BIRA BIRANKAINKAI EUROPE NEWSLETTER MM UU SS UU BB II Iss Issueue 12 May 20162016 As Birankai evolves, Shihan Daniel CONTENTS Brunner contemplates its future 1 As Birankai evolves f you were to dedicate their lives to defend with 2 Photo gallery interested in weapons their master’s ideas? Japanese Step by step we try to learn more 3 Reflections Imartial arts, you about Japan’s history. It is a vast and would inevitably exciting subject that covers the condi- 5 Round table discussion become inquisi- tions in which Japan was isolated from tive about the his- Daniel Brunner the world, then a time of relative open- 6 Photo gallery tory of our practice. ing, before closing up again like an Where does Aikido come from, which oyster in the 17th century, to finally be 8 Notice-board path did our teacher follow, what can open widely to the world in the second be known about his predecessors. half of the 19th century. Before aikido existed there were As far as we can go back in time, other fighting techniques using we find that politics constantly fed on weapons as well as bare hands. What treasons, conspiracies, alliances and were the social conditions that misalliances. The driving force favoured the development of various appears to be the will to conquer and schools of martial arts? keep the power. We can also make What drove many men (and women) comparisons with politics in our countries. Our own history has not much to envy to Japan’s concerning the foul play that characterize politics Photo: Beata Darowska whether in the past or nowadays. Until the end of the 16th century, martial art schools were rare. Each lord of war trained its troops in extreme secrecy, not disclos- ing the techniques used or the number of warrior he kept. Espionage was a profession with a future. From the Edo period on, roughly at the beginning of Please send submissions the 17th century, for November 2016 issue by 31 September 2016 Chiba Sensei, Poland, August 2006 continued on page 4 Photos: Beata Darowska BIRANKAI EUROPE Founder Shihan TK Chiba 8th Dan European Birankai Shihankai Norberto Chiesa 6th Dan, Birankai France Gabriel Valibouze 6th Dan, Birankai France Dee Chen 6th Dan, British Birankai Tony Cassells 6th Dan, British Birankai Chris Mooney 6th Dan, British Birankai MIke Flynn 6th Dan, Scottish and Borders Birankai Daniel Brunner 6th Dan, Birankai Switzerland Patrick Barthélémy 6th Dan, Birankai France Joe Curran 6th Dan, British Birankai Member Countries Birankai Austria Birankai France Birankai Germany Hellenic Birankai Birankai Israel Birankai Poland Birankai Portugal Birankai Switzerland British Birankai BE Musubi is published twice a year in May and November. English edition available on www.britishbirankai.com and the French edition on www.birankai.eu/shiun_fr.html Chiba Sensei Poland Individual article reflects the author’s August 2006 own views. All submissions may be edited due to space constraints and should be sent to the Editor. Editor: Dee Chen [email protected] Sub-editor: Jean-luc Busmey [email protected] Sub-editor: Wellington Tsang [email protected] Design Consultant: Franco Chen © Copyright 2016 All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without express written permission 260516 BE MUSUBI May 20162016 Reflections. My promise to Chiba Sensei over the final resting place of the deceased as a token of love and s most of you was a message that I had hoped memory. are aware I I would never read. A few weeks later I hope to fulfill and honour this metA Chiba Sensei we received the dreadful news that pledge made so many years ago when around about Sensei had passed away surrounded I along with others attend a memorial 1970. I must con- by his family, friends and students. I service at Chogenji Temple on 5th fess I was imme- am sure like most people on hearing June. While this ceremony may be a diately drawn to Joe Curran this news I went into shock. Both sad one I am sure that it will also be him and I knew Jenny and I could hardly believe that a ceremony filled with love, joy and that Sensei would become a major Sensei was gone. a profound sense of loss for a great influence in my life. It is almost a year since Sensei’s teacher and a unique man. ☯ For the next four decades Chiba passing and I confess I have not quite Sensei played an important part of my come to terms with the fact that I and Shihan Joe Curran 6th Dan life and the lives of others. Sensei as others will never hear his voice, hear Sakumei Kan, NE Aikikai we all know was very charismatic. his laugh, admire his waza, and be in British