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The following article was published in the Butterfly newsletter by Brian Bagot 6th. Dan Zen Judo
and is reproduced here with his kind permission.
Born on 15th. December 1915 in a village
in the Tokushima province, Japan, Kenshiro was the fourth son
of Toshizo and Koto Abbe. His father was a school master and
a Kendo teacher, however he was never to learn Kendo from his
father as Toshizo died tragically in a flood during a Kendo
weekend course in the mountains in September 1919. Kenshiro
was initially keen on Sumo wrestling and was the strongest
in his class he won many prizes. He eventually became Tokushima
schools champion of wrestling.
At 14 years old Kenshiro joined judo classes when they were
founded in the village. His enthusiasm was boundless and he
was awarded 1st. Dan within a very short time. A year later
he graded to 2nd. Dan and at 16 years old he became champion
of the High School Judo League at Tokushima and was awarded
3rd. Dan. He was the youngest ever to gain this award.
During his 5th year at school he entered an inter-city
tournament involving 30 towns, representing the town
of Kawashima as Captain. Being very fast and light he
threw every opponent and was given the nickname of Pegasus,
the winged horse. Kenshiro was successful in gaining
entrance to 'Busen', exclusive training college of the
Butokukwai in Kyoto where he studied Kendo and Judo.
He received instruction in Kendo from Ogawa Hanshi,10th.
Dan Sword master and in that year he was the youngest
student to gain his 4th. Dan in Judo.
Every Saturday afternoon tournaments were held at the Busen
which involved Kenshiro fighting five opponents in succession,
each contest lasting five minutes. He invariably won these
tournaments and in the Autumn of his second year he gained
5th. Dan.
In June 1937, at the age of 21, Kenshiro enlisted in
the army, spending the next four years in Manchuria where
he had no chance of training in Judo. As an officer he
was, however, required to study Kendo and was awarded
3rd. Dan. He finished his service in 1941, returning
to Kyoto and the Busen, but was recalled when the war
began to Tokushima to run a training company. The Japanese
army concentrated on Jukendo - bayonet fighting - and
he considered it his duty to study the weapon in depth.
He became one of the first and foremost exponents of
the bayonet, overcoming a Kendo 6th. Dan in a Command
match at the Japanese Imperial Tournament.
It was during his period of military service he first
formulated hi theory of Budo, Kyushindo, although he
did not reveal it publicly until much later. Also at
about this time he was selected by Morihei Ueshiba, the
creator of Aikido, to receive special training with him.
Aikido at that time was still secret and only very special
students were selected to train with Ueshiba. Abbe studied
for ten years under Ueshiba Sensei and became his senior
student of Aikido.
Abbe was greatly concerned about the modern trend towards materialism
and it was as a spiritual alternative to this that he saw his
theory of Kyushindo:
Kyu: means desire, yearn, sphere or circle, search or study.
Shin: means the heart, spirit, true inner nature or nexus point,
universal truth or law, to be true to oneself.
Do: means the way or path, sense of a total path. A way of
life or self discipline.
Kyushindo philosophy is derived from three fundamental
precepts, which are:-
1. Bambutsu Ruten: all things existent in the universe turn
in a constant state of flux,
undergoing a succession of changes.
2. Ritsudo: this motion is rhythmic and smoth, a flowing movement.
3. Chowa: all things act, flow, work in a perfect accord or
harmony (go with the flow: Ed)
Thus to attain perfection in technique means to attain perfection
as a human being, and through your studies to become a better
person and a useful and positive factor in society.
(Compare this with the philosophy underlying Ueshiba's Aikido!!
Ed)
During the early 1950's Abbe broke off all liaisons with the
Kodokan as he was of the opinion that Japanese Judo was in
the decline. This was around the time that their syllabus was
reviewed and rewritten with Olympic contest in mind - the syllabus
which is more or less in operation today in the sports styles
of Judo.
Abbe headed for Britain and was accepted as President
of the London Judo Society (LJS). Seeing Abbe in action
was something new to the British, and he was noted to
be amazingly powerful - he once demonstrated this by
chopping a table-leg (still on the table) into two pieces
using his toes!
With Bill Woods, Abbe helped form the British Judo Council
and introduced his own theory of Kyushindo. He also introduced
Kendo, Karate, Kyudo, Aikido, Iaido and other branches of martial
arts to the UK.
Abbe later went to Europe where he taught in many countries,
always returning to London. He suffered a car accident in 1960
which left him with permanent neck damage. Henceforth he was
in constant pain and resultant nerve damage impaired his mental
faculties.
He returned to Japan in 1964 at the time of the Tokyo Olympics,
but was not received well by his family. He lodged alone in
a cottage apart from the main house and remained there until
his death in 1985.
Altogether Abbe resided in London for nine and a half years,
at the end of which time the organisation he founded numbered
some 50,000 members world-wide. One of the greatest influences
in Abbe's life was Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, under whom
he studied for many years.
Abbe was very fast and light in foot and body and it was almost
impossible to follow his technique when he applied it.
He would say :-
'Natural movements and natural stances are your combat movements
and stances.
And your combat movements and stances are your natural movements
and stances.'
On 1st. December 1985 Abbe passed away suffering from a stroke.
According to his will his body was donated to be dissected
at the Saitama Medical University and on 10th. June 1986 the
funeral was held in Tokushima City and his remains were buried
in the grave of the Abbe family. With his passing the world
lost a genius.
His natural form of Judo, Kyushindo, lives on within the Zen
Judo Family and maybe one day his dream will be realised and
this will be taught throughout the world.
By Brian N Bagot.
(6th.Dan Zen Judo)
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