Nishio style

Nishio style is martial art style created by Shoji Nishio, a prolific Aikido practitioner. His style is characterized as dynamic and effective. Atemis and sword principles are deeply embedded in techniques. This article articulates notable technical emphases of his style, regardless if it is his idea or a continuation of Ueshiba's teaching or sharing commonality with other styles or school.

Style classification
While utilizing different underlying core mechanics, Nishio never considered his Aikido to be a different school of Aikido (like Iwama Ryu, Ki Society, Yoshinkan, Shodokan Aikido, etc.) He wants his approach to be a branch part of Aikikai umbrella. As such, he decided against calling his Aikido style "Nishio-ryu" (but not the same for Iaido).

Engagement with oppositions
Nishio believes that one of Aikido's core tenet is about acknowledging the other person. Most Aikido techniques offer 3-4 opportunities to striking down opponent but ultimately choose the least damaging option. Even as throwing, he said, Aikido practitioners should try not to injure the attacker. This type of choice materializes the philosophy of acknowledgment, understanding, acceptance and mutual respect of and for others, even as they are opposition. Aikido's philosophy stands in contrast to other martial arts' goal of overcoming other. Nishio believes that this context helps recreating each technique close to the spirit of Ueshiba.

Views on innovation in Aikido
Nishio strongly believes that the innovation of Aikido is a requirement Ueshiba has from its practitioners. He also asked practitioners to develop based on their own background. His conclusion based on Ueshiba's words before passing:"Before the Founder passed away thirty-four years ago he told us, “This old man has brought [aikido] this far; all of you must take it from here.” In light of these words, I think it is insufficient—unforgivable, in fact— for us to simply maintain the status quo."The commitment to this view is reflected by Nishio numerous technical contributions and distinctions within the martial art world. He is considered as "one of the foremost technical innovators" in Aikido.

Stages
There are major 3 stages for an Aikido technique: tsukuri, kuzushi, waza which roughly means set-up, break balance, technique (control). To create and effective tsukuri, practitioners need to take initiative to elicit opponent's action. How to work with such set-ups will vary from moment to moment depending on how practitioner intend to meet and draw opponent in. He should consider to employ set-ups well match to his body.

Tsukuri in Nishio style in empty-handed techniques usually involving offering a hand. In weapon techniques, tsukuri takes form of lowering or moving the weapon out of the combat line. Another way of tsukuri in weapon techniques is taking natural stance - shizentai, not raising the sword to kamea (defensive) position at all, leaving the body completely open. Kuzushi in Nishio style is sometime as small and simple as turning the wrist when grabbed.

Stance
Nishio believes that natural stance (shizentai) is the way to face an opponent, adversary, or training partner. It becomes a physical manifestation of humanity in Aikido. It's said that in his final years, O'Sensei also disliked kamae (roughly means stance before the fight).

In Nishio's style, the stance takes form of hand, hip straight down naturally. Both feet should also be straight with one slightly higher than the other. This feet position let the practitioner face his opposition directly and acknowledge him (a core tenet in Nishio-style). This stance is the same when practitioner use a sword or a jo (a wooden stick). With the sword, the tip of the sword lie down near front foot in front of the holder. With the jo, the direction of the jo intersect with opposition's eyes.

Physically, these form a "no stance" stance; however, practitioner should already taking a mental stance of acceptance, awareness, preparation. The hand is then offered to the opposition. Entering technique starts at the moment of contact. The offering of the hand is a form of tsukuri (set-up).

In comparison, most other Aikido styles' stance have one hand or both hands extended forward, usually with extended fingers.

Irimi
In budo, irimi is essentially the movement to obtain an opponent's "dead angle." This refers to a strategic position offering effective strike and control opportunities while it is significantly harder/slower for the opposition to do so. In Nishio's style, in front-facing position, irimi is taken as a half-step instead of a one-step in other Aikido schools. The step is to the right and slightly forward, create a direction of about 30 degree compare to the shoulder's initial position. By taking half-step instead of full step, practitioner stays connected to the opposition thereby maintaining effective control of the situation.

