Aikido Update

Noriko and I rented some mat time the other day and practiced a little bit. She is finally getting more confident in her forward rolls. You can see on her face that she hates to admit that she can do it a little bit better so it's fun to watch her practice.

Our new schedule looks like they're trying to add class twice a week so on occasion, we'll be going to Numata Sensei's dojo. We've been once and my regular sensei (Aoki-san) was teaching the class.

There is supposed to a surprise party this Sunday after our kyu tests to congratulate Aoki-sensei for his being rewarded godan. He's still a pretty young guy (late thirtyish) so that's a pretty good accomplishment. So my other sensei, Nishimura-sensei sent out emails inviting us to the surprise party. It sounds fun, but it comes with a price tag of about $60.00. It makes me wonder about this particular organization. It seems like there are frequent get togethers that come with a price tag. I think there are group training events about twice a year. These include two-three days of training and then some dinners and hotspring visits in the evenings. A hotel or ryokan is also reserved for the group. Needless to say, it's not free. I've looked in the requirements for upper testing, and later on, attendance to these group trainings becomes required. What if you are an outstanding aikido student (not talking about me) but you are dirt poor? It makes me wonder about the wisdom of staying with this group.

Anyway, that's about it. My kyu test is Sunday. Wish me luck! If I pass, I'll officially belong to a particular path of an aikido tradition.

Iaido Update

I've gone to three iaido classes now. After sending back my first hakama, I know have one that fits. I just have to learn how to tie it while I'm using it and then how to fold it when I'm done. There's also an obi (that holds my sword in place) that I have to figure out how to tie.

The first time I watched a class, all the sempai/sensei had such mean looks on their faces. But the ones that have helped me have been 100% kind.

So far, the only thing that has improved is some slight control over my blade. After my first few swings, the tip would bounce around as I tried to stabilize it. Now, at least, it stops with just a little bit of uncontrolled movement. A perfectly controlled cut is a beautiful thing to see.

Until I can move on to learning kata, I have to become better at my overhead cut and walking while cutting. I'm supposed to glide as I step but my feet are sticky and catch on the wooden floor. Instead of a graceful slide I feel like an anti-locking brake system has kicked in. I've also been working on drawing the sword and putting it back in its scabbard. It's not a bad balance of things to work on. When my arms get tired, I can practice the other.

One way, it takes about an hour to get to the dojo.

Spring Gashuku with Numata Sensei

The day before Troy left we had a 5 hour training session with a few of the dojos in my area. Numata Sensei was one of the two main instructors. I don't know the name of the other one. The Aikido Kenkyukai Internatinoal group press having regular group trainings that cover the span of two to three days. This session was supposed to be two days long, but since Troy was leaving on Sunday, we could only attend Saturday.

We almost didn't make it that day. I was tired and Troy's kneeds were skinned up from having to do knee techniques in Kamakura. The first thing that happens, when you arrive to train in Japan, is the "adjusting" period of your body to the different mats. As you slide around on your knees, the mat grabs your gi and it in turn grabs the skin on your knees. The skin loses. I could only train once a week when I first got here but now can handle two or three times. Also, Troy is used to having some additional protection from his hakama. Here, he only had his gi pants.

So, we arrived early and were sitting outside. We started talking ourselves out of going. Troy's knees did look bad and I was pretty tired from all of our walking (see other blog) and we were still recovering from the beating we gave ourselves three days earlier in Kamakura. Only Noriko's persistence that we stick to the plan kept us there until one of my sensei's showed up, Nishimura Sensei.

To Troy's embarassment, Noriko quickly relayed the condition of his knees to Nishimura Sensei. Nishimura Sensei simply smiled back and explained that it was no problem. Nobody would force him to do anything more to further cause him pain and injury. He called over a couple of other people and they all laughed and smiled and said things like, "Oh, he trained with Takeda Sensei? Don't worry. We understand." Of course, now Troy felt like a big, 6'6", giant gaijin wimp! (Right, Troy?)

When it was over, the group divided into "Who's going to the hot springs?" and "Who's not?" We were in the "Who's not?" group. Of course, if we had, they could've seen Troy's skinless knees.

In the end, we were glad that we trained. We both learned a lot and it was nice to be able to train with yudansha all day long. Everybody has something to offer. Everyone has a different way of presenting something as they do a technique. Troy was extremely happy that we stuck around for the day. I was too because I need to get out and meet my extended aikido family. I even feel more relaxed at having to meet more new people and train with them. My Misakikai schedule has us going to Numata Sensei's dojo at least three times a month.

A kan of WHOOMP @$$!

A picture of Satoshi Takeda Sensei (taken from an AKI member's website).

Knowing that Troy-san would be thouroughly beaten by the Aikido Monk (see earlier posts & pictures) if he didn't get the chance to train, we planned for a day of sightseeing in Kamakura and night of training at one of the dojos that is part of my organization. We ended up at the Wednesday night class that is taught by Takeda Satoshi Sensei, in the Kamakura Budokan. Noriko called around and after talking to a dojo representative, decided this was the class for us. Even she attended. They told her on the phone, "Yeah. Don't worry. It's a beginner's class." Ha. HA. HAHA.

