Special Extra Report (Doshu in Holland, November 2009)

On the 14th and 15th of November 2009, The Doshu of Aikido, Moriteiru Ueshiba,

made an official visit to Holland in the town of Almere, for a weekend seminar with a participation of 1100 people and 2300 square meters tatami.

During the event, an embukai took place and the eight Dutch Aikikai Aikido organisations

affiliated to Aikido Nederland made an 8 minute demonstration.

The international department of the CABN is pleased to announce the successful

demonstration of the CABN demonstration team during this event:

Lijnie Reijers, 2nd dan Aikikai (and children of the CABN), Silvia Marton, 3rd dan Aikikai,
Robert van den Bosch, 4th dan Aikikai, Marcel Reijers, 4th dan Aikikai and Armando Braat,

5th dan Aikikai.

The CABN demonstration was received well by the Doshu.

We congratulate the CABN and its demonstration team for the success of their efforts.

Next year, at the end of May, the CABN has been invited again to demonstrate together
with the Hombu dojo members at the All Japan Aikikai Embukai in Tokyo at the Nippon Budokan.

The following links are to videos that have been taken of the CABN demonstration team and Doshu Aikido demonstration during the last event in The Netherlands:

1. CABN Demonstration.

2. Doshu Demonstration.

Article translated into English from original text by Ernesto Ladavas, CABN Chairman.

December 2009

Globetrotting Aikido Report Continued ...

As my travels around the globe take me to the USA, I continue to visit Aikido dojos throughout

and provide a further summary of the Aiki-experiences along the way.

New Zealand

On last month's publication, I was arriving in Auckland, New Zealand, for Auckland Aikikai's 10th anniversary event. This event was held by the highest ranked Aikikai senseis of New Zealand.

Poster for the 10th Anniversary seminar in Auckland

The teacher lineup included Rosso Fernandez Sensei, 6th dan Aikikai (who hosted this event and celebrated his birthday on the same day as the event), Takase Shihan, 7th dan Aikikai, Alan Wade Sensei, 6th dan Aikikai and Andrew Williamson Sensei, 6th dan Aikikai. The event was efficiently organised by Auckland Aikikai and the trainings were held in true Aiki spirit with great didactics

and beautiful movement. All participants (numbering up to 70 persons) expressed their satisfaction to the event. After 5 hours of training, a party and dinner took place at a local pub and

Monogolian restaurant. My thanks to Auckland Aikikai for their kind hospitality and wishing them further success for growth of Aikido in their area. I wish also to thank the friends of Singapore, Stefan and Olga for linking me up with the Aikido group of Auckland. I have to thank Yamashima Sensei also for linking up with the groups of Christchurch and Wellington. On the same day, Takase shihan announced the up coming 40th anniversary event due to take place in 2010. More information about this event coming soon. Together with my visit to New Zealand,

I enjoyed further Aikido practice in the cities of Wellington (under Tashi Sensei and Richard Sensei from Wellington Aikikai) and Christchurch (under Andrew Williamson Sensei). I wish to thank Andrew for giving up his time also to show me a bit of his lovely city. We walked up into the hills around the so-called "bridal path" and further took coffee at one of his student's nationally famous coffee bar, Lucciano's.

Lucciano, nationally famous coffee maker and aikido student.

After morning practice breakfast.

Morning practice with Andrew Williamson Sensei, 6th dan Aikikai

Williamson Sensei standing outside one of his dojos.

New Zealand holds a wealth of Aikido experience and I thoroughly recommend any Aikidoka who might happen to be in the area to get in touch with the Aikido groups of Auckland (Rosso Sensei and Takase Shihan), Wellington (Tashi Sensei and Richard Sensei), Christchurch (Williams Sensei) and Gisborne (Wade Sensei).

The links for these aikido groups are placed here for your convenience:

Auckland Aikido Shinryukan (Nobou Takase Shihan, 7th dan Aikikai): http://www.aikidonewzealand.com/
Auckland Aikikai (Rosso Fernandez Sensei, 6th dan Aikikai): http://www.aikikai.co.nz/

Wellington Aikido Shinryukan: http://www.aikido-wgtn.co.nz/

Christchurch, Aikido Shinryukan Cantebury (Andrew Wiliamson Sensei, 6th dan Aikikai): http://www.christchurchaikido.co.nz/

Gisborne Aikido (Alan Wade Sensei, 6th dan Aikikai): Address, 59 Shelly Rd, Gisborne, Tel. 06 868 7159.

