Judo & Aikido Book by Kenji Tomiki (Preowned)

First published in the late 1950s and printed in early editions such as 1961, Judo & Aikido is one of the earliest and most historically important books ever written on Aikido—and a foundational text bridging the worlds of Judo and Aikido.

Tomiki was uniquely qualified to write this work: a direct student of both Jigoro Kano and Morihei Ueshiba, he sought to unify their teachings into a modern, systematic martial art framework.

At its core, Judo & Aikido is primarily a Judo manual with a groundbreaking Aikido appendix, reflecting Tomiki’s belief that the two arts share the same underlying principles.

Judo Section

The majority of the book is devoted to a structured presentation of Kodokan Judo, including:

• Fundamental principles such as kuzushi (breaking balance) and ju no ri (principle of gentleness)

• Proper posture (shizentai) and movement

• Nage-waza (throwing techniques) and katame-waza (grappling techniques)

• Training methods, drills, and randori (free practice)

• The role of Judo in physical education and personal development

The techniques are typically illustrated with step-by-step photographs, making it both instructional and accessible.

Aikido Appendix

The final section—what makes this book truly significant—is its early presentation of Aikido as a system.

• Introduces fundamental Aikido principles derived from Judo

• Demonstrates self-defense applications (often cited as around 9 core examples)

• Emphasizes atemi (striking) and joint control techniques, which were not emphasized in sport Judo

• Presents Aikido as a logical extension of Judo’s principles, rather than a separate art

This approach was revolutionary at the time and reflects Tomiki’s effort to systematize Aikido in a rational, teachable format.

Length: 183 pages

Publication date: 1961