Читать книгу Complete Aikido. Aikido Kyohan: The Definitive Guide to the Way of Harmony онлайн

62 страница из 78

Even with his near constant study at the Hombu, Suenaka from time to time took a few days to travel from dojo to dojo to observe and study other styles, both familiar and foreign. Suenaka visited dojos not only in Tokyo, but in Shizuoka, Nagano, Beppu, Osaka, and other cities. Many of these visits were part of his travels with O’Sensei, Tohei Sensei, and other uchi deshi as part of teaching assignments, both during his time at Tachikawa and during his subsequent years in Okinawa (discussed later), but just as many were undertaken alone. (Note: Many of the events described hereinafter occurred over a period of several years, for reasons which will also be addressed later.)

Suenaka Sensei with judo Meijin (10th dan master) Kazuo Ito at the Kodokan in Tokyo; Winter, 1969

One of the first places Suenaka visited was the Kodokan, established in 1882 by judo founder Jigoro Kano, the Mecca for judoka worldwide as much as the Aikikai Hombu is for aikidoka. It was there that Suenaka met Meijin Kyuzo Mifune, one of the world’s most celebrated judoka, and Meijin Kazuo Ito, under whom Suenaka studied whenever he was at the Kodokan. Suenaka had the great honor and good fortune of occasionally practicing with Mifune Sensei: “He threw me around quite a few times!,” recalls Suenaka. “It was very pleasurable being thrown around by him; it was like being used as an uke by O’Sensei.” Suenaka also studied from time to time under Ito contemporary Sumiyuki Kotani, but it was Ito Sensei with whom he spent most of his time. The judo and jujutsu master, at the time in his early sixties, took the young Hawaiian under his wing, and the two soon developed a relationship much like Suenaka’s relationship with O’Sensei, with Suenaka serving as Ito’s deshi whenever he was at the Kodokan. One might think O’Sensei would have discouraged Suenaka’s study of other arts, but the contrary proved to be true. It was precisely because of Suenaka’s pre-aikido experience in judo, kempo, and jujutsu that the Founder gave his blessing to Suenaka’s extracurricular studies. Indeed, O’Sensei made a point of discussing Suenaka’s outside studies with him whenever he returned to the Hombu: “He would ask me how they were teaching, and what I thought about them. Of course, he was very happy when I told him that nothing compared to aikido!” Ultimately, in his position as president of the Kodokan promotional board, it was Ito Sensei who, in 1970, encouraged Suenaka Sensei to request promotion to sandan (third degree black belt) in judo and jujutsu, and who personally awarded him those ranks; his dual certificate is signed by Ito Sensei and Risei Kano, son of Jigoro Kano.