California

My first stop in the land of American dreams was to LA where I recovered from a long flight

and huge time difference from New Zealand with the help of a few a yoga lessons. I rejoined

the Aikido world after having arrived in San Francisco. Unfortunately, I didnt manage to make it

to the 50th year anniversary manifestation of Frank Doran Sensei, 6th dan Aikikai. I managed, however, to get down to the City Aikido Club in downtown San Francisco, the group of Bob Nadeau Sensei, and I enjoyed the trainings of Nick Sensei and Elain Sensei while I was there. For further information see City Aikido's website: http://www.cityaikido.com/

In the same week, I made a short journey north of San Francisco to Petaluma where Paul Rest

warmly greeted me and took me to the Two Rock Aikido dojo, supervised by Richard Strozzi-Hecker Sensei, 6th dan Aikikai. I had the rare occassion to visit this dojo which is not easy to find. One needs to know somebody from there to find it. The interior and surroundings are impressive and well worth the visit however. For further information, see the following link of the Two Rock Aikido website: http://www.tworockaikido.com/

Paul Rest, Lawrence Warry, Strozzi-Hecker Sensei

Looking at the dojo from outside.

The dojo bell.

Montreal, Canada

Montreal's Aikdo group is friendly and happy and reminds me a little of the groups that I know in The Hague, Holland and Rehovot, Israel. They have a similar group feeling and it was a pleasure to train with Daniel Laurendeau's teacher. My thanks to good friend Noah Weisboard for getting me in touch with his teacher.

Breakfast after training.

Left to Right: Lawrence Warry, Daniel Laurendeau Sensei (6th dan Aikikai), Pierre Marier Sensei

Pre-examination.

For more information about Aikido in Montreal with the group of Danie Laurendeau,

see the followintg website: http://www.montrealaikikai.qc.ca/

New York

See link: http://www.nyaikikai.com.

The New York Aikikai, located on 142 West 18th Street, 2nd Floor, NY is the headquaters of the US Aikido Federation, headed by two world famous hombu shihans,

Yoshimitsu Yamada Shihan, 8th dan Aikikai and Seiichi Sugano, 8th dan Aikikai.

It is an opportunity that every Aikido visiting New York should miss to have classes directly

under these shihans. Both shihans teach directly several days per week. See the schedule on the website to see when Yamada Shihan and Sugano Shihan teacher.

The dojo has a friendly atmosphere, similar that of the hombu dojo and,

in the same spirit, has also a very international feel to it. Because people

are training with the best, they raise their expectations about the quality

of Aikido there and efforts are increased in the atempt to try to understand

the teachings of Yamada Shihan and Sugano Shihan.

Therefore, lessons can be spicy. However, I was pleased

and impressed to see that the senior students showed an excellent example

of performing the movements in a calm and relaxed way.

Line up before training.

The beautiful kamiza of New York Aikikai.

The dojo is not difficult to miss with this flag.

New York is my final destination of this trip and this Saturday I will be returning to my home

in The Netherlands with fond memories of so many amazing Aikido people I have met along the way. I am thankful for their hospitality and their willingness to share their Aikido experiences with me. I look forward to the pleasure of meeting these people again either during another visit of my own or if they happen to be in The Netherlands some time in the future.

I wish to present particular thanks to the following people who showed me friendship and

kindness:

Justin Marchant (Hong Kong)

Edmund Wan (Hong Kong)

Yehuda Alfasa (Thailand)

Motohiro Fukakusa Shihan (Thailand)

Serge Beraud Sensei (Singapore)

Thierry Diagana Sensei (Singapore)

Olga Esina (Singapore)
Stefan Hauff (Singapore)

Freddy Khong Sensei (Singapore)

Darius Wingate-Pearse Sensei (Australia)

Andrew Cronin (Australia)

Jim Nichollos (Australia)

Bill Haynes Sensei (Australia)

Rosso Fernandez Sensei (New Zealand)

Andrew Williamson Sensei (New Zealand)

Nobou Takase Shihan (New Zealand)

Alan Wade Sensei (New Zealand)

Takashi Shigeeda Sensei (New Zealand)

Richard Halson Sensei (New Zealand)

Rhonda Neuenshwander (New Zealand)

Stefan Neuenshwander (New Zealand)

Jon Chao (New Zealand)

Nick Scoggin Sensei (San Francisco)

Elaine Yoder Sensei (San Francisco)

Paul Rest (Petaluma)

Richard Strozzi-Hecker Sensei (Petaluma)

Daniel Laurendeau Sensei (Montreal)
Pierre Marier Sensei (Montreal)

Yamada Shihan (New York)

Sugano Shihan (New York)

Announcements

Christmas and new year holidays are coming.

