How Times have Changed in Almost 70 years of UK Aikido

" No matter your pretence, you are what you are, nothing more. " Kenshiro Abbe Sensei.

I have studied at length with many high ranking Japanese teachers / Legends. Most memorable were Kenshiro Abbe - Mutsuro Nakazono - Kazuo Chiba . ( Tada - Kobayashi - Noro - K Williams -Ichimura - Tamura - Harada - Karate - T Otani - Kendo) Jei Nakazono.

I think back to a time when there were only five dan grades for Aikido in the whole of the UK, I was proud to be one of them.
I seriously never thought there would become a time when teachers would grade themselves or much more pathetic to be graded by their own students.
I can imagine when I was a child and all the kids in my class at school getting together to promote the teacher to `` Professor ` we would have got, and deserved a thrashing with the cane.

There are so many now calling themselves 7th or 8th dans and I believe some higher still. I have to ask the obvious question, do they really compare themselves to Kenshiro Abbe Sensei and Chiba Sensei to name a few ??
Site Admin: Henry Ellis

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

 Welcome to the home of the " Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido "


Please visit our new Facebook page at  " Henry Ellis Aikido ".

Both Dere!k Eastman and Henry Ellis are the last two of the original 1950s pioneering students of Traditional Aikido Training in Aikido,  as it was introduced and taught by Kenshiro Abbe Sensei from 1955 - Yes ! - there was/is  kicking and punching in Abbe's style of true Traditional Aikido .
 Many of the early Aikido dan grades worked as doormen on London night clubs. anyone practicing ``Wokiodo ` couldn't do any of that. The Hut Dojo`wasn't called the Hell Dojo for nothing. 
Both Ellis and Eastman have spent much of their final years working to preserve the legacy left in our care by the legendary Kenshiro Abbe. 
There are some devious people in the world of Aikido,  ones that have attempted to change our proud documented lineage, it is with the aid of the internet - Teaching - writing books - articles - YT videos - we have been able to spread the truth for the future generations to follow.
Henry Ellis is the only UK student to have his dan grade diploma's signed by ` Kenshiro Abbe Sensei -` Morihei Ueshiba (1st &  2nd dan  - Moriteru Ueshiba ( shihan ) - Mutsuru Nakazono - Kazuo Chiba.
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