Fall 2015 - Aikido Institute

Transcription

Fall 2015
Newsletter of the
AIKIDO INSTITUTE
Oakland, CA
The Japan Issue
Oakland on the mat in Iwama
Spirals
Photo by David Lewin
Aikido through
the eyes of
an artist
Volume XVII, Issue 1
THE KIAI
1
CONTENTS
Aikido Mind & Body
2
Shoulder Discipline
3
Aikido Only Works on Idiots
4
The Grindstone of the Spirit
6
On Returning
8
Spirals
9
Practice
13
Notes from a Visit to Sydney
14
Yoga Class
15
Why Aikido?
16
Aikido
17
Kangeiko
18
February Tests
20
Tai Sai
22
The Gasshuku
24
Surprise Visit
26
Kids Last Day
27
August Tests
28
Baseball Field Trip
29
Sake Tasting Trip
30
Goodbye Ted & Melissa
31
Bon Voyage Team Nippon
32
Team Nihon’s Japan Adventure
33
お墓参り Ohakamairi
44
Training for Iwama
47
The Ghost(s) of Iwama
49
2015 Dojo Holiday Party
51
Volume XVII, Issue 1
Executive Editor
Deborah Maizels
Managing Editor
Eduardo Guardarramas
Art Director
Jim Beno
5036 Telegraph Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
510-658-2155
[email protected]
aikidoinstitute.org
Copyright © 2015, Aiki Integrated Arts.
The Aikido Institute is a 501(c)(3)
Nonprofit Organization.
AIKIDO INSTITUTE | FALL 2015
THE KIAI
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AIKIDO MIND & BODY
by Stephen Kilmer, Dojo Cho
“The techniques of aikido change constantly;
every encounter is unique and the appropriate response should emerge naturally.”
– O-Sensei
I
am a firm believer that regular
training and focusing on the basics
will enable you to reach the point
where you will see the truth of the
above statement both intellectually and
somatically.
It is very likely, but not necessary, that a
6th kyu won’t see this as clearly as a 4th
kyu and a 4th kyu won’t see it as clearly
as a 1st kyu or yudansha. Eventually,
though, you should get there. I’m pretty
sure that I didn’t understand it as a 6th
kyu but hope that I now understand it
much better.
I take these words of O-Sensei to mean
that we need to understand both the
physical form of the technique – the
points where uke’s and nage’s bodies
are in contact and the direction that
we are moving – and the intent of the
technique – to pin or throw uke in
a certain way – in order to respond
appropriately.
The form of the technique is mastered
by being told what is the basic form of
the technique and what is a variation of
the form and then repeating the basic
movements over and over until they are
so well understood by the mind that
the body can perform them without
consciously referencing the information
about the technique stored in the
brain. Once this stage is reached, a
continual practice of the basic technique
is essential. My goal is to have more
than half of my training devoted to the
‘vegetables’ of the basic forms and the
remaining portion to the ‘dessert’ of
variations.
Reaching the stage where technique
is something that happens without
thought takes time – and this time
isn’t measured in years of training or
hours on the mat – it is the time it
takes one to understand the essence
of any technique. One shouldn’t be
disappointed if it doesn’t happen either
as quickly as it does for someone else or,
perhaps more importantly, as fast as we
think it should be happening for us.
Finally, is the ‘appropriate’ and ‘natural’
response basic form or variation? Yes.
If the basic form is as deeply embedded
in our bodies as it should be after
constant training in the basic form,
then it will be the first thing that our
body does – it will be natural. And if
the basic form doesn’t, for some reason,
get us where we want to be, then all the
training in that basic form will lead us
to a variation – either of that technique
or another – that will take us where we
want to be.
THE KIAI
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SHOULDER DISCIPLINE
by Kim Peuser Sensei
I
have been doing shoulder exercises,
twice a day, for 4 months now.
They take 20-30 minutes each
time. The exercises evolve as my
shoulder improves, but “mai-nichi mainichi” as Saito Sensei used to say, I
perform this practice.
In the beginning I saw improvement
nearly every day. Now I notice
improvements every week, which is
still quite frequent. I know that later, it
will still be necessary to maintain this
discipline and the improvements will be
even slower. But they will still happen as
long as I maintain my discipline.
I’ve been thinking recently of the
parallels with Aikido (or any other)
training. At first there are quick but
small improvements because you start
from basically nothing. When you reach
an intermediate stage, you notice the
improvements less frequently, but they
still come. And then as your practice
matures, you notice the improvements
even less often, but they are there, small
and incremental, every day.
Saito Sensei’s 5th book was titled,
“Training Works Wonders.” It is true,
and it can be applied to any endeavor.
You make a commitment and you follow
through on it. When you’re excited
about it, you do it. When you get bored,
you do it anyway. When you are tired,
you do it tired.
But what is the motivation? For me,
there are two sources.
First, it’s who I am: I am someone
who practices martial arts, and there
is a strong psychological element to
that. It changes the way I look at life.
Those who attended Kangeiko last year
heard me share several quotations from
Marcus Aurelius, the famous Stoic and
Roman Emperor. If you are serious
about your practice, it will change your
approach to life as well.
I owe my best to my teachers who have
shown my possibilities to me: Saito
Sensei, Inagaki Sensei, Witt Sensei,
Frank Doran Sensei, and others.
*Here are some of the quotes:
“Never let the future disturb you. You
will meet it, if you have to, with the
same weapons of reason which today
arm you against the present.”
“You have power over your mind – not
outside events. Realize this, and you will
find strength.”
“Do not act as if you were going to live
ten thousand years. Death hangs over
you. While you live, while it is in your
power, be good.”
Second, I owe it to my students and to
my teachers to be the best I can be. I’ve
been thinking about that a lot, especially
since I received 7th Dan. I owe my best
to you so you can see the possibilities.
“Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to,
with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.”
“You have power over your mind – not outside events.
Realize this, and you will find strength.”
“Do not act as if you were going to live ten thousand years.
Death hangs over you. While you live, while it is in your power, be good.”
– Marcus Aurelius
THE KIAI
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AIKIDO ONLY WORKS ON IDIOTS
by Richard Levitt
I
But here’s the thing: In order to learn
how it really works, you have to train
like it really works. Gonna attack
someone? Cool. Attack like someone
who’s a total effing idiot, not a trained
martial artist who knows what’s coming.
’ve been saying this for years. I’ve
probably said it to you. But that’s
because it’s true.
Aikido only works on idiots.
Anyone truly stupid enough to grab
or punch you gets exactly what they
deserve. And since so many of our
blends engage the attacker by pulling
them off balance, my theory proves itself
double: they grab you—then hang on—
as you 1) pull away and 2) take their
balance.
In order to learn how it
really works, you have to
train like it really works.
Gonna attack someone?
Grab like you have some terrible
interest in that grab. You want to hold
onto nage. You want to intimidate them.
Take something. Maybe hurt them.
Cool. Attack like
Punch like nage is someone you want to
beat up, not someone you’re gonna have
dinner with later.
what’s coming.
Fool.
someone who’s a total
effing idiot, not a trained
martial artist who knows
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In a short and very interesting
Wikipedia entry [https://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Right_of_self-defense] we
learn all about “The right of self-defense
(also called, when it applies to the
defense of another, alter ego defense,
defense of others, defense of a third
person) is the right for persons to use
reasonable force or defensive force, for
the purpose of defending one’s own
life or the lives of others, including, in
certain circumstances, the use of deadly
force.”
persistent attack. If someone punches
me, I need to know that punch will hit
home if I don’t move. If someone grabs
me, I need to feel like they’re grabbing
with intent to do more than hold hands.
They want to control me or hurt me.
Read it. You’ll get all sorts of stuff
about Roman law and cool Latin terms
and philosophy around self-defense. I
particularly like “The Castle Doctrine,”
which dates back to the 17th century.
The whole “a man’s home is his castle”
thing. Mess with my castle, you’re
messing with me.
responsibility to be that
The Universal Declaration of Human
Rights says, “No one shall be subjected
to arbitrary interference with their
privacy, family, home or correspondence,
nor to attacks upon their honour and
reputation.”
And if you apply a weak
There you have it. It’s an essential
human right not to be attacked. So
not only is someone an idiot to attack
you, but also a criminal. An idiot and
a criminal. Someone like that deserves
whatever they get.
make me go away.
Half-baked punches, powder-puff
strikes and tentative grabs teach
nothing. Courtesy falls are even worse.
So as uke, it’s my
idiot. I have to think I can
get you. I have to muster
all the arrogance, hubris
and short-sightedness
that would make one
person attack another.
technique or half-throw,
it’s my responsibility to
persist in my attack until
you figure out how to
It all sends me out into the world
thinking that my techniques will work
when some enormous sociopathic
bruiser comes swinging for me.
But that’s not my point, which is that
Aikido only works on said idiots.
Look, all they have to do is let go.
So as uke, it’s my responsibility to be
that idiot. I have to think I can get
you. I have to muster all the arrogance,
hubris and short-sightedness that would
make one person attack another. And if
you apply a weak technique or halfthrow, it’s my responsibility to persist
in my attack until you figure out how to
make me go away.
We operate on the assumption—and
need the kinesthetic dynamic—of a
Yeah, I know it isn’t polite. I know it can
be really frustrating for an uke (more on
So let’s talk about that.
Why does Aikido only work on idiots?
Because they’re too stupid, too caught
up in their own stuff to figure out what’s
happening in time to stop.
that in a sec’). But that’s how to learn.
It’s martial arts, not charm school.
All that said, part of our agreement
as training partners is that I won’t
purposefully obstruct your technique.
Remember, I’m the attacker … I’m a
drunk dipwad at the bar, that weird
dude at a party, a self-important soand-so in some parking lot, a date who
doesn’t understand boundaries, or a
mime. Just kidding about the mime.
But I’m not the guy who knows how to
get around your nikkyo or subvert your
kote gaeshi.
Applying some traction is OK. Testing
a peer or senior student (can be) OK—
just remember what goes around comes
around. Exploring the edges is OK.
The rule is to guide your junior training
partners, sometimes directly (telling
them something) and sometimes
indirectly (through firm grabs and
powerful attacks).
The goal, of course—on the least subtle
level—is to teach/learn/share Aikido
techniques in a meaningful way. The
only way to do that is practice in a
meaningful way. On the subtlest level,
it’s to learn how to live in harmony with
yourself and others.
Sometimes things are not so
harmonious. That means it’s worth
knowing how to defend your castle.
