Masatomi Ikeda
Encyclopedia
Masatomi Ikeda (born April 8, 1940) is a Japanese aikido
teacher who holds the rank of 7th dan
Aikikai
.
and sports in general when he was young which resulted in achieving a 5th dan in sumo
and 4th dan in judo
. Until he started with Aikido in 1958, judo played an essential role in his life. In 1960 he enlisted into the dojo of Hiroshi Tada
(9th dan Aikikai). He started intensively practising budō, and especially aikido. He trained himself in judo in the Kodokan Institute and at the dojo of Dokkyo High School. For sumo he trained in the stable Kise’s Sumo.
In 1964, he graduated at the Nippon Physical Education University. In October 1965, he went on his first journey to Italy with the aim of promoting Aikido which he had been teaching for approximately five years. He also obtained a university degree in gymnastics and hygiene; he would have had the possibility of teaching the gymnastics as a pedagogue, but he choose the way of the budōka and spent his time as an aikido professor, primarily in Naples.
In 1971, he returned to Japan with the aim of relearning the aikido from the basics. Besides aikido, he worked as gymnastics professor at the Dokkyo High School, where he had been a pupil before. Seven years passed like that instead of one to two years as he had envisaged. He collected some experience in teaching and some knowledge in Asian medicine like Seitai
or seibukenkoho (method of cure according to the manner of seibu). He had also the possibility to learn the hojo kata (in the Kobudo Chokoshinei-ryu).
In 1977, he went on a journey in Europe on the request of the Swiss Cultural Association for Aikido (ACSA). He arrived in Switzerland in October of that year. When he stayed in Italy, he was also teaching judo, but from his arrival in Switzerland on, he completely dedicated his life to aikido. He was a delegated teacher by the Aikikai
Foundation in Tokyo and his occupation was promoting Aikido. He served the ACSA for more than 25 years.
In 1986, the Aikido Ikeda-Dojo Zurich opened. During the following years, as a technical director of the ACSA, he visited without a break the various ACSA dojos all over Switzerland at a rate of two or three dojos per week! He did this in addition to the weekly half-dozen trainings which he directed in his dojo in Zurich. In parallel, he led national and international training seminars to maintain the friendship with and to practice with aikidoka nearby countries. Examples are the yearly ACSA winter stage in Zurich, Switzerland, which he led on many occasions together with Katsuaki Asai of the German Aikikai and Hideki Hosokawa of the Italian Aikikai, the yearly summer stage in Saignelégier, Switzerland, with his teacher Hiroshi Tada shihan of the Italian Aikikai and the yearly late summer or early autumn stage in Praiano, Italy, with Pasquale Aiello which were all also good friends of his.
In 1989, he received the 7th dan in Aikikai aikido. Thereafter, he was also occupied with the Aikikai in the Czech Republic since 1995, with the Slovak Aikido Association since 1996 and the Yugoslav Aikido Federation in Serbia since 1997. In 1998 he became also the technical director for the Turkish Aikido Association, and in 1996 he became technical adviser of the International Aikido Federation together with Hiroshi Isoyama (9th dan Aikikai). In parallel, he regularly taught seminars in countries like Croatia, Hungary, Russia and Poland. Also new connection with Netherlands was evolving however he did not get around to visit it.
During the height of his aikido career was the 30 year anniversary of the ACSA which was celebrated with a major international seminar in Basel from the June 5 to 7, 1999. On this gigantic event, shihan
from many European countries conducted trainings and demonstrations.
In spring 2003, Ikeda had to abruptly stop all his activities as aikidoka
due to a stroke. He has returned to Japan.
Note that this list does not specify who are his senpai
and kōhai.
Aikido
is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...
teacher who holds the rank of 7th dan
Dan rank
The ranking system is a Japanese mark of level, which is used in modern fine arts and martial arts. Originally invented in a Go school in the Edo period, this system was applied to martial arts by Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo and later introduced to other East Asia countries.In the modern...
