I often receive emails from people seeking information about practising at the Hombu Dojo. Unfortunately, I don't always have as much time as I would like in order to answer each of them properly so I thought I would try to address these issues formally in an article. For many practitioners of Aikido it is a dream to one day, have the chance to train the Aikido World Headquarters in Tokyo. Hopefully, this dream can eventually become a reality as more and more people travel each year to Japan in order to study at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo for a few days, weeks, or even months. While some might be lucky enough to travel with a Sensei or a Sempai who knows the ins and outs of the place and who can act as a guide, others might make the trip on their own and for them. The prospect can be a source of great challenge and excitation but it can also be the cause of a few worries. Some of the most frequently asked questions are: where am I going to stay? What should I bring? How much does training cost? Which classes can I attend? What are the rules that I should be aware of?
(Original blog post may be found
here.)