But that requires someone to actually
attack it. Could be some idiot. Better, an
uke that’s willing to act like one.
THE KIAI
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THE GRINDSTONE OF THE SPIRIT
A book review of Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa
by Jacob Clapsadle
“Danger was the grindstone on which the swordsman whetted his spirit. Enemies were teachers in disguise.”
– Eiji Yoshikawa, Musashi
M
y first encounter with
Musashi came on a rainy day
while I was staying in Japan.
Having a few hours to myself, and the
books I’d brought with me on the plane
long since finished, I picked a thin
volume off the bookshelf in the uchi
deshi quarters and settled in to read. I
didn’t realize at first, but it was only a
collection of excerpts from the famous
950 page epic by Eiji Yoshikawa.
Nonetheless I was engrossed, and the
stories of intense samurai duels and the
austere character of Japan’s most
famous swordsman inspired me to
train hard at the dojo.
After I returned to California, I
acquired the full novel. Beyond the
rousing battles and samurai showdowns,
it gives a rich portrait of feudal Japan
in the early seventeenth century, a time
of transition from civil war to stable
nationhood under the Tokugawa
Shogunate. In the settling dust, the
restless warrior class must find out
where they fit into a society of relative
peace, and question the purpose of
martial training for its own sake rather
than for practical preparation for the
battlefield.
This is a very relevant theme for modern
martial artists, who frequently must ask
what exactly we are training for. Most of
the time, especially in the western world,
the answer boils down to goals of either
competition, fitness, or self-defense.
In Japanese tradition, there is also the
Aikido practitioners
who read the novel will
find many similarities
with the writings of
O’Sensei – stressing the
importance of a warrior’s
connection with nature,
the purification of the
spirit, and Budo as a
philosophy rather than an
aimless and destructive
force.
understanding of Budo, the way of the
warrior, as a path of self-perfection and
spiritual growth. Miyamoto Mushashi is
a great example of a man who embodied
this way of thinking.
Although Yoshikawa’s novel is a
fictionalized account, many of the
events described are believed to be
true. As a volatile young man, Musashi
wins many fights and duels thanks to
his “unbridled fighting spirit”- a door-die attitude which he brings into
every conflict. After a near brush with
death, he decides to devote his life
to perfecting the way of the sword.
This proves challenging to define, let
alone to achieve. At first, he hones his
skills through a series of duels with
established swordsmen, and, although
he succeeds against all challengers,
it leads him into a cycle of vengeful
bloodshed which is ultimately pointless.
As his reputation grows, he is sought
out by powerful lords and offered
positions of wealth and influence, but as
a simple wandering Ronin, he is more
at home in nature, and feels that such
promotions would only distract him
from The Way. The same conflict arises
in his personal relationships. While he
is pulled to marry the woman he loves
and start a family, his pursuit of perfect
swordsmanship seems to demand a life
of solitary contemplation.
The narrative is not dense or hard to
follow, but it is a long book, with a plot
that often meanders with various side
characters and settings. It ranges in tone
from lighthearted playfulness to deadly
serious descriptions of gory battles. I
found the most enjoyable parts to be
Musashi’s meditations on the Samurai
life. Aikido practitioners who read the
novel will find many similarities with
the writings of O’Sensei- stressing the
THE KIAI
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importance of a warrior’s connection
with nature, the purification of the
spirit, and Budo as a philosophy rather
than an aimless and destructive force.
“He had come to see the way of the sword
in a new light. A year or two earlier, he
had wanted only to conquer all rivals, but
now the idea that the sword existed for the
purpose of giving him power over other
people was unsatisfying. To cut people
down, to triumph over them, to display the
limits of one’s strength, seemed increasingly
vain. He wanted to conquer himself, to
make life itself submit to him, to cause
people to live rather than die. The Way of
the Sword should not be used merely for
his own perfection. It should be a source of
strength for governing people and leading
them to peace and happiness.”
– Eiji Yoshikawa, Musashi
Many of the specifics of swordplay
in the book are familiar as well. I was
happily surprised to learn that Musashi
was also a master of unarmed combat
against an armed opponent, executing
techniques that that sound an awful
lot like the tachidori and jodori that
we practice in the dojo. Interestingly,
his fighting style is described as utterly
devoid of technique in the traditional
sense. He has no sensei and belongs to
no school of swordsmanship, and allows
his movements to flow naturally as the
situation requires rather than adhering
to any set rules. This attitude seems
contrary to most martial arts, including
Aikido, where we exhaustively study
the “correct” form of each technique,
discussing every movement and detail,
looking at old videos of O’Sensei and
Saito Sensei, and so forth. However,
O’Sensei himself said that there are
no techniques in Aikido, and I believe
we practice the rigid curriculum as
a pathway to the elusive state we
know as takemusu, the infinite and
organic manifestation of free-flowing
techniques. I imagine Musashi as a
master of takemusu.
“There are no kata in Aiki budo. All
phenomena of this world vary constantly
according to the particular circumstances
and no two situations are exactly alike. It
is illogical to train using only a single kata,
thereby limiting oneself.”
– O’Sensei
As a martial artist, and particularly a
practitioner of Aikido, there is much
in Musashi to relate to, as it explores
many questions I often ask myself
about training. How do I test myself
and challenge my skills without causing
bodily harm to myself or others? How
much of my life should I devote to
Aikido, and at what cost to my personal
and professional life? If this practice is
truly important should I give it 100% of
my attention? And the biggest mystery
of all-- how can I carry the spirit of
Budo into my actions outside the dojo
to be a constructive presence in the
world? There are no easy answers to be
found in a novel, but it helps to reflect
on the thoughts of the great masters of
the past.
“There is no enemy in Aikido. It is wrong
to think that having an opponent or an
enemy, or trying to be stronger than him
and trying to overpower him is true Budo.
True Budo has no opponent, True Budo
has no enemy. True Budo is to become
one with the universe. The purpose of
Aikido practice is not to become strong,
nor is it to fell an opponent. Rather, it is
necessary to have one’s heart at the center
of the universe, then as little as it may be,
help maintain peace among the peoples of
the earth. Aikido is both like a compass
that enables each person to realize his own
individual destiny, as well as a way of
unity and love.”
– O’Sensei
THE KIAI
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ON RETURNING
by Ted Rose
I
attended my first class at the
Aikido Institute in July of 2006. It
was a weekday morning, and I was
stunned to see over twenty other
students, half of which were black
belts. At my dojo in Monterey, we
didn’t have weekday classes, and even at
night usually the only blackbelt was the
instructor. I immediately knew things
would be different in Oakland.
After I’d been training here a
few months, the class instructor
demonstrated nikkyo as the next
technique. I said to myself, ”Oh, nikkyo,
I know that one” and bowed in to the
stocky, blonde blackbelt next to me.
That was my introduction to Kim
Sensei, who has remained my friend,
mentor, and inspiration ever since.
I was fortunate to train fairly regularly,
and groups of us would always go to the
Aikido Summer Camp in San Rafael,
down to San Diego to train with Saito
Sensei, and visit other dojos in the area.
were at the dojo, I would return. While
I was away, hardly a day went by that I
didn’t think about returning, but always
something was in the way.
Around 2002, due to a severe knee
injury, I was told to take six months
off. At the same time, my two small
daughters were becoming more of a
handful for my wife. As a result, I didn’t
make it back to class until last year. I
had attended the dojo’s 50th anniversary
celebration, and was encouraged to
come back by many of my old friends.
My wife, as usual, was skeptical.
In some ways, being back is
bittersweet: many of my close friends
(Paul Rodgers, Anette, Nonukes,
Marshall, Trung Dinh, and many
others) aren’t on the mat here anymore.
I miss them at every class, although I
sense they are here in spirit. For others,
especially the senseis of my era: Steve,
Kim, Deb, and Alberta, it is just like old
times.
I have been asked, “What’s it like to
come back after all that time?”
In terms of techniques, the emptyhand moves have come back quickly,
perhaps from muscle-memory.
Weapons techniques have been more
of a challenge. The basics have come
back, and the 31 kata is rusty, but I can
get through it. Unfortunately, there
Well, first of all, you must realize that I
never came and picked up my weapons
from the dojo. I felt that as long as they
are some blank spaces: the 13 jo kata
and partner practice, the 31 partner
practice, and the last 5 kumijo are all
very indistinct ghosts of what they once
were.
I have been very impressed at how
healthy the dojo is under Steve Sensei’s
leadership. It’s great to see so many
new students each week, and to see
that Saito Sensei’s techniques are still
revered at the Aikido Institute.
Finally, I want to express my deep
appreciation to all the current students
for having patience with an old man,
and teaching me something new every
day. See you on the mat!
THE KIAI
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SPIRALS
The Art of Yuechen
by Eduardo Guardarramas
I
t was our good fortune this year to have a young artist as a
student at Aikido Institute. Her name is Yuechen Wu. She is
very young and very talented. She is very charming and a
pleasure to train with. She learns things very quickly and just
recently took her 6th Kyu test. She is now studying design at the
California College of the arts.
Yuechen is already an accomplished artist as you can see from her
drawing of a little girl with a Bokken called “Innocence”. But she
can also do quick sketching. On a few occasions she has done quick
sketches of some of the characters of the dojo while they were
training.
THE KIAI
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10
THE KIAI
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CONTINUED
One of the things that most impressed me is her perception of
movement. One day during Basics class, she came in but did not
train. She sat on the bench at the front of the dojo and took out her
pad and pencil. We were doing some techniques as a group. And she
drew the movement that each of us made when it was our turn to
throw. I had never seen that done before. Seeing your technique as a
continuous line in pencil was amazing.
Yuechen, we wish you the best of luck in college. See you on the mat.
THE KIAI
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THE KIAI
13
PRACTICE
by Simona Balan
O
ne day, a good strike hit a
good nose – mine. For the
second time that week. More
than pain, I felt my face hot and my
body shaking, threatening to burst into
tears and embarrass me in front of
everyone. I excused myself and rushed
to the changing room, where I sat for a
while to let the tears out. Eventually,
Sensei knocked saying he’s required by
law to check in on me. I sheepishly
opened the door and received Sensei’s
comforting hug.
Was I OK? Yes, for the most part. My
nose was fine, pain slowly subsiding. But
my ego had been crushed and oh, that
hurt! That ego so proud for training
so much; that ego thinking it had it all
figured out so quickly; that ego – my
ego, now feeling defeated. Powerless.
I knew it was bound to happen. That
day I felt seriously overpowered. I
couldn’t keep up with my partner,
couldn’t meet his energy, couldn’t step
deep enough to blend besides him,
couldn’t take his balance.
