Enmeikan Yoshinkan Aikido/ Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu iaiheiho

Enmeikan Yoshinkan Aikido/ Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu iaiheiho https://www.yoshinkan.net/indexE.html

https://iai-dojo.jp/dojo/%E5%A5%88%E8%89%AF%E9%BE%8D%E5%BF%83

I read, although I did not finish yet, an article on Sangen Kai’s page about the use of the elbow, and its misu...
08/22/2026

I read, although I did not finish yet, an article on Sangen Kai’s page about the use of the elbow, and its misunderstanding in aikido.
I have had this argument before on a Yoshinkan aikido page, which I no longer belong to, about this very thing, our misunderstanding of hiriki no yosei 肘力の養成 (elbow power). The kanji currently used for elbow is 肘, the kanji used by Inoue Kyoichi in his book was was 臂 which has a different implication.
I was told by a Japanese member that I was making to much of the kanji. Just do elbow power! I disagree, and that’s still after 32 years of Yoshinkan!
Here is a breakdown of what Inoue sensei wrote about, and he was the first generation of yudansha under Shioda sensei, and since we have not reproduced the level of Shioda sensei or Inoue sensei, maybe we had better reexamine our understanding!
Inoue Kyoichi used the kanji 臂力の養成 for "hiriki no yosei" (meaning the cultivation or training of arm/elbow power) in his Yoshinkan aikido instructional curricula and media.

Breakdown of the Kanji
* 臂 (hiri): Refers to the arm, specifically from the shoulder to the hand or the upper arm/elbow area used in sword-handling principles.
* 力 (ki/chikara): Power or strength.
* の (no): Possessive particle.
* 養成 (yōsei): Training, development, or fostering
The Chinese character 臂 (bì) means the arm, specifically the entire upper limb from the shoulder down to the wrist.

Role in Aikido Internal Power
* Tegatana (Hand-Sword): The arm functions as an extension of the core (hara) rather than a tool driven by isolated shoulder or bicep strength.
* Connection and Structure: Practitioners train the arm to remain "unbendable" through relaxed, aligned skeletal and fascial tension instead of muscular stiffness.
* Power Transmission: Internal power (kokyu-ryoku) relies on the arm acting as a conduit to channel ground reaction forces and core rotation directly into an opponent's point of contact.

I’ve always wondered why certain individuals of atrocious character can be “popular” amongst famous teachers. Or how “th...
03/27/2026

I’ve always wondered why certain individuals of atrocious character can be “popular” amongst famous teachers. Or how “thieves” who are treacherous in nature and had been lazy in their training, but yet through deceit become the head of schools can attract a following. I always wondered if those people were deaf, dumb and blind, then it dawned on me, nature’s rule never changes; like attracts like.
Hawks don’t roost with chickens.

This post is to collect my thoughts for my classes on the weekend. I will use Niten Ichi Ryu, not to offer the uninitiat...
03/24/2026

