Kenshiro Abbe

Infobox_martial_artist
name = Kenshiro Abbe
residence = Tokushima, Japan


caption = Kenshiro Abbe
birth_name = Kenshiro Abbe
birth_date = Birth date|1915|12|15
birth_place = Tokushima, Japan
death_date = Death date and age|1985|12|01|1915|12|15
death_place = Tokushima, Japan
death_cause = Stroke
martial_art = Kendo, Aikido, Kyushindo, Judo, Karate
rank = 8th Dan
teacher = Ogawa, Morihei Ueshiba, Korei Isogai

Kenshiro Abbe (阿部 謙四郎 "Abe Kenshirō", December 15, 1915–December 1, 1985) was a Japanese martial artist. He was the youngest student to gain his 4th Dan in Judo and has been credited with the introduction of aikido to the UK and Europe,The Japanese Fighting Arts, John Goodbody, A.S. Barnes & Co. New York, NY 1969 [http://www.kendoglasgow.net/downloads/arts.pdf Abridged Version (p. 18)] ] [ [http://www.geocities.com/britishaikido/ British Aikido Board History Website] ] and founded the British Judo Council, British Kendo Council, British Karate Council, and the International Budo Council. Starting his life training with his father, he attended the Budo Senmon Gakko and is credited as being the founder of the Kyushindo system. [ [http://www.soton.ac.uk/~maa1/chi/kyushindo/kyuphil.htm Kyushindo Philosophy] ]

Life

Childhood and Youth

Kenshiro Abbe's introduction to the martial arts began with his father, Toshizo Abbe, a kendo teacher and school master. However, with the death of his father in a flood during a kendo weekend course on the 4th September 1918, he received little kendo training. Kenshiro first developed an interest in sumo when wrestling with a family friend Hino Manpei. In conjunction with Hino Manpei, Kenshiro received instruction from his primary school teacher, Fujiwara. Whilst at school, Kenshiro took part in many tournaments, both at school and elsewhere in the province.

At the age of 13, Kenshiro started lower secondary school in Kawashima. At first there was no Judo-Bu (club or circle), so Kenshiro took up basketball. However, in his second year, Kazohira Nakamoto, a former police officer, founded a Judo-Bu at the school, which Kenshiro joined. When Kenshiro reached his third year at the school in 1930 he was awarded his Shodan (1st Dan), with his Nidan (2nd Dan) being awarded the following year. At the age of 16 he was the champion of the High Schools League at Tokushima and was awarded his Sandan (3rd Dan) by the Butoku-kai, the then controlling national body of martial arts [International Budo Council, [http://www.ibcuk.com/History.php "History - Master Kenshiro Abbe"] , Accessed: February 22, 2008] .

During his 5th year at school (1933) he entered an inter-city tournament involving 30 towns, representing the town of Kawashima as captain. Being very fast and light he threw every opponent and was given the nickname of Pegasus, the winged horse [Brian Bagot, 6th Dan Zen Judo, [http://www.zenjudo.co.uk/zenjudo/main_site/rules_history/kenshiro.htm "Kenshiro Abbe - 8th Dan, The founder of Kyu Shin Do"] , Originally published in Butterfly newsletter, Source Accessed online: February 24, 2008]

Pre-war years

Upon leaving lower high school in 1933, Kenshiro took the entrance exam for the Botuku-kai's special teacher training college, Budo Senmon Gakko (aka Busen), with the help and instruction of his teacher, Kazohira Nakamoto and with the endorsement of Shotaro Tabata and others in the Botuku-kai.

Upon starting at Busen, Kenshiro trained hard under Korei Isogai and in his first year he became the youngest student to gain his Yodan (4th dan) in judo. Korei Isogai was said to be a hard task master, every Saturday afternoon tournaments were held at the Busen which involved Kenshiro fighting five opponents in succession with each contest lasting five minutes. He was watched by his older sister, Toyoko Abbe, who rarely saw him beaten.Fact|date=April 2008 In one tournament Kenshiro had to take on two 2nd Dans, two 3rd Dans and one 4th Dan student for a trial and took less than a few minutes to defeat them all.Fact|date=April 2008 He was then instructed to repeat the line up again and did so with the same result. Sometimes he was instructed to fight three or more trials involving as many as twenty opponents in successionFact|date=April 2008In the autumn of his second year Kenshiro was awarded is Godan (5th Dan).

