Visiting Japan

Hi everyone,

I'm fortunate enough to be working in Japan during June. I hope to turn it into an aikido holiday for two/three weeks and I'd love to hear any advice, experiences or thoughts you might have to offer for a first time visitor!

The following plans occurred to me as possible by writing ahead to the appropriate places:

i) Attend classes at the Aikikai hombu
ii) Visit each main school hombu, Iwama, the aiki shrine and...?
iii) Normal tourism with a class nearby to wherever

If any aikiweb members training in Japan would be able to recommend or extend an invitation to dojo for watching/training as appropriate for an English speaking, beginner in Aikikai (though I would love to see other styles) then I would be tremendously grateful.


Many thanks,
Duncan

Hi Duncan,

You're more than welcome to come by any chance you get. We're yoshinkan, but currently on the mat there are two who also study (or have studied) Aikikai. A guy who trained with us for 6 weeks during a visit to Japan was Tomiki, so we're pretty open about having other styles visit.

http://www.roppongi-yoshinkan.com

On the touristy side of things make sure you schedule a visit to the tsukiji fish market really early in the morning. In june, Hakone is also very nice and somewhat interesting.

cheers,

--Michael

Michael Stuempel wrote: A guy who trained with us for 6 weeks during a visit to Japan was Tomiki, so we're pretty open about having other styles visit.

Gee thanks Mike - that makes us sound like .... well grrrrr!!!!

How far south are you going to get. I run a three hour session Saturday morning in Himeji and a 1.5 Wednesday night in a nearby town. We always welcome drop ins. If you are after a bit of the strange (gives Mike the school marm of death look) you would be welcome.

Peter Rehse wrote: Gee thanks Mike - that makes us sound like .... well grrrrr!!!!

ha ha

You know I didn't mean it like that. I mean that we are all eager to learn how others move and the dojo has a history of other styles visiting.

One night we had 2 Yoshinkan, 1 Tomiki, 2 Aikikai, an Aikijujitsu turned Yoshinkan, an aikido beginner who had trained kung fu for a number of years and me on the mat.

We play nice with the other kids...really

--Michael

Peter Rehse wrote: Gee thanks Mike - that makes us sound like ....

and so might

Michael, Peter,

Wonderful - thanks! I'm only beginning to plan but I start in Tokyo and all the suggested itinaries here http://www.japan-guide.com head south towards Hiroshima so both of your kind offers may be taken up! Hakone looks beautiful and that is a mightily impressive castle in Himeji. I am very attracted by Mount Koya too - any experience?

What is the best way to approach Aikikai Hombu dojo for training? Turn up on the doorstep 6:00 a.m.? Ibaraki Dojo? Is all day training still feasable? Is it suitable for non-yudansha? Lots of questions

Do you have any other tips for must see dojo?

Many thanks again,
Duncan

p.s.

http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3555

Great post here from Bryan!

Duncan Woods wrote: What is the best way to approach Aikikai Hombu dojo for training? Turn up on the doorstep 6:00 a.m.? p.s. http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3555 Great post here from Bryan!

I got some help planing our trip in this thread:

http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7695

and in this tread on Aikido journal forum

Corncerning Aikikai, we just went there for the morning class, and paid afterwards in the reception (I think it was 1500 yen for a class)

We really had a good time with Kato sensei (see the aikido journal tread)

Happy traveling
Michael

Michael Holm wrote: I got some help planing our trip in this thread: http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7695 and in this tread on Aikido journal forum Corncerning Aikikai, we just went there for the morning class, and paid afterwards in the reception (I think it was 1500 yen for a class) We really had a good time with Kato sensei (see the aikido journal tread) Happy traveling Michael

MIcahel,

Did you go there as an organised group with Kato sensei? I've always had to pay the daily rate in advance whenever I've visited, if I haven't paid monthly.

rgds

Bryan

Bryan Bateman wrote: MIcahel, Did you go there as an organised group with Kato sensei? I've always had to pay the daily rate in advance whenever I've visited, if I haven't paid monthly. rgds Bryan

No - we first meet Kato Sensei after.

We are all of ki aikido (students of Yoshigasaki Sensei, who is a student of Tohei Sensei) so we just went to Aikikai and had a wonderfull traning, and gave visit-card and paid afterwards - they told us to come to reception first, next time