AKI Honbu Dojo, Japan
Now
'Now',
we are being in the center of our life
a neutral point where we can choose any directions,
forward, backward, downward, upward,
can shift for the beautiful future or stick to the untolerable past memory,
Move,
Move,
Now is the best time to choose the way.
Y. Takeda
Yokohama, Japan
8th July 2005
AKI Australia
Celebrating 25 years of AKI in Australia
Twenty-seven years ago, Suzuki Yasuyuki came to Australia to study at the Australian National University in Canberra. He searched for a
dojo to continue his Aikido study and found Stewart Letford and Aikido members who were impressed with his skill. This was the beginning of a deep friendship. On Suzuki Sensei's return to Japan, he spoke with Takeda Sensei about his friends in Australia and their desire to learn this skill. Takeda Sensei was a very generous man and decided he would come to Australia for a holiday with his wife and 3 very keen
Aikidoka, Seino-san, Suzuki-san and Shiraki-san.
The energy and enjoyment of that visit was so powerful that many people from Japan and Australia have visited each others' country ever since. The basis of the relationship has been Aikido study, but this has influenced other human endeavours as well. Exchanges have taken place for friendship, study, higher education, holidays, honeymoons, weddings, births and even funerals. The age of people ranges from the very young to the retired - a broad spectrum of human life. This has continued for 25 years under Takeda Sensei's direction and tireless effort from Seino Sensei and Suzuki Sensei who spent time and money for many years coming to Australia to encourage us. Numata Sensei, Takeda Satoshi Sensei, Takahashi Sensei, Kadoya Sensei, Suzuki Takeshi Sensei and so many more have helped and taught us.
The underlying effect is that through Takeda Sensei's inspiration and sincere training, a special type of person emerges. Like a caterpillar coming out of its cocoon, transformed into a beautiful butterfly, so does the AKI member emerge from serious training a more loving human being. Aikido practice puts one in battle with our ego. Even when we fail, as we regularly do, the ego is weakened a little more. This allows a little more love and respect for life to arise. This is truly remarkable. These are not just nice words. Twenty-five years has shown us the truth of this experience.
On behalf of all Australian Aikido members, I would like to congratulate Takeda Sensei and all our
senpai, on your endless effort to improve and encourage all the people you have influenced for the last 25 years. We thank you from our hearts; you are true friends in every sense of the word. You have led by example and encouraged us to explore. It has been a wonderful experience and assists us to fulfil our life purpose. Because our study is still not complete, we look forward to many more years of your consideration.
Thank you Takeda Sensei.
- Stephen Seymour (AKI Balmain)
Lost and then found in translation: first time in Japan
My first impressions of arriving in Japan were ones of foreignness. I'd been to non-English speaking countries before, but a street sign in Germany is still something you can hang on to. For a first time visitor like me, with no Japanese, any two street signs were interchangeable. I couldn't see into them to make a reading.
This strangeness stayed with me as Berin shepherded a small flock of early Bondi Beach arrivals through the train stations and up the hill to Higashi Totsuka Dojo, Takeda Sensei's
dojo.
I'd only met and trained briefly with Takeda Sensei some 13 years ago, but my memory of this delightful man who seems able to find a void just my size and shape whenever I go near him was true.
My sense of foreignness was temporarily lifted in that world of familiar movement and structure, and some of the strands of Berin's teaching over the previous year came together as I watched Sensei seemingly reach inside an attack and become one with it. I was pleased to be in this
dojo celebrating Takeda Sensei's 25 years of work in Australia.
Saturday night was a chance to train at Hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura with Suzuki Takeshi Sensei before the
enbukai the next day. I was bowled over by the building, its size, aesthetic, that huge drum they beat and mostly that we could train in such a place. It's as if we could move all the pews in a Cathedral to one side and train there. I had a sense of the central role
Budo still plays in Japanese culture.
The
enbukai at Hachimangu was like the coming together of a large extended family, with the
Doshu and other senior people, and I felt a part of this family that I never knew existed. I remember training with quite an old man and hoping that I'd still be on the mat at his age. He certainly enjoyed throwing us middle-aged youngsters about.
It was a day in which we were both audience and actors and I thoroughly enjoyed the demonstrations, the training and the celebrations afterward.
The next day was a bus trip to Iwama and with the associated hospitality and sightseeing would have been an excellent day in itself, but the fact that we were visiting O'Sensei's shrine and
dojo made it extremely interesting. I was struck with the simple elegance of the buildings and a spirit of dedication that seemed to emanate from the place. I'd again like to thank Isoyama Sensei for his generosity and hospitality, and Takeda Sensei for organizing this most satisfying day. The stop at the park with the summer palace was glorious, and I wish I'd had more time to wander through this building.
