" Why is Shodokan Aikido, Also Known
As Tomiki Aikido, So Popular?"

Tomiki Aikido, also known as Shodokan Aikido is the style of aikido founded by Kenji Tomiki (1900–1979). It is sometimes referred to as Sport Aikido because it is the only style of aikido to hold regular competitions.

It focuses more on freestyle randori sparring than most other styles of aikido, and the training requires a balance between randori and stylized kata training.

Taking part in competitive randori depends on the dojo you train at, and there is a greater emphasis found in the university clubs.

In 1967 Kenji Tomiki built the Shodokan hombu dojo in Osaka, Japan, to teach, train and promote his Tomiki Aikido style. Shodokan Aikido is organised as the Japan Aikido Association (JAA).

Kenji Tomiki was probably more suited than anyone else in history to combine the disciplines of Judo and Aikido. During the 1920's and 1930's he studied intensively with both Jigoro Kano, the founder of modern Judo, and with Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido. He earned the rank of 8th Dan in both Judo and Aikido.

Tomiki Aikido aims to combine the competitive excitement of Judo with the spiritual serenity of traditional Aikido.

Aikido has a long history as one of the most important and dynamic expressions of Japan's long martial arts tradition. The aim of Aikido is to forgive your enemy and harmonize with any attack.

By using the aggressors own momentum, an aikidoka takes their balance, and controls an attack. Aikido's lessons of physical and mental self-discipline can be applied throughout your lifetime.

Morihei Ueshiba developed the martial art of Aikido from his combat studies of Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu with Sokaku Takeda, and his spiritual studies with the Omoto Kyo and Onisaburi Deguchi. The art of peace that focuses on harmony and non-resistance, leading to Aikido Success

Within the JAA there are two Shihan... Tetsuro Nariyama is the technical director of the JAA and chief instructor of the Shodokan hombu dojo in Osaka, Japan. Fumiaki Shishida is professor of intellectual history of the Japanese martial arts at Waseda University in Tokyo.

Together, they wrote a key monograph, in Japanese, called 'Aikido Coursebook', which describes the history of and many technical details about the Tomiki Aikido style. It was also translated into English and titled 'Aikido: Tradition and the Competitive Edge'.

Junanahon, the basic kata includes 17 basic techniques, with many variations, that are allowed in competition. The original self defense kata, includes a set of 50 weapons and empty-hand techniques.

The role of the tournament in Tomiki Aikido is to allow students to demonstrate their Aikido skills and to come together in friendship and harmony to learn from fellow Aikidoka. It recognises that both kata (choreographed moves) and randori (sparring) are essential.

Competitions take the form of tanto or toshu randori, and also enbu in which pairs (tori and uke) are judged on their kata.

Toshu randori is barehanded, and both aikidoka are expected to perform techniques on one another and attempt to resist and counter them. This is heavily influenced by judo randori.

In tanto randori, there is an attacker (tanto) and a defender (toshu). The attacker attempts to stab the defender with a training knife (usually rubber or stuffed) while the defender attempts, with any of seventeen basic aikido techniques, to throw or perform joint-locks on the attacker.

In both these forms of randori, the traditional separation between the performer of technique (tori) and the receiver of technique (uke) no longer exists as either of the participants may throw their opponent.

Many aikido instructors and students think that Tomiki Aikido goes outside of the teachings of Morihei Ueshiba because of the competitive training.

But, in my opinion, many aikidoka intentionally resist techniques in traditional dojo's. This is often done in a more subtle and conscious or subconscious way... but it is there all the same. Removing this resistance (ego) is one of the main aims in practising the art of aikido.

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