Whilst at Busen, Kenshiro also took up kendo from Ogawa.

At home he was a prolific reader of philosophy, which most other students found to be far too difficult.Fact|date=April 2008 During his third year at the Busen he read Tetsugaku Tsuron [Tetsugaku Tsuron (An introduction to Philosophy), Tanabe Hajime, 1933, ISBN 4000218638 (2005 edition) ] written by Tanabe Hajime but could not understand it, so decided to attend one of Hijime Tanabe's lectures in Kyoto Imperial University hoping that he might then be able to grasp his line of thought. Having made the effort to attend Kenshiro still could not grasp the thinking of Hijime Tanabe's philosophy and felt quite upset. He felt this way despite the fact that he was the only student from the Busen to attend the lecture. This study was to eventually lead Abbe into his own theory of Kyushindo though he did not officially 'launch' or expound it publicly till many years later.

Army life

In 1938, Abbe received his Rokudan (6th Dan) and then was enlisted into the army, despite wishing to continue his studies at Busen. He joined the 11th Division, 43rd Infantry Regiment of the Imperial Japanese Army, based in the Tokushima Province.Fact|date=April 2008 Shortly after being enlisted, he was moved to a garrison in the Toan-Sho province in Manchuria, where he spent the next 4 years unable to study judo. In 1943 he was released from his service and returned to Busen, aged 28 and already going bald, but after his years in the Japanese Imperial Army, unable to practice judo, Kenshiro has lost much of his fitness. He trained hard to regain his fitness and within a few months was back at his peak. However, he then met his old commander, Ochi, from the 43rd regiment who insisted Kenshiro re-enlist and a few days later he once again received call-up papers and was assigned to a supplementary unit in the Tokushima province where he studied and mastered Jukendo, the way of the bayonet.Fact|date=April 2008

All of Abbe's success so far has led him to become arrogant, something which he admitted himself. Henry Ellis reported the following story which demonstrated Abbe's attitude at the time, but also documents his first meeting with Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido and how Abbe was accepted to train under Ueshiba [Positive Aikido. Dave Rogers (Author), Henry Ellis (Author), Derek Eastman (Author). 31 Dec 2004. ISBN 1412046688.] :

It was during a train journey in Japan that Abbe first met Ueshiba, abbe didn't know who he was and he reacted to Ueshiba looking at him, saying: "What are you staring at, old man?" Ueshiba replied: "I know who you are", to which Abbe modestly retorted: "Everyone knows me, I am Kenshiro Abbe, Champion of All Japan". Ueshiba then introduced himself as the Founder of Aikido, and was told by Abbe that he didn't look strong enough to be a martial arts master. Ueshiba then offered Abbe his little finger, and said: "But young man, you look very strong indeed. Please break my finger". Abbe at first declined, but eventually accepted the challenge, presumably to shut the old man up. Abbe claimed that, as he took hold of the old man's finger and tried to break it, he found himself on the floor of the carriage and totally immobilised. Whilst on the floor Abbe asked the Founder for permission to study under him. Abbe studied for ten years under Ueshiba and became one of his senior students and it was during this period that Abbe started formulating his own budo philosophy of Kyushindo.Fact|date=April 2008

Post-war

In 1945, the Butoku-kai granted Abbe his 7th Dan judo and 6th Dan kendo, but at the end of the war the Butoku-kai and Busen were both deemed to be 'radical organisations' and disbanded, and budo became illegal. Despite this he was able to take up the position as a judo teacher for the Kyoto Prefectural Police Department [Encyclopaedia of Aikido, [http://www.aikidojournal.com/encyclopedia?entryID=2 "Kenshiro Abbe"] , Accessed February 22, 2008] . Whilst working for the Kyoto Police, Kenshiro ran a controversial campaign to free Prince Nashimoto, who had been arrested by American forces at the end of the war. Despite receiving no support from former Busen students or the Kyoto Police, Kenshiro persisted with his campaign, jeopardising his position with Kyoto Police.

