- Michio Hikitsuchi
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Michio Hikitsuchi (July 14, 1923 - February 2, 2004) was an aikido instructor and was the chief instructor of the Kumano Juku Dojo, in Shingu, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, for fifty years.
He met the founder of Aikido Morihei Ueshiba as a child and studied various martial arts during his entire life. He was awarded 10th dan by Ueshiba in 1969.
At nine years old he began kendo and later ken-jutsu, ju-jutsu, bojutsu and karate. Hikitsuchi trained extensively in jukenjutsu (bayonet) as a young man, and was very skilled in both iaido and kendo.
When he was fourteen years old, he met Ueshiba Morihei O'Sensei for the first time. At that time there was an age requirement for studying budo with O'Sensei, but they made an exception for Hikitsuchi.
Hikitsuchi recounts a midnight, lights-out training with Ueshiba, in which he cut off the tip of Osensei’s bokken. The piece flew off, and he searched throughout the dojo for it. Eventually, Ueshiba pulled it out of the folds of his kimono, praising him highly for his skill.[citation needed] Months later, Ueshiba gave Hikitsuchi a scroll in bojutsu that was extensively illustrated by a famous artist, it was Ueshiba's written explanations of techniques. As Meik Skoss, who has viewed the scroll, wrote, “One of the phrases on the scroll is very interesting, ‘each of these pictures is the seed for a hundred techniques; study them well.’”
This scroll was entitled, “Bojutsu Masakatsu Agatsu” — True Victory is Self-Victory.
According to Clint George, one of Hikitsuchi’s former students who trained in Shingu for 15 years, “Shingu bojutsu” consisted of these levels:
Ikkyo — a fundamental solo form
Nikyo — a solo form that explored circular movement
Sankyo — a solo form that explored three dimensional, spherical movement
Yonkyo —Jiyuwaza — free, un-choreographed movement
Michio Hikitsuchi received his 10th dan in 1969, three months before O'Sensei's death.
Hikitsuchi taught as chief instructor of Kumano Juku Dojo in Shingu, Japan until his death in 2004. The dojo was founded by O'Sensei in 1953. Hikitsuchi traveled twice to the United States, and regularly to European countries, teaching at dojos that had been started by his students. American Aikido instructors who trained extensively under Hikitsuchi Sensei and the other senior instructors at Shingu include Mary Heiny (Seattle), Linda Holiday (Aikido of Santa Cruz), Jack Wada (Aikido of San Jose), Laurin Herr (San Francisco), Tom Read (Northcoast Aikido), John Smartt (New School Aikido), Clint George [(no longer teaching][1]), and Daniel Caslin (Aikido of Owensboro)
Hikitsuchi was described by other teachers in Shingu as 'an Aiki computer' because of his ability to recite virtually verbatim the speeches O'Sensei had given. He also had extensive knowledge of Shinto Norito (chanting) and the spiritual teachings of the Kojiki--areas of personal emphasis by his teacher, the founder of Aikido. Hikitsuchi Sensei's reverence for O'Sensei, and O'Sensei's message, was total.
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