| Kenshiro Abbe | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 15 December 1915 Tokushima Prefecture, Japan |
| Died | 1 December 1985 (aged 69) Tokushima Prefecture, Japan Stroke |
| Style | Aikido, Judo, Kendo, jukendo and others |
| Teacher(s) | Kinnosuke Ogawa, Morihei Ueshiba |
| Rank | 8th dan judo, 6th dan aikido, 6th dan kendo, and others |
| Spouse | Keiko Abbe |
| Children | Junko Abbe, Noriko Abbe, Yayoi Abbe |
| Notable students | Kenneth Williams, David Williams Henry Ellis, Vernon Bell |
Kenshiro Abbe (阿部 謙四郎, Abe Kenshirō, 15 December 1915 – 1 December 1985)[a] was a prominent Japanese master of judo, aikido, and kendo.[1] He introduced aikido to the United Kingdom in 1955,[1][2][3][4] and founded the Kyushindo system.[3][5][6] Abbe was a graduate of the Budo Senmon Gakko, having studied judo and kendo there. Following an illustrious early career in the martial arts, he served in the Imperial Japanese Army before and during World War II. He then trained in aikido under its founder, Morihei Ueshiba, for a decade. Abbe held dan ranks in several martial arts, most notably 8th dan in judo, 6th dan in aikido, and 6th dan in kendo. After introducing aikido to the UK, he established several Japanese martial arts councils there during the late 1950s. He returned to Japan in 1964 and remained there for most of the remainder of his life. There are contradictory accounts of Abbe's final years, but it appears that he was in poor spirits and poor health towards the end.
- ^ a b Morgan, K., & Ellis, H. (2006): Kenshiro Abbe Sensei 1915–1985: A man with too many friends Archived 4 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine (originally published in Martial Arts Illustrated, December 2006). Retrieved 7 April 2010. This article is not a verbatim copy of the article in Martial Arts Illustrated; scanned images of that article are available at the British Aikido History Information Website Archived 14 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Ellis, H. (c. 2007): Kenshiro Abbe Sensei. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
- ^ a b Otani, T. (1967). "Kendo." In J. Goodbody (Ed.): The Japanese Fighting Arts Archived 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine (abridged version, pp. 35–64). London: Arlington Books. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
- ^ British Aikido History Information Website Archived 16 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine (2004). Retrieved 7 April 2010.
- ^ Cavalcanti, K. (c. 2004): Kenshiro Abbe, the Kyu-Shin-Do and Zen Judo Archived 18 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
- ^ Wood, R. (c. 2007): Kyushindo Philosophy. Retrieved 22 February 2008. Link updated on 7 April 2010.