Master of the Power and the Basics: Yoshimitsu Yamada

Yoshimitsu Yamada 山田 嘉光, born on February 17, 1938, in Tokyo, Japan, is a prominent figure in the world of Aikido, renowned for his significant contributions to the development of Aikido in the United States. Yamada’s family has a close connection to the Abe family. His father, Ichiro Yamada, lost his parents as a child and was placed in the care of the Abe family. Ichiro and Tadashi Abe 阿部正 were raised as brothers, and Yamada referred to Abe as his uncle.

Abe’s father was a supporter of Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido. Yamada first encountered Ueshiba when he was invited as a guest to Abe’s house for a demonstration. At the time, Yamada was only a fifth or sixth-grade student. While his uncle, Abe, began his Aikido training in 1942, Yamada did not begin his Aikido journey until his university years. Around 1954, during his university studies, he joined the Aikikai Hombu Dojo, despite having no prior martial arts experience. Over eight years, as an uchideshi, he received guidance from the founder, Ueshiba Morihei, as well as many other instructors. During this period, Ueshiba had already retreated to Iwama, but he frequently traveled to Tokyo, providing Yamada with numerous opportunities to study directly under him. Additionally, Yamada studied under instructors such as Kisshomaru Ueshiba 植芝吉祥丸, Kisaburo Osawa 大澤喜三郎, and Koichi Tohei 藤平光一.

Yokosuka 横須賀 American military base in 1960

Yamada grew up in Zushi 逗子市, near the Yokosuka 横須賀 American military base, where he developed an appreciation for American culture and enjoyed Jazz music. He learned English in school and interacted with American children in the area, enabling him to become fluent in English. His exposure to Westerners and his ability to speak English made him a natural choice for teaching Aikido to Americans. For a period, Yamada taught Aikido at US military bases on a daily basis, charging higher fees to US military personnel compared to local students. The income generated from his teaching contributed significantly to the funding of the operation and development of the Hombu Dojo.

In 1964, at the age of 26, he was sent to New York City, USA, to conduct an Aikido demonstration. During the same year, he was invited by the New York Aikikai board to become the chief instructor. At that time, Aikido was relatively unknown to Americans compared to other Japanese martial arts like Karate and Judo. He frequently traveled between New York, Chicago, and Boston to teach, with occasional visits to Philadelphia and Florida. His relentless efforts were dedicated to introducing Aikido to the East Coast of the United States. In 1968, he established the United States Aikido Federation (USAF).

Yamada demonstrating in the “The Power and the Basics” video series

When Koichi Tohei later separated from Aikikai, he took many instructors with him. Yamada had a deep friendship with Tohei. Despite Tohei’s invitation, Yamada respectfully declined but continued to consider Tohei his teacher. In a 1998 interview, he explained that one reason for this decision was his sense of responsibility to his own students. Another reason was his belief that Aikido should not be learned in a one-sided manner, focusing solely on the spiritual aspect. He believed that there should be a strong emphasis on technique because martial arts inherently involve physical contact. He felt that a solid foundation in Aikido basics was essential for every student’s progress and aimed to preserve the purity of technique, as he had learned from the founder. Yamada was renowned for his clear and powerful basic techniques. He later created a series of popular training videos titled “The Power and the Basics” and authored the book “Aikido Complete.”

The longstanding visa issue that had troubled Yamada was resolved in 1972. With his newfound travel freedom, he began promoting Aikido internationally. One of his earliest foreign trips was to France, invited by Nobuyoshi Tamura 田村 信喜 in 1973. Since then, he regularly conducted seminars not only in the continental United States but also in countries worldwide, including Russia, Bulgaria, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Cuba, Canada, Chile, and Australia.

In February 2010, Yoshimitsu Yamada founded Aikido Sansuikai 山水会 International, an organization recognized by Aikikai Hombu Dojo, with affiliated dojos in Latin America and Europe. Yamada passed away in New York City on January 15, 2023, at the age of 84.

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