Shoshinkan/Tomiki/Shodokan

**Darthmaul** · 10-31-2006, 07:16

Shoshinkan Aikido
Tomiki Aikido
Shodokan Aikido - What is the difference?

**Darthmaul** · 10-31-2006, 07:40

My understanding is that Shodokan and Tomiki Aikido are/should be the same structured syllabus. I have found this is not the case for all clubs in the uk. Seems to be a clash of old and new. (http://homepage2.nifty.com/shodokan/en/index.html

Shoshinkan aikido - i have never heard of this style before untill today http://shoshinkan.bravehost.com/
Does anyone do this style?

**Aikidog** · 10-31-2006, 22:42

It sounds like they are all Tomiki schools. Shodokan is the proper name for Tomiki Aikido. The website for Shoshikan is not active any more, but if you do a google search, that website reads as the "Shoshikan school of Tomiki Aikido"....

Its all Tomiki to me......

**Aikitech** · 11-01-2006, 09:36

Sohrab is correct.

Shoshinkan appears to be the name of the particular dojo, that is all. The website indicates that their training lineage comes from Kenji Tomiki primarily via Dr. Lee Ah Loi. The club seems to be a member of the J.A.A. also.

**Darthmaul** · 11-07-2006, 07:41

Shoshinkan - does anyone know what this means in Japanese - also what does Shodokan mean as well?

Thanks

**Ron Tisdale** · 11-07-2006, 13:31

Depends on the kanji used...on a guess though, it might be something like the place to practice the beginner's mind??

Sho - begin / beginner
shin - heart / mind
kan - training hall

Best,
Ron

**Peter Rehse** · 11-07-2006, 19:17

Originally Posted by Darthmaul

Shoshinkan - does anyone know what this means in Japanese - also what does Shodokan mean as well?

Thanks

Shodokan is the name that Kenji Tomiki gave to his Honbu dojo and by extention the style.

Sho is a bit of a play on common threads. The dojo was built in Showacho, Osaka. The area was named after emperor Showa which translates enlightened peace.

Sho - enlightenment
Do - means way
Kan means place

**Shinkei** · 11-24-2006, 07:43

As one of the instructors of the Shoshinkan Schools of Traditional Tomiki Aikido I thought a clue might be in the name its the name of our group of clubs.

Shoshinkan teaches Tomiki Aikido as per Dr Lee ah Loi as both Greg Barton and myself were both long time students of hers. Our syllabus includes all of the koryu no kata as we feel that these kata should not be lost.

There are many clubs that practise Aikido in the way we do and not follow the Shodokan grading syllabus to the letter, in fact the Japan Aikido Association is in the process of addressing this issue with the formation of the JAA Shidokan headed by Shihan Kenshi Uno.

Shaun Hoddy

http://www.shoshinkanaikido.co.uk

**Peter Rehse** · 11-24-2006, 19:41

Originally Posted by Shinkei

There are many clubs that practise Aikido in the way we do and not follow the Shodokan grading syllabus to the letter, in fact the Japan Aikido Association is in the process of addressing this issue with the formation of the JAA Shidokan headed by Shihan Kenshi Uno.

Hmm that's interesting - I'll have to ask about that. As far as I know there are only two Shihan within the JAA and Uno is not one of them. He has had a small grouping of clubs - mainly in Russia.

**Aikitech** · 11-25-2006, 06:14

Originally Posted by Peter Rehse

Hmm that's interesting - I'll have to ask about that. As far as I know there are only two Shihan within the JAA and Uno is not one of them. He has had a small grouping of clubs - mainly in Russia.

Peter,

As you have rightly said, this is interesting. Please keep us up to date on any developments.

Shaun: How do you define "Traditional Tomiki Aikido"? I sense that your reason for using those particular words in description of your school were chosen for specific reasons? Am I correct in saying so?

Gambatte.

**Aikitech** · 11-25-2006, 06:17

On a separate note, having different sections of the JAA referring to themselves as Shidokan and Shodokan can get a bit confusing for non-native speakers imho.

