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Old 03-15-2002, 04:58 AM   #1
John Yeldham
Location: London
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 1
Offline
Question Looking for intensive courses in SE Asia

I am looking to kick start my Aikido learning by doing an intensive course in SE Asia between September 2002 and December 2002, possibly extending training to April 2003. I will be in Sarawak in September with time on my hands.

When I return to England, I will then train once or twice a week.

Does anyone know of intensive courses in SE Asia, preferably in cheaper countries such as Thailand and Malaysia?

Does anyone have any experience of doing Aikido in Japan, including finding accomodation and living costs?

Thanks for your help.
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Old 03-15-2002, 06:47 AM   #2
jk
Location: Indonesia
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 245
Offline
Intensive course?

I know of at least one instructor in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, who can very likely help you with this. I went through intensive training with him and can say that it was well worth it for me. He's at Aikikai Malaysia HQ Dojo in KL(listed in the dojo database here, and there's a website); he's the shihan's son. I'll be glad to tell you more if you're interested; just drop me an e-mail.

I'm sure the other ASEAN folks will be chiming in...

Regards,
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Old 03-15-2002, 10:42 AM   #3
Edward
Location: Bangkok
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 803
Thailand
Offline
Hello,

At the Renbukan Dojo, headquarter of the Thailand Aikido Association, we do not offer any intensive courses. However regular training takes place daily from Monday to Saturday evenings for 2-3 hours depending on days. We have also 3 hours afternoon classes on Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 PM.

Dojo fees are 1500 THB/month for evening classes and an extra 500 THB for the afternoon classes. A yearly 300 THB membership fee should be paid to the association.

Students are mixed: Thai, Japanese and Westerners. Teachers are Japanese and Thai (about 7 teachers) headed by Fukakusa Sensei, 7 Dan.

You can check our website: www.thaiaikikai.com

You are welcome to join if you wish.

Cheers,
Edward

Last edited by Edward : 03-15-2002 at 10:56 AM.
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Old 03-17-2002, 04:56 AM   #4
Abasan
Dojo: Aiki Shoshinkan, Aiki Kenkyukai
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 813
Malaysia
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Since you're going to be in Sarawak... maybe you would want to check out Sensei Haniff 5th dan. Ermm damn can't remember his place off hand. Or maybe you want to check out the dojo search in Aikiweb... I know its there.

And since you're in the region, maybe you might want to visit Singapore once in awhile and train with Harry Shihan. I would recommend it actually.

If you do drop by peninsular malaysia, eg KL... you can drop by dojo in Bangsar, or alternatively you can visit Aikikai HQ some 5 minutes away. My dojo unfortunately does not offer any intensive courses only 5 1and1/2 hours classes a week, but I bet Shihan Yamada at the HQ would be able to oblige you.

Draw strength from stillness. Learn to act without acting. And never underestimate a samurai cat.
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Old 03-25-2002, 02:06 AM   #5
aries admin
Dojo: Aikikai Philippines
Location: Philippines
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 34
Offline
Aikido in the Philippines

Hi, if ever you are planning to go to the Philippines you can get in touch with the Aikikai Philippines.

Aikikai Philippines had been operating since 1963. We do offer extensive training in our Dojo. All you have to do is give us the lenght of time that you will be staying.

My email address is Aries_navy@yahoo.com please do send me an e-mail to tell you more about the instructors and the school.

Is it cheap? Philippines has one of the lowest and cheapest cost of living in SE Asia.

Hope to hear from you soon!
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Old 03-25-2002, 02:16 AM   #6
aries admin
Dojo: Aikikai Philippines
Location: Philippines
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 34
Offline
ABOUT THE TRAINING IS JAPAN

Hi:

Forgot about your question about training in Japan. Hope this helps. I this looks unintelligible to you please visit this site:
http://www.aikidojournal.com/article...les/MS_TIJ.asp

Thanks



So Ya Wanna Go ta Japan?

Okay, you've been training for, what? several years now and you
think you're ready to make the "Big Step," and train in Japan. A big
step, indeed, going to a foreign country where customs are very
different, where you can't speak the language, where even the
simplest daily tasks and errands can suddenly become major
problems and seemingly insurmountable challenges. Whatcha
gonna do? Whoya gonna call? (Nope, DojoBusters is not it.)

First of all, where will you go? Have you got the name and address
of a teacher and/or a dojo? Have you an introduction? Do you need
one? (Sometimes you do, sometimes you don't.)

Next, where will you live? Do you plan to rent an apartment? What
about hoshokin (key money, usually equal to two months rent
payable to the landlord, non-refundable), reikin (one month's rent,
a payment to the realtor for finding a place for you), shikikin
(deposit money, first and last months' rent), and a cleaning deposit
(also a month's rent; depending on the landlord's personality, you
may get all, some, or none of it back when you move out). Did I
mention that rents in Japan are, to put it mildly, a bit on the steep
side? If you think it's bad in New York, San Francisco, or other
popular cities, wait'll you get to Japan! Did I also mention that you
may need a guarantor to co-sign the lease as well? A lot of
landlords won't even let foreigners in the door. (Too much hassle,
etc., etc.)

Work? How will you support yourself? Not too long ago, it was fairly
simple to find work. Many, maybe most, foreigners studying budo in
Japan could find work as language teachers. It was a given that
you'd be able to find a suitable job that would enable you to
support yourself and still maintain a good training schedule. Those
days are long gone. There are still a lot of teaching jobs available,
but the pay rate isn't much different from what it was ten years or
so ago and prices have continued to rise. Maybe, provided you
have all the necessary qualifications and they need somebody, you
can find technical or managerial work in an American or Japanese
company that enables you to train a lot and support yourself. Jobs
like that are somewhat scarcer than hen's teeth, though, and I
wouldn't want to gamble on finding one very soon. Too, you'd have
to be able to fit into the corporate culture. Otherwise, you'll likely
be washing dishes, waiting tables, or working construction. Long
hours, lousy pay, not much free time. These are things you'll need
to think about before you leave home.

Does this make the situation a little clearer? It's not impossible, but
it's definitely not the easiest thing you'll ever do. That being said,
living and training in Japan for an extended time period can be a
most rewarding and meaningful experience, one that will teach you
a great deal about yourself and your home country, about your
host country and its people, as well as about the art you came to
study.

It's a lot easier now than it used to be. It's possible to order pizza
for home delivery now. There are washing machines! and DRYERS!
(There was a time when there was only one, that's right, ONE,
laundromat in all of Tokyo that had dryers. You've absolutely no
idea how important that can be until you're training three to five
hours a day during the rainy season.) And there are any number of
support groups available. Use 'em! If you're in a major city, there is
probably an English language telephone directory, or you can call
your local government office (town, city, or ward) for the
information you need. Many of them have somebody who speaks
enough English to answer your questions. They're very helpful.

Visas and other bureaucratic obstacles

Visas, work permits, and residential status. This is a very
complicated subject that never seems to stand still. And it's
different for people from different countries. People from the U.S.
have one of the less enviable situations, if you compare it to those
of folk from some other nations. Check with your local Japanese
consulate or embassy for the conditions that pertain to you. One
thing you need to keep in mind, though, is that the Japanese
government is not tolerant towards people who are working here
illegally. They will and do deport people who break the law. Nor are
the Japanese tolerant of some of the other things that might not be
considered serious offenses in your own country. Don't even think
about illegal drugs. Maybe you could get away with it, maybe not.
One guy who made that mistake spent considerable time in prison
(not a fun thing in Japan--do you really want to be required to sit in
seiza in absolute silence for eight hours a day?) before being kicked
out. For just a bit of marijuana? Yup, it can be that way. It could be
a lot worse, too.

You have undoubtedly noticed by this time that I have raised more
questions than I have given answers. This is because it's almost
impossible to give you specific information for all of the questions
you're sure to have, or to offer advice on how to deal with the
unique situations you will encounter. There are, however, several
very good guide books to Japan (I've listed some of them as an
appendix), and you can refer to the advice and information given in
Patrick Augé's excellent essay in the The Aiki News 1995 DojoFinder
for more specifics. But there is some general advice that may be of
use to you, which I'd like to offer as a sort of list.

General stuff

1. Keep your sense of humor and a sense of proportion. One of my
grandmothers used to say, "No matter how bad it is, it could be
worse." She was right. A thousand years from now, no matter what
the problem is, you'll probably laugh about it.

2. You've heard of Catch 22? There's another way to say it here:
"Case by case." You've got a problem, one involving some
bureaucratic procedure, requiring interaction with, surprise, a
government or corporate official. It's very similar to one that's
arisen before. You attempt to take care of it in a like manner but
are told it is impossible to do so. Remember "case by case" as you
start to protest vehemently (with accompanying loss of savoir
faire). Oh, yes: it helps to refer to Rule 1 in such situations.

