Customer Reviews

Aikido: The Heavenly Road

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This large, well illustrated book is an excellent pictorial of Tendokan Aikido, taught by Kenji Shimizu. Tendokan Aikido is well known in parts of Europe (Germany) and Japan, but is little known elsewhere in the world.

Tendokan Aikido is characterized by large flowing movements, has some very interesting variations that are somewhat unique in my experience of Aikido over the past 9 years. Kenji Shimizu Sense was one of the last of the Aikido Hombu Dojo uchideshi, entering the Hombu Dojo in 1964. During this final phase of O'Sensei's life, Shimizu Sensei was known as O'Sensei's favorite uke. That alone makes this book worthwhile, as for students of Aikido, this book is a definitive documentary and entertaining pictoral of this important uchideshi's Aikido style and philsophy.

The book illustrates in large panoramic pictures, the basic Aikido techniques as practiced in Tendokan style. You'll be able to see some of the interesting stylistic variations that Shimizu Sensei's large circular powerful flowing movements produces.

For any practioner of Aikido, these variations will entertain you and give you additional ideas about what is possible in Aikido. The quality of the photos and print is of high quality and the sequences are easy to understand and follow from a reader's standpoint.

I was a student of Tendokan Aikido during my time in Hong Kong during 1996 and 1997 and wrote this review in thanks for my time there, and to point out Shimizu Sensei to those of us in the USA; at this point it seems unlikely that Shimizu Sensei has any students here in the USA who would ever bring him here to teach.

As an Aikido newcomer, I was delighted to come across Shimizu Kenji's "The Heavenly Road". This book uses a minimum of words and a maximum of clear photographs to illustrate the authors intent. Easy on the eye and inner-picture evoking, I not only recommend the book but look forward to my next training session with added enthusiasm. Iain White - Australia

Kenji Shimizu's "The Heavely Road" utilizes detailed photographs shot at interesting angles to shed light on aikido's most dynamic techniques. The neophyte and the serious practitioner, alike, will continue learning about the many nuances of this most subtle martial art even after reviewing the same techninque, many times. Photographs taken from above are particularly useful. Several practitioners of aikido whom I shared this book with later bought their own copies. I highly recommend "The Heavenly Road." It is one of my two favorite books that deal with the art of aikido.

I have owned this book for seven or eight years. I bought it when my Aikido training was extremely intense...training 6 days a week for 2-3 hours at a time. While my training was mainly confined to that of United States Aikido Federation-Western Region (Chiba Shihan and Okuyama Senseai), I had occassion to see and learn from several of the leading US-based and some Japan-based Shihan at various seminars. Unfortunately, it seems that Shimizu Sensei does not have a strong presence in the US. I would love to see and try his style of Aikido From his book you can see that his Aikido is powerful and flowing with large movements. The photos and sequences in The Heavenly Road are fantastic. Of the numerous Aikido Books in my collection this is my favorite.

Shimizu Sensei's beautifully-done book is a necessary addition to any serious aikidoka's library. The photos nearly move, they so illustrate his large, powerful movements. It is really a loss that he has never been well known in the USA, and we have had to travel to Nippon and the EU to train with him. Check his videos on YouTube, which show his technique, albeit without the well-translated explanation the book offers.

This is a great book on Aikido by none other than one of the students of the originator of the martial art himself. I was fortunate enough about 7 years ago to have my copy autographed by the great Shimizu himself when he came down for a short visit and trained with us in the dojo for about an hour. He is such a humble and personable man too. Recommended.