Thursday night was training with Takahashi Sensei at Kanazawa Hakkei Dojo. Another captivating class. I'm still playing with a technique he showed that night, a sort of abbreviated
kaiten nage, that messes with my mind when I try to replicate it. Dinner afterwards required all of Berin's invaluable instruction on correct pouring etiquette, and I'm extremely appreciative of Hiroshi-san, Momose-san and others who carefully guided our tracks back to the Ofuna
ryokan.
Although the first memory that comes to mind when I think of the
gasshuku is Sensei's casual call for 250
ukemi at the end of the second day, the deeper feelings are about finding a softness in the centre of movement, of trying to find a way in to what seems like a tranquil place undisturbed by the flurry of hands, arms and legs. There were many other experiences of Sensei's teaching over the time I was there, but one simple thing of
nage closing their eyes while working with
uke elicited a strong sense of finding a point of balance in the relationship, without muscular force, through uniting with and not separating from
uke that felt invaluable to me.
It was many things this
gasshuku, a chance to train with many of the
daisenpai and experience the different feelings they are developing, a chance to be awed by the demonstrations during the final
enbukai, and the feeling of bringing together much of what I'd seen in the previous fortnight.
I'd like to thank everyone involved in bringing this remarkable time together. Takeda Sensei for sharing his training with us, but also using the obvious esteem in which he is held within the larger Aikido community to organize such once in a lifetime experiences as the visit to Iwama and our presence at the
enbukai in Hachimangu Shrine.
Also Suzuki Yasu Sensei, Hiroshi-san and Momose-san who all seemed to be ever present and able to solve any problems we brought on ourselves.
- Peter Baillie
A long time between drinks
Being part of the recent 25th anniversary tour to Japan gave us the opportunity to renew some old friendships and make many new ones. This experience of connecting and reconnecting was one of the highlights of the trip, a trip that was a celebration of 25 years since Takeda Sensei first came to Australia and established a connection that has since grown into Aikido Kenkyukai International.
It had been 10 years almost to the month (April 1995) since we were last in Japan - a long time between drinks as the expression goes. And we wanted to make up for it! So for 10 days we trained, drank, talked, ate and slept a little in between.
The
enbukai,
gasshuku,
keiko and parties provided many opportunities for us, along with the other members of the 30-strong Australian-NZ contingent, to make and remake connections with our hosts that will last a lifetime. Two in particular were very special in that they were not anticipated and so came as unexpected gifts.
It was great to see Hibino-san again. His positive energy and sunny disposition were undiminished. And while he is no longer able to train, he was there at the
enbukai and at the
gasshuku, still very much a part of the Aikido family.
It was a similar joy to meet and get to know Uenishi-san. He made his unit available to us and to Jeff Standen, and for four days it was home for the three of us - a refuge, a place to rest and repair our aching bodies (and occasionally aching heads). Uenishi-san's hospitality and easy manner were important ingredients that helped make this visit so special.
Of course, there were many other people that we loved seeing again or getting to know for the first time - from our Japanese
senpai, to the many organisers, to friends who had visited Australia in the past, to people who we'd never trained with before. Too many to name here, but all important and all very much appreciated.
The work (and play) of Shonan Aikido Renmei and Aikido Kenkyukai International goes on and has been immeasurably strengthened by the generous sharing of experiences on this important visit (we certainly hope we don't have to wait another 10 years to do it again).
Thank you to all who made it possible. KAMPAI !!!
- Stephen Nugent and Fiona Hawke (AKI Orange)
From Bondi Beach to the Blue Mountains
Around 5am on Saturday 18th June 2005, members of the AKI Bondi Beach Dojo began stirring from their beds and making their sleepy way to the beach. By 6am, we had piled 2 days worth of people, mats, food and
dogi into 4 cars and were on our way to the Blue Mountains for what would be our first ever
dojo gasshuku. We were very excited!
Aside from the usual crew of Bondi diehards, we were very fortunate to be joined by several special guests from other AKI
dojo who regularly support our club through special training events and the occasional public holiday
keiko. All up there were 12 of us, making for a very intimate and special weekend.
We arrived at our mountain
dojo around 8am and began setting up our mats. It was an incredibly beautiful space with a tall ceiling, a log fire and big windows that looked out onto native bushland - an absolutely perfect space in which to train.
We trained for three hours before lunch in the nearby kitchen. Having filled our bellies, some of us chose to retire to bed and catch some shut eye to the dulcet tunes of Snoop Doggy Dog (how can you sleep like that Dom?!). Others opted for a bushwalk in the winter sun where they enjoyed stunning views of the nearby Jenolan range.
