Takemusu Aikido Society

Today in the Balbriggan dojo we welcomed a guest from Australia, a former uchideshi of Nemoto sensei, Trevor Jones. Today we focused on the iriminage techniques and at the end of practice, Trevor also taught us a few techniques.    Tai-Jutsu: Tai no Henko Tai no Henko Ki no Nagare Morotedori Kokyuho Kosadori Iriminage Katatedori Iriminage Jodan Katatedori Iriminage Gedan Shomen Uchi Iriminage Ryotedori Tenchinage Trevor's teaching: Shomen Uchi Kokyunage (similar to the entrance to kaitenage with irimiage-like finishing) Shomen Uchi Kaitenage Soto Zagi Kokyuho Bukiwaza: Ken no Kamae Shiboru Undo Tanren-Shiboru Picture taken 29 September 2018 in Tsukuba Shurenkai. Trevor is second from the right in the front row (with a logo on the chest) #aikido #aikidobalbriggan #aikidofingal #aikidodublin #aikidoireland #iwamaaikido #aikidoaikikai #nagewaza

Finally with the fresh results of the PCR test in my pocket I headed to Iwama. For years I dreamed of becoming an uchideshi, but I could not do it because of my work. Now, my dream has come true, and I am in Iwama passing through the familiar railway station, bust of O-Sensei on the station square and "O-Sensei's street" with low pillars along the street showing O-Sensei's pictures. Iwama train station O-Sensei's bust at Iwama station When I reached the Aiki-Jinja and dojo, I understood that being the first uchideshi after two years of covid restrictions would not be an easy task. It was always the uchideshi's responsibility to keep the dojo and jinja clean. Without people constantly living in the dojo, cleaning was performed only by volunteers from the neighbourhood. As a result, the place I got used to seeing shiny and spotless had a little wild look, which meant I would have a good deal of work. Aiki-Jinja View from the dojo Dojo Shortly after my arrival In...

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 t...

On the third day in Japan, I visited Tsukuba Shurenkai, the dojo where I practised four years before coming to Ireland. Everybody was very excited to see me, especially O. san who literally jumped on me and hugged me. Everybody was very interested to know as much as possible about our dojo and students. Special interest was in F., whose teacher was in close touch with Saito sensei and Nemoto sensei, and Y., who does all his best to learn a slightly different Aikido style. So I gave the best introduction I could.  Techniques covered today: Tai jutsu: Tai no Henko Tai no Henko Ki no Nagare Mororedori Kokyuho Mororedori Ikkyo omote Mororedori Ikkyo ura Mororedori Nikyo Ura Mororedori Nikyo Ura Ku no Nagare Mororedori Iriminage Mororedori Iriminage Ki no Nagare Shita kara Ue Mororedori Iriminage Ki no Nagare Ue kara Shita Zagi Kokyuho Bukiwaza: 13 no Jo awase 1-3 Ki no Nagare 4-6 Ki no Nagare 7-9 Ki no Nagare 10-13 Ki no Nagare 1-13 Ki no Nagare

It was the first practice in the Balbriggan Dojo after Raman returned from Japan. A newcomer joined our dojo, so we did a lot of basic exercises: Tai Jutsu Tai Sabaki Migi Hanmi Hidari Hanmi Irimi Tenkan Irimi-Tenkan Uchi Kata  Ukemi kata Mae Ukemi Soto Ukemi Ushiro Ukemi Tai no Henko Tai no Henko Ki no Nagare Katatedori Kokyuho Katatedori Ikkyo Omote Zagi Kokyuho Bukiwaza Shuboru Undo Migi and Hidari Tanren Shuboru Undo From now on we will do Shiboru Undo exercises every time as they do not require high ceilings. 

Despite the slight jetlag, I woke up at 5 am to be in time for early morning practice in Hombu Dojo. Commonly, the Friday morning class is led by Dojo-cho (Waka sensei, Mitsuteru Ueshiba, grandson of O-Sensei), but for some reason, Doshu himself took over the class. Usually, he recognised my face and indicated it during the practice, but not this time. Maybe because I did not appear in his classes for more than two years, or maybe he did not recognise me in the mask. As usual, Doshu demonstrated kihon techniques, this time from the ryokatatedori attack. And as always, his class was very energetic and dynamic. This morning I understood that proper heat came to Japan as I began to die of suffocation as soon I made the first move. I immediately developed the life-saving skill of taking the mask off the face during ukemi and momentarily putting it back while standing up. I was so exhausted after Doshu’s class that I really doubted if I needed to attend the next class. I had a long arguing...

After I knew that quarantine is no longer necessary for fully-vaccinated people with negative PCR tests, I decided it was time to go to Japan to get a fresh “Aikido-air” from the first hands. My flight was rescheduled and rerouted due to the war in Ukraine, but we arrived in Narita in time. Japan was still closed to tourists, so Narita was terrifyingly empty. It was more staff than passengers, but it was the swiftest passing through all customs and security I have ever experienced in Japanese airports. I left my staff in the hotel, ate lunch, and headed to Hombu Dojo, where Fujimaki sensei led afternoon practice at 3 pm. Previously I met him in Iwama in Ibaraki Branch Dojo, so I was happy to see him again. Poster of Aikido Hombu Dojo at Wakamatsu-Kawada station Unfortunately Japanese are still very concerned about COVID, so they were practising wearing masks. Luckily Fujimaki sensei almost immediately put his mask on the chin, so most students did the same. Nevertheless, it was swelter...