That is usually a time for holiday Aikido seminars.

If your group is holding a seminar or you know a group that is, then

why not post an annoucement here? All Aikido seminar posts for December/January

are welcome here.

Wishing all readers happy holidays and a wonderful new year.

October & November 2009

Globetrotting Aikido Dojo Visit Report

It is Friday the 30th of October and I am sitting in the Qantas flight 43 to

Auckland, New Zealand, the next destination on my mini trip around the world in

9 weeks.

Already, I have been to Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and Australia.

In each country I visited, I had the pleasure of meeting Aikido people and training

at their dojos. All groups have been very friendly and welcoming. With so much diversity

of the cultures I have visited, Aikido has been the common language which we could all

correspond with and, as a result, many wonderful moments have taken place during my

meetings. To all of you that I have met, I present you my heart felt thanks for your

hospitality and kindness.

I have to say that there is one more person who I dearly have to thank for providing me

with so many new aikido links, that person being Yamashima Sensei.

Because of Yamashima Sensei's seminar in England this September, I got to know Justin who went to live in Hong Kong and allowed me to stay overnight at his appartment and brought me to the dojo of Edmund Wan Sensei. Wan Sensei recommended that I visit Fukakusa Shihan (the Aikikai pioneer of Thailand) when I get to Thailand which, in fact, I already planned to do

as I already met Fukakusa Shihan in Israel at the Israeli Aikido Assocaition's 10th

anniversary event this year in July. Fukakusa Shihan, in turn, recommended I go to see the group of Sensei Freddy Khong in Singapore.

Yamashima Sensei was again my link to another group of Singapore under Serge Beraud. Beraud sensei will be inviting Yamashima Sensei to Singapore at the end of November and, due to this, Serge's assistant, Olga Esina, contacted the Dutch group requesting the passport details of Yamashima Sensei.

At this time, Yamashima Sensei was staying at my house for a course in Holland,

so I eventually began corresponding with Olga san and, through our correspondances,

it came to her attention that I will be traveling to Singapore in the first week of October.

Therefore, on this notice, I was invited to come and train with the Singapore group.

From the Singapore group, I got many further links to the groups of Australia (Darius Sensei and Bill Sensei) and New Zealand (Rosso Sensei, Andrew Sensei and more). So, despite Aiki-politics being a reality, I have come to realise with delight that the Aikido world is, possibly in parrallel to the politics, a closely connected commmunity which appears to have its own inert social governence which follows natural laws of harmony rather than the man-made laws of conflict.

The more I travel to different dojos, the more the style and technique of Aikido becomes secondary as it is brought to the consciousness that all Aikido enthusiasts are simply and honestly doing their best and training with their heart. On this level, all those people are encountered with friendship and trust where-ever and to whom-ever they may travel.

I am looking forward to report about my further visits to the dojos of Takase shihan, Rosso sensei, Williams sensei and Wade sensei in New Zealand, Paul Rest's dojo in California, the dojo group of good friend Noah Weisbord in Montreal, Canada and the New York Aikikai.

Meanwhile, here below is a summary of the dojo addresses I visited so far and some pictures and small stories to go with them.

At the end of this report are also some important announcements for November.

Aiki-greetings,

Lawrence Warry

Dojos Visited ...

1. Hong Kong

After training dinner with Edmund Wan Sensei, 5th dan Aikikai.

A pleasant and spirited training environment. Thank you Edmund Sensei.

Website of the Hong Kong Aikido Association: http://www.aikido.com.hk/

2. Thailand

Training with Fukakusa Shihan.


Left to right: Fukakusa Shihan, Lawrence Warry, Yehuda Alfasa and son.

