Uchideshi Notes. Day 4. Tsukuba.

This day was very important because Nemoto sensei adjusted his teaching schedule in Tsukuba Shurenkai to allow me to meet him. I greatly appreciate that he was so kind to think about me. Since Nemoto sensei got a stroke several years ago, he teaches only once a month at each location where his groups practise. So it was a big gesture from his side to demonstrate his favour and affection. Some people from other dojos also came to see me and Nemoto sensei. Some people such as Komeda san and Megumi san were expected to come, but some others made a big surprise by coming. I never expected that Sakatani sensei, leader of Tsuchiura-Tsukuba Aikikai, would come to meet me. I also did not expect to see Miura san, the father of Megumi san and one of the instructors of Tsuchiura-Tsukuba Aikikai. I greatly respect these people and appreciate that they found time to travel the long distance to meet me. Other people came with unhealed injuries for the same reason. I do not know how to repay all of them for their respect. Maybe the best I can do is to transfer the knowledge I gained from them further and teach my students to be respectful.

Nemoto sensei told me a very interesting idea: when you begin to teach, your level of Aikido execution and understanding grows very fast because you think about the finest details which you need to explain to your students. I agree with this statement because I have to think about the Aikido curriculum in general, about connections and similarities between various techniques and movements. I have to answer questions, sometimes tricky because I might never see that matters from that angle. Every time when I execute a technique now, I have to do it at my best level, to be always an example for my students and not teach them some bad habits. Sometimes I see that students do something wrong, and I understand that they picked it from me, so I have to correct my movements before correcting the students. All together made my Aikido significantly better even if I do not practise with my teacher now. I was surprised when a person with whom we practised in the Hombu Dojo asked me after the training: do you teach in your country? I do not understand how he guessed, but probably it was something that Nemoto sensei tried to explain.

From the technical point of view, Nemoto sensei explained various shihonage techniques:

• Tai no Henko
• Tai no Henko Ki no Nagare
• Katatedori Shihonage Omote & Ura
• Ryotedori Shihonage Omote
• Shomen Uchi Shihonage Omote
• Yokomen Uchi Shihonage Kihon (Soto)
• Yokomen Uchi Shihonage Uchi
• Katadori Shihonage Omote

We could not make a party due to covid restrictions, so Nemoto sensei decided to teach only half of the training. The second half was storytelling. Everybody, one by one, told their stories of their first steps in Aikido, reasons to begin, and obstacles to surpass. 

Komeda san recorded a few videos and uploaded the essence of this training on youtube. 

At the very end, we took a general all-together photo. I would like to say thank you to all members and visitors of Tsukuba Shurenkai who I met and who I would like to meet but could not due to different reasons. I already miss all of you and cannot wait to see you again some days.