Category: History

American Jidokwan Familial Disputes

10/15/2020

Author: Bret Gordon

As President of the American Jidokwan Association (official website), I have been entirely forthcoming about our organization's history. Neither I or my teacher, Hatfield sensei, were there when the organization was created and therefore there are things we simply don't know. What is detailed on the history section of our website linked above is the most accurate presentation we are able to put forth about events that predate our involvement, and even though this contradicts earlier versions that we have published we believe it is in everyone's best interest to publicize correct information. I will say that at no point have we deliberately misrepresented or spread falsehoods about the American Jidokwan Association's history.

One thing we have been clear about is that we are not the only ones with a claim to the "American Jidokwan" name. To date, I know of at least 6 different schools or organizations that use the name, some of which have no connection to the rest. These groups are:

Ernest Lieb, American Jidokwan 1965 (Switched the name to American Karate Systems 1973)
Robert Moore/Curtis Herrington, American Jidokwan 1968 (Used interchangeably with Ohio Jidokwan)
Ernest Al Fuzy, American Jidokwan Karate 1995
William Sirbaugh, American Jidokwan Taekwondo 1995
Thomas Henzey, American Jidokwan Federation (date unknown)
Herb McGuire, American Jidokwan Martial Arts (date unknown)

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Controversy Of The Rising Sun

10/4/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

Imperial War Flag, 1870-1945

According to Japanese mythology, after the creation of Heaven and Earth, the gods Izanagi and Izanami were given the task of forming a series of islands that would become what is now Japan. In some of the earliest writings, Japan became known as "the land of the rising sun" as the Japanese archipelago is east of the Asian mainland, thus "where the sun rises." In fact the Japanese word for Japan, Nihon 日本, literally means the "origin of the sun."

This belief has led to numerous symbols throughout Japanese history depicting the image of the rising sun (Asahi). Since ancient times, there have been many variations of the Asahi that represented festiveness and good fortune. It was first adopted as the Imperial War Flag on May 15, 1870 under the Emperor Meiji, and was used until the end of World War II in 1945. It was re-adopted on June 30, 1954 as the Japanese Naval ensign, and the Japan Self Defense Forces and the Japan Ground Self Defense Forces currently use a variation as well.

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Do Nothing That Is Of No Use

9/29/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

As I sit and ponder this quote from Miyamoto Musashi, I am reminded of my priorities and my foundation. While I am generally against martial arts instructors acting like monks and flooding their students with inspirational quotes and meditation to fill the void from their lack of actual fighting ability, I also believe there are no coincidences. If you're ever scrolling through your Facebook news feed and come across something that hits home, you know what I'm talking about.

As martial artists, we have a duty to protect those who can't protect themselves. This does not just apply to the living. Instructors and family members who have since passed on would certainly qualify. The circle of life would dictate that at some point, children must rise up and defend their parents, grandparents, etc. I would hope that if I was to pass away suddenly, in order to respect my memory my students would carry on what I've taught them in the same manner that I would. Going against my wishes in how the art is taught and spread, in how information is provided, is not living up to that legacy. While every system should have a designated successor to take the helm and carry the art into the next generation, every student is in some way an inheritor of the tradition and has a responsibility to it. For example, if I wished to live a private life away from the spotlight and keep certain aspects of my life hidden, I would expect my students to honor those wishes long after I am gone.

Over the last several months, I have allowed the attacks of people who truly have no affect on me to pull me away from these beliefs. That ends now, as this quote hits harder than Hatfield sensei. Arguing with people on the internet is of no use. Sharing history and tradition with those who aren't students is of no use. Divulging intimate family details to those on the outside is of no use.

While I make no claim to having all of the information regarding my lineage, and as my research continues I will update what is publicly available in order to provide the most accurate presentation possible, I will not rush to publish a new blog simply because someone on the internet wants to know something. Information is earned, and if you are not a student or member of the family, you haven't earned the right to know. In a previous article, I mentioned that when I contacted the Daito Ryu Kodokai with Hasaka sensei's birth name to verify some historical information, I wasn't met with pictures and scrolls. I wasn't met with a detailed biography that catalogued his entire training history. I was initially stone walled with a simple "Why do you want to know?" Going forward, when someone outside of our tradition or organization makes an inquiry, my response will be just that...

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True American Jidokwan History

9/26/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

The cognitive dissonance of some people is absolutely amazing, while also endlessly frustrating, to watch. In the tireless effort to prove Hatfield sensei and I are lying about something, anything really, our detractors continue to reveal just how ignorant of and uninterested in the truth they really are... And the latest thing to come under attack is the American Jidokwan Association (official website).

