Shoji Seki

A video of one of my favorite masters: Shoji SEKI, 7 Dan Aikido Aikikai, Hombu Shihan.
Shoji Seki is presently Chief Instructor (“Shihan Bucho”) at Hombu Dojo.
The video is filmed at the 44th Annual All-Japan Aikido Demonstration, organized by Aikikai in Tokyo, in 2006.

This is a demonstration where Seki shihan is performing slower, didactically, having a lot of care for the Uke.
Nevertheless, one can tell that he is sharp as a katana, crystal clear, precise, exact.


and from another angle:


From the Encyclopedia of Aikido offered by Aikido Journal:
“SEKI, SHOJI
(b. 6 March 1950).
7th dan Aikikai.
Aikikai Shihan.
B. Yamagata Prefecture.
First practiced aikido in 1969 in Tokyo.
Became professional instructor at AIKIKAI HOMBU DOJO in 1973.
Has traveled to numerous countries conducting aikido seminars.”

He was a disciple of Kisshomaru Ueshiba Doshu.

Master Seki has traveled to Romania twice, in 1996 and 1997, when he conducted memorable seminars, organized by George Raicu sensei.
I still remember Seki sensei taking ukemi for some (lucky) participants to the seminar.

And a story from Hombu Dojo:
I was there a few years ago, training one class each day and watching/studying from aside one or two more classes.
During the late master Arikawa’s class, the respect that the practitioners showed him was exceptional. Everybody strictly aligned, perfect silence. Me, in the back, on the wooden floor surrounding the tatami, sitting in seiza. It’s not too pleasant to sit on your knees, on wood, for several minutes.
After the beginning ceremony, training begins, and I sit with my legs crossed. Wrong !
The young instructor Teijyu Sasaki comes to me and indicates that I should sit on my knees during training too. Oops!
After minutes of sitting on my knees, Sasaki comes back and says “Ok, you should sit in seiza only when shihan is demonstrating the techniques and everybody else sits down. For the rest, you can sit with the legs crossed.”

Another day, I was watching master Seki’s class.
To avoid repeating the mistake, I was sitting bravely in seiza, on the wooden floor.
Master Seki saw me from the beginning, and on the first occasion came to me and asked me to not sit on my knees, but to sit down. (What a relief !)
This is one more reason for which I like master Seki. :)

Searching additional information on Seki shihan, I found this topic on the Aikido Journal Forum, from which I extract two suggestive snippets about the Japanese master:

“Very fast, very precise, very polite, very technical, very circular.”
Tony Rodrigues, Sao Paulo (Brazil)

“Very fast and sharp, with no messing about or surplus movement.
Along with Mr Hayato Osawa, Mr. Seki is really 'mainstream' Hombu, in the sense that the main influences on their training came from the late Kisshomaru Doshu and Kisaburo Osawa.”
Peter Goldsbury, Hiroshima (Japan)