, born 1942, is an 8th
dan ranked
Aikikai
The Aikikai is the original school of Aikido. It is centered on the Aikikai Foundation in Japan, and its figurehead is the Doshu (the family heir of the founder of Aikido). It is represented globally through the International Aikido Federation ...
aikido
Aikido ( , , , ) is a modern Japanese martial art that is split into many different styles, including Iwama Ryu, Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shuren Kai, Shodokan Aikido, Yoshinkan, Renshinkai, Aikikai and Ki Aikido. Aikido is now practiced in a ...
master teacher
The American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence, often referred to as the American Board, was launched with a $5 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education in 2001.Archibald, George, "Paige backs reform in certification ...
. Endō is among the few living people who studied directly under aikido founder
Morihei Ueshiba
was a Japanese martial artist and founder of the martial art of aikido. He is often referred to as "the founder" or , "Great Teacher/Old Teacher (old as opposed to ''waka (young) sensei'')".
The son of a landowner from Tanabe, Ueshiba st ...
.
[Stanley Pranin]
Interview with Seishiro Endo
Aikido Journal #106 (1996)
He trained at
Aikikai Hombu Dojo
The Aikikai is the original school of Aikido. It is centered on the Aikikai#Aikikai Foundation, Aikikai Foundation in Japan, and its figurehead is the Aikikai#Doshu, Doshu (the family heir of the founder of Aikido). It is represented globally thr ...
with master teachers including
Seigo Yamaguchi was a Japanese 9th-dan aikido instructor and important teacher in the Aikikai. According to Mitsugi Saotome, before he was sent to Burma in 1958, he was the most prolific teacher at Aikikai Hombu Dojo.
His personal students included Seishiro Endo ...
,
Hiroshi Tada
Hiroshi Tada (多田 宏, ただ ひろし, ''Tada Hiroshi'') (born December 14, 1929) is a Japanese aikido teacher holding the rank of 9th dan in the Aikikai. ,
Mitsunari Kanai
Mitsunari Kanai (1939 – March 28, 2004) was an aikido and iaido teacher born in Japan, who spent most of his teaching career in the United States. He was an 8th dan teacher with the title shihan in the organisation Aikikai.
Life
Kanai Sensei ...
, and
Yasuo Kobayashi.
When Endo was 30 years old he dislocated his right shoulder. According to an interview, that event brought him to a turning point. After the injury, Yamaguchi said to him, "''You’ve been doing aikido for 10 years now, but now you have only your left arm to use, what are you going to do?''" This prompted Endo to pursue a different direction in his Aikido. His Aikido eventually became a lot softer and more contact-based.
Teaching methodology
Endo teaches mostly principles on how to connect to your partner and how to move freely. There is less focus on learning a large number of techniques. He also emphasizes that each student must confirm his feeling during each part of an exercise or technique. He talks about concentration of
ki, relaxation of the upper body, flexible movement and calmness of the mind at all times. He also encourages his students to be investigative and not to accept things that are taught without confirming it for themselves.
:''I began to ceaselessly examine and confirm my state of mind: myself when it went well, myself when it went poorly, myself when I was trying to defeat my partner, myself when I was feeling fear, myself when I was feeling insecure, etc. From these confirmations, I learned the importance of ceaselessly keeping my mind calm.''
Saku Dojo
In 1993, he created the Aikido Saku Dojo in his hometown of
Saku,
Nagano,
Japan.
Instructional DVDs
After opening his own dojo, Endo started to document his Aikido through a series of instructional DVDs under the name of WayMastery Store.
[Way Mastery Store](_blank)
/ref> Some of the videos are covering certain basic principles, while others are exploring how to deal with a particular attack. A special series of DVDs showing Endo teaching at seminars abroad has also been released.
Aikido basic technique DVDs
* Kihon no Kata
* Atari and Musubi
* Sabaki and Tsukai
Basic practice method DVDs
* Katate-dori.
* Shomen-uchi. Basic Practice Methods.
* Yokomen-uchi.
* Suwari-waza Kokyuho, Ryote-dori.
* Morote-dori, Ushiro-ryote-dori.
Aikido seminar DVDs
* Seminar in Washington, D.C.
* Stillness and Movement as One and Two-Attacker Practice
Overseas teaching schedule
Endō regularly gives demonstrations and seminars internationally. His schedule in 2011 includes seminars in Finland, Sweden, Canada, USA, Czech Republic, Belgium, Germany, Slovakia, Russia, France, Liechtenstein, China, Austria, Hungary, and Spain.
References
External links
Biography of Seishiro Endo*Ikuko Kimura
Interview with Seishiro Endo
{{DEFAULTSORT:Endo, Seishiro
1942 births
People from Nagano Prefecture
Living people
Japanese aikidoka
Gakushuin University alumni