0857296643
This fascinating booklet was a mini-reference manual for some of the very first Tomiki Aikido students in the UK with only 61 pages. It details basic ukemi, basic foot movements and basic hand movements and a basic set of 15 techniques, described in very simple steps with diagrams.
3 attack techniques
4 elbow techniques
4 wrist twist techniques
4 wrist turn techniques
These fifteen techniques reflect the development of a new Aikido teaching method by Tomiki Kenji who was the hightest ranking student of Morehei Ueshiba (O'Sensei) and Aikikai honbu instructor at the time. It is window into the development of the JuNanaHon or Randori-no-kata as Shodokan/Tomiki practitioners would be familiar with today.
The author, Senta Yamada was a direct student (uchi-deshi) of Morehei Ueshiba (who he thanks and denotes in the book as Dr. Ueshiba) and latterly of Tomiki Kenji (who he references) as Professor K. Tomiki.
Arriving to the U.K. in 1959 Senta Yamada taught Judo at the London Judo Society, however he also founded the Kikusui Kai Dojo and taught Aikido and Judo there until 1965 and is recognised as the father of Tomiki aikido in the UK.
But less well known was his visit to Ireland in the early 1960’s when he held an Aikido seminar in the old Judo H.Q. in Parkgate Street, Dublin.
Was this event the first introduction of Tomiki Aikido to Ireland?
1999 also saw Senta Yamada Sensei return to Ireland and hold aonther Aikido seminar in Dublin with Tallaght Tomiki Aikido Ryu being one of the proud sponsors of his visit.
