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Michael’s
Letter
Nippon Kan and Homma Kancho receive many
letters, phone calls and
emails every week. Most are questions about Aikido such
as; When do beginners’ classes start?, Where can I buy
a keiko
gi (practice uniform)?, What is a kototama?,
How do I learn ukemi?, or my personal favorite;
How long does it take to get a black belt?…
Some of the requests and questions are simple,
and some are very complicated questions to answer.
Sometimes the questions posed are just as a way
to engage
in conversation. Sometimes questions are posed to make the inquirer look
knowledgeable. In either case, engaging in these
kinds of conversations can be challenging!
On occasion we receive letters from authors that
write volumes about their own Aikido philosophies
or speak of their personal experiences of enlightenment
sitting
under a waterfall, “Just like the Founder”…
With experience, our staff has learned to deal
with the different kinds of requests courteously
and efficiently; but very few come to the attention
of Homma Kancho
directly. Most are answered and filed away in appropriate category files,
some of the classics are saved in Sensei’s funny letters files. Homma Kancho
says someday he will use the letters as a basis for research for a study of
the sociology of martial arts in the 20th and 21st centuries!
Every once in a while however, there is a letter
or e-mail that displays a great deal earnest
sincerity asking for information on AHAN or advice
from Homma Kancho.
These letters, Homma Kancho answers personally, and sometimes in great length.
One such letter this past June came from Michael Difronzo, a loyal student
to the late Mitsunari Kanai Shihan 8th Dan of Boston, Massachusetts. Kanai
Shihan
was one of the first USAF Pioneer Instructors to come to the United States
to teach Aikido. He lived in the Boston area until his death March 28th,
2004.
Michael’s letter request for advice touched
Homma Kancho, inspiring him to write the response
linked to in this article. Also referenced in this
letter
is Aikikai Shihan Kazuo Chiba Shihan of San Deigo, California.
This
letter and Homma Kancho’s response has been posted with
permission from Michael. First is Michael’s letter followed
by Homma Kanchos response.
Dear Sensei, I have been a student of Kanai sensei for 5 years.
I have grown very close to him, his wife Sharon, and children,
Meisha and Yuki. It has been over a year and we are all still
in shock and kind of lost without him. Obviously sensei's
Aikido was amazing. His throws were truly the most powerful
I have ever seen. He seemed to catapult us instead of throw
us. He generated tremendous power, as you probably know.
But this is not the problem. Many senior students obviously
did not learn what his greatest attributes were about. He
was honestly the most humble, loyal, sincere, and selfless
person I have ever known. He never wanted the spotlight or
attention. He had numerous chances to mass produce books
and videos. But that is not what he was about. He was all
about Aikido on and off the mat. Well, to get to the point,
at times the dojo is filled with selfish egos, resentments,
and sometimes students are all about what's better for themselves
instead of what's better for Sensei's family. This is taking
its toll on the loyal students who not only want to emulate
Sensei's Aikido, but also his virtues. Chiba sensei has been
supportive to his family, and that is great. I read most
of your material and am a big fan of yours. I respect you.
Do you have any advice for us? Also do you have any personal
stories or memories of Sensei? I know he left Hombu in 1966,
but I assume you must have known him. Also if I want to get
away for 3 or 4 days, to clear my head, can I train at your
dojo? Please let me know at your convenience.
With respect and humility,
Michael
June 18th, 2005,
Dear Michael,
I have read your letter, and I was touched by your concerns.
I am sorry it has taken me a while to respond to you. My writing
needs to be translated, which is a painstaking process at times.
My thoughts of Kanai Shihan are similar to yours. I too believe
that Kanai Shihan was a classic instructor who did not fall
for media hype or the lure of mass publication or publicity.