3. Try to avoid being an "Ugly Foreigner." I don't like saying this
much, but it's necessary. Remember that you are a guest, a
foreigner visiting somebody else's home country. Try to act
accordingly. You've just run into a real mixed-up situation, a la Rule
2, and are at wit's end. Or you're really mad at all of the
inconsistencies, seeming lies, outright hypocrisy (or
ignorance)--something that people here do just infuriates you. The
only thing you can do, really, is to laugh and enjoy it. Sure, it's a
major hassle, but you're having an adventure! Remember Rules 1
and 2. Stay cool.

Martial arts stuff

4. Keep your eyes, ears, and heart open. What you know, what
you learned before is certainly of value, but isn't likely to have a
great deal of immediate relevance to life and training in Japan. You
came here to learn, right? Well, one of the best ways to do that is
to place everything you already "know" on hold for a bit. Let it ride.
Watch. Listen. By all means, ask questions--but do so when it is
appropriate. Budo is a good example of a traditional Japanese
activity, with all of the accompanying cultural trappings. This
includes being more formal in behavior than is common in the West,
and learning through direct experience rather than
intellectualization. Wait a bit, then ask the question. You may well
find the answer was right in front of you all along. This holds true
for situations in daily life, too, of course.

5. Train smart. This is especially true just after you get to Japan.
Hey, you're all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and you want to get
down and boogie. That's very nice, (here it comes) BUT! you'll be
going through a great deal of stress: mental, physical, and
emotional. It's not at all uncommon for newcomers to train for a
while (a month to six weeks, say) and then the differences and
stresses catch up with them. They suffer one or more very serious
injuries. Sometimes it's physical, but it might be mental or
emotional: disillusionment at discovering that martial arts training is
not a big romantic adventure, or from finding out that your idols,
Japanese budo teachers, are, after all, just like the rest of us. They
have some pretty amazing abilities, they may seem (and likely are)
very special people, but they put their hakama on one leg at a time,
just like everyone else in the dojo. (Refer to Rules 1, 2, and 4.)

6. How to choose a dojo? You're F.O.B. (Fresh Off the Boat) and
everything looks new, exciting, fantastic. What's the best way to
find the right place for you? Where will you train? Who will be your
teacher? You may have a situation already set up for you, courtesy
of your teacher or some of your dojomates. Or you may have heard
about "X" Sensei, or "Y" Dojo. Or it might be that you just wander
in off the street, with no particular plan in mind. I've done all of
those things at different times and they all worked for me.
Sometimes better, sometimes not so well. My sincere suggestion is
to take it easy, go slow, check it out before you commit to training
with a particular teacher or at a particular dojo. I like to look at
general training to see what the atmosphere is like in the dojo.
How do the senior students (and teachers) relate to the juniors? Is
there a good feeling, of trust and respect, among all of the people
who are training there? Is it a happy place? Could you, would you,
be confident in trusting these people with your well-being, both
physical and mental? You will be, you know. Which's not to say that
training should be some sort of light-hearted grab-ass or that you
aren't going to get the wood put to you. That's all a part of the
process. Nope. It's deeper, more subtle than I can describe in mere
words. Your dojo becomes home and the folk in it become your
family. Thing is, you get to choose, so why not be careful in doing
so? (Rules 1, 4, and 5 apply here.)

Might's well stop with the advice. I could go on and on, but you get
the picture. To sum up: read up a bit, ask questions of people
who've been to/trained in Japan, take your time, and stay loose.
This budo stuff is too serious not to have fun.


Where to go

Now the fun part: I get to tell you where to go and when to go
there. What follows is a list of addresses and the training
schedules of the mainline aikido organizations. It is purely for
information. It is not an endorsement of any of the groups included
nor is absense from the list meaningful in any way other than I did
not have access to the information. [Note: we're working to add
informaiton about the headquarters of the main organizations
representing other modern martial arts as well. Stay tuned.]