Regards.

**Shinkei** · 11-25-2006, 06:25

We chose Traditional Tomiki Aikido as we teach the Aikido of Ohba Inoue and Dr Lee ah Loi although we include the Goshin Ho from the Shodokan syllabus.

Our aim is to keep all the Koryu No Kata alive. The JAA Shidokan has Uno driving it forward. The e-mail I was sent by him may have bee titled Shihan by him I will check at home. and let you know.

http://www.etaf.org.uk will give some information about the Shidokan division

Shaun

**Peter Rehse** · 11-25-2006, 22:29

As far as I know the JAA rankings beyond 4th Dan can only be given by the Shihan-bu - made up of Nariyama and Shishida.

I'll ask next week - the Japan nationals are today - but I wonder how integrated the JAA - Shidokan is with the JAA proper. I know Uno has a small dojo here in Japan but does travel abroad mainly to Eastern Europe. I'm pretty safe in saying that Shodokan (and that is the JAA) does not mind Tomiki practitioners looking to who they want and perhaps this is a reasonable out for those that don't want to follow Nariyama (Shodokan Shihan and technical director of the JAA) but I think its also pretty safe to say that the JAA has not split into divisions at least within Japan.

**Shinkei** · 11-26-2006, 04:39

[QUOTE=Peter Rehse]As far as I know the JAA rankings beyond 4th Dan can only be given by the Shihan-bu - made up of Nariyama and Shishida.

I can only speak from what happens in the UK. I know for a fact that the BAA and others have an arrangement with the JAA to issue JAA menjo up to the rank of Godan. This may be because the UK has had Tomiki Aikido since 1959 when Yamada can to the UK.

Shaun

**Aikitech** · 11-26-2006, 17:54

Did some checking on my own.

Apparenty the Shidokan refers to dojos in the J.A.A. that practice Aikido as per Tomiki Sensei's methodology but do not practice in exactly the same manner or strictly adhere to the syllabus as used in the Shodokan. I guess this way they are recognised as members of the J.A.A. but are not defined as Shodokan schools since their lineage may not come via Nariyama Shihan/Shodokan Honbu but via Dr. Loi or another teacher who studied directly under Tomiki Sensei. I guess this way the Shidokan folks get to honour Tomiki Sensei's desire to not have a style of Aikido named after him e.g. ("Tomiki" Aikido) while still having a special indentifying moniker within the J.A.A. system.

Seems all good to me. Just another part of the J.A.A. family.

Gambatte.

**Peter Rehse** · 11-26-2006, 19:35

Hi Shaun;

I tend to shy away from the politics (above my pay grade) and was only commenting on what I know here. If the JAA want to correct me or add something - I'll pass it on.

Cheers

**Peter Rehse** · 12-04-2006, 20:03

The Japan Aikido Association now has an official homepage.
http://www.aikido-kyokai.com/

I find it a bit cumbersome but I shouldn't complain. Its been necessary for quite some time from an organizational point of view.

For information on Kenji Tomiki and his teachings the Shodokan homepage is still the place to stop first but there are other good resources out there.
http://homepage2.nifty.com/shodokan/en/index.html

I'ld like some help getting the web presence up. It would help if Tomiki people could link it to their Aikido pages.

**Darthmaul** · 12-20-2006, 08:01

Peter, do you know if there is there an english version of http://www.aikido-kyokai.com/?

**shutterspeed** · 12-20-2006, 09:25

Would "New York Aikikai" be considered a style of Aikido?

**Aikitech** · 12-20-2006, 12:28

Originally Posted by shutterspeed

Would "New York Aikikai" be considered a style of Aikido?

Well I think Aikikai would be the name of the "style" or overall governing body of the New York Aikikai group. I put style in quotation marks because the Aikikai is supposed to be the Aikido mainstream, led by the direct descendants of Ueshiba M. so in a sense all the "styles" came out from the Aikikai.

Of course I reserve the right to be wrong.