| Notification About the Restarting of Practice at the Ibaraki Dojo (2020/6/2written) |
The Ibaraki Dojo has, in accordance with the lifting of the Emergency Declaration on May 25th, resumed practices. |
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| Ibaraki Branch Dojo Practices Cancelled from (2020/4/19written) |
In accordance with the state of emergency declaration, in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 the Ibaraki Dojo will not hold practice from April 13th. |
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| Aiki Shrine Festival is cancelled (2020/4/7written) |
April 29 Aiki Shrine Festival
In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, this event is cancelled.
Aikido Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba |
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| Kagamibiraki Ceremony at the Ibaraki Branch Dojo (2020/2/22written) |
Before the ceremony, the Aiki Shrine’s first monthly festival of the year was celebrated with the recital of Shinto prayers by Doshu, accompanied by all the attendants, who could make their feeling anew.
At the beginning of the ceremony, Doshu gave a New Year greeting: “Currently, the wonderful Aikido created by the Founder Morihei Ueshiba exists in 140 countries and regions around the world. I believe this is thanks to the sincere efforts of the pioneers, and those of us who follow in their footsteps. In order to pass this wonderful Aikido to the next generation in the proper way, it is our responsibility to diligently practice Aikido. Therefore, this year too I would like to give importance to daily practice, and keep firmly advancing with all of you.”
Following Doshu’s speech, Hiroshi Isoyama, Counselor of the Ibaraki Branch Dojo, spoke as well: “Last year the National Sports Festival was held in Ibaraki. I am truly glad to say that, thanks to the support of Mr. Yamaguchi, mayor of Kasama City, and to all your enthusiasm, we successfully held an Embukai on the grounds of the Ibaraki Branch Dojo. Due to your attendance today at the Kagamibiraki Ceremony, I feel the Founder would be delighted to see a gathering of so many people, the same way he was 70 years ago.
After that, other guests as Fukushiro Nukaga (member of the House of Representatives), Keiichi Kondo (deputy mayor of Kasama City), Yoji Tokoi (member of the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly and Chairman of the Ibaraki Prefectural Aikido Federation) and Norio Murakami (member of the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly) gave congratulatory speeches as well.
hen Doshu, Mr. Nukaga, Mr. Kondo, Mr. Tokoi and Mr. Murakami performed the Kagamibiraki (opening of the sake barrel). Afterwards, Etsuo Iijima (Board Chairman of the Ibaraki Prefectural Aikido Federation) gave a toast and started the festivities. The feast was lively with the introductions between the different participating groups, and at the end, Mitsuteru Ueshiba Dojo-cho spoke to the participants: “This year the International Aikido Summit will be held in Tokyo, and All-Japan Embukai will be held in Takasaki. These events will occur in a different way from previous years, but with your cooperation we will be able to succeed in both events.” At last, Kenji Hirasawa (Chairman of the All Japan Highschool Aikido Federation) concluded the Kagamibiraki Ceremony. |
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Our Hearts As One |
| New Year Statement by Aikido Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba(2020/2/22written) |
Aikido Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba
Since the change of the era from Heisei to Reiwa, the first new year has passed. During the customary New Year’s Eve practice, I was able to welcome in the new year with strong prayers for a tranquil and peaceful year with the participants.
Last year, Japan experienced many “record-breaking” rain and large-scale typhoon disasters, and we all felt the suffering related to them. As I look to the rest of the world, it feels like a year where good things were few. Even in such a world, both overseas and at home Aikikai’s seminars, anniversary embukais, and other events were safely and successfully completed this past year.
Last year, Nenrin-Pic (the National Health and Welfare Festival) focusing on the sports and activities of people 60 years of age or older, occurred in Wakayama prefecture. In the birthplace of the Founder of Aikido, at the Tanabe City Kinanbunka Hall, an Aikido exchange conference was held in addition to an embukai with participants from every prefecture and designated cities’ Athletic Federation. While all were over the age of 60, they were still in prime health. It is said that the length of a human life is 100 years, so I strongly wish that many people take Aikido as a lifelong budo.
This year in Tokyo, for the first time in 56 years the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held. Compared to last time, there will be many more competitors and many more spectators from around the world gathering in Tokyo. The Nippon Budokan, originally built for the 1964 Games, entered renovations in September to prepare it for the upcoming martial arts competitions. Because of that the 58th All-Japan Aikido Embukai, which since the 15th All-Japan Aikido Embukai has been held every year at the Budokan, will take place at the Takasaki Arena. It will be a little different from previous years’ events, but we face it with our usual enthusiasm, so I ask for your cooperation.
After the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the 13th International Aikido Summit will occur at the National Olympics Memorial Youth Center in Yoyogi, Tokyo.
At present, the Founder Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei’s techniques and philosophy is understood in 140 countries and regions around the world, and many devoted practitioners attend practices. It is said that the world population is close to 7.7 billion people. Of those, around 1.5 million diligently attend Aikido practice. Around the world these people encounter and encourage each other in their dojos and practice. I am compelled to call each of those encounters a rare and wonderful chance.
This year’s International Aikido Summit is the same. It is a chance for both new encounters and the rekindling of acquaintances from 4 years ago. Overcoming the differences of country, race, and religion to join each other on the same tatami and practice aikido is a magnificent chance.
Last year, I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to lecture about aikido at the 70th Annual Meeting of the Japan Society for Oriental Medicine. Having lectures on the completely different worlds of budo and oriental medicine was for me a great opportunity to learn much. However, as much as they seem to be different worlds, I could find what I feel are common points between the two. With its thousands of years of history, oriental medicine’s diagnostic method consists of “the four examinations,” or, seeing, hearing, asking, and touching. It is not looking at the characters on the electronic health record, it is looking at, listening to, questioning, and touching the patient themselves. In the same way, Aikido requires you feel your partner’s breathing, understanding, think about distance, and apply techniques and take ukemi together in order to practice. It is not something you can leave to a machine.
It is not just processing data. At this year’s All-Japan Aikido Embukai in Takasaki, the International Aikido Summit at the National Olympics Memorial Youth Center in Yoyogi, and all other embukai, seminars, and events, I hope that our hearts are brought together as one through our chance encounters with other participants.
ItWith wago no kokoro (和合の心: our hearts as one) let us endeavor to have a splendid year. |
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