Q & A with Yamada Sensei

Question #1 :

Yamada Sensei, are you familiar with Tomiki/Shokodan Aikido? What is your opinion about this Aikido style?

Yamada Sensei : As far as I know Shodokan is a style of Karate. Tomiki style was created by Professor Tomiki who was one of the original students of the founder of Aikido, O-Sensei. He was sent from Kodokan to O-Sensei to learn Aikido. Because of his attachment to Judo he combined Aikido and Judo and made it competition Aikido. I have no personal opinion about Tomiki, he simply did what he believed. As far as I am concerned though, that is not pure Aikido. But I respect him for making his own creation.

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