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Adam Huss 07-03-2005 12:15 PM

Dojo Names
 
How does everyone get/give their dojo names? If you are a dojo cho, how did you get your name? If you are the cheif instructor of your organization, how do you determine what your student's dojo names are? My teacher used to ask each dojo cho for a list of the ten most important things to him/her and would determine the name from there. But latley I've heard him asking the prospective dojo cho questions like "What is it that you most want your students to get out of training? What is the most important part of your training? How do you want your students to view what is important to them in their art?" etc.etc.

Just curious as to what other people do.
Osu!

Jeff Sodeman 07-03-2005 12:57 PM

Re: Dojo Names
 
My teacher, Ikeda sensei, gave me the name for my dojo when I opened it. I'm pretty sure that Saotome sensei named Boulder Aikikai when Ikeda sensei opened it (not the "Boulder Aikikai" part but the Japanese name the dojo has).

Jack Simpson 07-06-2005 12:05 PM

Re: Dojo Names
 
I was going to go all mystical with a dojo name, but in the end decided on "direction - state - aikikai" = Western Maryland Aikikai. I wanted the name to reflect where we came from (easy at seminars when folks see our patch). I didn't take "Maryland Aikikai" as that seemed a bit presumptuous as my teacher's (Clyde Takeguchi) dojo is actually in Maryland (Silver Spring).

I think it works out fine as it doesn't tie us to just one city in case we have to move. I do get grief from my mates at Capital about the spread of the Western Maryland "Empire" and they have great fun cuing up the Star Wars music when I visit. :rolleyes:

Cheers,
Jack :ai:

aikigirl10 07-06-2005 07:23 PM

Re: Dojo Names
 
Ours is Kyowva aikikai. Which is the tri-state area (kentucky, ohio, West virginia) I thought this was kind of creative , i've never seen any other dojo w/the tri-state area.

jimbaker 07-06-2005 08:48 PM

Re: Dojo Names
 
We were very close to calling our dojo "Aikido of the Great Dismal Swamp". Had we only been located a few miles south...

Jim Baker
Aikido of Norfolk

Steven 07-06-2005 10:33 PM

Re: Dojo Names
 
Quote:

Adam Huss wrote:
How does everyone get/give their dojo names? If you are a dojo cho, how did you get your name? If you are the cheif instructor of your organization, how do you determine what your student's dojo names are? My teacher used to ask each dojo cho for a list of the ten most important things to him/her and would determine the name from there. But latley I've heard him asking the prospective dojo cho questions like "What is it that you most want your students to get out of training? What is the most important part of your training? How do you want your students to view what is important to them in their art?" etc.etc.

Just curious as to what other people do.
Osu!

Historically within the Yoshinkan, Gozo Shioda Kancho named the IYAF dojos. Since his passing, Inoue Kancho and Chida Dojocho have provided the dojo names. I believe Ando Shihan may have named one or two.

As for me and several others, our dojo's were named by Terada Kiyoyuki Hanshi, Yoshinkan Aikido's most senior instructor and chief technical advisor.

When I requested the name, he asked me several questions about myself, my first and current teachers, area, family, etc.

Not sure who named all the Chudokan dojo's. I'm speculating they already had them or Mr. Blok provided them. You'd have to ask him or your teacher.

Of course, I may be completely wrong about all this, but that is how I understood it.

Adam Huss 07-06-2005 11:16 PM

Re: Dojo Names
 
Hai, I believe Shioda Soke gave the Chudokan Dojo it's name...although I'm not 100%. Blok Sensei however, gives all the names for our federation. He asks the dojo cho a series of questions as well, pertaining to different things and varying on the teacher. Sometimes there are running themes for each region as well (ie Shinsuikan, Shingankan, Kaishinkan, Shinwakan for the region I'm in).
It's good to hear that Terada Sensei is your teacher...we all love him here...many of us have trained with him, and there are many of us looking forward to returning to the Kamakura festival in May 2007.
To make comment on what others have mentioned:
For advertising sake, we also use non-Japanese names for our dojo's. For example, the Chudokan Dojo is listed as Aikido Canada in ads and such. It is also what we answer the phone with. Chudokan just doesn't come across too clearly with people new to the marital arts, or news people, charity people etc. Just simply 'what are we? Aikido. Where are we? Canada' Although we aren't trying to monopolize all Aikido in Canada, we just wanted a straightforward, easy to remember, name.

Steven 07-07-2005 07:33 AM

Re: Dojo Names
 
"It's good to hear that Terada Sensei is your teacher"

So that we are clear, I never said Terada Sensei was my teacher. Parker Sensei, his top student, is my teacher. Though we have a very good relationship with Terada Sensei.

Yes, the Chudokan was named by Shioda Kancho.

On a side note, I take it you were in Japan for the 50th? Which means you visited me and my group at the apartment one night. Trying to place the name with the face.

Adam Huss 07-07-2005 08:36 AM

Re: Dojo Names
 
Yeah, I just saw that Parker Sensei is your teacher. Sorry about the mixup. Parker Sensei's been to our dojo before, but unfortuanatley I wasn't there to see him. Although I think it was a while ago, so I might of not been training then.
Unfortunatley I wan't able to go to Japan with everyone else. I was uchideshi at the Chudokan at that time and Blok Sensei wanted me to stay back and prepare for my shodan exam. I don't think that they got very much training in...something like 5 days worth out of the 16 or so days they were there. But I, along with some of the senior students who didn't get to go, plan on going to the 2007 Kamakura festival.
Maybe we'll see you there!
Osu!
~Adam

P.S. Everyone at the dojo that trained with Parker Sensei give him their best regards and wish him and the dojo well. Everyone from Japan says "hello" also.

Steven 07-07-2005 10:43 AM

Re: Dojo Names
 
Quote:

Adam Huss wrote:
P.S. Everyone at the dojo that trained with Parker Sensei give him their best regards and wish him and the dojo well. Everyone from Japan says "hello" also.

He'll be here in less than two weeks. I'll be sure to pass on the kind regards.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program. :)


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