Atemi
"Aikido is forty percent throwing and sixty percent pinning. [...] Further, in all of the techniques there is atemi. [...] In the aikido I learned (and that I now teach), we do throws and pins with the rhythm and feeling of atemi. Shoij Nishio"In mainstream Aikido styles, atemi are demonstrated infrequently, and felt into disuse. In Nishio's style, atemis are everywhere and numerous (his teaching list at least 10 different hand strikes, 5 elbow strikes). Almost all Aikido techniques demonstrated by Nishio have multiple atemis at the beginning and during techniques. More than strikes, atemis in his style determine the rhythm and timing of techniques.

Hand movement
The uniqueness of his style compared to other Aikido styles is the deep integration of the sword principles into Aikido techniques. In Nishio's style, after contact, hand movements imitate the movement of the sword in both hand's shape and trajectory. The leading hand usually is open, straight with fingers close together (forming shape very similar to shuto or knife-hand but without folding thumb). Because the hand is open, not grabbing the opposition, it's always available to perform different atemis. Grabbing opposition's hand only happen near finish of technique or even none at all. This timing of grabbing is significantly different from other Aikido styles where grabbing happen almost immediately after contact most of the time.

The path and direction of the hand is the same as a sword cutting space with the side has little finger leads the movement. In Nishio's style, finishing of shihonage is described as the hand "cutting downward" rather than a throw.

Underlying principles
In Nishio's style, all techniques can be performed with the wooden sword bokken, wooden stick jō in hand as well as without weapons. "I have experience in karate and judo, and feel the way of the sword is central, so I reflect empty-hand techniques and throws in my sword and jo movements. O-sensei said, 'If your hands hold a sword, then aikido is a sword; if your hands hold a jo, then aikido is a jo.' - Shoji Nishio"In weapon training, he believes, practitioners should try to be "on the edge". That means avoid being struck, deliver an effective final strike and stop within hair's breadth of contact.

The usage of bokken in Aikido is different from doing Iaido as it's not in kata form but in Aikido form.

Purpose
Nishio believes the purpose of the Aikido sword is to purify, as he calls it the "sword of purification".


 * The sword in Aikido does not cut opponent. Rather, it's a tool to control the attack, even before its occurrence. The sword is used to redirect opponent's energy, voiding the need of physical strike. This approach of usage emphasizes the focus on control, the removal of conflict and unnecessary of damaging others. Thereby using in this way, it will forge the sword's controller out of mental "impurities" (the desire to hurt and creation of conflict).
 * The sword techniques in Aikido aim to find unified direction, not cutting down opponent. Therefore it's a tool to guide both persons toward new understanding and mutual respect. This aspect shows the "purification" of intention of the opposition.
 * The swords also help practitioners understand the core physical mechanics of empty-handed Aikido techniques. This view of utility emphasizes striving for perfection of bodily movements, hence "purifying".

Characteristic
"The sword of Aikido makes no sound. - Shoji Nishio"Described as otonashi, or "silent," Nishio's sword work relies on minimal blade contact. His sword techniques anticipate and exploit gaps in opponent's attacks, turning defense into offense with precise, flowing movements. This approach is very different from Morihito Saito's style, where the majority of controls are achieved through impact with the other sword, resulting in significant clashing of the swords heard throughout.

Iaido
In 1955, due to the lack of explanation regarding sword and jo techniques from Ueshiba (and other instructors), Nishio started study Iaido under Shigenori Sano (10th dan Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu). He achieved 7th Dan Nihon Zenkoku Iaido Renmei.

In iaido, Nishio practiced number of different styles and consolidated what he believed to be useful. By 2001, after 46 years of learning and perfecting the art, after numerous addition and revision, he finalized his iaido system to 15 katas, most of which correlated to specific Aikido movements. His system is called Aiki Toho Iaido or Nishio-ryu Iai.

List of kata
Aiki Toho Iaido consist of 15 katas as follow: