notice that both father and son are dressed formally on this occasion. They appear to be inside a tatami room, perhaps in a private residence. Chances are that this was a private aikido demonstration given before some prominent individual or small group. It may have have taken place before a politician, a wealthy businessman, perhaps a religious group, or in a similar setting.

O-Sensei’s demonstration was no doubt accompanied by a lecture in which he mentioned aikido’s universal principles, and social goals, with a liberal sprinkling of the names of various Shinto deities from out of the “Kojiki.” As aikidoka, you should be familiar with the “Kojiki,” which is Japan’s collection of creation stories and myths, roughly analagous to the Bible. This ancient text contains many of the stories and metaphors that Morihei would draw upon when explaining aikido’s principles.

Now notice that Kisshomaru is executing a thrust with a jo. O-Sensei has stepped off the attack line and has unbalanced his partner. Look at the Founder’s posture and the fact that his hip has rotated in order to arrive at this position. He is controling his partner using a light pressure on his neck.

Morihei would almost always use weapons–both the ken and jo–when demonstrating aikido. His concept of the art embodied weapons principles. Both the naginata–a shaft or pole with a mounted blade–and the sword figure in the mythological tales of the “Kojiki.” Morihei practiced with the juken, or wooden bayonet, bokken, jo, naginata, the yari, or spear, etc. throughout his martial arts’s career. He also attended numerous kobudo demonstrations over the years where various classical weapons were demonstrated. Morihei had an uncanny ability to “steal” important principles and techniques through such observations.

Interestingly enough, the Second Doshu, Kisshomaru Ueshiba also had some training in weapons. He practiced kendo as a boy, and his brother-in-law, Morihiro Ueshiba, better known as Kiyoshi Nakakura, was a famous kendoka and iaido expert. Kisshomaru also spent a couple of years studying Kashima Shinto-ryu weapons in Morihei’s Kobukan Dojo as a teenager. As he grew older, he would often serve as his father’s partner in demonstrations using the bokken or jo, as you see in this picture.

This is really a precious photo and unusual for its quality. The copy in our archives comes from the Fukiko Sunadomari collection.

Well, that concludes my comments on today’s photo. I hope you’ve enjoyed learning a bit more about O-Sensei and his times.

I create these videos because I love this work. I find the life of Morihei and the history of the development of aikido to be a fascinating subject. If you’re viewing this video, I think you may perhaps be a kindred spirit. You allow me to pursue my passion. Arigato gozaimashita!

And thanks for joining me on another episode of “Focus on History.” See you again soon!

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Related posts:

1. Screencast: Focus on History — “Morihei Ueshiba’s Ill-starred Mongolian Expedition,” by Stanley Pranin
2. Screencast: Focus on History — “Morihei Ueshiba’s Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu Teaching Certification,” by Stanley Pranin
3. Living History: Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba’s 1974 Demonstration in Los Angeles by Stanley Pranin
4. Interview with Morihei Ueshiba and Kisshomaru Ueshiba
5. Video: Minoru Hirai demonstrates Korindo Aikido (member video)
6. Video: Kisshomaru Ueshiba — Private Demonstration at Aikikai Hombu Dojo, 1964 (member video)
7. Audio: Kisshomaru Ueshiba interview, May 30, 1978

Tags: Aiki Jo, Kisshomaru Ueshiba, member-video, Morihei Ueshiba, screencast, video