Important Understandings – Clarified

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Having received an insightful response to the blog Important Understandings, I am posting my response here in the hope that it might provide further clarification:

Hi Fred,

Thank you for your response. You bring up some important points that are often overlooked and/or misunderstood.

Fred: Hi Allen, great blog,

It is interesting that you use the atemi metsu boshi as example. 

This is the first atemi in the tomiki series. 

If you look at the other 4 atemi that tomikistandardised disruption of balance seems to be the goal. 

Here, I pull a direct quote from a blog which succinctly sums up the history and purpose of Tomiki’s standardized Atemi waza:

“Around 1956, Kenji Tomiki introduced a Randori method in Aïkidō. It was an attempt to create a safe but efficient method for sparring along the lines of Kodokan Judō Randori.

Old style jujutsu atemi waza was an attack to the vital points of the human body. Attacking vital points was an action that leads to injury or death.

Kenji Tomiki offered another interpretation of the use of atemi waza. Attacking physiological weaknesses in the body can be carried out with low impact.

The aim of the new method of “atemi waza” is to create “kuzushi” and throw the opponent with the least amount of force.”

https://studygrouptomikiaikido.blog/2023/05/13/atemi-waza-tomiki-style/

Kenji Tomiki had no need to incorporate atemi waza into the “Jujutsu” he had learned from Ueshiba Morihei. Atemi waza had been an integral part of the practice for quite some time. Tomiki’s MODIFICATION was to transform the former deadly atemi into a “new method of “atemi waza” “to create kuzushi” and throw the opponent with minimal force akin to Kodokan Judo Randori.

Tomiki was taught lethal atemi techniques along with “Jujutsu” by none other than Ueshiba Morihei. Today, it is a fact that tends to be overlooked, regarded superficially, or deliberately disregarded, likely because it appears to contradict “the way to harmony.” Ueshiba Morihei and the soldiers he trained throughout much of his active teaching career had no doubts about the combat effectiveness of his techniques. Indeed, it is a known fact that during World War II, Tomiki Kenji wrote a letter to Admiral Takeshita, suggesting that the military should place greater emphasis on teaching Ueshiba’s “Jujutsu” rather than Judo, due to its superior practicality in combat.

A Letter from Kenji Tomiki to Isamu Takeshita

Here, it is interesting to note, that it wasn’t just Ueshiba Kisshomaru and Tohei Koichi that changed Aikido’s content and practice after the war. Obviously Tomiki Kenji and others did as well. Ironically, they may have all shared similar reasons for altering the art as learned from Ueshiba Morihei, albeit in different ways.

The changes made were not limited to modifying techniques. Due to the complexity and challenges associated with learning internal power and Aiki, it is evident that numerous aspects of the curriculum in both Judo and Aikido have been altered or omitted.

“At one point after meeting Morihei Ueshiba, Kenji Tomiki had a conversation with Jigoro Kano about the spectacular feats that Ueshiba had demonstrated to him. Kano’s reply was – “there used to be many people who could do those things, but how to transmit it, that’s the issue!”

https://www.facebook.com/aikidosangenkai

Fred: In that sense, atemi is a form of kuzushi and an opponent which has kuzushi applied to him is non-resistant (and vulnerable to aiki or other technique) until he recovers his balance. 

Well, this gets into semantics a bit, but “ate” means to “hit,” and “mi” is “somebody.” So atemi means to deliver a “hit” or “strike” to “somebody.” Kuzushi is one character meaning to “unbalance an opponent.” So atemi can lead to kuzushi. And kuzushi can be the result of atemi. But atemi is not a form of kuzushi.

The point that I had hoped to make in my blog was: By definition, one DOES NOT require kuzushi for Aiki to be effective. Using the bicycle as an example, there is no need or desire for kuzushi, but there is Aiki. [Perhaps it could be argued that if one were an unwitting passenger on the bicycle one might have a psychological sense of kuzushi. This is how much of Aiki no Jutsu works. Uke’s strong self-contained triangular structure unwittingly “goes for a ride” on Tori’s circular structure (Aiki akin to a bicycle) but can’t figure out how or why. This is due to the fact that Uke, as an unwitting passenger, doesn’t necessarily experience physical kuzushi, but finds themselves moving anyway.]

It is generally recognized that one DOES require kuzushi to be vulnerable to the effect of a Jujutsu and/or Judo waza. Tsukuri, Kuzushi, Kake are the common elements required for nage waza. Kuzushi is mentioned in this article written by Tomiki sensei: https://judoinfo.com/tomiki/ These three are recognized as standard elements of Judo. https://www.bestjudo.com/blog/03236/khadaji/kuzushi-tsukuri-kake-fundamentals-judo

Here we see a fundamental conundrum faced within much of Daito Ryu and Aikido. Both Daito Ryu and Aikido, at least at one time, contained Jujutsu, Aiki Jujutsu and Aiki no Jutsu. Therefore, it should come as no surprise to find elements of Jujutsu in Daito Ryu and Aikido. This being true, one should find Tsukuri, Kuzushi, and Kake at play within these arts.

