As a result of that great event, there are now many more martial arts students who were not aware of the importance of the influence of Abbe Sensei on British Budo, they now have a greater understanding of our proud history which we trust will be passed on to their students.
The First UK Aikido Dan Grades Kenshiro Abbe Sensei taught the very early style of Aikido as taught to him by O’Sensei Morihei Ueshiba.
Nakazono Sensei brought with him the then more modern approach to Aikido, which had changed from the pre-war days as taught by Abbe Sensei.
Nakazono Sensei left an indelible mark on all those students that had ever studied with him.
There are now only four students left from that incredible period in the 1950’s & 60’s who had been graded to Yudansha in Aikido by Kenshiro Abbe Sensei and Nakazono Sensei.
Williams Sensei could not attend the event, the organisers were pleased to receive a letter of support from Williams Sensei.
The Principal Teacher ` Jiro Nakazono Sensei` The acceptance of Jiro Nakazono Sensei the second son of Masahilo Nakazono sensei to attend this Event, to honour his fathers name, was now going to make this event all the more memorable.
There were letters of congratulations from N Tamura Shihan and K Williams Sensei for both Foster Sensei and Ellis Sensei as they celebrated their 50th year of Aikido.
The introductions were now over and the students sat in total silence as Nakazono Sensei stepped on the tatami to teach his first class of the day.
The three old students of his father looked at each other and commented ” It’s just like seeing Masahilo Nakazono Sensei again” It was a touching moment.
Sensei then proceeded to demonstrate some of the techniques that his father had been famous for.
Nakazono Sensei left the tatami to a tremendous round of applause from the appreciative students.
Guest Teacher Dang Thong Phong Sensei Dang Phong Sensei had studied with Masahilo Nakazono in South Vietnam in the early sixties whilst training the South Vietnamese Paratroopers during the conflict there.
Phong Sensei had studied at the Aikikai with O’Sensei.
Haydn Foster Sensei Haydn Foster Sensei one of the first Aikido dan grades in the UK and a student of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei – Tadashi Abe Sensei – Masahilo Nakazono Sensei – took the next class and certainly did not look like his 80 years.
Derek Eastman Sensei Derek Eastman who will celebrate his 50th year of Aikido next year was next, Eastman sensei is unique in his style as he remembers all the different styles of the early teachers and demonstrates them all to the fascinated students.
Henry Ellis Sensei Henry Ellis taught the only way he knows with very powerful nykkyo and techinage projection techniques, explaining to the students that working with a overly compliant uke can damage your technique as one will never learns to adjust to “different“ variations of attack.
The tanto had been lovingly created by Dave Rogers Sensei in Albuquerque New Mexico USA. Rogers Sensei makes individual hand made Bowie knives for the USA Special Forces.
Presentation of 50 years of Aikido Later in the day Sensei Ellis was also interrupted and he was also presented with a hand made tanto by Sensei Rogers to celebrate his 50th year of Aikido.
Billy Doaks Sensie and Keith Morgan Sensei presented several of their DVD’s. All the participants received a high quality souvenir programme designed on the famous Event with Kenshiro Abbe Sensei and Masahilo Nakazono Sensei at the Royal Albert Hall.
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