2015 "Kagami Biraki" Aikikai Hombu Dojo Promotions List

Posted 2015-01-11 06:57:42 by Jun Akiyama
News URL: http://www.aikikai.or.jp/pdf/suisen/h27.pdf

The 2015 "Kagami Biraki" New Year's promotions list from Aikikai Hombu Dojo has been published! Congratulations to everyone on the list.

http://www.aikikai.or.jp/pdf/suisen/h27.pdf


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Hi, the link is broken. By the way, it seems they have changed the site and the english version is bot working.

The links are working now, in English. Congratulations to Stefan Stenudd and George Ledyard on their promotions to 7th dan.

Don Moriyama and Bob Kubo, both from Hawaii, were promoted to 8th Dan, reducing the number of Aikikai 7th Dans in Hawaii from eight to six.

Best,

Chris

Congratulations to my instructor Robert Kubo Sensei!

Thank you Chris for the information regarding Moriyama and Kubo sensei-s.
I used google translate in order to be able to read the names written in Japanese. Here's what I got:
Kanatsuka Minoru, Wada Akira, Abe Feng Yun (using another translator I've got Abe Yutaka Kumo).
If I'm not wrong Kanatsuka sensei is the technical director of the BAF (British Aikido Federation).
Can anyone tell something about the others?

Ziv Klausner wrote: Thank you Chris for the information regarding Moriyama and Kubo sensei-s. I used google translate in order to be able to read the names written in Japanese. Here's what I got: Kanatsuka Minoru, Wada Akira, Abe Feng Yun (using another translator I've got Abe Yutaka Kumo). If I'm not wrong Kanatsuka sensei is the technical director of the BAF (British Aikido Federation). Can anyone tell something about the others?

Minoru Kanetsuka from England, Akira Wada from Nagoya, Houun Abe (son of Seiseki Abe) from Osaka.

Best,

Chris

Ziv Klausner wrote: Thank you Chris for the information regarding Moriyama and Kubo sensei-s. I used google translate in order to be able to read the names written in Japanese. Here's what I got: Kanatsuka Minoru, Wada Akira, Abe Feng Yun (using another translator I've got Abe Yutaka Kumo). If I'm not wrong Kanatsuka sensei is the technical director of the BAF (British Aikido Federation). Can anyone tell something about the others?

I was surprised by the transliteration of Kanetsuka Sensei's name that Google Translate produced - normally it's written (and pronounced) with an "e". Yes, he is indeed the Technical Director of the BAF, as well as of other groups in Holland, Poland and Russia (and possibly others I am not aware of).

Alex

The ASU is very proud to have 4 promotions to rokudan and 4 to nanadan!

Hardy congratulations to all, and a special shout-out to George Ledyard... Way to go, George!

Clark Bateman wrote: Hardy congratulations to all, and a special shout-out to George Ledyard... Way to go, George!

Thank you so very much to everyone for the good wishes.I think it is a bit bittersweet at the moment since Ikeda Sensei is leaving the ASU. After Saotome Sensei he contributed an incalculable amount to me getting to where I am. Many new pathways opening up for everyone I guess. Anyway, I am thankful to everyone out there for all the support over the years.

I see this list come out every year and just shake my head. It is unfortunate there is not a better system for promotion other than straight politics and shaking the right hands with the right people. Knowing several of the individuals promoted I have to wonder where is the Ai and Budo so many people like to preach about. At least one of the International Hawaii Aikido organizations has a Shihan promoted to 8th Dan, yet they neglect their dojos and play favorites with their students, only promoting people they like. It is more of a popularity contest in the Dojo and organization, which is what it seems to take at the high ranks, up to 8th Dan apparently. A Shihan can have students leave the Dojos in disgust and even have Dojos leave the organization in frustration, but still get promoted to the higher ranks.

Congratulations to the many people worthy of promotion.

Peace with you all.

Actually, it is a perfect system for promotion for the type of organization that the Aikikai is. It is a huge, multi-national organization, with the aims of fostering increasing enrollment and generation of income. An upside of this is that aikido is made accessible to many more people and places. The downside is that the deepest possibilities of the art are not achieved. The neither up-nor-downside is that few, under any circumstances would ever achieve those possibilities.