AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.
Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the
world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to
over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a
wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history,
humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.
If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced
features available, you will need to register first. Registration is
absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!
A daimiō's wife, as befitted the wife of a warrior and the daughter of long generations of brave men, never shrank from facing danger and death when necessary; and considered the taking of her own life an honorable and easy escape from being captured by her enemy.
Alice Mabel Bacon, Japanese Girls and Women
losing my way
is part of the journey
poppy flower
from Far Beyond the Field: Haiku by Japanese Women
The Japanese women's soccer team just won the World Cup. It was an improbable win. Astonishing even. They beat several strong teams and won the final against the USA in a penalty shootout after the game ended in a tie.
The team's nickname is Nadeshiko. Nadeshiko or dianthus superbus is a wild pink flower. Yamato nadeshiko can also mean the archetype of a Japanese woman, beautiful and resilient like the flower. It might be said with a sense of nostalgia.
Samurai women used the naginata, the long slashing spear or halberd or glaive, or a short tanto or kaiken dagger. This week in Japan there was news about one period drama starting and one period drama finishing. The new drama is on the public broadcasting network NHK. It's about Yae Niijima, a strong and determined woman samurai. The samurai drama that will end in December after more than forty years is Mito Komon. Kaoru Yumi is one of the regular members of the cast. Her ofuro - bath - scenes were famous. She trained in aikido. Years ago she did a special aikido performance at the All-Japan Aikido Demonstration with spotlights and drumrolls.