A. Aikikai Hombu Dojo.
Headquarters of Ueshiba-style aikido.
17-18 Wakamatsu-cho
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo-to
Japan 162
tel. 81-(0)3-3203-9236
fax. 81-(0)3-3204-8145

Classes are held as follows:


1. Beginners class (2nd floor dojo)


Monday-Saturday
0700-0800
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
1730-1830; 1900-2000
Sunday
0930-1030 (4th floor dojo)


2. Regular class (3rd floor dojo)

Monday-Saturday
0630-0730; 0800-0900;
1500-1600; 1730-1830;
1900-2000
Saturdays only
1030-1130


3. Sunday regular class (3rd floor dojo)


Sunday
0900-1000; 1030-1130


4. Women's class (2nd floor dojo)


Tuesday, Thursday
1830-1930


5. Children's class (2nd floor dojo)


Tuesday, Friday, Saturday,
Sunday
ask office for times


6. Aikido Academy (4th floor dojo)


Basic class: Monday, Thursday
1830-2000
Intermediate class:
Wednesday, Saturday
1830-2000
Advanced class: Tuesday, Friday
1830-2000


Fees (as of March 1996) are:


Membership Type
Entry Fee
Monthly Tuition
Regular class
6,000 yen
10,000 yen
7,500 yen (students)
Sunday class
6,000 yen
5000 yen
Regular and Sunday
6,000 yen
13,000 yen
Children's class
6,000 yen
4500 yen
Individual class
6,000 yen
40,000 yen
Group class (3 or more people)
6,000 yen
60,000 yen-plus
All fees are non-refundable.


B. Ki no Kenkyukai Tokyo Hombu Dojo.
Tokyo headquarters of Tohei-style aikido and ki training.
Ki no Kenkyukai Tokyo Hombu Dojo
No. 101 Ushigome Heim
2-30 Hara-machi
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo-to
Japan 162
tel. 81-(0)3-3353-3461~2
fax. 81-(0)3-3353-1897

The training schedule is:
1. Special class (mornings)
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Ki training
0645-0730
Ki aikido
0730-0815
2. General class (evenings)
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Ki training
1900-2000
Ki aikido
2000-2100


Fees (as of March 1996) are:
Entry fee:
8500 yen
Annual fee:
5500 yen
Monthly tuition:
21,000 yen (special class)
8800 yen (general class)
Note: students attending the morning special class can also
attend the general class in the evenings.


C. Nihon Aikido Kyokai Shodokan Dojo.
Main (only?) full-time dojo of Tomiki aikido, located in Kansai. People
living in other parts of Japan can contact the dojo for information.
Shodokan Dojo
1-28-9 Hannan-cho
Abeno-ku, Osaka-shi
Japan 545
tel. 81-(0)6-622-2045

The training schedule is:
Monday through Saturday
1830-2000 (general practice)
2010-2110 (yudansha only)
Monday, Saturday
1400-1500 (general practice)
Tuesday, Thursday,
Saturday
0700-0800 (general practice)
Sunday
1000-1130; 1300-1430 (general
practice)


Fees (as of June 1996) are:
Entry fee:
6000 yen
Annual fee:
4300 yen (including insurance)
Monthly tuition:
8000 yen (2x/wk)
9000 yen (4x/wk)
10,000 yen (open training schedule)


D. Yoseikan Dojo.
Headquarters of Yoseikan budo, a mixture of aiki budo, judo,
karatedo, and weapons training.
Yoseikan Dojo
846 Mukoshikiji
Shizuoka-shi, Shizuoka-ken
Japan 421-01
tel. 81-(0)542-59-0663

Training is divided into different arts. The schedule is:
1. Aikido
Monday, Wednesday, Saturday 1900-2100
2. Judo
Saturday 1500-1700; Sunday 0900-1100
3. Karatedo
Tuesday, Thursday 1900-2100


The fee schedule is:
Entry fee
3000 yen
Annual fee
2400 yen
Monthly tuition
7000 yen for one art, 1000 yen for each additional
art (so, two arts: 8000 yen, all three: 9000)


E. Yoshinkai Hombu Dojo.
Headquarters of Yoshinkai aikido, founded by Gozo Shioda.
Yoshinkai Hombu Dojo
2-28-8 Kami Ochiai
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo-to
Japan 161
tel. 81-(0)3-3368-5556
fax. 81-(0)3-3368-5578

There are several types of training available, as follows:
Regular class
Tuesday through Friday
0830-0930; 1730-1830; 1900-2000
Wednesday, Friday
0700-0800; 2015-2100
Saturday
1130-1230; 1430-1530; 1600-1700
Sunday
1000-1100; 1300-1400
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