34 Facts About Shoji Nishio

Shoji Nishio was a Japanese aikido practitioner and innovator.

Shoji Nishio held the rank of 8th dan shihan from the Aikikai.

Shoji Nishio achieved multiple high ranking honors in other martial arts from different lineages, most notably Iaido, Judo, Karate.

Shoji Nishio's style has been described by practitioners as dynamic, natural and effective.

Shoji Nishio left a lasting impact through his teachings, publications, and the worldwide propagation of his style.

Shoji Nishio was honored by the Japanese Budo Federation with the Budo Kyoryusho award for his contribution to Aikido's development and global reach.

Shoji Nishio started practicing judo in 1942 in a dojo near the Ministry of Finance in the Japanese Mint, where he was then employed.

The restriction from judo competition made Shoji Nishio felt his martial art growth was inhibited, he switched to practicing karate in 1950.

Shoji Nishio was trained under Yasuhiro Konishi, the founder of Shindo jinen-ryu karate.

Still feeling that karate was limiting, Shoji Nishio kept searching for another martial art.

Shoji Nishio joined Aikikai Hombu Dojo in 1952 after 10 years of practicing other martial arts.

Shoji Nishio was promoted to shihan and began to teach around 1955.

Shoji Nishio believed that one of Aikido's core tenets was about acknowledging the other person.

Shoji Nishio believed that this context helped recreating each technique close to the spirit of Ueshiba.

Shoji Nishio believed that the innovation of Aikido was a requirement Ueshiba had from its practitioners.

Shoji Nishio asked practitioners to develop based on on their own background.

Shoji Nishio is considered as "one of the foremost technical innovators" in Aikido.

Shoji Nishio believed that other martial arts knowledge was a "nourishment" for one's Aikido development.

Shoji Nishio practiced in-depth iaido independently from his aikido training.

Shoji Nishio believed that shizentai - natural stance was the way to face an opponent, adversary, or training partner.

Practitioners of the Shoji Nishio style believe this stance is physical manifestation of humanity in Aikido.

In Shoji Nishio teaching, to create tsukuri, practitioners need to take the initiative to elicit opponent's action.

Almost all Aikido techniques demonstrated by Shoji Nishio have multiple atemis at the beginning and during techniques.

In 1955, due to the lack of explanation regarding sword and jo techniques from Ueshiba, Shoji Nishio started to study iaido under Shigenori Sano.

Shoji Nishio was awarded 7th Dan Nihon Zenkoku Iaido Renmei.

In iaido, Shoji Nishio practiced a number of different styles and consolidated what he believed to be useful.

Shoji Nishio's system is called Aiki Toho Iai or Nishio-ryu Iai.

In 1957 or 1958, Shoji Nishio trained in jodo with Takaji Shimizu and Yari or art of the spear.

Shoji Nishio's approach departed from Ueshiba's characterization of the "radiant sword of pacification".

Shoji Nishio believed the purpose of the Aikido sword was to purify, as he called it the "sword of purification".

Shoji Nishio contributed to the international development of Aikido throughout the world by teaching, holding seminars and help establishing dojos of his Aikido style.

In 2003, Shoji Nishio received the Budo Kyoryusho award from Japanese Budo Federation for his lifetime contribution to development and worldwide propagation of Aikido.

Shoji Nishio was born in Aomori Prefecture of Japan in 1927.

Shoji Nishio is well-known for being mild-mannered and frequent smiling.