Sunadomari – His Kokyu Power and The Spirit of Aikido

Kanshu Sunadomari 砂泊諴秀 was a prominent figure in the development of Aikido. He was a direct student of Ueshiba and trained with him for many years.

Born in Kagoshima Prefecture 鹿児島県 in 1923, Sunadomari was exposed to Aikido as a child as his older brother, Kanemoto Sunadomari 砂泊兼基, was also a student of Ueshiba. His older sister, Fukiko Sunadomari 砂泊扶妃子 (光恵 Mitsu), later joined as well. The first biography of Morihei Ueshiba entitled Aikido Kaiso Morihei Ueshiba was published by Kanemoto Sunadomari in 1969, with his sister Mitsu deeply involved. In 1942, at the age of 19, Sunadomari began his aikido training as an uchi deshi 直弟子 (live-in student) of Morihei Ueshiba at the Kobukan Dojo 皇武館道場. He trained alongside other top Aikido practitioners of the time, including Koichi Tohei 藤平光一, Kisaburo Osawa 大澤喜三郎, and Kenji Tomiki 富木謙治. At that time, Ueshiba was teaching at the Military Police School in Tokyo, and Sunadomari went with him regularly, receiving direct instruction from him.

In 1953, Sunadomari gave the first public Aikido demonstration in Kyushu 九州. The following year, he opened the Masseikan 万生館 Aikido Dojo in Kumamoto City 熊本市 and worked to promote Aikido throughout Kyushu. At the age of 38, in 1961, he was awarded the rank of 9th dan in Aikido by Morihei Ueshiba himself. Sunadomari emphasized the importance of aligning the spirit and technique of Aikido and the concept of “kokyu power” 呼吸力. He wrote a total of 4 books on Aikido spirit and 3 books on Aikido techniques. He believed that an Aikido practitioner should research the basis of kokyu power for creating techniques, but not the technique itself. He fully embraced the concept of Takemusu Aiki 武産合氣. In an interview with Stanley Pranin, he mentioned that Takemusu is born because of the existence of you and your partner. When you and your partner become one, infinite techniques emerge. Kokyu power cannot emerge without a pure mind.

Sunadomari demonstrated at the First Aikido Friendship Demonstration in 1985

In 1969, after Ueshiba’s passing, Sunadomari left Aikikai and Manseikan became an independent Aikido organization with its headquarters in Kumamoto City. Sunadomari was so inspired by Ueshiba’s saying “Aiki is Love” that he and his followers would recite “The Spirit of Aikido” 合氣道の精神 (Aiki is Love. We must …) before each training. Sunadomari believed that these words fully encapsulated the mind and goal of Aikido. In 1985, he demonstrated at the First Aikido Friendship Demonstration in Tokyo. His swift and smooth demonstration of Aikido techniques against multiple attackers with weapons (bokken and jo) deeply impressed the Aikido community.

The Spirit of Aikido 合氣道の精神 by Morihei Ueshiba

Sunadomari continued to teach and promote Aikido throughout his life, both in Japan and abroad. Sunadomari passed away at his home in Kumamoto City on November 13, 2010.

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