In 1951, Kenshiro became the editor of Judo Shinbun, the Japanese Judo Magazine and the Director of the Judo Social League. He was also official referee of the All-Japan Police Championships and the National Tournaments.Fact|date=April 2008

Europe

In 1955, after an invite from the London Judo Society Abbe, now an 8th Dan, came to the UK. The initial invitation was to become the chief instructor but after a series of disagreements he parted company with them and launched his own philosophy of Kyushindo. Within two years he had formed a number of martials arts councils, including: British Judo Council (BJC), British Kendo Council, British Karate Council, as well as an overall governing body - the International Budo Council (IBC) [International Budo Council, [http://www.ibcuk.com/History2.php "History"] , Accessed: February 24, 2008] .

In 1957 Abbe received a letter from Morihei Ueshiba, stating that all instructors outside of Japan now had permission to teach aikido to anyone who wished to learn. He was the first master in the UK to be allowed to teach aikido outside Japan as before that time the teaching of aikido was kept solely for the Japanese. [British Aikido Council, [http://britishaikido.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=7 The start of aikido in Europe] , Originally published in Fighting Arts International, Edition 93. Version Accessed Online: February 24, 2008] [Henry Ellis, [http://www.ellisaikido.org/japan/kabbe.html "Kenshiro Abbe Sensei"] , Accessed: February 24, 2008] .

He began teaching aikido at the Abbe School of Budo, otherwise known as 'The Hut', a small wooden building behind a pub in Hillingdon, London. Training with Abbe was very physical and, due to his English not being very good, corrections were often made with a hit to the offending part of the body with a Shinai. Henry Ellis, an original member of the club, reported that Abbe would often say "My English is poor but my shinai speaks fluently"MI Magazine, 4th April 2005, [http://www.mimagazine.com.au/Issue04_April/04_HenryEllis.htm "Interview with Henry Ellis"] , Accessed: February 24, 2008] .

Much of Abbe's teaching revolved around "loving your aggressor" . This is demonstrated with a story reported by Henry Ellis and Geoff Thomson in 'The Art of Fighting without Fighting'. [The Art of Fighting without Fighting, Geoff Thomson, 25th September 1998, ISBN 1840240857 ] :

:He was walking down a quiet suburban street on his way home after his usual evening teaching session. He noticed three youths hovering several yards away on the opposite side of the street. When they approached him he was ready. 'Give us your money, or you'll get hurt' said the leader of the three. Abbe looked at each one in turn, then casually took his wallet out of his jacket pocket, throwing it on the floor between himself and the antagonists. He pointed to the wallet and said, 'I am prepared to die for that wallet, what about you?' The three would-be attackers looked at the wallet on the floor, then at Abbe and then at each other and then moved away. Abbe picked up his wallet and calmly walked home.Fact|date=April 2008

As well as introducing aikido, he was also instrumental in introducing kendo (the way of the sword), kyūdō (the way of the bow), jukendo (the way of the bayonet), iaido (the way of sword drawing), yarido (the way of the spear) and naginatado (the way of the halberd) to Europe.Fact|date=April 2008 By 1960 he had about 25,000 students following his way, but a serious car accident left Abbe with chronic neck and back injuries making training for him incredibly difficult. During his time based in the UK he was also rumoured to have travelled far and wide, visiting Marseilles, Nice, Monaco, Turin, Rome, Sweden, Athens, Dakar, Ethiopia and Abyssinia [Gary Robinson, USADojo.com, [http://www.usadojo.com/biographies/kenshiro-abbe.htm "Kenshiro Abbe Sensei, 8th Dan Judo"] , Accessed:February 24, 2008] . While there he would apparently ask for a small space, put mats down and teach judo to children and adults. But in 1964, after only nine years in the UK, he returned to Japan in time to see judo as an event in the Olympic Games.

On the November 17th, 1985, whilst on a cycle ride with Goto from the old people's home, Kenshiro suffered a major stroke. He was rushed to a hospital near Seibu-Chichibu Station, but never woke up again. He died on the 1st December 1985. According to his will, his body was donated to be dissected at the Saitama Medical University. The funeral was held in Zuigen Temple in Tokushima City on the 10th June 1986 and his body buried in the Abbe family grave in Tokushima, the Prefecture in which he was born.

References

External links

* [http://www.britishjudocouncil.org/ British Judo Council]
* [http://www.ibcuk.com/ International Budo Council]
* [http://www.kenshiroabbe.com/ Kenshiro Abbe]
* [http://britishaikido.com/index.php British Aikido]
* [http://www.geocities.com/britishaikido/ British Aikido History]
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=831679537872276466/ Kenshiro Abbe Event Google Video ]