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Following the afternoon's
keiko, each of us gave a 3 minute
enbu which was videoed for later study. Then it was off for a hot shower and out the door for dinner. We had a booked a Japanese restaurant in my hometown of Leura where we feasted on
udon,
soba,
tenpura,
sushi,
teriyaki and of course hot
sake! And no meal would have been complete without
maccha icecream!
It had been a long day so most headed straight back to the log fire and watched footage of the day's training as well as of videos of Takeda Sensei from the previous month's training in Japan. A small band of us though had caught wind of the fact that it was Rina's birthday the next day so we went off in search of a cake. The next morning at 5:30am, we burst into the women's dorm armed with a black forest cake, sparklers, party whistles and a very off-key rendition of 'Happy Birthday'. A few seconds earlier and the surprise would have been on us! (
gomen ne, Rina-chan!)
Twenty minutes later, the fire was going and we were back on the mat for a very playful
asageiko before sunrise. We had a leisurely breakfast of
miso and birthday cake before the morning's training and a second round of demonstrations after which Rina gave everybody 10 birthday nage before being subdued by a surprise group attack!
Our first
dojo gasshuku was a truly magical and unforgettable weekend that was over all too soon! The atmosphere throughout the camp was fantastic with everyone, regardless of level or experience, totally throwing themselves into the training and giving generously of their spirit and energy. It was a joy to hang out and share food, jokes and stories and I think it will be a long time before I can get that particular image that Ralph shared out of my mind!
Special thanks to all those who came and trained hard, and to our friends - Julia - for showing us this beautiful space - and Malcom - for making us feel welcome and sharing it with us. Here's to many more opportunities to connect and explore like this!
- Berin Mackenzie (AKI Bondi Beach)
AKI Canada
Images of Water: Training with Takeda Shihan
Four members of Kootenay Aikido Kenkyukai (Nelson) joined Jean-Rene Sensei at both the Santa Barbara and Fremont
gasshuku. We were fortunate to get warmed up for the events by a visit from Berin Mackenzie (AKI Bondi Beach, Australia) who came straight from Japan to Nelson in late May. He stayed a week teaching several
keiko, lending a hand with construction at White Pines Dojo, and generally bringing a positive spirit. In
keiko, he shared with us a strong feeling of 'opening' and of 'the line'.
For those of us fortunate to travel to Santa Barbara it was an inspiration to see Takeda Sensei and catch something new in our practice. When we see Takeda Sensei only infrequently it is a special opportunity calling us to practice with no-mind. Of course Sensei tells us that too. It is such a pleasure to meet old friends anew. It is a chance to allow ourselves to experience the growth and change in ourselves and in others. Maybe because of the small
dojo space and the fact that there were only 30 participants, almost all having met before at seminars with Takeda Sensei, there was a feeling of studying openly together, of helping each to learn.
I enjoyed working with the images of water. Water is an awesome force but only when in movement, when flowing. When still or stagnant it is easily penetrated. When water flows around a rock in a river there is no resisting its' force, no stopping it, no disconnecting from it, one can just flow with it. When it is a massive wave on the ocean there is no way to resist it, one can only move together with it - and always with gravity. The image of water helped me to learn to just relax and sit down together.
- Alix Flavelle (Kootenay AKI, Nelson)
AKI Japan
Inaugural AC-K Friendship Demonstration
On the 3rd of July 2005, the first Friendship Demonstration was held by AC-K (Aikido Collaboration Kanagawa) which consists of Aikido groups in Kanagawa prefecture.
AC-K was established for the purpose of developing Aikido in the Kanagawa area 3 years ago.
At the Friendship Demo, there were demonstrations by each group in AC-K as well as a beginner's class led by Mimuro Sensei, 6th dan, and many people attended.
The members of AC-K at this stage are AKI Shonan Aikido Renmei, Aikido Nobi Dojo (Okada Sensei, 7th dan), IHI Yokohama Aikido Club (Masuko Sensei, 4th dan), Yokohama International Aikido (Mimuro Sensei, 6th dan) and Kawasaki City Council Aikido Club (Ishikawa Sensei, 4th dan).
Through these demonstrations, hopefully the relationship between different
dojo will deepen and people will start visiting each other's training. As a final result, we want more groups to be involved and to communicate without
dojo barriers, and to practice Aikido more freely.
- Yamamoto Hiroshi (Kanazawa Hakkei Dojo)
AKI Tanzania
The Art that has pulled youths together
At North Mara Mine, there has been pretty special and new developments favouring youths togetherness. Martial Art lately initiated by Peter Dennehy and his fellow Andre is a dramatic infiltration of the mine's efforts towards revitalizing youth's strengths and energies.
