The Mutsuro Nakazono Letter 1966

The Amazon books ` Kenshiro Abbe Sensei ` - `British Aikido History` - The Founding of Jujitsu - Judo - Aikido in the UK` The books are written by Henry Ellis - Derek Eastman two of the last of the surviving direct students of Kenshiro Abbe from the 1950s. - Co-author Abdul Rashid. 

If you have difficulty viewing the attached letter ? please scroll down to the bottom of this page for a typed copy.

The long lost Nakazono Letter from1966 `.

1955 - Kenshiro Abbe Sensei - introduced - demonstrated - and taught Aikido in the UK with permission to do so directly from Osensei Ueshiba. 

Once Aikido was established,  Abbe Sensei requested a Japanese teacher from the AikiKai to take control of UK Aikido. 

The `British Judo Council ` BJC - with some 38,000 members was growing, demanding Abbe Sensei's full and undivided attention. 

Osensei instructed Mutsuro Nakazono Sensei who was resident in Paris France to make frequent teaching visits to the UK.

Nakazono gave up his UK commitment upon the arrival of TK Chiba Sensei in 1966. 

Abbe Sensei had now asked Osensei to send a full time AikiKai representative, TK Chiba was the chosen one.

 

1966 -This letter has only recently re-surfaced, It reveals a time of significant upheaval concerning the future and the then present state of British Traditional Aikido at that time.

It was only ten years earlier that Kenshiro Abbe Sensei introduced Aikido to the UK public at the London Judo Society [ L J S ] National Judo Championships at the Royal Albert Hall in 1955.  

[KW] Ken Williams Sensei a highly respected L J S Judoka was so impressed by Abbe Sensei’s Aikido demonstration he became Abbe Sensei's first student, he would later become the `British Aikido Council `BAC National Coach`

KW was now teaching both Judo and Aikido at the `Hut Dojo` . This was the only dojo in the UK teaching Aikido from1955,.

It was in 1957 that I ( Henry `Harry`Ellis) moved on from Judo to Aikido, when I later received my 3^rd Kyu -  KW asked me to be his assistant, I eagerly agreed, I held that position for ten years.

The Hut had a strong Judo section, where as the Aikido started with just a handful of students, this would change to where eventually Aikido had full classes every night and Sundays.

As Aikido progressed at the Hut Dojo - We, the first dan grades, were now demonstrating and teaching Aikido  around the country, initially at Judo events associated with the British Judo Council [ B J C ] The only dan grades at that time for Aikido were all based at the Hut Dojo.

Aikido students such as Ralph Reynolds from Birmingham and William Coyle from Glasgow and Gwynne Jones from Wales and others would travel on weekends to train at the Hut Dojo. There were no motorways then and journeys were long and tiring. their commitment had to be admired.

By the date of the above letter 1966 - Aikido had spread rapidly all over the UK, up until this point in time the Aikido being taught was Abbe Sensei’s ``Traditional Style of Aikido `` very strong and powerful  and highly respected as a ``martial art `` .

Sadly,  many students around the country were finding the physical training hard to follow in the Traditional style, clubs started to breakaway forming their own small organisations teaching `their `aikido`.

 It wasn't long before the shameless began to grade themselves to various dan grade levels in what Bill Woods Sensei described as `` Aikido Yoga`. [Bill Woods personal assistant to Abbe Sensei - LJS Judo Champion 1953. ]

I recall many years ago talking at a BAB meeting to a guy who had never been officially graded to any dan grade in Aikido, he had graded himself to 7^th dan, he asked me what grade I was ?, I replied 3^rd dan ( Abbe – Nakazono – Chiba approved - my 1st &2nd dan counter signed by Osensei Ueshiba ) . the guy said “ Harry ( Henry) you should be 6^th dan by now, I can grade you to 6^th dan here and now as I am 7^th dan ", the shameless really have no shame at all, this guy was recognised / approved 7^th dan by the British Aikido Board, the home for so many of the self graded.. I should add, I declined his generous offer. I only had to wait 30 years to be promoted to 6th dan by TK Chiba and Moriteru Ueshiba,

If you are interested in the factual history of British Traditional Aikido as documented by a direct student of  Kenshiro Abbe Sensei and Ken Williams Sensei from 1955. Please visit the British Aikido History site, take a look at the Amazon book " British Aikido History "  a great book with many photos of past and present teachers both British and Japanese. ) 

1966 - At the time of receiving the letter from Nakazono Sensei, It was now too late to follow the advice of Nakazono Sensei, the British Aikido Council had all but broken up,  

Ken Williams moved to live and open a dojo in South Wales,  Haydn Foster remained at the Hut Dojo . Henry Ellis and Derek Eastman left the Hut and opened the first of the `Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido.