This post is to collect my thoughts for my classes on the weekend. I will use Niten Ichi Ryu, not to offer the uninitiated lessons in the seiho, or even the initiated for that matter as if you are not my student I am not invested in your practice (just saying)
In the world of Japanese budo we have a form of practice called seiho 勢法 in Niten, kata 型 in Hozoin Ryu, kata 形 in Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu and waza 技 in Yoshinkan aikido. They are not stories or what if scenarios, they are carefully thought out and taught in a fashion to rewire the mind and nervous system to fit the riai 理合 (the logic) of that school. In other words seiho, kata and waza are vessels to hold the logic of the school. I will use 9 techniques from Niten to illustrate my point, but although I am using Niten the same principle applies to the other schools. I will add one more thing, knowing one technique from the school does not inform you about the school. The sum of all the techniques in the school create the logic of said school, one question from one technique is probably answered in another technique.
In Niten we have several sets, I will use the first three techniques from three sets to explain a concept (not teach the complete concept of said techniques). Tachi seiho 太刀勢法, kodachi seiho 小太刀勢法 and Nito seiho 二刀勢法 first technique is sassen 指先 in tachi and kodachi and chudan 中段 (円相之構) in Nito. These are exactly the same technique, even if in Nito they don’t look the same. When uchitachi 打太刀 approaches sh*tachi 仕太刀 they must be aware of the dangers of approaching someone in a single handed gedan, what is open on themselves, this will effect the timing and distance and uchitachi should encourage sh*tachi by using the correct timing, distance and cadence.
Next is hasso ハ相 (left and right) in tachi seiho, chudan 中段 in kodachi seiho and Jodan 上段 (火之構) in nito seiho, these are also exactly the same technique. Uchitachi approaches shidachi differently in these forms because the threat is different, therefore the timing, distance and cadence are slightly different to the first technique, a little closer and slightly quicker.
The third technique is uke nagashi 受流 (left and right) in tachi seiho, uke nagashi 受流 in kodachi seiho and gedan 下段 (慄然) in nito seiho, these are also the same techniques. What is different in the approach from this technique and the first technique, especially since sh*tachi is in a single handed gedan in tachi and kodachi? Uchitachi shortens the timing, in other words the attack comes quicker! It’s not the same timing or cadence as the first one so it is teaching a different lesson.
Yoshinkan aikido is the same! What makes the difference between ikkajo 一ヶ条, nikajo 二ヶ条 and sankajo 三ヶ条 to name only a few? The movement of uke 受け creates the difference. Uke moves in a fashion that logically creates ikkajo, nikajo and sankajo, sh*te 仕手 doesn’t decide to force the technique, they flow with the most logical movement that invites that particular technique and uke most definitely does not stand there like a sandbag waiting for something to happen to them. This practice of waiting is what makes the practical aspect of aikido difficult to apply. I have had the great fortune of my profession to use what I have learned numerous times and it’s the flow of movement that has been burned into the body through countless hours of practice that has allowed me to effectively use the techniques learned.
Your mind and body should learn to read the cues of distance, timing, pressure, cadence to unconsciously apply the kata, seiho, waza learned in class!

31 years of Yoshinkan aikido. For 20 of those years I averaged 20 hours a week of training. I trained under Kimeda sense...
11/29/2025

31 years of Yoshinkan aikido. For 20 of those years I averaged 20 hours a week of training. I trained under Kimeda sensei and Payet sensei. I have also trained in seminars under all the big names in Yoshinkan (Inoue sensei, Takeno sensei, Chida sensei, Ando sensei, Chino sensei, Shioda sensei (Yasuhisa), Mustard sensei and Thambu sensei) I also trained for several years under Obata sensei. This belt, although not the original black belt that Kimeda sensei gave me (I bought this one in 2002 from Tozando. They discontinued this particular belt). I have put a lot of sweat in this belt! I remember, while living in Japan, coming home from training and hanging this belt up to dry out. Many times I would wake up in the morning to find a huge puddle of sweat under where the belt was hanging!!
Many years of sweat and effort. This belt carries a lot of memories for me.

30 years ago this year I started Yoshinkan aikido.
01/19/2024

30 years ago this year I started Yoshinkan aikido.

林崎甚助源の重信 Hayashizaki Jinsuke Minamoto no Shigenobu was born on this day, January 12th, 1542 in Dewa province 出羽国 (curren...
01/12/2024

林崎甚助源の重信 Hayashizaki Jinsuke Minamoto no Shigenobu was born on this day, January 12th, 1542 in Dewa province 出羽国 (currently Yamagata prefecture), Oushuu 奥州.
Very grateful for the gift of Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu iaiheiho 無双直伝英信流居合兵法 and all its permutations left to us today.

Happy New Year’s from Enmeikan よい大年お、円明館
12/30/2023

Happy New Year’s from Enmeikan よい大年お、円明館

07/23/2023

Last Fridays training in the nito seiho

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