Truth is, there’s rarely anyone on the
mat who doesn’t surpass me in size and
strength. So sometimes I can’t help but
wonder: what am I doing here again?!
On days like that, the intensity
overwhelms me. I realize how
comparatively small, weak and fragile
I am. I want aikido to help me feel
strong and empowered, and dissolve the
preconditioned fear of being powerless.
Other days, I glimpse a kind of power
that is not strength; it’s softness. It’s
not resistance; it’s fluidity. I sometimes
purposefully choose to train with the
biggest person in the class, because I
then have to lose myself in the practice.
I have to give up my ego, and any desire
to feel strong. I have to be present with
what is: this other person’s unwieldable
strength. I have to allow myself to
be moved by another’s power, to stay
grounded but keep a light heart. And
perhaps my weakness is precisely my
biggest advantage. Because I cannot
muscle my way through techniques, I
have no choice but to try to learn the
art of balance-taking and redirecting
energy.
By the end of that particular day’s
training, faint bruise emerging on the
bridge of my nose, ego momentarily
succumbed, I was once again blending,
absorbing energy, laughing, and feeling
perfectly comfortable exactly where I
was at.
Continuity of practice is thus essential.
Just like everything else in life, practice
has its ups and downs. Difficulties and
injuries arise, and go away. There are
strong training days, and weak training
days – but all of them are training days.
Onegai shimasu!
THE KIAI
14
NOTES FROM A VISIT TO SYDNEY
September 28, 2015
by Cathy Garrett
Front row L-R: Peter O’Connor, instructor Len Shenfield, Cathy Garrett, Ryan Shenfield.
Back row L-R: Aki Takahata, Gavin Christensen, Takashi Kawashima.
I
nstructor Len Shenfield and able
sempai Peter O’Connor welcomed
me to the Mary St dojo at Sydney’s
‘Aikido Australia’ with the information
that the dojo was under renovation.
Good news: weather permitting,
weapons classes would be held in the
mornings on the concrete terrace
outside the dojo, and taijitsu would be
at the University of New South Wales
judo room on Saturdays.
Saburo Takayasu Sensei, 7th dan, leads
the 4-dojo, 2-city non-profit ‘Aikido
Australia - Takemusu Aiki Association,
Inc’. Len and Peter taught the classes
I attended. They are as serious about
aikido as they are about developing
good form and graciously welcoming
visitors.
I’d practiced with this mob on two
previous trips to see family, but only
briefly. This time I was there longer so
had a better chance of tuning into the
character and techniques specific to
this dojo. I did my best not to blot my
copybook, as they say in that part of the
world.
Speaking of which, I find that we in
the US are divided from Australians by
a common language. Add to that the
Japanese aikido terms delivered with
an Australian inflection and accent
and you have a language or dialect I’ll
call Jaikido-Aussie. It makes for an
interesting time when trying to follow
instructions ‒ hard to understand even
for a native Australian!
The rhythm of the Sydney weapons
classes is fast paced, starting with
bokken. Moves are indicated in JaikidoAussie. First, one each of the bokken
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YOGA CLASS
suburi, then happo-giri. Hmm –
“happo-giri”...? It’s the 8-step sequence,
but they’re doing it without steps and
they’re pivoting on the heel.
Then on to the jo. One each of the jo
suburi, sanjuichi-no-jo and jusan-nojo. Aside from minor corrections to
form, everything is delivered in JaikidoAussie. A lack of fluency in it poses a
challenge; couple this with the fact I
kept losing the toes of my shoes down
the cavernous paving joints. Suffice it to
say I was on high alert.
Only then would instruction on the
topic of the day begin. Most days
we practiced the eight jo awase with
partners. These are unlike the awase
practice we have and include hand
positions on the jo and a block I had not
seen in our dojo. Other days’ practice
included familiar moves and the energy
went to feeling partner’s connection
and being an acceptable uke. When
instruction led to unfamiliar territory I
focused on the demonstration. Oh, and
on trying to NOT slow the class down.
What was it that Witt Sensei said? One
of the three important tenants...get out
of the way!
by Simona Balan
E
very Sunday after aikido class, Richard and I take turns leading an
hour-long, all levels yoga class, available for free to all dojo members.
Both mind-body practices, aikido and yoga complement each other
seamlessly. Aikido is a harmonious art, yet training does tend to overuse
certain muscles and put certain joints at risk of injury, especially in the
beginning years before deeper understanding occurs. A well-designed
yoga practice will help balance aikido training by stretching and relaxing
overworked muscles while strengthening the underutilized ones, mobilizing
fascia, and lubricating joints. Regular yoga practice will also settle the mind
into the body, improving balance, coordination, and general body awareness.
Yoga has been my daily practice for about eight years, and has led me to seek
martial arts training and to eventually discover aikido and our dojo. I fully
believe in its benefits. I kept my yoga practice even while training in Iwama.
I would find pockets of time to squeeze in at least half an hour of practice
every day. I have no doubt that it contributed to avoiding fatigue, my body
feeling energized throughout my time in Japan.
Could yoga also help your aikido practice? Only way to know is to try it out.
Richard and I look forward to seeing you Sunday mornings!
With more than the usual dimensions
of novelty, the visit was an enriching
experience. Moral of the story: Enjoy
yourself! Accept and honor the
warmth and knowledge generously
offered. Follow the expertly delivered
instruction, i.e. what is demonstrated,
whether it’s something you’ve seen
before or not or even have been
previously told to do differently. Show
up ready to absorb a new rhythm of
class. Brush up on Japanese terms. Be
sure enough of foot placement in shoes
to not need the sensation of the mat
beneath your bare feet. Oh yes, and get
ready to welcome visiting Aussies in
Oakland!
THE KIAI
16
WHY AIKIDO?
by Eduardo Guardarramas
T
as gorgeous as I was, except in 6’5”, and
we were invited to everything. But that’s
another story too.)
It was a good 5 minutes before I could
stop laughing. I explained to them that I
am the least flexible person at the dojo,
if not on earth.
But when my husband Roger gave me
a 3 month membership the Aikido
Institute and told me “find out what
those people do”, everything changed. I
remember that for the first six months,
I attended more classes than the live-in
uchi deshi. That’s because, I was not
going to let Roger down. I was going to
get this aikido thing. I was going to be
the best, even if I was a little older than
most. But that was not to be. And that’s
not a mortal sin. I’m doing the best with
what I have. I’m doing my personal best.
And to my surprise, my personal best
was accepted, and encouraged.The rules
changed. I had discovered the Aikido
community.
here I was working on my
computer in the office when
someone called me. As I got up
from my desk, my foot got caught on
the computer wire, I fell forward,
instinct took over, I did a forward roll
and slapped the industrial carpeting,
and rolled back up. My co-workers
looked at me in complete amazement.
“My goodness, you are so flexible!”
When I was a youngster, I always
enjoyed the company of people who
did the best they could. They did the
best with what they had. They would
work like crazy and accomplish things
that you knew were not easy for them.
Things never came naturally to me.
Whether it was body building, weight
lifting, playing piano, or playing Bridge.
But I worked on things and always did
the best I could.
I would go as far as saying that it’s
the Aikido Institute of Oakland dojo
But not everybody felt that way. If
you did not have the gorgeous face, or
biggest body, or lift the heaviest weight,
or play the fastest, you were ignored. So
I was not invited to the IN parties or
gatherings. (Although I got into Studio
54, and that’s where I met Vladimir
Horowitz. But that’s another story).
So I tried to be the best at everything.
Better than anybody. Play the fastest,
lift the heaviest, be the biggest. But
that’s not me. I’m not a huge 6’5” Adonis
with magic fingers and a brain that can
finesse any play in Bridge. (Though for
2 years, I was seeing a guy who was just
community. We are quite unique. We
care about each other. We encourage
each other. We take great pride when
others go up in rank, and improve their
techniques. That’s when it becomes
more than Aikido. It’s the ability to
give and take instruction so that we can
improve and do the best we can with the
ability we have. And that’s awesome.
What’s better than doing your best to
improve and knowing that the whole
community has your back? It gives
you great confidence. I learn from the
younger students as well as the older
students. It keeps me fit, it lets me know
that I can still train with the others, and
it makes me feel alive. That’s why I go
to class. To be inspired, to train with
my friends, to enjoy being a part of this
community, to learn, and to improve.
And if you put it all together, it makes
you a better person. And so I say with
great pride “See you on the mat”.
THE KIAI
17
AIKIDO
by Roger Brigham
As most of you know. It was my husband Roger who got me started in Aikido. One
Christmas he bought me a 3 month membership and told me to find out what it was about.
That was 14 years ago. He does not train in Aikido, but is a fine wrestler and wrestling
coach. He asked me if he could write a piece for the Kiai, and this is what he wrote.
– Eddie
A
ikido is a wonderful world of
learning. In Aikido you will
discover things about yourself
and the world around you. Along the
way you will encounter unfamiliar
terms which are routinely used by your
fellow Aikidoists. I have never
practiced Aikido, but for more than a
decade I have heard these terms
bandied about by my husband and his
friends from the dojo. To help you
understand some of this terminology, I
will explain what these mysterious
words mean.
The word Aikido itself comes to us
from Japan and translates literally as
“gentle dog.” The discipline is named
after a popular breed of dog from that
island nation.
When you get on the mat, you will be
dressed in a ghee. You can buy the ghee
from a martial arts supply store or at
an Indian grocery store. Later, if after
years of training you become a black
belt, you will wear a jicama. Usually
this is provided to you by an instructor,
otherwise you can buy one in a Mexican
grocery.
I have never practiced Aikido, but for more than a decade I
have heard these terms bandied about by my husband and
his friends from the dojo. To help you understand some of
this terminology, I will explain what these mysterious words
mean.
The first person you are likely to meet
at the dojo is a live-in student, or
mitsubishi. Classes are taught by the
sensei, who may be assisted by a less
experienced teacher, or whacky-sensei.
In addition to hand fighting, Aikido
uses several weapons in practice. The
swords used in Aikido are wood, rather
than metal, and if used incorrectly can
splinter or break, although this is rare.
If you do break your sword, you must
warn the mitsubishi immediately, “The
sword is bokken.” Basic sword training
is called subaru. A large wooden pole,
called a joe, is also used; defensive
technique against this pole is named in
honor of a famous aikido pioneer, Joe
Dorey.
Training techniques are referred to as
whatsa, as in “Whatsa he doin’?”