Website of the Aikido Association of Thailand: http://www.thaiaikikai.com/eng/home.html
Fukakusa Shihan has been there from the beginning of Aikido in Thailand and is

a highly respected Aikido figure in south east Asia. Thank you Fukakusa Shihan.

Fukakusa Shihan, 7th dan Aikikai teaching at one of his dojos.

3. Singapore

Training bokken and jo in front of the presidential palace on Saturday morning
with the group of Serge Beraud Sensei.

The moment I walked into Serge's house, I felt immediately at home as

I saw a number of guitars lined up in his office. It was a pleasure to meet

the group: Serge, Thierry, Olga, Mei Lyn, Mike, Stefan and more. Thank you

for a wonderful week. The website of Serge's group, Mumeishudan: http://www.mumeishudan.com

I also enjoyed the training with Freddy Sensei, 5th dan Aikikai.

Thank you Freddy Sensei for your nice training and good beer party afterwards.

The website of Freddy Sensei's group, Aikido Federation Singapore: http://www.aikidofederation.com/instructorProfiles.htm

4. Australia

Left: Andrew Cronin

Class line-up in front of Darius Wingate Pearse Sensei, 2nd dan Aikikai

I met up with Newcastle Aikikai, 3 hours north of Sydney,

under the leadership of Darius Wingate Pearse and Gabriel Fowler.

It is a young group but with a serious potential to grow under

Darius' and Gabriel's dedicated guidance. It is one of the few full time

dojos that exist. So, the local people of Newcastle have an excellent

opportunity to immerse themselves in the art of Aikido.

Newcastle Aikikai's website: http://www.newcastleaikido.com/index2.htm

Thank you Darius and your student Andrew for taking care of

me, letting me stay at the dojo for a few days and showing me around Newcastle.

When I got back to Sydney, I looked up Bill Haynes sensei,

who's dojo is in Castle Hill, on the outskirts of Sydney.

Bill Sensei invited me to give the class on two occassions and

showed great generosity and hospitality.

Thank you Bill Sensei.

See you again in Auckland for the New Zealand Aikikai 10th Anniversary.

Byron Bay

One of the most beautiful dojos I have seen is located outside of

Byron Bay by a buddhist sanctuary. The dojo is owned by
the Aikido Yushinkai group under the leadership of master Koretoshi Maruyama.

Although this club is not an Aikikai group (they are a former Ki-society dojo),

they warmly welcome Aikido people from all styles and I had the pleasure to

meet Jim Nicholls. Unfortunately I couldnt capture a photo of the dojo on camera.

More information about this great dojo can be found here: http://www.aikidoyuishinkai.com/

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Saturday 31st of October: The Auckland Aikikai 10th Anniversary took place

under the teaching of the highest ranking senseis of New Zealand: Takase Shihan (7th dan
Aikikai), Rosso Fernandez Sensei (6th dan Aikikai), Andrew Williamson (6th dan Aikikai)

and Alan Wade (6th dan Aikikai) provided a full 5 hours of training followed by a celbratory party. More info about this event to be reported in next month's newsletter.

14th & 15th November: Doshu Aikido in The Netherlands. Doshu Aikido will give seminars

on Saturday the 14th and Sunday the 15th of October at the Top Sports Centre of Almere in

the Netherlands. This event is a pinacle event for the Dutch Aikido groups as they have all

come together to work as a team in a mutual effort to make this event a great success.

For further information, see the dedicated website created for this event: http://www.doshu2009.nl/extra_info_pages.php?pages_id=9

28th & 29th November: Takeshi Yamashima Sensei, 7th dan Aikikai will teach

a seminar in Singapore with the group of Serge Beraud (at the Mumei dojo in Singapore).

More information can be found on their website: http://www.mumeishudan.com/

Sumatra Earthquake Disaster ...

The Aikido Kobayashi Dojo in Japan, of which the Padang dojo is a member, is collecting donations to send to the Padang dojo (as written here in their Japanese language blog (translation courtesy of Google Translate here).