Aiki no Jutsu can exist within Daito Ryu or Aikido. If it does, one ought to readily find the attributes of Aiki. And, as stated earlier, Aiki doesn’t necessarily require the elements of Jujutsu. Aiki no Jutsu may appear similar to “poor” Jujutsu or Judo at times, lacking Tsukuri, Kuzushi, and Kake. However, the remarkable thing about authentic Aiki is that it remains effective despite these differences. This is what makes “good” Aiki no Jutsu” difficult to spot. Remember, Aiki isn’t visible. Only the effects of Aiki are visible. As a consequence, Aiki no Jutsu commonly “looks” fake. Moreover, to exacerbate the situation, those self-proclaiming Aiki abilities frequently turn out to indeed be fraudulent! However, those who truly have Aiki definitely feel authentic. In other words, it has to be felt! BTW, this is different from claiming, “Well if I did Aiki for real I’d have to hurt you!” One can ride a bike (use Aiki) without employing “deadly techniques.”

This brings us to Aiki Jujutsu. With Aiki Jujutsu it should come as no surprise to find elements of both Jujutsu and Aiki at play. Therefore, there can be Tsukuri, Kuzushi, and Kake present, just as there ought to be Aiki as well.

In martial application, it seems to me that to rely upon Aiki no Jutsu alone might be risky. “Even monkeys fall from trees.” Following the same rational, if one has some Aiki ability, why rely upon Jujutsu alone? Therefore, I would seem prudent to apply Aiki Jujutsu. Perhaps that is why the term Aiki Jujutsu was used with such frequency by practitioners of Daito Ryu, including Ueshiba Morihei. But that is just a supposition on my part.

The mechanism of Aiki is different from the mechanism Jujutsu and Judo. Keep in mind that Jujutsu and Judo can still incorporate the principles of Aiki, just as Aikido can incorporate the principles of Jujutsu or Judo. The fact that these two are often confused is the whole purpose of TrueAiki.com. One often finds a masterful application of Jujutsu and/or Judo confused with Aiki. Yet they are different things. When Daito Ryu divides teaching into Jujutsu, Aikijujutsu and Aiki no Jutsu, this is patently clear. The creation of a separate category by the Butokukai to accommodate what Ueshiba Morihei taught speaks volumes about their shared belief that it was indeed different.

Fred: Would this be an extension of the concept that you put forward ? 

Actually, No. I don’t think so. Perhaps it would be how Ueshiba’s “Jujutsu” was modified by Tomiki Kenji to better fit better suit public consumption. However, they are no longer qualitatively the same thing.

You see, when I brought up Metsu Boshi, I wasn’t quoting Tomiki Kenji, I was quoting Shirata Rinjiro. However, it is worth noting that they were both students of Morihei Ueshiba, who imparted to them the fundamental form of atemi. This form of atemi would later be modified by Tomiki for competition, given lip service by some, or completely discarded by others. Atemi as described by Ueshiba Morihei’s was, “One strike can kill.”

Obviously O-sensei didn’t make a habit of killing people in practice. In my personal opinion, it is equally disrespectful to pass judgment on the past words and actions of Ueshiba Morihei, as it is to misrepresent his words and actions in the present. Recognizing all the facts, even those that may be uncomfortable, is crucial in order to avoid repeating past mistakes.

War always brings suffering and loss, even for the winners. Ueshiba Morihei understood that there is no magic art that can ensure the safety of everyone involved in a violent encounter. Remember Ueshiba Morihei suffered prolonged injury after being “stabbed” by mokuju upon inviting his students to attack him at any time. And Ueshiba’s strongest student at the time was bayoneted to death in a conflagration with some Japanese soldiers. There is no such thing as an “Invincible Warrior.” This knowledge can motivate one to avoid violent confrontation when possible.

I think that it is important to recognize that change is inevitable. Takeda Sokaku seems to have taught different content to different groups. Ueshiba Morihei did the same. Tomiki Kenji, Shirata Rinjiro, Kisshomari Ueshiba, Tohei Koichi, etc. were all different. I certainly am different from my teachers. Claiming to learn exactly all that one’s teacher taught and transmitting that knowledge precisely as learned may seem admirable, but it seems highly unlikely.

Thanks again Fred for your insightful contributions and willingness to ask questions. As you can see, they help to get me behind the keyboard!

All the best,

Allen