Tag: Iaido

Interview with North County Aikikai Founder Coryl Crane: Kazuo Chiba and Changes in Aikido

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Coryl Crane was first introduced to aikido through Tai Chi, beginning her training with Ki Society. By 1981, she heard of Kazuo Chiba’s arrival in San Diego and decided to see what the commotion was all about. She never looked back afterwards. Ten years later, she opened her own dojo, North County Aikikai and has … Continue reading Interview with North County Aikikai Founder Coryl Crane: Kazuo Chiba and Changes in Aikido

Interview with Pro-Sessions Aikido Founder Eugene Morales: Fumio Toyoda’s Teaching Methodology

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Eugene Morales walked into James Nakayama’s school because his family decided aikido was an activity they could do together. While his son stayed only for a year, Morales and his wife found something deeper in the art. In his training with Nakayama, Morales received a teaching methodology from Fumio Toyoda. While Morales did not train … Continue reading Interview with Pro-Sessions Aikido Founder Eugene Morales: Fumio Toyoda’s Teaching Methodology

Interview with Chushinkan Dojo Founder James Nakayama: Fumio Toyoda and His Legacy

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James Nakayama first started training judo at the age of seven. Years later, an uncle told him about aikido.  He soon enrolled into Orange County Aiki Kai, and has not stopped practicing since. In the 1970s, he met Fumio Toyoda and was captivated by his style and approach. It was not until the 1990s, after … Continue reading Interview with Chushinkan Dojo Founder James Nakayama: Fumio Toyoda and His Legacy

Interview with Futabakai Founder Nobukazu Miura: Teaching Kendo and Iaido

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Nobukazu Miura first studied kendo as part of a physical education program in high school. After moving to North Carolina to open a Japanese restaurant, Miura restarted training kendo in 2000. He then relocated to Washington, DC, began teaching there, then moved to Pennsylvania and opened another Japanese restaurant. There, he met aikidoka Todd Kupper, … Continue reading Interview with Futabakai Founder Nobukazu Miura: Teaching Kendo and Iaido

Interview with Shodokan Instructor Bob Whelan: The Legacies of Mitsunari Kanai and Bernie Mulligan

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After moving back to the Boston Area in 1977, Bob Whelan began training under Mitsunari Kanai in his New England Aikikai. There, he started to learn to steal the technique from Kanai. Later, Whelan trained under Bernie Mulligan at what is now Shodokan School of Martial Arts. As of now, Whelan continues the legacies of … Continue reading Interview with Shodokan Instructor Bob Whelan: The Legacies of Mitsunari Kanai and Bernie Mulligan

Interview with Longtime Battodo Practitioners Zach Biesanz and Michael Shane: Aikido, Battodo, and the United States, Part II

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Zach Biesanz and Michael Shane both studied aikido and later sought instruction in battodo after repeatedly hearing aikido teachers say aikido movements “come from the sword.” Turns out, there's a lot more to cutting with a sword than mimicking the external movements. Biesanz, after training with Sang Kim, opened his Zentokan Dojo in 2016 with … Continue reading Interview with Longtime Battodo Practitioners Zach Biesanz and Michael Shane: Aikido, Battodo, and the United States, Part II

Interview with Longtime Aikidoka Bob Toabe: Training Under Mitsunari Kanai, Part II

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In 1974, Bob Toabe stepped onto the mats of Shodokan to learn aikido under Fred Newcomb. Mitsunari Kanai, Newcomb’s instructor and New England Aikikai founder, made the trip on the last Friday of each month to teach. When Toabe enrolled into Boston University, he was able to train at both Shodokan and New England Aikikai, … Continue reading Interview with Longtime Aikidoka Bob Toabe: Training Under Mitsunari Kanai, Part II

Interview with Longtime Aikidoka Bob Toabe: Training Under Mitsunari Kanai, Part I

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In 1974, Bob Toabe stepped onto the mats of Shodokan to learn aikido under Fred Newcomb. Mitsunari Kanai, Newcomb’s instructor and New England Aikikai founder, made the trip on the last Friday of each month to teach. When Toabe enrolled into Boston University, he was able to train at both Shodokan and New England Aikikai, … Continue reading Interview with Longtime Aikidoka Bob Toabe: Training Under Mitsunari Kanai, Part I

Interview with Longtime Daito-ryu Practitioner Eric Pearson: Finding the Aiki in Everything, Part II

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Eric Pearson first stared into the window at the practicing aikidoka during his smoke break at a local pizza shop, convincing himself that his kung fu skills would take out all of them. Then something inspired him to walk in for practice, and he never looked back. He began training under Russell Waddell and Chuck … Continue reading Interview with Longtime Daito-ryu Practitioner Eric Pearson: Finding the Aiki in Everything, Part II