1992 - I was teaching Aikido in Alamogodo  New Mexico USA. I took this opportunity to visit Nakazono Sensei at his home in Sante-Fe, we spent a lot of time together, he asked about the state of Aikido in the UK, Sensei was openly shocked as I told of all the groups and self grading, It was sad to see the sadness in his eyes. Nakazono Sensei passed away in 1994.

Nakazono Letter 1966

Paris Feb 1966

M Nakazono

Representative from World Aikido 

Mr Williams and all members of the British Aikido Cultural Council 

We are getting a very bad situation now in British Aikido.

There is some kind of business minds trying to control for our Aikido, but I believe that you all the members of British Aikido can keep real Budo Spirit in your hearts.

Im here I will suggest to you that now our Aikido should be independent completely from `British Budo Council `  and for that purpose Ill ask to all of you to make more harmony together. I hope that you can now start new organisation of Aikido in England as soon as possible, and after Abbe Sensei comes back to London, you can go back to him all together, and you need not ask me anything to do for that. It is not really my wish to do such a matters, but now I must ask you to do it, because this is the only way which I can keep (page 2 )  my friendship and promises with Abbe Sensei, all the reason and situation you should know it well so I need not write it in here. Only thing I want to ask you in here again is that you should not lose your real Budo spirit and keep the right way.

All of you follow to Mr Williams and not to any other persons, and as you all know I am in constant contact with our headquarters Aiki Kai, so I will be responsible to them.

This is my final decision in answering to you.

Your Sincerely

M Nakazono 

 New Books Available on Amazon. In card-back £6-85p.

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Founding of JuJutsu-Judo-Aikido in the United Kingdom`

 

There are many books on Martial Arts - it is our intention to offer a selection of only the best researched books available.- Abdul Rashid the martial arts researcher has worked tirelessly to research the very origins of the evolution of martial arts in Britain from the 18th century prior to the arrival of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei in 1955 and the everlasting influence left by Abbe Sensei [1915 - 1985 ].

There are sadly now just a very small group of  direct students surviving to this day. Abdul Rashid has been fortunate to have the opportunity to work with two genuine pioneers from the incredible Kenshiro Abbe Era, Henry Ellis and Derek Eastman were students of Judo in the 1950s and shortly after they became a part of the very first group of Aikido dan grades in the UK.

There are two books available a black and white copy for £6-95p or the enhanced coloured copy at £29-00.

" British Aikido History " the Book.

British Aikido History  -  From 1955

"It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty, and how few by deceit "                                              Noel Coward

Click on the book icon to visit Amazon . Book price £6 - 64p.

Credits

This book documents the progress of ` Traditional Aikido ` from its introduction to the UK at the Royal Albert Hall in 1955 by Kenshiro Abbe Sensei, also recognised are the many teachers that followed on from that incredible era - Tadashi Abe - Mutsuro Nakazono - Masamichi Noro - TK Chiba - Matsutaro Otani - Tomio Otani - Ken Wlliams - Haydn Foster - Gwynne Jones - William Coyle - Ralph Reynolds, and so many others who should never be forgotten.

Click Book Image to visit the Amazon Books page.

Click image to enlarge or click image in R/H column to go straight to the Amazon book page for [Look Inside] which offers a free preview. 

This is the only book detailing and documenting the true history of British Aikido from its inception in 1955, this fascinating book is co-authored by direct students of  Kenshiro Abbe and Ken Williams Sensei.  