I did not know him well, but I do remember his love of Japanese
swords, his powerful technique and the way he would run his
hand through his hair after executing a throw. I know he had
a reputation as a very good Aikido Instructor. I have received
letters from others as well about problems that have arisen
from the passing of one of the first generation of Japanese
Pioneer Shihan. Students in many dojos mourning the loss of
their instructor have found themselves facing discord amongst
surviving students, splits in their organizations and other
internal tensions; ultimately finding yesterday’s friends
in practice polarized and at odds with each other.
The problems you now face are real, and are real for all of
those around you. It is a crossroad in your path as well as
a crossroad for others. It is not fair to look at others and
blame or judge the choices they make at this same junction.
Everyone has their own choices to make, and they make those
choices based on their own personal values, and the amount
of information and experience they have.
We have never met, so I don’t know your age or the exact
nature of your relationship with Kanai Shihan and his family,
so it is difficult to answer your questions specifically. As
a way to possibly help you in a more general fashion I have
written the following essay about the Aikido pioneers that
were officially sent from Japan to “foreign lands” like
Kanai Shihan and others of his generation. Hopefully this essay
might answer some of your questions about these special people
and their lives, and give you more information to base your
decisions on.
There are many in the generation of pioneers that were sent from Japan to foreign
countries to teach Aikido to the world that have now finished their mission
and passed on. What I think I can offer at this time is to provide a testimonial
to what I knew of their lives and their life work; especially the early times
in the lives of these pioneers. I would like to try to provide more information
that might help you and those that are working through their own times of transition
to make decisions with a wider point of view.
*******
In the 1960’s young Aikido instructors
were sent from Japan out into the world to seek their fortune.
Everyone
was young, strong and filled with
the courage that only the young possess. At that time, the Japanese economy
was not good, and even students graduating from universities had trouble
finding work. On the other hand, the 1960’s and 70’s
brought a “martial
art boom” to the United States and Europe via Hollywood and the silver
screen. (For example, the martial art legion of the 70’s; Bruce Lee).
It was only natural under these circumstances for Japanese Aikido instructors
to follow the demands of the market in the United States and Europe; especially
with work being so hard to find back home.
Also at that time in Japan, Aikido was in a stage of unbridled development;
it was growing fast without any clear far-sited organization. Instructors
were being dispatched to foreign countries without a clear support system
and planning
in place. In the 60’s, Japanese nationals could not travel to the
United States or many countries in Europe without a visa, and visas could
only be
obtained through sponsorship from a U.S. or European resident. If an invitation
to come to the U.S. or Europe to teach Aikido was received, the opportunity
was jumped at, and instructors were sent without carefully checking on
the details of the arrangements. The Japanese pioneer instructors too welcomed
the opportunity to strike out on an adventure of their own and proceeded
without
knowing exactly what they would be getting into.
In many instances, after arriving in the United States and other countries,
these pioneers found that the conditions they were expecting were not as
they had been described in their letters of invitation. This situation
which was
the result in many cases of the above mentioned lack of thorough research
meant much hardship for the instructors facing life in a new land. Once
the instructors
arrived, there was little room for negotiation and there was always the
fear of losing their visa status should their invitation be terminated.
So, in
most cases, these pioneer instructors faced their new living conditions
with determination
and patience; and in doing so built the foundations for the world of Aikido
we know today. They gave all of their time and energy and sometimes even
their lives to their mission of building the world of Aikido beyond Japanese
shores.
We all must look beyond style or organizational loyalties and truly honor
and respect this generation of pioneers for what they have contributed
to our Aikido
history.
“NO students, no money”. “When students come, there is almost
enough to pay the dojo rent. If we are lucky, there is a little left over to
buy food.
There have been times when I have eaten ramen noodles every day for six
months at a time. I worry my body is going to turn the same yellow color as the
noodles
I have eaten so many…”
Testimonial of one of the official pioneer
shihan.
“Because there is never any money, I buy rice in bulk and season in it
with shiokara (salty pickled squid). This is the cheapest way to eat, and
I eat it every day. I have eaten it for so long, I can’t even taste the
salt anymore”.
Testimonial of one of the official pioneer
shihan
who has since passed away from a kidney related illness.