As current President of the American Jidokwan Association, since October 3, 2017, I feel compelled to shed light on our organization's history as well as its ties to Korea as a legitimate source of authentic Jidokwan Taekwondo and Korean Karate.

By now, everyone is aware of the situation regarding my predecessor Patrick Justice (if you are not, please read these articles: part 1, part 2 and part 3) so I will not continue to speak on this matter. The facts of the situation have already been presented to the best of my knowledge, and there is nothing more for me to say.

As I have come to understand it, the project known as American Jidokwan Association stems from the collaboration of three individuals: William Sirbaugh, Shune Yung Davis and E.A. Fuzy. Unfortunately, this is where the organization's history gets... well... fuzy.

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What Is San Budo Sogo Bugei?

8/15/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

Those who follow me on social media will notice I heavily promote American Yoshinkan Aiki Jujutsu, one of two arts that I inherited from my teacher, Steven Hatfield, alongside Satori Ryu Kokusai Goju Kai. Many will say I share more about American Yoshinkan than I do about my own art! If that's true, it's simply because I love aiki. I love the sophistication and intricacy. I love how advanced this system of internal power is. I love... Hold on. I'm doing it again. Let's back up and discuss the art that I have poured my blood, sweat and tears into developing.

San Budo Sogo Bugei 三武道総合武芸 is a modern interpretation of traditional Japanese and Okinawan warrior arts, with an emphasis on practical self defense and survival training. Primarily derived from Aiki Jujutsu, Goju Ryu and Kajukenbo/Kempo, the art of San Budo Sogo Bugei offers a complete self defense curriculum designed to address the realities of the modern world built upon centuries of proven training and fighting methods.

While San Budo Sogo Bugei (herein referred to as "San Budo") is derived from numerous arts, it is not merely a mix of these systems. San Budo is an expression of my personal philosophies, beliefs and training methods. After all, that's what any style is at its core. There's only so many ways to cause physical damage to another human being, so what separates styles from each other are the principles behind them.

In this article, we're going to explore the curriculum of San Budo, what makes it unique and the source of its legitimacy as an independent style of martial arts.

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Obsession Isn't Healthy, Boys

7/30/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

Most of my readers are aware of the ongoing harassment both my instructor and I have been subjected to by the Facebook hate group, BSMA, run by Don Roley and his goonies. What started as a dispute over some paperwork that we refused to show them, because what gives them the audacity to demand anything, has turned into a public charade that's nothing less than stalking. For those of you who don't know, and for the first time ever, let me give a play-by-play of how we ended up here.

Let me apologize now for the length of this article, but it's time the world got to see exactly what we're dealing with... Because I'll be honest. Nothing is more frustrating than venting about these bullies only to be met with the sentiment "just let it go" from those who have never been attacked like this. There's only so many times a chihuahua can nip at your heels before you turn around and kick the chihuahua. So this is me, punting the yappy little animal that is BSMA across my now barren field of....

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What's In A Name?

7/22/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

A common custom in Japanese culture is for men to change their names for any number of reasons. Maybe you just want to change the spelling of your name, you don't like the name your parents gave you, you want to get rid of your middle name, you want to remove any family associations, or maybe you just want a change. Another situation where changing your name is common is called mukoyoshi, or the adopted son-in-law who assumes his wife's surname. This adult adoption may take place in marriages where the woman's family is of a higher socio-economic rank than the man's family, where the woman has no brothers to be the heir to the family name, when the man has been disowned by his own family, or when the man's natural family comes from a notorious or shameful background and he thus prefers to hide his identity.

In Japan, you can legally change your first name, middle name or surname, or any combination of those. And of course, this just refers to a legal name change and not the practice of assuming an alias. While the custom of changing your name is an old, historical one (with my favorite example being Minamoto Yoshikiyo changing his surname to Takeda and starting the famous clan in the 12th century), the tradition carries on today. In 2017, nearly 5,000 name change applications were received in Japan according judicial statistics, with a roughly 92% approval rate. That may not seem like a lot in a country of over 120 million people, but it's enough to show it's not unheard of.