The book " British Aikido History -This book acknowledges and credits the many British Aikidoka and Japanese Budoka that Ellis and Eastman met along their  journey to promote the then little known martial art of Aikido.

 

From a time when the Hut Dojo was the only Aikido dojo in the UK - incredibly there is now an Aikido dojo in almost every  village town and city in the UK.

This is the story told by two of the last of the original pioneers still involved in the protection - preservation and  promotion of the true history for future generations. There are many old photos from the 1950s/60s. There are many acknowledgments to those that have helped to protect and preserve our origins from the era of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei from 1955.

The book is 311 pages of stories - interviews -anecdotes - history - and much more - Please visit the free preview to see what this book has to offer. Over the years I have been asked many times `what was it like to study directly under Kenshiro Abbe Sensei?`, this book will give the reader a taste of that era, a time when Aikido was a martial art and the people who trained were martial artists in the truest sense of the term. Sadly, so many of the Japanese and British early pioneers of Aikido are no longer with us, we remember them as we pay our respects to them, may they rest in peace. 

The book was published by Amazon on the 7th of March 2021 - Cost B/W £6-35p or colour version £27-00.

 New Amazon Book now Available.  In card-back £12-95p.

KENSHIRO ABBE SENSEI  1915 - 1985 - The Forgotten Budok

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Published by Amazon 20th - May - 2021
Compiled by the Martial Arts researcher Abdul Rashid.

This new book is a thoroughly researched and detailed, documented  history, including a personal interview with Henry Ellis one of the last surviving direct students of Abbe Sensei from the 1950s.

A new book published by Amazon Books -.  This book is  an in-depth look at the life and times of this legendry man of Budo, from his childhood to his time as a captain and Brigade Commander in the Imperial Japanese Army during WW2 - his time at the Busen - Butokukwai - His competition successes in front of the Japanese Emperor, his defeat of the great Judoka Kimura also his time in the UK and Europe. This will complete our `library` of British Martial Arts history as associated to the influence of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei 8th dan Judo - 6th dan Kendo - 6th dan Aikido - 6th dan Ju-Kendo. 

The following Amazon Book  titles may be of interest to the student and teachers who value the true origins of British Martial Arts.  " The Founding of Ju-Jitsu - Judo - Aikido in the United Kingdom "  --- " British Aikido History " --- " Kenshiro Abbe Sensei the Forgotten Budoka " --- " Positive Aikido "  by Dave Rogers ---  " The Life - Giving Sword " the life of K Chiba by Leise Klein.

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for 

 " British Aikido History "

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 Important new book released by Amazon. 

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The British Budo Controversy

Past history is an important part of present day life, much of todays lessons of life are learned from the lessons of past events of history.

 In the past, and the life we lead today, the facts of history can be lost in time as the people that were an indelible part of any historic events become fewer and fewer, such is the case of the British Budo Controversies .

With the demise of the central figures to our budo history, such as Kenshiro Abbe Sensei - Tadashi Abe Sensei - Mutsutaro Otani Sensei - Mutsuro Nakazono, Kazuo Chiba Sensei . We must not forget the many English Budoka that were a part of the early development of British Budo, there are too many to mention here, I must add two of my greatest friends the late Bill Woods Sensei RIP -  Gerry Gyngell Sensei RIP. they both worked in the BJC London office with Abbe Sensei, they were a great source for information of those wonderful early days. 

As these legendary figures have now passed into history, there are the unscrupulous and shameless characters that will write their own versions of their associations and ``friendships `` with the past Budo masters, their imagination would be more fitting in a sequel of `Harry Potter`. 

This book documents two of the most shameless attempts to corrupt our proud heritage and lineage, it also sadly exposes individuals and organisations that to this day offer their full support of many more fraudulent claims . All fraudulent grades and titles are never questioned.

Henry Ellis and Derek Eastman are two of the last few survivors of the Kenshiro Abbe era from the 1950s, with the support of their co-author Abdul Rashid they intend to leave a documented history  in all their books of an amazing and historic time of which they were proud to be direct students of Kenshiro Abbe and so many other legendary Budoka  from that early era.

Quote;  " If you tell the truth - You don't need to remember anything." - Mark Twain.

Henry Ellis