If you are serious in your pursuit of
aikido, you will want to attend an
intensive four-week training session
held at the crack of dawn during the
coldest part of the year, also known as
connedinto.
THE KIAI
18
IN THE NEWS
KANGEIKO
K
angeiko this year started on
January 19 and ended on
February 13. “Kangeiko”
literally means Cold Practice. It’s part
of a long tradition at the Aikido
Institute that started many years ago.
he pulled all the stops.
Kim Sensei leads weapons class on
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at
6:00 AM for four weeks. It’s the coldest
month of the year, at the earliest hour.
And believe me, it was cold, dark, and
scary. 20+ people on the mat doing
weapons. We all looked like ghosts
while stretching at that hour of the
morning. Knowing Kim Sensei, we were
all prepared for grueling classes. And
he did not disappoint. We did not need
coffee to wake us up. Bokken, Jo, Tanto,
At the beginning of every class, he
would read a quote from a famous
person and we would concentrate on
it before beginning the weapons class.
And they were wonderful:
“The object in life is not to be on the side of
the majority, but to escape finding oneself
in the ranks of the insane.”
– Marcus Aurelius
“In nine lifetimes, you’ll never know as
much about your cat as your cat knows
about you.”
– Michel de Montaigne
“The statistics on sanity are that one of
every four Americans is suffering from
some sort of mental illness. Think of your
three best friends. If they are okay, then it’s
you.”
– Rita Mae Brown
And if you were lucky enough to
survive the complete class (including
the dreaded 1,000 bokken strikes) you
received an award. The award this year
was a gorgeous Kangeiko jacket, handed
out by Kim Sensei himself, with a
hardy handshake and congratulations.
Actually, Congratulations to all of us.
We survived another Kangeiko
THE KIAI
19
THE KIAI
20
IN THE NEWS
FEBRUARY TESTS
C
ongratulations to the
students who passed their
tests in February:
•• Susan Martinez – 3rd Kyu
•• Simona Balan – 4th Kyu
•• Kirsten Williams – 2nd Kyu
•• Cathy Garrett – 2nd Kyu
•• Randy Seifert – 3rd Kyu
•• Jonathan LeGaux – 6th Kyu
•• Yuechen Wu – 6th Kyu
•• Thad Mann – 5th Kyu
THE KIAI
21
THE KIAI
22
IN THE NEWS
TAI SAI
T
his is the celebration of
O’Sensei’s life. It takes place
on the anniversary of his
passing on April 26, 1969. It is
celebrated throughout the Aikido
world. The big celebration is in Iwama,
Japan (remember we practice Iwama
style aikido). It is celebrated by intense
training followed by lots of food, drink,
and lots of Kanpais.
Well, we here in Oakland, did O’Sensei
proud. We began two weeks earlier by
cleaning the dojo from top to bottom
for 2 Saturdays in a row. Every weapon
was cleaned and oiled. Ceilings and
light fixtures were dusted and washed.
Bathrooms and kitchen were scrubbed
and organized. Sensei and Uchi Deshi
rooms were cleaned and dusted, all
windows were washed. And any repairs
that needed to be done, were done.
On the day of Tai Sai, the shomen was
spotless and bursting with flowers.
The energy was high and attendance
was huge. Steve Sensei led the class.
He would read aloud from one of
O’Sensei’s books before showing the
technique. Then he would demonstrate
the technique and we would try to
follow. It was awesome.
We always look forward to Tai
Sai, because it takes place at the
beginning of Spring and inspires us
to start training seriously because The
Gasshuku is coming. And we have to be
ready for that.
THE KIAI
23
THE KIAI
24
IN THE NEWS
THE GASSHUKU
T
he Memorial Day Gasshuku is
the event we all look most
forward to. It takes place every
year in Tahoe. All the Iwama Style
dojos come and train on Friday,
Saturday, and Sunday of Memorial day
Weekend.
The Aikido Institute takes great pride
in being the best represented dojo (and
loudest) for the event.
But it begins weeks before: Organizing
the carpooling which constantly changes
till the last minute; assigning who will
take what supplies; and then the actual
race up to Tahoe. That ride is not
complete without a traditional stop at
Ikeda’s for Pies. And somehow we all
meet up there. It was great to see Lars
Eric’s new Fiat there. And a miracle that
tall Jacob could fit into it. And then the
race continues till we get to our rented
house in Tahoe.
And then there’s never enough beds
so some people bring tents and form
White Belt City. Jim’s tent was Huge
this year. Randy brought his tent too,
complete with camping chairs. An
awesome sight. But watch out for the
bear. It almost ate Vu last year.
The training was great with guest sensei
from around the world. It started on
Friday night, then the big training
session is on Saturday all day. Very
intense training. But it’s great to see so
many familiar faces that you only see
once a year.
Then the big meal is on Saturday
night after training. Kyoto’s Legendary
Pancakes were the evening hit. The
salads were amazing. Lots of food and
lots of drink. But no matter how much
food or how much drink or how late we
stayed up, we still had to be on the mat
at 9:00 AM on Sunday for weapons
training.
This is always an awesome time. The
summer has begun.
THE KIAI
25
THE KIAI
26
IN THE NEWS
SURPRISE VISIT
I
t was wonderful to have a surprise
visit from Daniel Lance Sensei at
our dojo on May 28th. He started
aikido in 1988 at our dojo during a
brief stay here in the U.S. When he
returned to France he continued his
study and, now a 5th Dan, is teaching
and training hard. He and Deborah
Sensei have been friends for a very long
time. He presented Deborah with a
copy of his latest book and Deborah
presented him with a wooden cutting
board in the shape of California
(hysterical). Lucky for him it was a
sake night, so we had a lot of kanpai to
do. He was very approachable and
wonderful to train with. A charming
man. And he speaks French beautifully.
I hope he comes to visit again soon.
THE KIAI
27
IN THE NEWS
KIDS LAST DAY
J
une 19th marked the last Kid’s class
before summer break. It’s always an
exciting day because the
kids are allowed to train in the adults’
class. It’s great fun for the kids and even
more fun for the adults. Techniques are
practiced and games are invented. And of
course the kids almost always win. The
energy and enthusiasm of the kids is always
amazing.
After class, the kids stay for pizza and a
movie. The movie this year was Guardians
of the Galaxy.
THE KIAI
28
IN THE NEWS
AUGUST TESTS
C
ongratulations to the Students
who passed their tests in
August:
•• Jim Beno – 3rd Kyu
•• Simona Balan – 3rd Kyu
•• Melissa Siew – 4th Kyu
•• Mauricio Filho – 6th Kyu
THE KIAI
29
IN THE NEWS
BASEBALL FIELD TRIP
I
t was July 5th and members of the
dojo headed out for the Oakland
Coliseum for the A’s vs Mariners
game. And it was a gorgeous day for
baseball.
Thank you Kirsten for setting it all up.
We all had a great time.
LET’S
GO!
THE KIAI
30
IN THE NEWS
SAKE TASTING TRIP
S
ake! Yes, it’s Japanese. Just like
Aikido. So why not learn more
about the making of sake? So, on
August 1st, the dojo had a field trip to
Takara Sake USA in Berkeley.
plant was established in Berkeley in
1982. We were able to tour the museum
which included an exhibit of historical
sake making artifacts. We watched a
movie about the making of sake.
sense of space. All the wood used in
the structures is reclaimed lumber. And
that’s where the tasting began. Did you
know that there are as many types of
sake as there are of wine?
They’ve been a leading producer of Sake
in Japan for over 150 years. The USA
The tasting room was gorgeous and
very Japanese with a contemporary
Thank you Deborah Sensei for setting
this up. It was a great time.
THE KIAI
31
IN THE NEWS
GOODBYE TED & MELISSA
W
hat a great training session at the
dojo. Full mat, lots of energy,
gorgeous weather, and dojo friends
I have not seen in a long time. In short, the
training was lots of fun.
But bittersweet too. It was Ted and Melissa’s
goodbye party. Ted had been a member of AI
for many years previously. Then he left to raise
his family, and then came back a few years ago.
That’s where he met Melissa. Although rumor
has it that they worked at the same hospital. It’s
one of those very rare dojo romances that was a
pleasure for this reporter to see develop.
Well, they are saying goodbye to Oakland,
starting a new chapter in their lives, and
moving to Laguna Beach. They are both huge
personalities on the mat. We will miss them very
much. I hope they have a guest room!!!
THE KIAI
32
IN THE NEWS
BON VOYAGE TEAM NIPPON
I
t was the most incredible evening
class. It was the first of the four
“Intro to Aikido” classes. This one
was taught by Deborah Sensei. It was
the first time Kim Sensei has been
back on the mat since his shoulder
surgery. And it was the Bon Voyage to
the Fantastic six “Team Nippon”. I have
not felt that much energy on the mat in
a very long time.
Team Nippon consists of 6 members of
Aikido Institute: Deborah Sensei, Dave,
Simona, Vu, Jim, and Susan. They are
leaving for Japan and representing the
Oakland Dojo gang in Iwama, the birth
place of Aikido as we practice it. They
will train in O’Sensei’s dojo and with
the grandson of O’Sensei himself. It
is very exciting. I’m sure they’ll learn
a lot and make the Oakland Gang
proud. You’ll be able to read about their
exploits in this issue of The Kiai.
THE KIAI
33
JAPAN SPECIAL
TEAM NIHON’S JAPAN ADVENTURE
by Jim Beno
It was a dream for so long. But there we were: “Oakland on the mat” in the Iwama dojo. Back where it all started, and
following in the footsteps of our sensei. Sure, we left a little blood on the mat, and came back with some scars, but it was worth
it. As Vu says, we “leveled up” that week. And we tapped into something magical that we’ll always carry with us.
KYOTO
O
ur plan was to do a week of
tourism, followed by a week of
training. That would give us
time to adjust to the jet lag. Our first
stop was Kyoto. We stayed at the Gion
Maifukan hotel, right next to Yasaka
Jinja. We woke up early and visited this
shrine every morning, before all the
tourists arrived. Our first morning
there, we had a traditional breakfast at
the hotel’s restaurant: salmon, rice,
miso soup, and small plates of potatoes,
veggies, fish cakes, and tsukemono.
Full of umami, and “Team Nihon
approved.”
Over the next few days, we saw temples,
shrines… and more temples and shrines.
We shopped, and learned how to thank
people in their local dialect with “Okini.”
