Eddie Wong
Eddie Wong Sensei, at 7th Dan, is arguably one of the most respected Yoshinkan
Aikido instructors in Oceania (New Zealand and Australia). He has over
40 years experience in aikido and more than 25 years in Tai Chi Chuan
and Chinese Kung Fu. He was first introduced to Yoshinkai Aikido back
in 1965, when he joined David and Hisae Lynch's dojo, after having spent
3 years studying Judo, Jiujutsu and Karate. David had just returned to
Auckland, from the Yoshinkan in Japan where he had been an uchideshi with
Gozo Shioda and had just opened his new dojo. Eddie was one of his first
students.
Over the years, Eddie has also been fortunate enough to have trained with a number of senior instructors and visiting sensei from the Yoshinkan and other Japanese schools of aikido. They include notable people from the :
Yoshinkan
Kyoichi Inoue (Dojocho), Takashi Kushida, Tadao Ogawa, Tsutomu Chida, Tomie Kikuchi, Yasuyuki Tsuboi, Aiko Sato, Yuri Seki, Mark Baker.
Ki No Kenkyu Kai (Ki Society)
Koichi Tohei (Founder of Ki Society), Shizuo Imaizumi, Shinichi Suzuki and;
Aikikai
Nobuo Takase, Junichi Nishimura, Masao Honda.
Eddie Wong's first contact with visiting Yoshinkan instructors goes back as far as 1971, when Kyoichi Inoue, Takashi Kushida and Tadao Ogawa were invited by the N.Z. Aikido Institute to demonstrate the relatively unknown martial art of aikido in front of 300,000 spectators at the N.Z. Easter Show in Auckland. During this visit Takashi Kushida graded Eddie Wong to Shodan.
In 1972 a delegation of sensei from the Japan Airlines Aikido Club visited Auckland and again Takashi Kushida was in attendance. 1973 saw David Lynch's return to Japan where he stayed for the next 16 years. The responsibility of teaching aikido to the students of the Aikido Institute was to be shared among the remaining instructors. In 1974, Tsutomu Chida and Tadao Ogawa visited the group and Eddie was graded to Nidan by Chida Sensei.
In 1975, Koichi Tohei, founder of Ki no Kenkyu Kai (Ki Society) and Shin Shin Toitsu was invited by members of the N.Z. Aikido Institute to demonstrate his style of aikido. The venue once again was the N.Z. Easter Show, one of the highlights of the event was Tohei's demonstration of ki. Some students of the Aikido Institute were impressed by Tohei Sensei's ability and changed schools but Eddie remained with the Yoshinkan.
Eddie has continued to teach Yoshinkan Aikido for many years and his efforts and commitment to Yoshinkan Aikido were recognised in 1993 when Gozo Shioda awarded him 6th Dan.
In 2007 Eddie Wong Sensei was awarded 7th Dan by the Yoshinkan Honbu Dojo.
Although Eddie teaches the Yoshinkan style of aikido it is not hard to see the subtle influence, Tai Chi, Kung Fu and the many "masters" of aikido have had on him. His style of aikido is very flowing and quite effortless. Besides being a great exponent of aikido, this quiet and friendly man is probably one of the nicest aikido teachers you are ever likely to meet.
Articles
The following article "Introducing N.Z. Dojos # 5" was published in David Lynch's aikido journal "Hakama" and featured in Volume Two, Number Three, page 7, May/June 1996.
N.Z. Yoshinkan Aikido Federation
by David Lynch.Eddie Wong is so reluctant to talk about himself it was not easy to get much information for this column. The unassuming nature of the man helps explain, however, why he has a loyal group of dedicated students who have been with him for many years. Classes are held at the Mt. Albert Recreation Centre in New North Road on Thursdays from 6:30 to 9:30 pm. Contact: Eddie Wong Ph: 828-5422.
Eddie Wong started aikido soon after I began instructing in Auckland in 1965. He was graded to Shodan by Takashi Kushida of the Yoshinkan when the latter visited New Zealand in 1971 and rose steadily through the ranks as other senseis came from Japan and graded him. His long period of Yoshinkan training was recognised by the Tokyo headquarters of the Yoshinkan - culminating in his 6th Dan, received from Gozo Shioda, in 1993.
In over 30 years of aikido in New Zealand, Eddie has trained and taught in different parts of Auckland and learned from a succession of top teachers visiting from Japan. While others changed schools, he stuck with the Yoshinkan as he felt: "It was good enough to send senseis all the way down to New Zealand to teach us over the years, so I thought this deserved some loyalty."
To Eddie Wong aikido is a "Way" and hence not something to boast about.
"Aikido is a discipline that keeps you aware," he said. "It is purely defensive, so you don't go out and hurt people or deliberately put yourself in danger through foolhardy behaviour."
Reference
Lynch, D. 1996. Introducing N.Z. Dojos # 5: N.Z. Yoshinkan Aikido Federation. Hakama, Volume Two, No. 3, May/June, p. 7.
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