Shodokan Aikido History
As this is the Aikido style that is practised at York Aikido club, I have devoted a little more space to it than to the others in the chapter Aikido Styles.
This school was developed by Tomiki Kenji and Oba Hideo just after WW2 in Japan. Contrary to many styles of Aikido there is an element of competition. The two aspects of competition are Embu and Randori shiai. Embu is the demonstration of kata which is then judged and scored. Randori shiai is where two Aikidoka compete against each other so as to test their skills, similar to Judo competition. This development of competition created a schism with the Aikikai, the traditional Aikido style. However, Ueshiba Morihei, the founder of Aikido, himself never excommunicated Tomiki. Nowadays, competitions are held by some Yoshinkan and Ki Society organisations as well as Shodokan Aikido.
In the autumn of 1926 Tomiki Kenji was introduced to Ueshiba and became his uchi deshi (in house student). In 1938 Tomiki moved to the newly established Kenkoku University. He was lecturing in budo (martial art) and was in charge of a new course in aikibudo (the name used by Ueshiba at that time) on the curriculum. In 1936 he became a lecturer at the Daido Institute that had been established in Manchukuo. Between 1940 and 1942 Ueshiba visited Manchukuo and took great pleasure demonstrating aikibudo. In 1940 Ueshiba established a grading system and gave Tomiki a Menkyo Kaiden (high level certificate) which was later converted to an 8th dan, the first ever given by Ueshiba.
Manchukuo was taken during WW2 and Tomiki spend three years in a prison camp. It is from this time that he developed the solo training exercises practiced at the start of each class. In 1949 he became a teacher of physical education in Waseda University and in 1951 he became an instructor in the university judo club. This is where Tomiki, at the request of the University, first decided to create a way in which Aikido could be used to test the ability of practitioner against resistance. He used the principles he learnt from Kano Jigaro, the founder of judo, to develop randori and competition as a learning tool. This is what lead to a schism with the Aikikai.
Tomiki was also a Judo player of great skills and studied under Kano for many years. It is Kano who insisted that Tomiki should study under Ueshiba. Outside of the martial art arena, Tomiki is also known for his extraordinary skills in calligraphy.
Tomiki continued to teach Aikido after his retirement in 1970. On the 9th March 1975 the Japan Aikido Association was established. Tomiki died on the 25th December 1979, aged 79 years.
Nariyama Tetsuro, the current head of Shodokan Aikido, started learning Aikido in 1966 and quickly became Tomiki's main student. Nariyama was sent by Tomiki to train as an uchi deshi of Kobayashi. Kobayashi was one of Ueshiba's last official uchi deshi. Nariyama had the opportunity to train with two people who had learnt from Ueshiba at opposite ends of his life. Today, Nariyama is the Chief Technical Director of the Japan Aikido Association (JAA) and the head of the Shodokan Honbu dojo (head school of Shodokan Aikido).
It is easy to spot Shodokan practitioners as they do not wear a hakama (long trousers). Within competitions, it was seen as another source of injuries and therefore was eliminated. Most Yoshinkan practitioners do not wear the hakama either, however, on some really formal occasions, hakama will be worn.
Yann Golanski, 2nd Dan 7th September 2005
Source
Albright, Scott (2002) Aikido and Randori: Reconciliation of Two Opposing Forces The Crowood Press.
Shioda, Gozo et al. (1997) Total Aikido: The Master Course Kodansha Europe.
Shishida, Fumiaki & Nariyama, Tetsuro (2002) Aikido: Tradition and the Competitive Edge Shodokan Publishing USA.
Ueshiba, Morihei et al. (1996) Budo: Teachings of the Founder of Aikido Kodansha Europe.