One evening, after walking over 14
miles around Kyoto, we found a small
sushi restaurant called Ichikawa. It was
far away from the tourists, and early
in the evening, so we had the place to
ourselves. The sushi was delicious, the
sake flowed, and people were falling out
of their seats!
We hit some major tourist destinations:
Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion),
Kiyomizu-dera (the temple of clear
water), Kodai-ji (with its beautiful
tatami rooms and gardens), Ryozen
Kannon (the giant Buddha), and the
Arashiyama bamboo grove.
But during a taxi ride, we felt a calling
to one particular temple and pulled
over to check it out. Turns out it was
Kitano Tenmangu, which is sacred to
literature/knowledge and the Ox! An
interesting fact about team Nihon: It
turns out a number of us were born in
the year of the Ox: Deborah, Susan, Jim,
Simona – each of us 12 years apart!
Entrance to Kiyomizu-dera.
Enjoying sushi and sake at Ichikawa!
THE KIAI
34
TANABE
O
’Sensei was born and buried in
Tanabe, which is a small
beach town in the Wakayama
prefecture. Deborah Sensei had
arranged a tour for us through Sophie
Roche of Histoire De Voyager, who
specializes in Aikido tourism. So we
boarded a small bus with Naomi, our
guide, and headed to the coast. It was a
beautiful trip, with Japanese language
lessons as our soundtrack. Tanabe is on
the coast surrounded by mountains, so
we passed through tunnel after tunnel
until we finally saw a glimpse of the
ocean.
As you enter Tanabe, you see a
“Welcome to Tanabe” sign that has a
cartoon warrior holding a naginata (a
pole-arm weapon). It’s very “kawaii”
(cute)! We picked up flowers at
a grocery store, and then went to
O’Sensei’s grave. It’s on a hill, with a
distant view of the water. We lit some
incense, and one by one placed flowers
into vases and paid our respects.
Considering the impact Aikido has had
on our lives, it was a powerful moment
for everyone.
On our way out, we stopped at
O’Sensei’s childhood home (now
an empty lot with a plaque), and
the O’Sensei statue by the beach.
Wakayama is known for its mikans
(Mandarin oranges), so we picked up
orange cakes, orange mochi, and other
treats at a rest stop on the way home.
Welcome to Tanabe sign. Kawaii (cute)!
At the site of O’Sensei’s house.
Team Nihon, aka “The Lawsons”
Deborah Sensei, 6th Dan
Our fearless leader, Iwama veteran, "cute &
strong" to the locals
Dietary Restriction: Gluten
Zodiac Sign: Ox
Susan Martinez, 3rd Kyu
Superwoman, traveled with a torn ACL.
Crutch in one hand, luggage in the other!
Dietary Restriction: Peanuts
Zodiac Sign: Ox
David Lewin, 3rd Dan
Top warrior, voted most likely to be picked
Uke by Sensei, aka "Ansel Adams"
Dietary Restriction: Pescetarian
Zodiac Sign: Horse
Jim Beno, 3rd Kyu
Jim-P-S, enthusiastic team navigator,
always connected with Google Maps
Dietary Restriction: Dairy & Eggs
Zodiac Sign: Ox
Vu Ma, Shodan
Extreme at everything. Hour-long warm-ups
leave trails of blood. Dangerous with sake
Dietary Restriction: None!
Zodiac Sign: Monkey
Simona Balan, 3rd Kyu
Handles a waterfall better than anyone; Jo
in one hand, Japanese textbook in the other
Dietary Restriction: Pescetarian, Onions &
Garlic
Zodiac Sign: Ox
THE KIAI
35
TOKYO
A
fter just 3 days in Kyoto, it was
time to board the Shinkansen
to Tokyo. We sped across the
country in just a few hours, eating tasty
bento lunches and enjoying the view of
Fuji-san (Mt. Fuji). We met our host at
Yoyogi station, and checked into an
AirBNB apartment. You should have
seen everyone’s face when he told us we
had to pick up our luggage and carry it
a few blocks to the house!
After settling in, we decided to head
straight to the Aikikai Hombu Dojo
to take care of some paperwork.
After paying some fees and getting
our temporary membership cards, we
were ushered into the dojo to watch
the evening class. It was a wonderful
opportunity to study the explosive
techniques of Osawa Hayato Shihan,
At one point, after being
thrown on the hard
tatami, I glanced over
and saw Dave and Vu’s
faces were also being
pinned into the sweaty
canvas – somehow we
all ended up in the same
corner.
7th Dan, and see how training in Tokyo
differed from Oakland.
The next morning, we rose before dawn
and walked from our house in Yoyogi
to Shinjuku Station. From there, we
View of Mt. Fuji on Shinkansen to Tokyo.
grabbed a taxi to the Hombu Dojo.
Getting ready at Hombu was a little
different than Oakland. The men’s
changing room has a wall of lockers,
and a back room with showers and what
appear to be wash basins or urinals – I
couldn’t tell, so I didn’t dare try to use!
After playing with the locker puzzle
for a minute, someone showed us how
it works. You put a 100-yen coin in the
slot to open it, and take out the key.
After storing your clothes, you step
through a curtain onto the mat, bow
in, and hang your key on a board in the
back.
Mitsuteru Ueshiba Sensei, Dojo-cho,
taught the morning class. He had a
strong presence, and demonstrated
familiar techniques with decisive,
circular movements. But parts of them
Riding a JR train to Yoyogi station.
THE KIAI
36
At the Robot Restaurant in Kabukicho.
Outside Aikikai Hombu Dojo.
Taiko drumming at an arcade in Shibuya.
were not so familiar. For example, the
blend for Irimi Nage had an extra
movement – and there was no verbal
instruction. I did my best to mimic
what I saw, and was thankful I had a
patient partner. At one point, after being
thrown on the hard tatami, I glanced
over and saw Dave and Vu’s faces were
also being pinned into the sweaty canvas
– somehow we all ended up in the same
corner.
After an invigorating morning class,
we began our trek to Iwata Shokai,
grabbing coffee on the way. Iwata
apparently has a lot of history, and has
become a place of pilgrimage for visiting
aikidoka. I heard it’s where O’Sensei
got his dou-gi and hakama, and some
of the Oakland sensei stopped here
on previous trips. We spent the rest
of the morning trying on dou-gi and
hakama, and placed a bulk order for
some embroidered items to be shipped
back to California. We also picked up
some bags that would be super handy in
Iwama.
The rest of our time in Tokyo was
sightseeing. We walked to Meiji Jingu
and the Japanese Sword Museum. We
explored Shinjuku at night, and saw a
crazy show at the Robot Restaurant in
Kabukicho (no actual robots, just a lot
of heavy machinery, skimpy costumes,
laser beams, and smoke). We went to
Harajuku and Shibuya crossing, where
we saw the Hachiko statue, played at an
arcade, and shopped at Bic Camera (a
massive electronics store). We also took
a trip to Tokyodome for some Giants
baseball souvenirs, and were astounded
at the massive expanse of Tokyo from
the top of Sky Tree.
Shopping for dou-gi and hakama at Iwata.
But we didn’t come here to sightsee…
Walking to Yoyogi station in the rain.
THE KIAI
37
IWAMA
I
Clearly we had reached our “mecca.” It
was just a few blocks, then we turned
right, turned left, and entered another
world.
Iwama on a Friday afternoon was quiet
compared to Tokyo. Once the train
left, we hardly heard anything: no cars,
crowds, machines, etc. After taking
photos at the O’Sensei bust (more
realistic than the one in Tanabe), we
dragged our luggage down the street
toward the dojo; past Inagaki Sensei’s
house, and past the little monuments
with plaques about Aikido history.
The gravel crunched under our feet as
we walked down the driveway. We were
greeted with smiles by two uchideshi:
Alexey Chuguev from Russia, and
Shohreh Shahrzad from Denmark.
“Welcome to Iwama. By the way, you’re
in the demo tomorrow.” Okay, maybe
that’s not exactly what happened, but
it’s pretty close. We had a quick tour
of the complex, got a rundown of the
uchideshi routine, and were told about
a big Ibaraki Aikido Enbu that was
happening on Sunday.
remember looking at Google Maps
as we approached Iwama Station,
watching the blue dot get closer
and closer. We had been on the train
for about an hour and a half, when the
lovely Japanese voice said “Tsugi wa,
Iwama desu” (Next is Iwama)!
“You’re lucky, we don’t have to do
chores. Just practice,” Alexey said with
a big grin. We would be representing
foreign uchideshi in the demo, and had
to come up with a routine.
The guys stayed in a small foyer on the
left of the dojo. It wasn’t a room. We
just threw our luggage on the floor,
put some things on the shelf, and hung
up our gi. The next room had a stack
of futons, which we’d move to the mat
when it was time to sleep. Behind that
was a tatami room that Alexey was
sleeping in (see Dave’s article for more
on that!) From here, if you open a
sliding door, go down the hallway, and
step past the giant wasps on the floor,
Iwama Station!
Entrance to the Iwama or Ibaraki Branch dojo.
THE KIAI
38
Jim and Vu, and a bunch of dou-gi.
The Aiki Jinja, which we raked every day.
The guys in front of the dojo.
you reach O’Sensei’s library (which
holds his dou-gi in a display case). And
just past this is his room. My mind was
blown that we were actually in the same
place that O’Sensei lived and trained!
About this time, another uchideshi
named Andy arrived from Taiwan.
We had time before the evening class,
so we all took a walk to Kasumi, the
big grocery store on the other side of
the tracks. After fueling up on some
delicious bento, it was time for our first
class.
Training in Iwama was vastly different
from Tokyo. For one, the sliding doors
of the dojo were open, letting in the
cool evening air (and unfortunately,
mosquitos). It was also less crowded,
at least on this Friday evening. There
were just a few locals and the uchideshi.
Yoshimichi Nagashima Sensei, 5th
Dan, was sensei that evening. When he
began teaching, we immediately felt at
home. These were the same techniques
and blends we had been learning in
Oakland.
Riding bikes around town to buy groceries.
Uchideshi life.
Sleeping on the mat at night.
In a typical day, we’d rise at 5:00 AM
(some faster than others), put away our
futons, grab a rake, and head to open
the Aiki Jinja. We’d rake lines in the
gravel, producing little piles of leaves on
each side. Then we’d quickly brush our
teeth, put on a gi, and greet sensei. After
class, we’d eat breakfast in the shokudo
(dining hall). We’d do our chores,
followed by lunch, and then either
uchideshi practice, grocery shopping,
water runs on bikes, or some event.