A team of 20 youths come for intensive training every Saturday for one hour. On the whole the gains have been enormous including a decline of idleness amongst young people which, if allowed to pile up, can lead to undesirable vices. As I kept attending sessions with an observer role, the art has instilled discipline and capacity to coordinate, communicate and provide precise and rapid responses to the instructors. This is a 'add on' on youth's competences.
These youths have a great potential of turning out to be very useful community members. Clearly some elements of human development are very obviously seen to be driving them towards self help engagements like taking turns to provide security against any stealing that could have taken place when the Placerdome supported local hospital and fencing was under construction. They have already started passing on the skills to their peers.
As to continue enhancing full interest in the Martial Art, youths will require lots of sets of gear. Can you help with with second hand 'dogi'? We need 30 pieces between small to large. Apparently we have no money to buy any. However, youths had never hesitated coming for training due to lack of uniforms but have always trained in shorts and tattered shirts.
In a nut shell, the efforts taken on supporting the young people in martial art initiative, is as good helping them 'invest in tomorrow'. Indeed this is 'The Art that has pulled Youths Together'
Placerdome Tanzania Security Services Department in partnership with Community Affairs have committed efforts in getting Martial Arts Training up and running at North Mara.
Our best wishes to ALL our well wishers and supporters
Warmly
Aggrey
- (AKI Tanzania)
AKI USA
First visit by Takeda Shihan to Santa Barbara Dojo
After much anticipation, AKI Santa Barbara hosted Takeda Sensei for our first time ever. There was a lot of preparation - promoting the event, cleaning the dojo, paint touch-ups, carpentry projects, etc. Everyone pitched in to assure the success of the week-long get-together.
Finally our guests arrived on Tuesday. Even though the
gasshuku hadn't yet officially begun, that very evening was one of the highlights of the week. Hiroki-kun joined the Santa Barbara kids' class after getting off the plane just hours earlier. The SB kids were so excited to have a guest from Japan train with them. It was a great class and now the kids are still talking about how to train so they can beat Hiroki-kun in
Sumo the next time they meet. Then we continued with adults' class with Hiroki-kun and Miyakawa-san. Of course, we had a "welcome kampai" for them that evening.
On Thursday night, the Canadian students arrived, along with Oka Sensei and Otsuka Sensei. We were very fortunate that Takeda Sensei taught that night, even though once again, the
gasshuku hadn't yet officially started. Because there were new additions to the group, we went for another "welcome kampai" that evening, too.
Finally the gasshuku began early Friday morning. We had guests from the New England, Pennsylvania, the San Francisco Bay Area, Canada, San Diego, and Los Angeles. After training on Friday and Saturday, we had parties - one at the beach and one at Joel's house. It was wonderful to have a chance to talk with everyone.
On Sunday, there were a couple classes, followed by a public demonstration. About 40 or 50 people came to watch! There was training again on Monday, followed by a trip to the winery. The weather was hot at the winery, so the wine and beer tasted especially delicious! The
gasshuku was officially over and we were sad to see our guests go.
Because of the long
gasshuku, Tuesday night's adults'
keiko was officially cancelled. Matt and some other students went to teach the kids' class. Takeda Sensei went to watch part of it and those of us who were at the
dojo were happy to find that after kids' class Sensei suddenly got the urge to throw some of us adults!
Our 4-day
gasshuku finally ended after 6 or 7 days. Even though we were tired, we were still sad to see the
gasshuku come to an end and have to say good-bye. We hope that we get to train and spend time with our friends again very soon, wherever we may meet.
- Lia Suzuki (AKI Santa Barbara)
Some thoughts on the Santa Barbara Gasshuku
It was a pleasure to see so many old friends again. It has been two years or more since I have seen them, too long. The training was exhausting as usual, pushing the physical, mental and spiritual bounds. My first class back in my own
dojo felt like I was still in Santa Barbara, still working on the feeling and image imprinted on my mind. I always get a boost from Takeda Sensei's
gasshuku and come away feeling more connected, reminded that there are "like minded"
Aikidoka out there. It's easy to get complacent being on a sandbar in the middle of nowhere with the closest AKI
dojo half a world away. It would be easier if I could hop on a train for a few minutes or hours even and arrive at the Higashi Totsuka station. Now, I am solely responsible for my development with just a once a year check up and recharge to keep me on the narrow path. I would like to thank all my Aikido friends and Takeda Sensei for the good training, inspiration and company.
