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Kenji Tomiki Shihan's teachings - art and spirit
On 10th October 1969, Tomiki Shihan and Oba Shihan travelled to the Showacho campus of Momoyama Gakuin University in Osaka with aikido club members from Waseda, Kokushikan and Seijo universities. Here they started to introduce randori to seven Kansai area universities.
While returning to Tokyo, after a short time, Shihan said something like, "The Kansai students look like they really want to do randori. Will you go to Osaka for me?" It was a real honour to be recommended but as I already had an unofficial job offer I couldn't give an immediate reply. For the first time, my father and I had a man-to-man talk. I talked frantically about my enthusiasm and dreams of doing aikido. My father talked about how his wishes as a young man were never fulfilled. He encouraged me by saying, "You are only young once." Shihan's recommendation was the trigger for me and I committed myself to Tomiki Sensei so that I could lead a life of aikido.
In the autumn of 1969, when I had just become a 4th year student, I decided to go to Osaka as an instructor to spread randori to the Kansai area university students. It was normal not to attend practice as a 4th year student but I continued to practise which did not please the club leaders.
In those days Shihan was in charge of the course in budo theory in the Physical Education Faculty so I attended the lectures. When he lectured his voice was calm, quiet and very easy to listen to. However, most of the students attending the lectures were face down on their desks asleep, talking to the person next to them or doing something that had nothing to do with the lecture. The only ones listening seriously were the few people in the front row.
About that time, on one of Shihan's lecture days, I accompanied him from the university to Umegaoka station. In a coffee shop in front of the station he treated me to his favourite apple pie and choux cream. My mind danced as I listened to his deep ideas and far reaching plans for his competitive aikido.
However, on that day while taking our seats, I said, "Sensei, it's about a lecture some time ago, no one was listening and they were mostly asleep. I think it was pointless and a waste of time". If I think about it now, it was a very impolite thing to have said. As always he listened silently while nodding his head. Finallly, he said, "Nariyama, even if one student is listening with all their effort, I'll do it". As a young man these words had a big impact on me and left an impression. They are etched in my mind and alive now in my teaching spirit.
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