When choosing a name, Japanese people are limited to using 2,136 common use Chinese characters, 863 naming Chinese characters, as well as the two phonetic Japanese syllabaries: Hiragana and Katakana. Unlike in the West where names are often chosen either for popularity or to honor someone, Japanese names are often chosen for the meaning of the characters themselves. As such, many Japanese change their names because they feel the meaning of those characters no longer defines them. However, they aren't limited in the way those characters can be read and as such, may not even sound like a traditional Japanese name at all! A recent trend over the last 30+ years are to use what are called "kira kira" names きらきらネーム (meaning "shiny" or "sparkly"). Initially popularized by a number of books before spreading to the internet, the practice of finding completely original names has diversified considerably.

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Confirmation Of Hapkido's Connection To Daito Ryu

5/11/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

For decades, the stories of Choi Yong Sul's training with Takeda Sokaku in Daito Ryu have been the subject of countless disputes. I've heard numerous versions of this so-called history, with everything ranging from Choi being the adopted son of Takeda to being just a simple houseboy. Some renditions emphasize they didn't know each other at all. What is indisputable is that when Choi returned to Korea following the end of the Japanese occupation, he was a formidable martial artist whose reputation grew quickly.

But where did his martial prowess come from? A technical analysis of Choi's teaching certainly shows similarities to Daito Ryu technique, but Takeda Sokaku was notorious for keeping meticulous records of every student he taught. Who can blame him when over the course of his career, he taught an estimated 30,000 students, many of whom were heads of other martial arts? He felt his art of Daito Ryu was proprietary and wanted a way to ensure those who trained with him wouldn't take what they learned back to their schools and pass them off as information that had been there already. It has been generally accepted that Choi Yong Sul did not appear anywhere in Takeda's records, nor did his alleged Japanese name "Yoshida Asao." It has been suggested that he was intentionally omitted because he was Korean, but other Koreans (such as Jang In Mok) appear in official Daito Ryu records so that's not a valid excuse. How then, can we reconcile that with his claims of studying with Takeda?

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Spotlight: Otsuka Ryunosuke

5/8/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

Occasionally, someone comes along and confirms everything you believe in. While there are countless historical examples of Asian martial artists reaching the highest level of their respective arts in record timeframes that would make the "time-in-grade" crowd start to seethe, I'll admit it's not as common for us wide eyes to do the same legitimately. However, when someone sets an undisputed precedent, in Japan no less, the results can't be ignored.

Born as Lösch Markus from Germany, Otsuka Ryunosuke moved to Japan in 2010 in search of classical martial arts. He met Otsuka Yoichiro of Hokushin Itto Ryu Hyoho, and quickly became a dedicated student and uchi-deshi. Just three years later, he was appointed Saiko Shihan (highest master) of the art. In July of 2014, Otsuka Ryunosuke earned Menkyo Kaiden (license of full transmission) from Yoichiro, who had since become the 6th Soke of the art. At that time is when he was taken on as an adopted son of Yoichiro and officially changed his name.

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Spotlight: Don Angier

5/6/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

One of the most influential and profound instructors of the aiki arts, Don Angier (1933-2014) quickly gained attention as probably America's first real soke. Growing up in Utica, New York, through an unbelievable stroke of fate Angier met Yoshida Kenji, son of Yoshida Kotaro (a prominent Daito Ryu instructor and soke of his family's own tradition) who had relocated to the United States for political reasons. When Angier inquired why Yoshida agreed to train him, he said "that he had agreed to teach me for several reasons. During his absence after our first meeting, he had been watching me to see what kind of a person I was, how much of a temper I might have, and generally how I conducted myself. He realized that he would probably never return to Japan, and he still had an obligation to pass the family art along... He said that he considered me a yoshi, an adopted son, such as those adopted by samurai who had no children of their own or those adopted by families who had lost the male heir" and was given the Japanese name Yoshida Kensaburo (view source).

The two would start training together privately for several years, from the time Angier was 15 or 16 until he joined the military during the Korean War soon after graduating high school. Now, when you do the math, that means he had about two to three years of regular instruction with Yoshida before joining the military and then would they would meet up occasionally until Angier was sent overseas. Unfortunately shortly after that, Yoshida passed away of pneumonia. After he was discharged in the early 1950s, Angier made his new home in California where he would spend the rest of his life teaching.

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<<Previous

USAMA BLOG

American Jidokwan Familial Disputes

Controversy Of The Rising Sun

Do Nothing That Is Of No Use

True American Jidokwan History

What Is San Budo Sogo Bugei?

Obsession Isn't Healthy, Boys

What's In A Name?

Confirmation Of Hapkido's Connection To Daito Ryu

Spotlight: Otsuka Ryunosuke

Spotlight: Don Angier

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