Hereby contact information for the Kobayashi dojo in Japan:

Please read Dewi’s article for Tomyono sensei here in Indonesian (Google translation into English is here).“Speechless .... Sedih.. Sad .. berduka... Sorry ...”Dojo is destroyed immediately after the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT0nG9mZp1I&feature=player_embedded http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT0nG9mZp1I&feature=player_embedded

September 2009

1. Birthday report Leisinger Sensei.

On this link you can find a report about the birthday weekend enjoyed

by Leisinger Sensei and his wife when they came to Holland:

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dc7v8bp4_442f9rnmhff

Leisinger Sensei also provided these photos taken during the weekend from

his camera: http://picasaweb.google.com/lawrence.warry/LeisingerBirthday200908CameraOfKFL#

http://picasaweb.google.com/lawrence.warry/LeisingerBirthday200908CameraOfKFL#

2. Weekend trip to England to see Yamashima Shihan (7th dan Aikikai)

On his yearly agenda, Yamashima shihan mostly comes in September to England.

This year, he shall be giving classes on the weekend 12 and 13 September.

For more information, click here.

Travelling to this course, will be a delegation from Holland. If you are interested to join

the travelling delegation, please inform as soon as possible (lawrence.warry@gmail.com).

The delegation will comeback on time to receive Yamashima shihan in Holland for a week full

of classes all over the south of Holland (from Tuesday the 15th of September until Sunday the 20th of September).

3. Yamashima Shihan, 7th dan Aikikai, Visit to Holland (15th to 19th of September)

The full schedule can be found here .. (click here)

4.0 Opening of the Hagukumi dojo's new Location

The coming of Yamashima shihan to Holland coincides with the open of the Hagukumi dojo's

new dojo location, Mient. 277, The Hague. The dojo will be officially opened by Yamashima shihan together with a local government official. For more information, click here.

August 2009

1. Leisinger Sensei becomes the noble age of 80 on the 13th of August 2009.

!!! Leisinger Sensei, 6th dan Aikikai, 80th Birthday Class takes place on 22nd of August at the Hagukumi dojo !!!

The biggest news of all for the month of August 2009 is that Leisinger Sensei, long time friend and guest honourary sensei of the CABN will become the noble age of 80.

The CABN has invited Leisinger Sensei to come and give a celebration Aikido lesson at the time of 14:00 on Saturday the 22nd of August at the Hagukumi dojo, Mient 277, Den Haag,

The Netherlands (TO BE CONFIRMED). All Aikidokas are welcome to take the chance to celebrate with Dr. Leisinger on this day by enjoying a class with him followed by a birthday celebration reception and party.

More details are coming very soon!!

2. Summer Courses in Germany

During the first two weeks of August, Aikikai Deutschland is enjoying

their summer courses taking place in Pulheim and Bad Kissingen

under supervision of Master Asai Shihan, 8th dan Aikikai and Miyamoto Shihan, 7th dan Aikikai.

It is now not possible to register for this course. However, every year Aikikai Deutschland opens its doors to all Aikikai Aikidokas so there is a chance to go next year if you didnt make it this year.

For more information, see the Aikikai Deutschland website: http://www.aikikai.de/start/start.php

Myself and Dominique Herbreteau, shodan Aikikai, attended Pulheim for just the weekend. The training was hard firstly because of the lack of airco in the room but also because lessons had a duration of 2.5 hours. One had to be careful at the end of each lesson not to cause an injurey or be injured as concentration levels got affected. Therefore, after the first class we soon understood that we had to pace ourselves of the long lessons.

The result of 3 x 2.5 hours training over the weekend,a wonderful sweaty photo souvenier with master Asai and Dominique san in Pulheim. Many thanks to Dominique for joining. Many thanks to master Asai for organising and teaching at this event.

3. Summer Course in Barcelona

If you think Germany is not exotic enough, how about a course in Barcelona, Spain?

For the second year running Stephane Benadetti, 6th dan Aikikai is hosting a 2 weeks seminar of combined disciplines, Shodo, Iaido, Jodo, Kenjutsu and Aikido.

For more information, email mutokukai@gmail.com or go to the website:

http://www.ozzono.com/europeaikido/

4. Summer Training

Many dojos open their doors for summer training during the summer period.

The Hagukumi dojo has regular trainings on Mondays and Thursdays (19:30 - 21:00) throughout the summer at ther new location in the Mient. 277, The Hague, Holland. For more information, see www.hagukumi.nl.