Every day was capped off by evening
class, dinner, and dishes. Then we’d
drag our futons back on to the mat,
and fall asleep to the sound of snoring
and buzzing mosquitos.
THE KIAI
39
Photo by Susan Martinez
Foreign uchideshi demo at the Ibaraki Aikido Enbu.
Morning Class
favorite). We were very fortunate to
have him as our guide.
That first morning class was a special
one. Shigemi Inagaki Sensei, 8th Dan,
arrived in high spirits, welcomed us,
and spoke about the history of the
dojo. During wrist stretches, one of
the locals stepped away and came
back with a stack of wooden blocks.
He then distributed them around the
room. I thought to myself “I guess it’s
true, we’re doing knuckle push-ups!”
We did 50 quick pumps, eased into
wrist stretches, and then did another
set. I actually began to look forward to
them. You’re not truly awake until that
sharp, stinging sensation jolts from your
knuckles to your cerebral cortex. It’s
quite effective.
The rest of the week, all the morning
classes were devoted to the first
kumitachi henka (variations). Classes
were taught either by Inagaki Sensei,
or by Carl Thompson, sandan (an
8-year Iwama soto-deshi). Carl was
a wonderful teacher, and helped us
understand the nuances of the modern
day Iwama movements (for example,
shifting the rear foot further back in
ken kamae), or how to pull off some
new henka like the “butt check” (Dave’s
The Demo
The day of the Ibaraki Aikido Enbu, the
dojo was flooded with people after the
morning class. You could tell something
special was happening. Everyone did dry
runs, transportation was arranged, and
we were whisked away.
We participated in a number of events
during our stay, and it was always the
same. We kind of had an idea something
was going to happen, but except for
Alexey (who spoke fluent Japanese) we
didn’t know when, how, how long, or
with whom. So I was quite surprised at
the scale of the event, with participation
from about a dozen dojos. We also had
no idea we’d be sitting for two hours
until the very end! We were hungry
and thirsty by the time it was our turn,
but we gave it our best. You can see our
group performance of bokken suburi
and kumitachi here: https://youtu.be/
MDJ00giZU7Y
Deborah Sensei leading bokken practice in Iwama.
THE KIAI
40
Big celebration party after the Aikido Enbu.
After the demo, a massive feast was
held in the shokudo. We ate wonderful
bento lunches, and despite it being midday, drank copious amounts of sake.
Interesting fact: there are 20-30 giant
empty sake bottles behind the shokudo.
I thought they had been collecting for
the whole year, but now I understand.
One by one, we all stood up and said
a few words about the demo. We had
to add “otsukaresama deshita,” which
expressed gratitude for the hard work
we did together. At one point, Inagaki
Sensei came around pouring sake for
everyone. It was a nice moment that I’ll
never forget. He even complemented me
on my Japanese!
This is also when we were introduced
to “Nippon no Budo Aikido,” a song
written by Hiroshi Isoyama Shihan, 8th
Dan. Apparently it was a requirement
for every uchideshi to get up and sing
it. Luckily I drank a lot of sake by that
point! I have to say, Susan definitely
won the prize for best performance.
This song became our soundtrack.
Every time a sake bottle came out that
week, you would hear: “Nip-pon no
Bu-do Ai-ki-do wa! Da-re-de-mo kiga-ru ni de-ki-ru…” followed by fists
pounding on the table.
Inagaki Sensei pouring sake for Deborah.
The Ueshibas
One night a week, Doshu, Moriteru
Ueshiba, travels from Tokyo to teach
a class at the Ibaraki Branch Dojo. We
had taken the train to Mito that day to
shop at a budo store and have lunch.
When we got back to the dojo, loaded
with shopping bags, Doshu was in
our kitchen! Uchideshi fail. I guess he
decided to come early.
His presence drew a big crowd, and
some Hombu deshi came with him,
so the dojo was packed that night. His
technique was very fluid, similar to
what we saw from Waka Sensei back at
the Hombu Dojo. At one point during
the class, I was struggling with a blend,
when I heard “Jimu-san” and turned my
head. Doshu gave me some pointers,
and demonstrated the technique on me.
“More kokyu, and you will be strong
like me,” he said with a smile. It was a
wonderful opportunity to train with
him, if only for a brief moment.
His son, Mitsuteru Ueshiba Sensei (or
Waka Sensei), also came to the Ibaraki
Branchi Dojo that week. While the
setting was different, it was very similar
to the class we had at Hombu dojo.
The dojo was crowded again. I think we
had some visitors from Italy that night.
“Nippon no Budo Aikido” lyrics.
People were flying everywhere, and the
canvas mat was covered with drops of
blood (at the end of class, someone just
walks around and sprays bleach on the
blood spots).
While we were training, Waka Sensei
would make his way around the mat,
demonstrating the technique to people.
He approached us and grabbed my
partner. I sat in seiza on the edge of
the mat, but it seemed I could never
sit in the right spot. He kept gesturing
for me to move. Then it was my turn.
He beckoned to me, so I stood up and
attacked him (with shomen uchi, I
believe). I was immediately caught up
THE KIAI
41
Beginning of our quest to find the waterfall.
Group shot from Atago-San.
in a double whirlwind and pinned to
the floor (with sankyo, I think). It was
fascinating. And very controlled. I didn’t
feel I was at risk of being harmed at all.
Atago-San
I don’t know if it’s typical, but our stay
in Iwama was highlighted with little
day trips. Perhaps if we stayed longer
we would’ve felt more of a daily grind.
One day, we went up Atago-San, which
is a mountain overlooking Iwama. We
spent some time at the shrine getting
personalized Ofuda to help protect the
Oakland dojo and our homes (from fire,
which is important for California).
Then a few of us set out on a quest
to find O’Sensei’s waterfall. Typically,
I would just search for it on Google
Maps, and Jim-P-S would guide the
way. But Alexey wanted to follow his
nose. So we walked through an ancient
torii gate, and blazed through an
overgrown path that hadn’t been used
in ages. Dave kept swinging a stick to
clear all the giant cobwebs and spiders
hanging above the trail.
We walked for miles around the
mountain trying to find that waterfall.
At one point, we emerged from the
woods into someone’s backyard. Every
now and then, Alexey would stop and
ask a local for directions. With every
step, we were getting further away from
the dojo. I kept looking at my watch,
thinking “How are we going to get back
in time for class?” I finally gave in, pulled
up Google Maps, and saw the symbol
for a temple further down the road. I
asked Alexey what the kanji meant, and
he said “It says waterfall, that’s it!”
We found it!
After coming so far, how could we not
do misogi under the same waterfall
that O’Sensei used? One-by-one,
we stripped down to our underwear,
stepped carefully over the slippery
rocks, and put our heads under the
rushing water. It was electrifyingly cold!
With our quest complete, we headed
back to the dojo. The Iwama / Kasama
countryside is very beautiful. The
valley is ringed with mountains, and
filled with rice fields, farms, and ornate
houses with flowering gardens. Luckily,
we made it back well in time for class.
On the way back from the waterfall.
THE KIAI
42
Helping teach junior high school students.
Back to School
Twice that week, we went to a junior
high school to help the sensei teach
Aikido to the students. We had
practiced pivoting while sitting in seiza
to prepare for this. At the start, we had
to line up with the sensei facing the
students, turn and bow to the shomen,
and then turn and bow to the students.
We had to be good role models!
Yoshifumi Watahiki Sensei, 7th Dan,
and Toshihiro Isoyama Sensei, 5th Dan,
were doing the instruction. Dave was
called upon to be uke, Vu was paired up
with a student, and the rest of us lined
up around the edge of the mat. It was
our job to observe and help students
that were having difficulty. I started
out on the girl’s side, where quite a few
seemed to be serious about learning
the techniques (but still with plenty of
laughs). Then I moved to the boy’s side,
which was filled with troublemakers.
Kids were flying everywhere. If they
were older, there’d be broken bones and
torn ligaments!
At the end of the instruction, we sat
down on stage and had some tea. Then
a group of students lined up on stage,
a girl sat down at the piano, and they
began singing two beautiful songs. It
was yet another memorable moment in
our trip.
Sightseeing
Some of the highlights of the trip were
when Inagaki Sensei took us out for
sightseeing. Does he do this with all
the uchideshi? We hopped in either his
old Volvo wagon or Isoyama Sensei’s
new ride. One day they drove us to
Kasama, which is famous for its pottery.
We walked through the galleries at
the Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum, and
then had lunch at a cafe. Later, we went
back to shop for souvenirs at Kasama
Crafthills.
Another day, Inagaki Sensei took us
on a drive through his chestnut farms,
telling us about his patented process.
Then we went to a modern art museum,
followed by the Kasama Inari Shrine to
see a chrysanthemum festival. Inagaki
Sensei helped us pick out a bottle
of sake to leave on the shomen (and
implored us to drink it on our last
night). He also bought us all drinks
of warm and sweet amazake. It was
delicious!
Our sightseeing was capped off with a
stop at Inagaki Sensei’s chestnut shop.
We sampled some freshly roasted
chestnuts and picked up souvenirs. I
bought some chestnut curry, which
was unfortunately later confiscated by
customs.
Reunion
Isoyama Sensei teaching students with Dave as uke.
Nine days after we arrived, Carl taught
our last morning bokken class. Our
Iwama training was over. We spent
the rest of the morning packing and
cleaning. Isoyama Sensei, Watahiki
Sensei, and some of the local students
came by to see us off. I distinctly
remember throwing our luggage into
a pick-up truck, and sitting next to
Isoyama Sensei as he sped to the train
THE KIAI
43
Group photo with Inagaki Sensei and class.
station, driving onto the concrete, right
up to the elevator entrance. Talk about
service! We said our goodbyes, and I
shouted “Rai-nen” (next year) as the
elevator door closed.
Deborah Sensei and Vu were flying
out from Narita that day, so they had
already left. But David, Simona, Susan
and I took a train to Tokyo. We stayed
at an AirBNB apartment in Shinagawa,
where we met up with Yuko Kitara.
Yuko-san used to train at the Oakland
dojo before she moved back to Japan.
She was also our shodo teacher after
Sunday morning class! I was happy
we were finally able to meet up with
her. We decompressed from Iwama by
eating sushi in Tsukiji, walking around
Roppongi, seeing the giant Gundam
in Odaiba, and catching the view from
Tokyo Tower.
Looking back on it all, it was the trip
of a lifetime. I’m forever grateful to
Kim Peuser Sensei and Inagaki Sensei
for making this happen. And I’m so
thankful I got to share it with my Team
Nihon family (aka “the Lawsons”). Can’t
wait for the next trip!