Aikikai
Aikikai
The Aikikai is the original school of Aikido. It is centered on the Aikikai Foundation in Japan, and its figurehead is the Doshu . It is represented globally through the International Aikido Federation....
.
Biography
Masatomi Ikeda was born in Tokyo, Japan. He was already interested in budōBudo
is a Japanese term describing martial arts. In English, it is used almost exclusively in reference to Japanese martial arts.-Etymology:Budō is a compound of the root bu , meaning war or martial; and dō , meaning path or way. Specifically, dō is derived from the Buddhist Sanskrit mārga...
and sports in general when he was young which resulted in achieving a 5th dan in sumo
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
and 4th dan in judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
. Until he started with Aikido in 1958, judo played an essential role in his life. In 1960 he enlisted into the dojo of Hiroshi Tada
Hiroshi Tada
Hiroshi Tada is a Japanese aikido teacher holding the rank of 9th dan in the Aikikai....
(9th dan Aikikai). He started intensively practising budō, and especially aikido. He trained himself in judo in the Kodokan Institute and at the dojo of Dokkyo High School. For sumo he trained in the stable Kise’s Sumo.
In 1964, he graduated at the Nippon Physical Education University. In October 1965, he went on his first journey to Italy with the aim of promoting Aikido which he had been teaching for approximately five years. He also obtained a university degree in gymnastics and hygiene; he would have had the possibility of teaching the gymnastics as a pedagogue, but he choose the way of the budōka and spent his time as an aikido professor, primarily in Naples.
In 1971, he returned to Japan with the aim of relearning the aikido from the basics. Besides aikido, he worked as gymnastics professor at the Dokkyo High School, where he had been a pupil before. Seven years passed like that instead of one to two years as he had envisaged. He collected some experience in teaching and some knowledge in Asian medicine like Seitai
Seitai
Seitai . Technically, it consists in easing the activity of the life force by re-adjusting the physiology of the body. Basic known techniques are katsugen undō , Seitai taisō （整体体操、せいたいたいそう）and yūki , which has been founded by Haruchika Noguchi . Major concepts in seitai includes taiheki...
or seibukenkoho (method of cure according to the manner of seibu). He had also the possibility to learn the hojo kata (in the Kobudo Chokoshinei-ryu).
In 1977, he went on a journey in Europe on the request of the Swiss Cultural Association for Aikido (ACSA). He arrived in Switzerland in October of that year. When he stayed in Italy, he was also teaching judo, but from his arrival in Switzerland on, he completely dedicated his life to aikido. He was a delegated teacher by the Aikikai
Aikikai
The Aikikai is the original school of Aikido. It is centered on the Aikikai Foundation in Japan, and its figurehead is the Doshu . It is represented globally through the International Aikido Federation....
Foundation in Tokyo and his occupation was promoting Aikido. He served the ACSA for more than 25 years.
In 1986, the Aikido Ikeda-Dojo Zurich opened. During the following years, as a technical director of the ACSA, he visited without a break the various ACSA dojos all over Switzerland at a rate of two or three dojos per week! He did this in addition to the weekly half-dozen trainings which he directed in his dojo in Zurich. In parallel, he led national and international training seminars to maintain the friendship with and to practice with aikidoka nearby countries. Examples are the yearly ACSA winter stage in Zurich, Switzerland, which he led on many occasions together with Katsuaki Asai of the German Aikikai and Hideki Hosokawa of the Italian Aikikai, the yearly summer stage in Saignelégier, Switzerland, with his teacher Hiroshi Tada shihan of the Italian Aikikai and the yearly late summer or early autumn stage in Praiano, Italy, with Pasquale Aiello which were all also good friends of his.
In 1989, he received the 7th dan in Aikikai aikido. Thereafter, he was also occupied with the Aikikai in the Czech Republic since 1995, with the Slovak Aikido Association since 1996 and the Yugoslav Aikido Federation in Serbia since 1997. In 1998 he became also the technical director for the Turkish Aikido Association, and in 1996 he became technical adviser of the International Aikido Federation together with Hiroshi Isoyama (9th dan Aikikai). In parallel, he regularly taught seminars in countries like Croatia, Hungary, Russia and Poland. Also new connection with Netherlands was evolving however he did not get around to visit it.
