By Soke Dr. Grandmaster Soto

10th Degree Black Belt

The Highest Authority of Atemi-Jitsu

The Art of Atemi was developed in Asia more than 4000 years ago, along with the science of acupuncture. In China they practice the art of dim mak, or death touch. In Japan, the touch of death is called Atemi. Atemi focuses on striking one of the 365 points in the central nervous system, and it was valued as treasure of the masters for many centuries. The art is so deep and complex that it requires mastery of human physiology, and to this day, scientists cannot understand why a single strike to the central nervous system can kill a man.

Ancient Tradition

By tradition, practitioners were not allowed to teach atemi except to highly skilled masters within the family. The bushido codes required that a warrior must learn enlightenment and the five principles of earth, water, fire, wind, and void, and that a man also acquire the five skills of Accuracy, Timing, Ki or Chi (internal energy), Mind Control, and Instinct, to become a proficient warrior.

As Atemi continued to develop through the centuries, the Chinese divided the art into 81 points. Each point was based on one of the five elements or principles. Atemi continued to be tested for thousands of years in the remote regions of China. Then, as Chinese and Japanese cultures continued to evolve and intermingle, the art of atemi was passed on to Japan. Soon the mythical science of mind was added to atemi and its power went to a new level. Stories began to circulate around Asia about wise masters who could kill a person without touching him, who needed only to look at a man and project a thought to take away his life; this was atemi at its highest level.

Other Systems

Atemi became extremely popular in the martial arts during the 15^th century. At the same time, ninjitsu began to flourish, and grew throughout Japan for the next four centuries. In the 16^th century, wing chun was developed by a Buddhist nun. Both Wing Chun and Ninjitsu incorporated Atemi into their systems, while other systems attempted to include Atemi in their systems to increase and augment their techniques' potency. In Judo, for example, there are three major divisions. The third and final division is known as atemi-waza, ate-waza, or simply atemi. Jigoro Kano made atemi-waza, or vital point striking techniques, an important part of judo after learning them from Gichin Funakoshi; atemi-waza is so deadly that it is not allowed in judo competition, and is taught only to high-ranking belts. Other examples of systems that use Atemi are Tatsu Tanaka's modernized version of jujitsu called Goshin-jutsu; part of the modernization included an emphasis on atemi-waza. Yet another form of jujitsu known as Hakko-Ryu uses atemi strikes and touches based on the principles of koho shiatsu. Kenpo, too, emphasizes various methods of striking the anatomical vital points. However, very few people gained a complete understanding of atemi, and the true atemi masters went underground, becoming even more stringent and selective about the students with whom they shared knowledge.

Complete Art

By the 1940s, the complete art of atemi was known only by one master, Grandmaster K. Yamamoto. Grandmaster Yamamoto selected ten ninth-degree black belts out of 2000 students to whom he would teach the Atemi art. Only one of those ten students was non-Japanese, an American named Grandmaster Irving Soto, who had been adopted and raised from infancy by Chinese parents in New York's Chinatown. This gave him an insight into Asian culture and intensive martial arts studies that was possessed by very few non-Asians. With time, Grandmaster Soto became Grandmaster Yamamoto's best student. He became so proficient at the art of Atemi that he was given the title Warlord by Grandmaster Yamamoto. Grandmaster Yamamoto also gave Grandmaster Soto his ancient Samurai swords and his tenth degree Black Belt/Red Belt. When Grandmaster Yamamoto died, he left Grandmaster Soto as head of the International Bushido Federation, the first non-Japanese to head the Federation.

Before his death, Grandmaster Yamamoto made one final request to his best student--that he make sure the art of atemi lived on into the twenty-first century. With the blessings of his master, Grandmaster Soto opened a dojo in New York to make this last wish a reality. Calling his system Atemi Ki Do, the "ki," stands for the life force, also known as chi flow, that everyone possesses. Chi flow is not only vital to physical health and generating power, it also permeates and enhances all facets of life, especially spirituality. The "do" stands for the way that an individual chooses to walk in life. Following the footsteps of masters such as Jigoro Kano, Morehei Ueshiba, and Gogen Yamaguchi, Grandmaster Soto broke from tradition and brought the most secret and powerful art from Asia to the West. Grandmaster Soto, who trained in Japan for 18 of his 43 years in the martial arts, emphasizes the principles of honor, respect, and discipline, and because the atemi art is so powerful, he constantly reminds his students that power and humility are the interlocking forces which balance each other.

Atemi Elements

What makes Atemi unique is that the art wastes no time with fancy stances or unnecessary movement. Atemi goes directly to the vital points. While many martial arts require that the practitioner grab or get a hold on the opponent before executing the technique, Atemi devastates the human body as soon as contact is made. Other martial arts rely on bone breaking or physical power to disable attackers. Atemi focuses on redirection of chi flow through the circulatory and central nervous systems by using accurate body positioning and placement. The effects Atemi has on the human body are numerous. At its least damaging, an Atemi technique can enact a trance-like state and loss of balance. At its most intense, Atemi can paralyze or kill. Those effects can be immediate, or occur several weeks later, depending on the executor's intention and level of skill.

In Atemi, the way of the stopping fist, each hand placement plays an important role in the Atemi strike. Although different hand positions and striking methods are utilized, excessive hand development on the makiwara board is not necessary. In karate, practitioners rely on 45 attack points and linear motions, Atemi uses circular movements and "tweeta" hand devices. A tweeta hand device involves gripping, twisting, and manipulating the hand and fingers in such a way that a high amount of stress and pressure are placed on the joints and tendons of the entire arm. This pressure causes excruciating pain, and disrupts the central nervous system, which is governed by the spinal column and medulla oblongata, and controls the body's automatic response mechanisms, such as breathing.

The Atemi strike redirects the arm and the rest of the human body at unusual angles, bending the hand or wrist to place pressure on a joint or limb; techniques might bend finger back at an angle greater than 45 degrees, or might force the palm of the hand against the wrist. Such a strike destroys blood vessels and arteries, causing extreme pain and paralyzation of the body parts.

The Atemi strike and the tweeta hand was developed by the masters and ninja. They spent many intensive hours training on the human body until their immerse knowledge of striking points became instinctual. Ancient charts were studied intensely to learn about physiological striking points that kill and decapitate. Atemi also uses wrist locks, arm twisting, pain compliance, and subduing command techniques. Its footwork utilizes some fencing movements, and its fluidity and circular movements are based on the octagon. As the octagon reaches in all directions, so Atemi reaches the body on the inside and outside of all attack levels. Hip placement and foot movement on that octagonal axis allows the practitioner to react and respond to multiple attackers.

While developing a practical system in the face of today's urban violence. Grandmaster Soto--has worked for various law enforcement agencies--has also retained the Atemi's traditional emphasis on spirit and honor. By joining old and new, Atemi is a valued art for the next century and beyond.