Top 10 Quotes
Overheard in Japan
1.
Time for a Lawson family
photo: “Cascade formation!”
2. “Jim-P-S, which way do we
go?”
Meeting up with Yuko-San in Tokyo.
Lawson
3. Every 2 hours: “I need to pee,
is there a toilet?”
4. Rushing frantically to the
Robot Restaurant, Susan cries:
“Hey, I have a torn ACL!”
5. “Welcome to Iwama! By
the way, you’re in the demo
tomorrow.”
6. Day 1 in Iwama: “I think I need
lumbar support.”
7. “Does anybody have a rash on
your forearms from sliding on
the mat?”
Lawson is the name of a “konbini”
or convenient store that’s very
popular in Japan. The first night we
arrived in Kyoto, hungry and tired,
it saved us. We’d stop at a Lawson
pretty much every day of the trip.
Check our pockets and you’re
bound to find an “onigiri” or some
other tasty Lawson treat!
8. “Vu, I just hung up your
underwear.”
9. “Sorry, this delicious treat is
going to expire and we can’t
take it back to Oakland, we
have to eat it now.”
10. “What’s for dinner? Salmon
and rice!”
THE KIAI
44
JAPAN SPECIAL
お墓参り OHAKAMAIRI
by Deborah Maizels Sensei
“Twice a year, most families perform Ohaka-mairi, which literally means ‘going to the grave,’ … a ritual of respecting the
deceased by cleaning the gravesite up and making a quick prayer to one’s ancestors.” [from the InterWebs]
O
ne night 3 years ago, toward
the end of Team Italia’s trip to
the European Gasshuku in
Italy, we sat in our palatial Home Away
rental above the canals of Venice and
talked about what our next trip would
be. Vu was determined that we would
go to Japan and visit O’Sensei’s grave in
Tanabe. He asked if I knew what it
looked like, and I said I have no idea
but I bet you can google it… and we
did and right there was a video showing
the grave site… all you could hear was
the sound of the wind.
I didn’t really want to visit the grave.
To me the video was all I needed. A
visit to the grave of someone who was
a historical figure, like O’Sensei, wasn’t
high on my to-do list. But Vu and the
others were immediately on board with
the plan, so I climbed aboard as well.
In my Jewish tradition, visiting a
cemetery is a mitzvah, a good deed, an
act of loving kindness. You don’t bring
flowers. You place a small pebble or
stone on the grave to show that you
have visited. And when you leave, you
wash your hands.
been purchased in special arrangements;
and, that certain flowers weren’t
appropriate for a cemetery. However, on
our trip I had the opportunity to learn
that there are many ways you can visit a
graveyard in Japan.
First O-Haka: O’Sensei in
Tanabe
We hired a van and driver to drive us
from Kyoto to Tanabe and back in the
same day. We were to be accompanied
by a guide, Naomi. The travel broker
described the arrangement:
She is not a licensed guide, but
I gave her some information about
TANABE.
When you visit Ueshiba sensei’s
grave, Naomi tells you Japanese
style worship.
We prepare some incense sticks
for you. It’s our complimentary.
If you want to offer flowers on
the tomb of sensei, please let me
know. I will arrange it.
Knowing the importance of my
traditions, I wanted to be ready to
follow the Japanese traditions, so I did
just a little research online before we
left on the trip. What stuck in my mind
was that it was a very formal event; that
flowers were to be presented that had
The day we went to Tanabe was a
National Holiday, Sports Day. We
had asked that a flower arrangement
be prepared and ready for us, but due
to the national holiday the pre-order
didn’t work out. The plan was to then
purchase flowers when we arrived in
Tanabe.
Since I had read that only certain
flowers were appropriate to be offered
at a Japanese cemetery, I was glad that
someone knowledgeable was going to
help us get the right ones. I imagined
there would be a floral shop close to
the cemetery that would have premade floral arrangements that we
could purchase for the grave. But what
actually happened was a little different.
Once in Tanabe, we pulled in for a
quick stop at a supermarket where
we all piled out of the van to look for
the flower section, which, as it turned
out, only sold single stems, no floral
arrangements. We hastily selected some
stems in colors we liked. The clerk
wrapped them for the cemetery in the
only paper available, decorated with
bright, happy spring flowers.
We piled back in the van. Drove to
the cemetery. We piled out of the van.
We wandered until we found signs in
English that directed us to the grave.
O’Sensei’s tomb is in a beautiful
cemetery. It is in a quiet corner shaded
by large trees. Standing at his grave
you can look out over the many other
monuments there and take in the
beautiful view of the ocean.
During the stop at the supermarket
for flowers, I had begun to realize that
Naomi was not necessarily the most
up-to-date on Japanese cemetery rules
and customs. This was confirmed
upon arrival at the grave when she
THE KIAI
45
tried to determine where we should
place the flowers. After a few moments,
Naomi directed me to put the wrapped
bouquet on the ground in front of the
largest stone. I followed her directions,
but wasn’t too surprised when several
minutes later, she determined that the
largest stone was not where O’Sensei
is actually buried. The O-Haka is
actually to the left of that large stone.
So, as directed, I then moved the
bouquet, still wrapped, to the ground
in front of the actual O-Haka. But as
we looked around the cemetery, there
were no other wrapped bouquets on the
ground. The few graves with flowers had
them unwrapped and placed in stone
vases that were on either side of every
O-Haka. So I grabbed the wrapped
bouquet once again from the ground
and this time we each took some stems
out. Naomi had brought incense, which
we lit. We then each went up to the
O-Haka with some flowers and some
lighted incense to be placed in the
appropriate holders.
Later as we left the cemetery we noted
that there were open Sake One-Cups
at a number of gravesites. Naomi told
us that often people leave some food or
drink that the departed liked.
Second O-Haka: Saito Sensei
in Iwama
When our group arrived in Iwama we
all wanted to visit Saito Sensei’s grave.
I had lived and trained in Iwama in
the 1980s so Saito Sensei was not just
a historical figure for me. He was my
Sensei. Going to visit his grave was on
the top of my list, but I didn’t know
where it was. However, with the help
of some of the Iwama deshi, we found
ourselves with a hand-drawn map to the
cemetery. Since sake was an appropriate
offering, we planned to take some.
After morning keiko and chores, we
started our walk to the cemetery but,
as in Tanabe, we first stopped at a
supermarket along the way. There we
bought flowers, sake, and Suntory.
While there, one of Saito Sensei’s
students from many years ago appeared.
He knew we were going to the grave
(we’re not sure how he knew) and he
was there to show us the way. As he
walked us into the cemetery, he said
Saito Sensei would be happy to have
visitors. He then led us along the path
to Sensei’s grave. There were no signs
in English that would have guided us,
so his assistance was invaluable. As we
approached the grave, he spoke loudly
toward the memorial stone and said
“Sensei! Deborah is here with students
from America”. With that, he had
announced our arrival to Saito Sensei.
The cemetery is about a 15 minute walk
from the dojo. Since the grave may be
hard to find if you don’t read Japanese,
it helps that there’s a framed picture
of Saito Sensei that’s glued to the
monument. It’s a great picture of Sensei.
Not formal. He’s in his keiko gi, relaxed
and smiling.
We were all now experienced grave
visitors, so this time we all knew to take
the flowers out of the wrapping and
place them in the vases. We opened the
One Cup and offered it on the O-Haka.
Each of us went up one by one to pay
our respects.
That night in the shokudo, we toasted
Saito Sensei with the Suntory.
Third Visit: Saito Sensei’s
Grave – O-Hakamairi
After class the next morning, Inagaki
Sensei said: “I’ll take you on a tour
of Iwama tomorrow. I will take you
to Saito Sensei’s O-Haka.” I had a
moment of hesitation where I wondered
if I should mention ‘oh, but Sensei, we’ve
already been there’ or if I should just
pretend it was a novel and new idea. I
went with the latter.
Inagaki Sensei arrived at the dojo
THE KIAI
46
the next morning driving his large,
imported, American Chevy with leftside drive. It was big enough to hold all
7 of us easily. It took up much of the
street as he drove and I kept hoping he’d
remember to keep it on the correct side
of the road. He did. He stopped at a
small shop and purchased two bouquets
of flowers wrapped in white paper. He
drove to the cemetery and parked next
to it. We followed him in.
This was the first time I noticed the
small hut at the entrance that contained
many buckets and ladles. Inagaki Sensei
stopped to get a bucket with a ladle and
fill the bucket with water. We walked to
the grave.
When we arrived at the O-Haka,
Inagaki Sensei immediately used the
ladle to pour water over the top of the
monument stone. As the water cascaded
down, the stone seemed to come alive
like a plant that had been thirsty. He
then proceeded to quickly and efficiently
clean out the wilted flowers, clean out
the sake offering cup, and clean up
around the monument. He had me take
the new flowers out of the wrapping and
remove any rubber bands holding them
together. He placed the flowers in the
vases. He lit incense and made sure we
all had some. Then, before he went up
to the O-Haka alone, he turned to us
and said “Copy me. This is the Buddhist
way.”
He went up to the tomb and took water
in the ladle. He poured it from the top
of the stone so that it fell down over
the stone. He put the lighted incense in
the incense holder. He paused silently
before the tomb and bowed.
And then it was each of our turns to pay
our respects to Saito Sensei.
During our 2 weeks in Japan, we made 3
visits to 2 cemeteries. When we visited
O’Sensei’s grave, the few Japanese
visiting the cemetery at that time there
looked at us in wonder… Why were
these foreigners here? Who could they
be visiting in this small town cemetery?
I was struck by how far reaching the
teachings are of this one man from the
small town of Tanabe.
Each visit to Saito Sensei’s grave left
me sad. I and so many others have
made a deep connection with aikido
through Saito Sensei’s teaching, his love
of aikido, his sense of duty to preserve
the techniques of the Founder… I was
glad I was in Iwama with students from
Oakland. I’m sure Sensei is happy to
know that the Oaku-rando dojo is still
going strong. And that once again its
students are in Iwama to find their
roots.
THE KIAI
47
JAPAN SPECIAL
TRAINING FOR IWAMA
by Susan Martinez
I
t’s 5 a.m. The air is cold, the sky is
dark, just an occasional streetlight
and the light from my headlight as
I bicycle through the Berkeley Hills
towards the dojo. Birds chirp even in
the dark, and save for one deer near my
house and a bread delivery truck in
Berkeley, I’ve got the road to myself.