The EPO Aikido club is also continuing its regular classes (Tue - Fri):

Tuesday mornings, 07:30 - 08:30

Wednesday lunch times, 12:15 - 13:30

Thursday mornings, 07:30 - 08:30

Friday mornings (stretching), 08:00 - 09:00

Friday lunch times, 12:00 - 13:00

For more information, see the club's website: http://ipaan.hagukumi.nl/EAAC

If you would like to publish your club's summer training times, you are welcome to add a comment to this post.

July 2009

Some Up and Coming Seminars in July and August 2009

1. 10th Anniversary Israeli Aikido Association (3rd ofJuly - 7th of July)

Shihan Fukakusa of Thailand.

Host:

Israeli Aikido Organization (Aikikai) N.P.O

Start Time:	03 July 2009 at 16:00
End Time:	07 July 2009 at 22:00
Location:	Rehovot, Israel
Street:	3 Marshov St.
Town/City:	Rehovot, Israel

Phone:	972523302386
Email:	aikidobeisrael@yahoo.com

For more information, click here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=207112255723&ref=mf

2. CABN Summer School Castricum, Holland (11th - 16th July).

Fujimaki Shihan, 7th dan Aikikai

Other Instructors:

Dr. Leisinger Sensei, 6th Dan Aikikai aikido

E. Ladavas Sensei, 5th dan Aikikai aikido

C. Kientz Sensei, 5th dan Aikikai aikido

A. Braat Sensei, 5th dan Aikikai aikido

Location:

Sports hall “De Bloemen”

De Bloemen 71, 1902 GT Castricum

More Information:

CABN-website: www.aikido-cabn.nl

Information: Janny Paans, tel: +31786732229

E-mail: zomerschool@aikido-cabn.nl

3. Seminars of Aikikai Deutschland.

Pulheim (1 - 7 August)

Bad Kissingen (8 - 14 August)

For more information go to www.aikikai.de

4. Report Siberia (Marcel Reijers, 4th dan Aikikai)

On queen's day, april 30th 2009 the 5 days trip started to the city of Irkutsk in Siberia. Already a decade the Aikidokas there were visited by Fujita Sensei, Bacas Sensei and Ladavas Sensei. Now for the first time, I visited this city. It was my first time here. Two earlier visits went to Barnaul (in 2008). Bator San waited for me on arrival and immediately we went to the hotel, where I could only stay for 2 hours, as because of the time difference, it was already morning. Very tired I started the 3 days courses which emphasized on Fujita Sensei teachings. All participants (more than 100) worked very hard and trained for more than 6-8 hours a day. Also a large children's group practiced in the afternoon.

A city trip in to Irkutsk and a trip to lake Baikal made the stay even more pleasant. Between courses we ate in different kind of restaurants, as Irkutsk lies in between different nations.

The positive athmosphere, the hard training, the grateful students , the hospitality all made sure the my stay was a very pleasant one. On may 4th I returned to Holland, tired but satisfied after a successfull trip.

For all images of this event, click here: http://picasaweb.google.com/lijnie.reijers/AikidoVisitMarcelReijersToSiberiaMay2009?feat=email#

5. Quaterly News Announcement

This month (July) will see the publication of the 2nd quaterly of

the ouraikidworld newsletter.

June 2009

News Items for June 2009

(See also quaterly publications on the following link:http://ipaan.hagukumi.nl/IPAAN_news.htm )

1. Report from May Aikido Events

The big Aikido event in the month of May is, of course, the All Japan Aikikai Embukai

at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.

(Participants lining up for the 47th All Japan Aikikai Embukai)

This year was the 47th time that the event took place. With thousands of participants, Aikido groups from all over Japan demonstrated from the morning to the afternoon. Towards the end of the day, demonstrations were given by the higher graded masters such as Suganuma Sensei, Shimamoto Sensei, Tada Sensei, Endo Sensei until the finale of Doshu.

This event was an opportunity to bring Aikidokas from all over Japan together and manifest the wonder of the art of Aikido.

A delegation from the CABN (Ernesto Ladavas, Charles Kientz, Lawrence Warry, Els van Schie, Martijn Bogaerts and Elly Bogaerts) attended this event and also attended the classes of Doshu in the mornings at the Hombu dojo. Furthermore, the CABN delegation took the

opportunity to visit Fujita Shihan and his wife and to pay their respects as he continues his recovery from a stroke which occurred last year.

