“Aikido Densho” Technical Manual by Morihei Ueshiba’s Biographer!

We are pleased to announce the archiving of an almost totally unknown training manual compiled by Kanemoto Sunadomari, Morihei Ueshiba’s biographer. Kanemoto Sunadomari was from a family of devout Omoto believers and was the elder brother of Kanshu and Fukiko Sunadomari. He began his training in an earlier form of aikido in 1928 after observing a demonstration by Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba in Ayabe.

Kanemoto maintained a long relationship with Morihei that lasted until the end of the latter’s life. In 1969, he published the first biography of Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei after having conducted research for many years and gathering documents with the assistance of his siblings. Kisshomaru Ueshiba cites passages from Sunadomari’s book in his later biography of his father published in 1977.

Given the time frame of Kanemoto’s study under Morihei Ueshiba, the techniques covered in this manual reflect an early stage in the development of Morihei’s art. As such, this technical volume warrants a thorough study along with such documents as the Noma Dojo photos series and the 1938 training manual “Budo.” Quite a number of the techniques covered in this book are no longer practiced in mainstream aikido, but will be familiar to students of Iwama Aikido curriculum.

We invite members of the Aikido Journal readership to download this 80-page training manual in PDF form to peruse its contents. From there, we would be interested in hearing your feedback concerning the book’s content. We offer this manual free to all readers through Friday, December 16, at which it will become part of our permanent archives.

Aikido Journal Members Site subscribers: Click here to download the “Aikido Densho” by Kanemoto Sunadomari

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