I’m on my way to morning weapons
class.
Hip forward, shoulders down, elbows
in, hands center, don’t lean over, extend.
I’m not moving back quickly enough
and sensei’s forward momentum is
unrelenting. “You’re dead!” he says.
With a 7th dan swinging a wooden
stick at me in the dark, there’s no need
for coffee – this is the most exhilarating
wakeup there is!
I work a full day and return for evening
class. After that, I bike to the Y for
my daily 1-mile swim (32 years and
counting), then home. I’m exhausted.
I’m sore. And I’ll be doing this a lot
for many months: I’m training to be an
uchideshi in Iwama.
The intensity of test
preparation is a gift
and fits my roadmap to
Iwama: when I’m not in
class, I’m still training.
I practice flip turns in
the pool to be truly
comfortable being upside
down with high falls. I
practice kumi tachi and
weak from surgery years ago, and I need
a strategy. I talk to a personal trainer at
the Y, and by a small miracle it turns out
he practices aikido in Berkeley. I feel like
I have a guardian angel looking out for
me! We talk about knuckle pushups and
he puts together an intense program
for me. Soon I can do 30 modified
pull-ups every day and before I know
it, I’m doing the first pushups I’ve done
in years. But I still can’t quite figure
how I’ll get to knuckle pushups. I begin
having nightmares that I’ll embarrass
my teachers.
kumi jo at home with an
invisible partner, even
swinging at a piñata to
practice correct toma
uchi in the 4th kumi jo.
The trip is 6 months away but I’ve
adopted a Bruce Bochy spring-training
like plan. Bochy starts players with one
inning the first day, then two innings,
then three innings, until by the fourth
week, a player can play almost a full
game and is ready for the season.
and my swimming, hiking the big hill
near my home, and working at the
gym. Once a month I’ll pick a week
and do one class a day for 7 days, and
build up to 2 weeks in a row. Along the
way, there are weeks where I bike to
class and work every day. I want to be
mentally and physically conditioned for
the uchideshi schedule. It’s not just the
aikido, it’s being alert at all times, being
aware, training when you’re tired and
hungry and don’t want to, and being
pushed far beyond comfort to the point
of breaking. This is what I imagine is in
store: boot camp meets gasshuku.
I create an Iwama-like schedule for
myself, and map my plan. Up at 5 each
day, morning weapons classes, evening
classes, weekend classes all in the mix,
I’m terrified by the thought of knuckle
pushups in Iwama! My left side is still
With all of this training, I’ve earned the
hours for my 2nd kyu test. The intensity
of test preparation is a gift and fits my
roadmap to Iwama: when I’m not in
class, I’m still training. I practice flip
turns in the pool to be truly comfortable
being upside down with high falls. I
practice kumi tachi and kumi jo at home
with an invisible partner, even swinging
at a piñata to practice correct toma uchi
in the 4th kumi jo. The bokken feels
like an extension of my arm, the jo not
so much but it’s improving…
With a month to go, I’m in high gear.
It’s been 2 straight weeks of training in a
September heat wave. Then it happens.
I’m doing kokyu nage with a strong, tall
student. I lift uke’s elbow up and pull
the other down as I pivot. He’s centered
and strong, a mountain. He resists as is
the instruction, and I aim instead for his
chin and kokyu. I push through my leg
and concentrate on my form, sinking my
hips. Suddenly, I feel resistance, strength
coming back at me. He’s settled his hips
THE KIAI
48
and his power shoots back at me, from
his chin through my arm and down my
leg. If I were a more experienced student
I’d move my hand and let him fall
forward. Instead, my knee slides in two
directions and it’s me who falls.
Oh no! my test! Oh no! Iwama!
My doctor says my fall saved me from
a complete ACL tear. My partial tear
will heal over time if I am dedicated
and patient with my rehab. Dedication
comes naturally to me. Patience,
however, will be my biggest test yet.
On crutches and off work for 2 weeks,
so Team Nihon kidnaps me for dinner.
I’m assuming I’ll need to cancel the trip,
until Deborah Sensei tells me observing
might be possible and she’ll check. I’m
extremely excited by this. I’ve worked so
hard for this trip and I will do whatever
it takes to make it work. Little do I
know I’m about to have one of the most
profound and moving experiences of my
life. I can’t begin to fathom how much
I’m about to learn, just by watching.
I’m not prepared for how deeply I’ll be
changed as a human being.
It’s 5 a.m. The air is cold and the sky is
dark. I fold my futon and blanket, put
on my heavy knee brace and light jacket,
and head outside to get a rake, a broom,
and a leaf catcher. I’ll rake the leaves
at the jinja then prepare for morning
weapons class. I’m an uchideshi in
Iwama.
THE KIAI
49
JAPAN SPECIAL
THE GHOST(S) OF IWAMA
by David Lewin
“... Hans Goto, during his stay, met a long-time resident who lived in one of the houses. He told Goto Sensei that prior to the
building of the dojo by O-Sensei, no one wanted to cross the wooded property because of the ghosts. The old man told Goto that
he lived on the property and tamed them down. The deshi used to swap ghost stories, and spending the night in the dojo alone
was an interesting experience.”
– Bill Witt Sensei
“...I used to see strange things: every night a ghost used to come to me. I don’t know whether it was supposed to be a man or a
woman. At that time I did not realise how close I was to a breakdown but now I realise of course. Just before I fell asleep each
night it would come to me it was really frightening. I could sense its presence. Then all of a sudden it would become like a ton
weight on top of me and I would not be able to move. Eventually I found a solution to this. I took my bokken to bed with me
and as soon as I felt its presence I held my bokken strongly...and then it was OK. This was due to exhaustion I think.”
– Kazuo Chiba Sensei
“I heard this from a former uchideshi from the Iwama Dojo in the Ibaraki prefecture. Apparently there is a ghost samurai that
roams the dojo, and visits people in their dreams. Apparently sometimes one would hear him running up the mountain, and
also if one listens [hard] enough one can [hear] his kiai.”
– Poster “Tubig” on Aikiweb Forums 2005
W
e had heard brief
comments about it before
we went to Iwama, and
now I have returned with first-hand
confirmation: the founder’s dojo is
haunted. There is at least one ghost
there, and I will share my account.
This is not a joke or intended to be
funny. Any light I have made of it since
it happened has really just been a way
to get it off my chest to feel better, as it
was intense when it happened and still
is intense to think about..
When we arrived in Iwama, a guy
from Russia named Alexey was there
with about 4 days left in his 2-week
stay. Standing in the area behind the
wall of the shomen, which consists of
a couple small rooms leading to the
Founder’s old house, he explained the
sleeping arrangements to us guys: “we
are allowed on the mat, or back here,” he
said pointing to one of the rooms with
tatami flooring. “But, this is my room
now,” he said as he slid the shoji door
closed. We slept on the mat while he
was there.
Upon his leaving, Vu, Jim and I
discussed the possible changes for
that night. Ah ha, “senpai gets dibs on
the room” I thought, and then said in
one way or another. While Jim and
Vu slathered on mosquito repellent
to battle the night buzzers, I was
pleased at the thought of avoiding
all that by getting the tatami room,
which promised protection from the
mosquitos via its slide-able doors. I
should have stayed out on the mat with
the guys.
At about 2:30am I awoke to the sound
of buzzing. Did a mosquito get in
here?!! After listening closely for a while,
ready to swat the offender, I decided
that it wasn’t in the room with me; I was
just hearing it buzz from the next room.
I was going to try and go back to sleep
when it happened. While lying on my
back, my right ear started ringing; the
kind of ringing that happens when
they say “someone is talking about you
somewhere,” except it felt stronger. As
that was happening, my right shoulder
THE KIAI
50
Photo by Simona Balan
and arm were moved (pulled? pushed?)
up so that I was brought to a half
sitting-up position. Finally, a blueish
light swirled up to the ceiling; not a
bright light, just a faint one.
When it happened, I gasped like I never
have before and didn’t know I could; it
basically took all the breath out of me.
I continued to lay there; in retrospect,
I was a bit frozen. What was I gonna
do, though? I wasn’t gonna go wake
people up, I didn’t wanna make a bunch
of sound dragging my futon and stuff
to the mat. So I laid there freaked the f
-out for the next 2.5 hours until it was
time to get up and clean. As we were
starting our cleaning, I said to Vu, “you
guys can have that room.” I must have
looked as spooked as I felt.
It’s weird to sit here now and say,
yes, I have experienced a ghost. But
it’s true. There really is some intense
energy at the Iwama dojo. I’m still
trying to process what I experienced.
But I can say with certainty that I was
wide awake when it happened, and it
was real. A search online yielded the
accounts above, and there are other
word-of-mouth accounts. The most
common experiences seem to be crazy,
vivid, and kinda-scary dreams, and/or
the sensation of being pinned down by
something, which Vu, Jim and Susan
experienced in some way. I kinda wish I
had a dream instead, too...
Another foreigner staying in Iwama
recently posted that the light in
O-Sensei’s room turned on seemingly
Photo by Vu Ma
The tatami room is behind these shoji doors.
Photo by Jim Beno
The guys sleeping on the mat at night.
by itself, and that after he went and
turned it off, it turned back on again.
Apparently the senseis sent in a Shinto
Priest to go turn it off. I smiled and felt
better at the thought that this is just a
normal part of life at the Iwama dojo.
幽霊
THE KIAI
51
IN THE NEWS
2015 DOJO HOLIDAY PARTY
I
t was awesome!! 25 people on the
mat plus Kim Sensei. That meant
that Sensei was going to do 25
techniques from Karate Dori using
each person on the mat as uke. With
the speed of lightning, even beginners
and children served as uke. And we
each tried to train with a different
partner for every technique. It was
exhilarating!!
and lots of it. But needless to say,
the surprise and main event was
the McKenty family. All wonderful
musicians. Elizabeth has known
Deborah for more than 40 years when
both of them were mimes in Paris. And
they did lots of theater together. They
kept in touch throughout the years and
Deborah has even gone to their neck of
the woods to teach Aikido.
And then the party. Wonderful food
Well, 6 gorgeous kids later, Elizabeth
was in town and Deborah invited them
to the Dojo Holiday Party. The rest has
already become legend. They played
beautifully and even made the whole
dojo square dance up and down the mat
in pairs. It was so much fun.
Thank you Christmas Elves, thank
you Deborah, and thank you McKenty
family for making this dojo party
unforgettable.
THE KIAI
52
THE KIAI
53

Fall 2015 - Aikido Institute

Transcription

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