Birankai Sensei was an incredible aikidoka, and his company again. All I have is the as a leader/teacher a man who was memory of my teacher. There is not totally dedicated to his art. Chiba a week that goes by where I do not Sensei inspired a great number of think of him. I am not ashamed to say In at the beginning - people not only in the UK but world- that on occasion I shed a tear when a global experience wide due to a combination of skills and I think of him. his huge personality. One could say On one occasion we talked on the that life with Chiba Sensei was a pretty subject of our own death. I had over y first oppor- exhilarating experience, certainly it the years some unusual personal tunity to was never dull. experiences of a somewhat psychic meetM Chiba Moving ahead to the recent past the nature involving Sensei. I was told by Sensei was in BB membership were made aware that a senior teacher that this type of 1997. I was totally Sensei was in ill health. In due course incident was not unknown to others. lacking in aware- sad to say Chiba Sensei informed the Anyway on the subject of our own ness at that Wellington Tsang Shihankai/Teaching Committee that demise both Chiba Sensei and Summer Camp so his condition had worsened and he I agreed whoever passed away first I wasn’t certain of what was in front of had declined further treatment. This the other would pour a bottle of beer me. But over the many years, I saw his written articles, his history, the strug- gles of establishing Aikido in the UK and USA, the formation of the Birankai and his many students. Most importantly I saw him and his actions and his wisdom on the courses around the world. He was, in my experience, truly a Master of Masters and I was lucky to train in a school that followed him. I know that many students will not ever see him or an individual like him again, like most of us never saw O-Sensei, but we can still carry on his message: Shoshin. ☯ Wellington Tsang 2nd Dan South Manchester Aikido, NW Photo: Wellington Tsang Aikikai Chiba Sensei, BB Summer School, Bangor 2004 British Birankai May 2016 BE MUSUBIMUSUBI 3 As Birankai evolves... or open his own school. It was also the personalities, which in time grew and continued from page 1 time for ‘Shugyoshas’, who were seek- got stronger. Everyone developed his ing improvement by defying students Aikido from the initial message and of other schools. from what he retained from the teach- conditions changed with the domina- In our days, schools have completely ing of his Sempai. tion of the Tokugawa who won the changed their purpose, when the aim It is obvious for us that Chiba Sensei biggest battles and rose to power. Not is no longer to train warriors but rather developed his own vision of Aikido speaking of ‘peace’; that was an to focus on personal development. based on sensations gathered at the unusual word in Japan’s vocabulary of The original motivation is gone and contact of O-Sensei along with his the time, conditions started to change. many schools have departed from the own character and personal history. To stay in power, the ‘shogun’ con- philosophy that is at the core of martial We are followers of Birankai because stantly kept hostages from the various arts. The structure of the schools has Sensei’s message had a strong ‘daimyos’ to insure their loyalty or at also changed, sometimes with a great resonance within us. I think it is not least to keep them from treason. number of students and as many an overstatement to say that Sensei Because the daimyos were expected teachers. had a strong character. A strong to keep a samurai army, martial art To come back to Aikido, we realize character was also needed to follow schools developed. But none of them now that as the guide disappears his teaching. became big in number of students. crises inevitably arise. I remember the We are now aware that Birankai is The ‘koryu’, or ancient schools, had rumors that were circulating when not immune to the ups and down of only one teacher, and that implied a O-Sensei died, the power struggles history. There are rivalries, amities rather limited number of students. that took place for the nomination of and enmities, natural alliances and When a warrior was reaching the the second Doshu. Some important other circumstances. All those who level of the sensei, he would either students gathered behind Kisshomaru approached Sensei know that he leave to serve under another lord Ueshiba, others, beaten, left to create sincerely and indiscriminately loved their own those who really studied his Aikido.