“If I keep smoking so many of
these, I don’t
think I am going to live very long! My life is so poor that
my only
luxury is a beer and one of these (cigarette). Some have money
to send back to headquarters, but I do not...”
Testimonial
of one of the official pioneer shihan
recorded in Denver,
Colorado in 1976 who has
since passed away from
a lung related illness.
“When my Sensei came from Japan,
he couldn’t speak our
language, and had no money. His living conditions were so
bad that my parents took him in and gave him food and lodging for
five years”.
Testimonial of a former secretary
to an official pioneer shihan in Europe.
“At night sometimes the local
grocer would leave bags of food that was not too spoiled for
the homeless next to the dumpster
behind the supermarket. He would go and retrieve the bags
of food and cook dinner for me…”
Testimonial of a former girlfriend
of an official pioneer shihan.
There are hundreds of stories about
the struggles this first generation of pioneer shihan faced in
their early
years
outside of Japan. There are also stories of misunderstandings between
generations of instructors separated for the first time
culturally and geographically. Some of these misunderstandings shaped
the course of our Aikido history.
“Sensei from headquarters in Japan announced he was coming to
visit! I so wanted to make a good impression that I borrowed
the money to rent a Cadillac so that he would have nice
transportation. I had no money for a hotel, so I convinced him to stay at my
humble apartment. The Cadillac and my “western
size” apartment
made an impression alright. Sensei responded with “You
have a nice car and a big apartment; you must have many
students to be doing so well for yourself. Since you
do not send much
in the way of dues back to headquarters, I can only assume
that you are keeping the money for yourself!” “I
was so shocked at the misunderstanding of the situation
that I was left speechless”.
Testimonial of an official pioneer shihan.
In Japan in the 60’s, to drive a car of a foreign make was only for the
very rich. It was the dream of many Japanese to have a Cadillac or other American-made
car. Houses in Japan were still quite small; to the point that they were called “rabbit
hutches (usagi koya) by some media sources. Buffet apartments in the United
States were quite large by comparison, and furnished with large sofas, chairs,
tables and a HUGE refrigerator seemed quite luxurious to visiting shihan familiar
only with the isolated cultural standards of Japan at the time. Many high ranking
shihan passed judgment unfairly on the pioneer instructors due to unfamiliarity
with Western ways and life styles. This posed a great problem for the pioneer
shihan who out of respect in a hierarchical structure of Japanese martial art
society could not protest against unfair accusations by their superiors. Finally
deep misunderstandings grew from simple misconceptions of cultural differences
between Japan and the West. Some of these misunderstandings led to the ending
of relationships and affiliations that did indeed change the course of Aikido
history.
A few of the pioneer shihan could not handle the hard conditions
and the misconceptions of their superiors and gave up on their missions
abroad. They were looked down
upon by their superiors who not understanding their true situation
thought them lazy or unfocused.
There were also shuffling of alliances and structural changes going
on in the Aikido world in Japan in the 60’s and 70’s
that would be felt continents away. Waves of uncertainty hit the
pioneer shihan in foreign lands like a tsunami
from the east. Many of the pioneers were forced to choose between
newly formed organizations and alliances back home. Some stayed with
their original superiors,
some gravitated towards new affiliations, and some lost their alliances
all together and started their own organizations.
Through this entire political trauma, the pioneer shihan still had
to focus on their daily struggle for survival. These pioneers had
to make
decisions
about their futures based on their own realities; and their first
priority had to be their own physical survival and the survival of
their families.
They were not supported financially at that time by their home organizations,
and “how
to eat today” was a priority in their decision making process. They also
had to weigh in the fact that if they lost their foreign sponsors, they would
be totally on their own; having no legal status to be able to lease space,
find students and all the other requirements for survival. The wrong choice
could mean starving to death. One pioneer shihan once told me of his experiences
during this time, “If the head makes a break there are only two choices;
stay or go”. For this special generation both the ones that “stayed” and
the ones that did not, made the best decision they could for themselves. There
is no right or wrong judgment to be made. This situation was ultimately caused
by the “heads” or senior shihan in Japan and the resulting
problems cost the younger pioneer instructors and their students
dearly.
