Shigenobu Okumura was born in Otaru in 1922 on the island of Hokkaido, then around three years old, he moved with his family to Manchuria, his father being transferred there for his work.
Around 1933, his mother took self-defense lessons with Aritoshi MURASHIGE and Yoichiro INOUE , students of Morihei Ueshiba. At the time, he was not attracted to Aikibudo but to Kendo.
He returned to Kenkoku University in 1938 and studied economics as well as Chinese and Russian.
He thus began Kendo but also Aikibudo and jukenjutsu (bayonet), which were part of the regular classes. He started out with Kenji Tomiki , then met Morihei Ueshiba a year later, during his visit to Kenkoku University.
O Sensei will come regularly every year until 1943; he was always accompanied and assisted by Inoue Yoichiro, also a virtuoso in aiki.
In 1942, a demonstration brings together several of the highest representatives of Martial Arts in Japan, for the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the founding of Manchoukuo, the “puppet” state created by Japan during the occupation of Manchuria in 1932. in 1945. O Sensei and his uke Inoue, Yonekawa , Tenryu and Tomiki, made a phenomenal impression, surpassing other top performances…
Source: Aikido/Facebook
