Masamichi Noro

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Masamichi Noro
(野呂 昌道 Noro Masamichi)

Born January 21, 1935 (1935-01-21) (age 73)
Aomori, Japan
Residence Flag of France Paris, France
Martial art practiced Kinomichi and Aikido
Teacher(s) Morihei Ueshiba
Rank Founder of Kinomichi and Aikido 6th dan (1961)
Website http://www.kiia.net

Masamichi Noro (野呂 昌道 Noro Masamichi?, born in 1935) is the founder of Kinomichi and was an internal student of Master Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido[1]

Contents

[edit] Formative Years

Masamichi NORO 野呂昌道 was born January 21, 1935 in Aomori, Japan. One of the characteristics of his early years is the musical universe that surrounded him, and which strongly influenced his sensibility. His education destined him to take on his family’s business affairs, but one encounter re-directed the course of his life toward the martial arts, irrevocably. In 1955, while pursuing university studies, his uncle arranged for him to be presented to a famous master of Ju-jitsu, Master Morihei Ueshiba 植芝盛平, the founder of Aikido 合気道. This event proved to be decisive and that same day he decided to renounce his plans in order to become uchi deshi, an internal student of this master. His training, in the ancient manner, took place night and day at the master’s side. In this way, from 1955 to 1961, Masamichi Noro followed Master Morehei Ueshiba from Tokyo to Iwama where he had his private dojo. At this time, 5 uchi deshi (including Yasuo Kobayashi and Nobuyoshi Tamura) encircled the founder of Aikido, and from this breeding ground sprung the generation which would form a great part of Aïkido worldwide.

[edit] The Propagation of Aikido

In 1961, Master Morihei Ueshiba wished to send an expert to Europe and entrusted his disciple Master Masamichi Noro, who by that time had received the 6th dan, the responsibility of supporting the enthusiasm and training of the European and African practitioners. So, he was pushed by Morihei Ueshiba to embark toward the West with the title "Official Delegate for Europe and Africa".[2] It has been noted that from this time, he renounced all dan above the 6th that had been given to him by his master. He followed the sea route of the time, passing the Suez Canal and the Pyramids to land at Marseille on September 3, 1961. The beginning was difficult. The art was new and the way of teaching it very different from the way it was taught in his master’s dojo. Everything had to be constructed, understood and made accessible to the western body and mind. Master Masamichi Noro deployed his initial energy in southeastern France and in Italy where Judo teachers had invited him to enrich the understanding of their students. The spirit was one of mutual assistance and pleasure in the study, following the wishes of Jigoro Kano 嘉納 治五郎, the founder of Judo 柔道. Then he was invited to Belgium. He opened his first dojo there. In ploughing these new lands for the budos he opened more than 200 dojos, as many in Europe as in Africa, flying from Sweden to Senegal. This was a time of pioneers. Masters Mutsuro Nakazono and Nobuyoshi Tamura joined him in 1963 and 1964, respectively. The task was immense, the success exemplary. In 1964, Master Masamichi Noro established his base in Paris and opened a succession of dojos which left their imprint within the heart of the French aikidokas : at the Gare du Nord, rue de Constance, rue des Petits Hôtels. In the Parisian melting pot, Master Masamichi Noro met Taisen Deshimaru, Karlfried Graf Dürckheim, Marie-Thérèse Foix, Gisèle de Noiret and Docteur Lily Ehrenfried. He opened himself to new ideas, to original perspectives, to occidental techniques.

[edit] The Creation of Kinomichi

[edit] The Second Beginning

In 1979, after a discussion with Master Kisshomaru Ueshiba 植芝吉祥丸, the son of the founder of Aikido, Master Masamichi Noro created Kinomichi in order to further extend his quest. There followed a new succession of Parisian dojos dedicated to the study of Kinomichi : rue Logelbach, boulevard de Strasbourg, boulevard des Batignolles. After an inevitable period of adjustments and intense research, the links between Kinomichi and Aikido developed and deepened.