At the root of all of this I believe are the constraints underlying
the relationship between Japanese senior shihan and instructors.
It has always
been a taboo
in Japanese culture for a younger instructor to show weakness or
disrespect toward a senior, and in order not to violate their martial
art codes
of honor or damage their own pride, much typically went unsaid. In
this type
of structure,
there really was no way to be honest at all times about ones true
situation, and relationships were lost to this reality.
To the credit of this pioneer shihan generation, today Aikido has
grown all over the world. Of their seniors, only a handful remain.
Some of
them still
speak of this pioneer generation with a lack of understanding about
the sacrifices they made to make our Aikido world of today a reality.
I have
heard them
say “We
helped them by sending them out into the world way back then. If they had stayed
in Japan, there would have been no jobs for them”.
This growth in the development of Aikido in the world did not result
from the part-time efforts of “salary man” Aikido Instructors who taught
from “nine to five” with a guaranteed salary, set class
schedules, and administrations that process students for them. This
growth came from the
power of the pioneers that lived their lives on the front lines building
our Aikido world from scratch.
I may have spoken too long on this subject, but it I think it is
important that you understand the kind of life pioneer shihan like
Kanai Shihan
lived; the kind of character they had to have to make Aikido available
to all
of their students, like you. Everyone’s life comes to an end
however; this is reality. What remains after death, remains in the
words and hearts of those
who remember. At the time of death of an individual, everything stops
for them. Time does not stop however and continues forward. A new
truth begins the very
second after…
A few months after Kanai Shihan’s passing, a student in the
Boston area, invited me to come to teach a seminar. The dojo he was
training
at had been affiliated with Kanai Shihan. Out of respect for Kanai
Shihan’s
passing I politely refused. I told him “In Japanese culture,
a common period of mourning is one year. It would be inappropriate
for me to come during
this period of time. I think that things are hard for you right now,
but it is important for you to take care of yourselves and your dojo
during this time”.
This student’s dojo did not heed my words however and another
Japanese instructor came within a short period of time.
This was not the first time this Japanese instructor had approached
satellite dojos of other pioneer shihan soon after their deaths.
He had also visited
satellite dojos of the late Fumio
Toyoda Shihan who founded and developed
first Ki no kenkyukai and AAA, an active an vital organization with
dojos in many
countries world-wide, and the satellite dojos of late Akira Tohei
Shihan.
In my experience this type of behavior is a breech of etiquette and
good manners, but for some these times are a good chance for personal
expansion;
different
value systems and different life goals. “Market share” competition
is a reality for some. This is part of life too, and is something
you need to be aware of during your time of transition. In my opinion,
true respect
for the one who has passed from us, beyond any style or organizational
boundaries is true bujin (samurai spirit).
It seems like there are many changes happening around you, and some
of these changes are painful for your heart. My advice is to not
run or
hide from
these changes, but to face them straight on. Study and learn from
what you see around
you. Do not close your eyes to the lessons that can be learned from
what is happening. Some of the lessons we learn from what is happening
around
us are
not happy ones, but if we gather all of the information we receive
our wisdom and understanding grows, and our perspective about life
grows
wider as well.
I believe that standing up straight is the best way to face and understand
life, and the best way to understand what decisions will be correct
for you.
Your loyalty to Kanai Shihan and his family is commendable and very
valuable. Please continue the great work of Kanai Shihan by being
a testimonial
to others about his teaching. This will also help you heal.
You are welcome to visit and practice at Nippon Kan in Denver anytime
you would like, just let us know.
*note from editor. Quotes from pioneer shihan and their associates
were taken from the interviews and personal experiences of the author.
Gaku Homma
Nippon Kan Kancho
June 18th, 2005
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