Weapons in Aikido... To do or not to do?

members.aikidojournal.com/mori...
Do you practice aikido? Does your training include weapons? An argument has persisted for decades about whether or not weapons practice has a place in aikido. What are the opinions for and against? Where did the founder of aikido stand on the issue? Stanley Pranin of Aikido Journal answers all of these questions in this informative video.

[@s404n1tn0cc]

Thank You!

[@pimpdalyrical]

How is this even a question? It's a weapon art! The throws ARE sword cuts. The people who thought them up were swordsmen, they used what they knew. If you don't see that you're training wrong.

[@bushido007]

It's gotten to the point where if you want to learn Aiki the Aikikai is the worst place to go! in no particular order, you're better off going Yoshinkan (like JPN Police), Tomiki or Iwama

[@rhmayer1]

Tomiki/Shodokan Aikido emphasizes tanto, aiki-ken and aiki-jo at the dan level, and recognizes particularly the kendo techniques for virtually all arm motions. In fact, even at kyu training a sensei may have students use bokken for tegatena dousa or other kata to emphasize this.
However, I guess if I were to argue from the Aikikai perspective I would question why then didn't O-sensei teach his own children this importance? The fact that the 2nd and 3rd doshu apparently disagree that the weapons training was integral and important must be given some weight and legitimacy. I'm curious to hear more from that "school of thought," since it's the opposite of my own thinking.

[@chulkin]

Realy hoped to hear the name of Koichi Tohei sensei, former chief instructor of Aikikai. Shin shin toitsu aikido weapon system is incorporated into the curriculum heavily, another positive evidence.