It was FAR from being a beginner's class. Most of the techniques had kokyu as its core powersource. Kokyu and controlling your uke's mind. I'm all for this kind of training, I'm just saying, it's not a beginner's course!

As Noriko would tell people later, "Takeda Sensei loves gaijin!" As I would have to explain, immediately afterwards, "There is a difference between loving gaijin and loving to throw gaijin." Don't get me wrong. Takeda Sensei was a perfectly nice and kind man. He welcomed us and seemed to happy have us training (even with Troy as a guest from outside our organization). BUT, he does love to throw gaijin. Takeda Sensei did have piercing eyes. As you would come in with an attack they'd see right through you. In my mind, they were a piercing blue. But a Japanese with blue eyes is not the most common sight. I think it was part of his kokyu mind power.

Most sensei will call on one person to be uke for his technique. The sensei will show the technique a few times. The sensei will do it slow and fast and point out anything that needs pointing out. Takeda Sensei will demonstrate a technique on one person and then pick another. He'll go through about 5 different people of different levels. This is cool, because you get to see different levels of him doing the technique and see the different ukemi that the various students can do.

As visitors, Troy and I didn't even suspect that we might get called as uke. Ha. HA. HAHA. He wasted no time in getting Troy on the mat. At 6'6", Troy towers over 99% of the Japanese population. Takeda Sensei is definitely in this majority. In Troy would attack and WHOOOMP! Down he would go. Again, "KIAI!" And again, "WHOOOMP!" A couple of times, I even thought "DAMN! Troy sure landed hard." Troy handled the ukemi, fine, but he was sure surprised. Not as surprised as I was, when it was MY turn. "WHOOMP!" and "WHOOMP!" I have been thrown hard but never as hard as at this place. After I got home, I noticed that if I got on my back and turned my head a certain way, that the room would spin. Concussion?

It was a great class. We trained with yudansha most of the time and everybody was really nice to us. Noriko asked me to keep training with her, but I abandoned her to help her learn that nobody's going to hurt her. There was one Japanese guy that trained in D.C. with Saotome Shihan, once upon a time. There were three other gaijin in the class, as well. A young woman that is teaching at NOVA, I believe, a man named James (he might be teaching, as well), and another guy I didn't know. James is from Louisiana and his Japanese, while jozu, still had his accent.

Bruised, exhausted, and concussed, we headed home. At least, Troy wouldn't have anything to fear from the Aikido Monk. We joked that maybe in a few "dans" we'll head back. Well, Troy was joking, I was serious.

NOTE: The Aikido Monk warned Troy to be careful. He knew there was a possibility that a smaller statured person would really enjoy throwing such a tall guy. Maybe he knows from throwing Troy around, himself!

Makoto Dojo- Larry Reynosa Sensei

This video has nothing to do with my time in Japan, but I thought it was nicely done. From watching Steven Seagal Sensei's Path Beyond Thought, I got to see how intensely they train. This shows another glimpse into their world.

http://www.venturaaikido.com/defaultvid.html

Aikido in Kyoto

My friend Troy, from the Tulsa Aikido Club, came to Japan. He wanted to do some aikido training and sightseeing.

We made it back from Kyoto without a scratch or any broken limbs. We also made it back without having done any aikido. However, I did get to watch two classes. They were both held in the Kyoto Budo Center. The budo center is part of the Heian Shrine and the grounds are awesome. There is one huge temple-looking kendo hall in the middle of it. There is also a thoroughly modern building that makes up part of the complex. One of the classes I watched is headed by Okamoto Sensei (http://aikidokyoto.com/). She is by far one of the best aikidoka I've had the pleasure of seeing in person. I was sick and freezing while I watched but neither stopped me from taking notes. She did a lot of kokyu-related techniques and I filled up about a page of written notes. Check out her bio on their homepage. She has quite a bit of experience. On the mat, she was pure aikido. Nothing distracted her. That I heard, she can speak Japanese, English, and French. She walked over to ask me if I wanted to train and also wrote out directions to her other dojo in case I could make it to that one. One thing I noticed, was that most of the yudansha in her class were female. Also, the majority of the class was gaijin.

The second class was also held at the Kyoto Budo Center. I'm not sure who Okamoto Sensei is affiliated with, but the other group was from Osaka Aikikai. All of their literature lists Nomura Sensei as their leader, but I heard that he was asked to stop teaching at the budo center. There was a healthy group of about thirty- half of which were yudansha. The best I could figure, was that, this group is made of up senseis from the local Kyoto dojos. On this particular night, maybe they all go to the Budo Center to train.

While I didn't get to train, I feel that I got something from watching the classes. I've done all the techniques that they showed. The end of the techniques are usually the same. It's the beginnings that are different.

While I was away, Noriko was hard at work converting and old kimono obi that we bought in Kanazawa into an iaido sword bag. Now, if I ever have some aikido kids, I can say, "Back in my day, your mama had to make my weapons bag! She also made one for Troy.