[edit] A Community of Budos

1985, at the time of the 20th anniversary of Aikido in Germany and at the invitation of his friend Master Katsuaki Asai 浅井勝昭, 8th dan Aïkikaï and pioneer of Aikido in Germany, he presented Kinomichi before a gathering of the greatest masters of Aikido, including the Doshu. From 1996, he made frequent visits to the Aikikai Foundation in Tokyo and, of course, to Master Kishomaru Ueshiba, the son of Aikido’s founder. In 2001, he obtained recognition from the ministry of youth and sports (Ministère de la Jeunesse et des Sports) of Kinomichi as an official sporting discipline. In 2004, he participated in the events celebrating the 20th anniversary of the française d'aïkido, aïkibudo et affinitaires, FFAAA, which welcomed the Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba, representative of the Centre Mondial de l’Aïkido in Tokyo. Masters Masamichi Noro, Nobuyoshi Tamura and Christian Tissier were notably present to receive the delegation from the Hombu Dojo of Tokyo. They were among 3000 practitioners from all of France as well as numerous European countries. April 8, 2005, he was invited with Master Christian Tissier to participate in a workshop organized by the association Hakki for the benefit of the 220,000 victims of the tsunami of December 26, 2004. In 2007, at the initiative of the FFAAA, he welcomed into his Parisian dojo Japanese masters, including Isoyama sensei.

[edit] An ever evolving creation

Since its creation, Kinomichi has known 3 phases and Master Masamichi Noro continues to tell his students that his art is ever evolving. The 1980s were characterized by focusing the work on sensitivity, on a correct and relaxed posture, and on the body as an instrument of perception of the self, others and the world. The 90s accented the orientation of the ki and organized the movement to initiate from the ground. 2000 opened onto a period where the technical richness was to be studied in different degrees of speed, difficulty and freedom. Each level is seen not as inferior to the one that follows but like a pathway to that which comes next, like a call to advance. Master Masamichi Noro accents the heart, shin 心, in particular. To date, he has created access to his art through the work on the breath, ki 気. He demands, at the highest level, that the ki be oriented by the shin, the breath by the heart and that it should be closely bound to technical expertise. Master Masamichi Noro deploys his energy to create a discipline that opens onto his becoming, following the example of his own master. Master Morihei Ueshiba never ceased transforming his art, to the point of having given his art 7 different names, like so many milestones along the Way. In this manner, Master Masamichi Noro takes to heart the etymology of dojo 道場, the house where one studies the Way, Do 道 in Japanese and Tao in Chinese.

Since 2001, the KIIA, Kinomichi Instructors International Association, organises Kinomichi at an international level.

[edit] External Links

[edit] Sources

  • 2006 (French)« Dans la spirale du Kinomichi » article by Nguyen Thanh Thiên in Dragon n°16 Juillet/Août, being translated soon online.
  • 2005 (French)« Une rencontre de l’Aïkido et du Kinomichi » with Masamichi Noro et Christian Tissier, DVD, Gabriel TURKIEH, Production Altomedia.
  • 2003 (French)« Le mouvement universel du ki » interview of Masamichi Noro sensei in Aikido Magazine December 2003
  • 1996 (French)« Le Kinomichi, du mouvement à la création. Rencontre avec Masamichi Noro. » Raymond Murcia, Editeur Dervy-Livres , Collection Chemins De L'harmonie 2850768065
  • 1992 (French)« La pratique du Kinomichi avec maître Noro  » Daniel Roumanoff Editeur Criterion Collection L'homme relié 2741300402
  • 1963 (French)Video of first Aikido workshop of Noro sensei in August 1963 in Cannes, France [1]
  • 1960 Photographies of Noro sensei with Ueshiba sensei in Japan (move down the page) on this link [2] and in Europe [3]. Thanks to Eli Steenput.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Noro, Masamichi by Stanley Pranin in Encyclopedia of Aikido, Aikido Journal
  2. ^ Master Noro (kiia.net)