During the height of his aikido career was the 30 year anniversary of the ACSA which was celebrated with a major international seminar in Basel from the June 5 to 7, 1999. On this gigantic event, shihan
Shihan
- Title of "Master" is a Japanese Honorific Title, Expert License Certification used in Japanese martial arts for Master Level Instructors. The award of the Expert License Certification is if designated by the qualification by virtue of endorsement by the [A] Association of Chief Instructors or [B]...
from many European countries conducted trainings and demonstrations.
In spring 2003, Ikeda had to abruptly stop all his activities as aikidoka
Aikidoka
Aikidoka is a Japanese term for a practitioner of the martial art Aikido. The term is rarely heard among native speakers of Japanese, in spite of its common use as a loanword in other countries.-Etymology:...
due to a stroke. He has returned to Japan.
Teachers
The following persons have been his most influential teachers in alphabetical order:- Yasushi Namiki, teacher in Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryūKashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu, often referred to simply as Jikishinkage-ryū or Kashima Shinden, is a traditional school of the Japanese martial art of swordsmanship...
- Katsuzō NishiKatsuzo NishiKatsuzō Nishi was the Japanese founder of Nishi Shiki in 1927, who was at that time the chief technical engineer for Japan's first subway project, the Tokyo subway . He was also an aikido teacher....
, founder of Nishi ShikiNishi ShikiNishi Shiki consists of health exercises purported to activate certain bodily functions. It has been founded in 1927 by Katsuzō Nishi.... - Haruchika NoguchiHaruchika Noguchiwas the Japanese founder of Seitai. He established the concept of taiheki.- Books :Among his many books, three are now available in English translation.* by Haruchika Noguchi. Tokyo, Japan, Zensei, 1985, paperback. ISBN 4-915417-00-X....
, founder of SeitaiSeitaiSeitai . Technically, it consists in easing the activity of the life force by re-adjusting the physiology of the body. Basic known techniques are katsugen undō , Seitai taisō （整体体操、せいたいたいそう）and yūki , which has been founded by Haruchika Noguchi . Major concepts in seitai includes taiheki... - Hiroshi TadaHiroshi TadaHiroshi Tada is a Japanese aikido teacher holding the rank of 9th dan in the Aikikai....
, 9th dan Aikikai shihan - Nakamura TempuTempu Nakamurawas a Japanese martial artist and founder of Japanese yoga. He was the first to bring yoga to Japan and founded his own art called Shin Shin Tōitsu-dō , the Way of Mind and Body Unification.-Early life and family background:...
, founder of Shin Shin Tōitsu-dōShin Shin Tōitsu-dōShin Shin Tōitsu-dō was founded by Nakamura Tempu and is also known as Japanese Yoga...
Colleagues
The following people have been his close colleagues during his aikido career:- Pasquale Aiello, 6th dan Aikikai
- Katsuaki Asai, 8th dan Aikikai shihan
- Hideki Hosokawa, 7th dan Aikikai shihan
Note that this list does not specify who are his senpai
Senpai
and are an essential element of Japanese seniority-based status relationships, similar to the way that family and other relationships are decided based on age, with even twins being divided into elder and younger sibling...
and kōhai.
Students
These are the most notable of his students in alphabetical order:- Fritz Heuscher, 6th dan Aikikai
- Francesco Marrella, 6th dan Aikikai
- Michele QuarantaMichele QuarantaMichele Quaranta is an aikido teacher who holds the rank of 6th dan Aikikai.- Biography :Starting in 1972, he has been practicing aikido for almost 40 years continually. He holds the rank of 6th Dan in aikido...
, 6th dan Aikikai - Therese Uhr, 5th dan Aikikai
- Daniel Vetter, 6th dan Aikikai