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