During our stay in Japan, we also met the Japanese Patent Office Aikido members and the dojo of Yamashima Sensei, 7th dan Aikikai, in Nerima, where we spent our last evening training and enjoying a wonderful sayonara party.

At the last training with Yamashima Shihan, in Nerima Sports Center

2. Israeli Aikido Association

During the month of May, I travelled to Isarael and witnessed the preparations taking place

for the 10th anniversary of the Israeli Aikido Association. During my visit, I toured to various

towns and citys and, along the way, met friendly Aikido people having connections with the IAA, including, the north of the Galilee, Dekkel's group in Hagoshrim and Julian Harel's group in Gonen. In Jerusalem, I met Dr. Isaac Lifshitz (a Rabi and an Aikido teacher who kindly invited me for a traditional sabbath with his family) and the people from Rami's Aikido & Shiatsu Center and students of Shuki. In Tel Aviv, I met the group of Miles Kesseler (the director of Aikido Without Borders, an NGO which promotes cross-cultural joint trainings between people of different backgrounds and cultures).

I'd like to thank all these people for welcoming me to their dojos and hope to see them again in July for event with Fukakusa shihan in Rehovot.

Of course, I also met the wonderful people of the dojo in Rehovot and we trained together and enjoyed the Aikido and the loquot fruits from Olga's garden afterwards.

The 10th anniversary celebrations of the IAA shall begin in June with the appearance of

7th dan Shihan, Shimamoto Sensei who is also a zen buddhist priest.

In the first week of July, the 10th anniversary continues and comes to an end with a seminar under the supervision of Fukakusa shihan, 7th dan Aikikai. Included in this seminar will be additional guest instructors from Japan and abroad and two lectures will be provided. One will be about Japanese Cluture and budo (Prof. Ben-Ami Shillony) and the second will be about Aikido in combination with Judism (Dr. Isaac Lifshitz).

I will be present at this event and hope to provide a report about it afterwards.

May 2009

News Items for May 2009

This is the first concise monthly news report for the IPAAN (International Aikikai Aikido Network), the international section of the
Dutch Aikido group, the CABN (Culturele Aikido Bond Nederland).

Since last month, it has been decided that 4 quaterly issues of "Our Aikido World" shall be published in the year, in addition to the monthly news reports. The quaterly publications (with archiving) shall continue to placed on the following link: http://ipaan.hagukumi.nl/IPAAN_news.htm

1. Report from April Aikido Events
Two important birthdays (Doshu, 2nd of April and Fujita Shihan, 21st of April) took place last month.

In addition, the yearly memorial of the passing away of O-Sensei (26th of April took place). These events are marked with special training sessions and cards of best wishes to the relevant parties in Japan.

Oomote Priests Ceremony

Doshu demonstrating every year at the Aiki-Jinja

The Aiki-jinja is the shrine which was dedicated to the Aikido deities and was the location where O-Sensei lived from 1942. Every year, in Iwama, on the 29th of April (the beginning of the golden week), the Aiki-jinja marks the remembrance of O-Sensei life and creation of Aikido. Hundreds of Aikidoka come from all over the world to honour this event, making busy what is normally a peaceful town in Ibaraki prefecture.

Delegation from Holland visiting the Aiki-Jinja in May 2008

2. Teacher training Courses Developing on National Levels

Official recognition of Aikido teachers can happen on two different planes.

On one plane, the hombu dojo provides recognition to international organisations who have fulfilled the necessary critieria for recognition. In such a case, the relevant yudanshas and teachers are listed for the hombu dojo's knowledge.

On another plane, in each nation, national recognition from the government is necessary for insurance and other official purposes. Not every country's government recognises Aikido as an official martial art and, therefore, many organisations are working hard to change the political landscape in their country in order to achieve it.

At the same time, both Holland and Israel are working towards nationally recognised organisations by providing official teacher training courses. These courses are being supervised by high-ranking national instructors and give a full program of learning modules. Up and coming instructors will learn about the theory of didactics, to organise events, to assist the chief instructors, to make lesson plans and much more.

3. Ladavas Sensei in Siberia

For the third time in two years, Ladavas Sensei went again to Siberia last April in order to conduct an intensive series of seminars. Since the beginning of this year, Ladavas Sensei has been given permission for the Hombu dojo to conduct examinations to yudansha.

Participants of a class of Ladavas Sensei

Successful Yudansha Exam Candidates