Kisshomaru Ueshiba, son of Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba, was aikido’s Second Doshu. He was one of the most important influences in the spread of the art in the postwar era in Japan and abroad. Kisshomaru’s impact on aikido was felt strongly in a pedagogical, organizational, and especially after 1974, technical sense.
This particular demonstration is a part of a long-forgotten documentary on aikido. Kisshomaru Sensei’s uke is none other than Kazuo Chiba. The latter played a major role in the development of aikido in the UK, and later in the USA.
This performance presages the style of aikido that would become standardized among the modern generation of Aikikai-trained instructors. It is characterized by free-flowing techniques expressed in large, circular movements. The present Doshu, Moriteru Ueshiba, was heavily influenced by his father’s technical curriculum, and his demonstrations feature similar techniques.
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