- Paul Rapoza (AKI Cape Cod)
Kirisawa Sensei soon to leave USA
Greetings from AKI Pennsylvania! It's Summer here and starting to get hot. It's also a sad time for us as Kirisawa Sensei gets ready to return to Japan. The past year and eight months have been a wonderful experience for the Pennsylvania group - an experience that cannot easily be put into words.
In June, Sensei's wife came to visit and we have been enjoying some of the fine weather. We took a trip to Atlantic City and Long beach Island on the New Jersey Shore. The next weekend we all took a canoe trip down the Delaware River. This weekend we plan a visit to the Beautiful Longwood Gardens. As it happens, there is a wonderful winery a short distance away!
Next year, the Pennsylvania
dojo will celebrate 10 years since Lia Sensei returned to the USA and started teaching us. We hope to have a celebration and we hope Kirisawa Sensei will join us. We are deeply grateful to his support of our small
dojo. He has a very special place in our hearts and we look forward to our continuing relationship.
- Steve Trinkle (AKI Pennsylvania)
Bay Area Training with Takeda Sensei
It had been four years since Takeda Sensei visited the Bay Area. We were very excited and a little nervous to see who would show up for this seminar. We weren't sure if there would be 15 people or 150 people. As it turned out, there were about 40 to 50 people on the mat for each class. We were very fortunate to have a great group of people who all seemed to be drawn to the spirit and feeling which Takeda Sensei creates in his training.
The two day seminar in the Bay Area was held at Aiki Zenshin Dojo run by Sunny Skys Sensei who very graciously opened his
dojo for this event as he has in the past. This seminar followed a longer
gasshuku that took place in Santa Barbara at Lia Suzuki Sensei's
dojo the week before. Many of the participants from that seminar came up to Fremont to continue the feeling that was generated in Santa Barbara, including Lia Sensei, Jean Rene Sensei from Nelson B.C. and his students, Alix, Anita, Philip and Ivan. Takeda Sensei also brought two of his students from Japan: Tsutomu Otsuka and Haruniwa Oka, both of whom are teaching Aikido in Japan. They were able to train in the Fremont seminar for one of the two days before they had to return to Japan. Their presence and generosity helped us all to get a better feel for what Takeda Sensei was trying to show.
Takeda Sensei spent a lot of time on helping us understand the line of gravity within ourselves. We used the walls in the
dojo (Sunny Sensei's
dojo has great wall space to allow this kind of training) to help gain the feeling that one can use the downward gravitational pull to 'drop' one's partner, i.e. not over- muscling with arm and shoulder strength. We worked on stretching out - actually up - this gravitational line in the opposite direction as well. Sensei often spoke of falling rain drops and of rising and falling waves to help us capture this image and understand this dynamic within our own bodies and the dynamic that is created between
uke and
nage.
Sensei also talked about 'zero point' energy and finding that spot where forces become neutral. Placing oneself in that spot, the center, can create infinite possibilities for movement and power.
He told us all repeatedly to relax, and to try to find this center point. Once there,
nage can move
uke as long as the center is not disturbed. It is amazing how simple it looks and how difficult it really is, and how deeply one needs to relax to make and keep the connection. Being thrown this way is quite an experience. Sensei was very generous in throwing many people at the seminar and after he threw me, my congenitally lousy lungs were not freaking out like usual. I felt surprisingly safe and exhilarated. I can sense that the more I can relax and let go, the more this internal power or expansion can increase. I was reminded again that many of my limitations in training spring from my own resistance and fear.
It is hard to explain in words but after training in Santa Barbara for five days and then in Fremont for two days, I felt straighter; that is, I felt expanded but expanded around an empty space that is my exact center. Wow, what a wonderful feeling! During
Gasshou, my elbows felt weightless. I asked Sensei about it afterward and he said it was because of the expansion in my chest. Wow!
As with all good teachers, the creation of an image is very important. Maybe the responsibility of this creation lies with the student as well. I think we must develop the capacity to see the image, to be open to the image, in order to keep it in our hearts and continue to train in the teacher's absence.
Thanks again for all those who travelled so far, beginning with Takeda Sensei and his students, and all the participants who gave up time and money to be there, but also gave so much more towards this ongoing creation, which is Aikido.
- Jane Nason (Bay Area Dokokai)
- May peace prevail on Earth -
AKI Honbu Dojo - Message from Takeda Shihan
AKI Australia - Celebrating 25 years of AKI in Australia
AKI Canada - Images of Water: Training with Takeda Shihan
AKI Japan - Inaugural AC-K Friendship Demonstration
AKI Tanzania - The Art that has pulled youths together
AKI U.S.A. - First visit by Takeda Shihan to Santa Barbara Dojo
