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Old 10-24-2005, 06:59 PM   #1
Ryan Bigelow
Dojo: Kenyoin
Location: Japan
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 21
United_States
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Going to Honbu....or Iwama

A friend and I are planning a trip from Aichi (near Nagoya) to the Honbu Dojo or Iwama. It will only be a two day (Fri/Sat) excursion but were both very excited about it. I'm a bit concerned about price for lodging however. At Iwama it should be no problem, but staying in Shinjuku/Tokyo looks like it is going to be very expensive. Capsule hotel? Park Bench? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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Old 10-24-2005, 08:46 PM   #2
PeterR
 
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Dojo: Shodokan Honbu (Osaka)
Location: Himeji, Japan
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,319
Japan
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Re: Going to Honbu....or Iwama

Hey Ryan

Things may have changed since the newest split but Iwama has a reputation for not being the easiest place to just drop in and train. I advise some attempt at pre-arrangement.

Peter Rehse Shodokan Aikido
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Old 10-24-2005, 09:33 PM   #3
diesel
Dojo: Tenshin
Location: Higashihiroshima
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 106
Japan
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Re: Going to Honbu....or Iwama

There are some hostels in shinjuku that are pretty cheap.. probably the best way.. but you should book via the web. Unfortunatley I don't know their web site off hand...

Last edited by diesel : 10-24-2005 at 09:35 PM.
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Old 10-24-2005, 09:40 PM   #4
PeterR
 
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Dojo: Shodokan Honbu (Osaka)
Location: Himeji, Japan
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,319
Japan
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Re: Going to Honbu....or Iwama

Hey Eric;

I have a friend who lives in Higashihiroshima and interested in Aikido. He is not interested in joining a university Aikido club. Where do you train?

Peter Rehse Shodokan Aikido
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Old 10-26-2005, 08:30 PM   #5
Ryan Bigelow
Dojo: Kenyoin
Location: Japan
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 21
United_States
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Re: Going to Honbu....or Iwama

Thanks for the replies. Any suggestions on other "must visit" dojos in Japan?
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Old 10-26-2005, 11:16 PM   #6
Duarh
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 117
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Re: Going to Honbu....or Iwama

Well, Tokyo has excellent public transportation so you don't necessarily need to stay in Shinjuku. Depending on what your budget is, you may even want to stay pretty far.

The cheapest place ever, other than capsule hotels, is the hotel New Koyo - www.newkoyo.jp, 2500 or 2700 yen a night, sparse but clean and reasonable, and you even get a TV- but it takes some 1.5 hrs to get from NK to Hombu by subway/train (if you're just going to Tokyo for two days, you might want to make sure ahead of time you know how to navigate the transportation system - it's really very easy once you know how it works). This means that, If you're aiming to catch the early morning Doshu class, you'll need to take one of the first (around 5am) morning trains (check schedule for Saturdays).

Aikido Ohana have a nice getting-to-Hombu guide on their site that I found very helpful:

http://www.aikidoohana.org/hombu_direction.htm
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Old 10-27-2005, 12:30 AM   #7
batemanb
 
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Dojo: Seibukan Aikido UK
Location: body in UK, heart still in Japan
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 1,031
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Re: Going to Honbu....or Iwama

Other must visit dojo's in Japan?

The Seibukan dojo in Kobe, I recommend anyone passing to go visit Nakao Sensei, you have to get up early for his class though, he teaches at 7AM. Definately worth a visit. If you visit, tell him I said hi.

http://seibukan.main.jp/

The Saku dojo in Nagano. Not been up there myself, but have trained with Endo Sensei a number of times, not to be missed if you're in the area.

http://homepage3.nifty.com/aikido_sakudojo/

the Honcho dojo in Nakano-ku, Tokyo. My old club, Nojima Sensei is definately fun to train with.

rgds

Bryan

A difficult problem is easily solved by asking yourself the question, "Just how would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
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Old 10-27-2005, 12:51 AM   #8
grondahl
Dojo: Stockholms Aikidoklubb
Location: Stockholm
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 601
Sweden
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Re: Going to Honbu....or Iwama

Make a decision on what dojo to train in before you go to Iwama.
There is the Tanrenkan dojo run by Hitohiro Saito sensei http://www.iwamaikido.com and the Aikikai Ibaragi Branch Dojo under supervision of Isoyama Shihan http://www13.big.or.jp/~aikikai/ with several of M.Saito senseis senior students teaching.
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Old 10-27-2005, 08:52 PM   #9
Chad Scott
Dojo: Hombu Aikikai
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 41
Japan
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Re: Going to Honbu....or Iwama

If you go to Doshu's early morning Friday or Saturday class at Hombu, expect big crowds. Doshu also teaches at 7:00 pm on Friday night. Personally I would recommend that one or Miyamoto-sensei's 5:30 pm Friday class.

You probably already know this, but you can check out the schedule of classes and instructors at http://www.aikikai.or.jp

Have fun!
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Old 10-27-2005, 11:37 PM   #10
Ryan Bigelow
Dojo: Kenyoin
Location: Japan
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 21
United_States
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Re: Going to Honbu....or Iwama

Again, thank you for all your replies. I appreciate your help.
Ryan
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Old 10-28-2005, 01:19 AM   #11
Rupert Atkinson
 
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Dojo: Wherever I am.
Location: New Zealand
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Re: Going to Honbu....or Iwama

Aikikai Honbu (written as Honbu but pronounced Hombu, as determined in another thread , he he) is the place of choice for most foreigners for short trips but I never liked it. Every time you train you meet different people so the place has no club atmosphere (unless you stay long term perhaps). If you find a more local type of dojo you may find it easier to build a relationship or connection that can survive over time. What dojo / sensei are you connected through? Maybe you have already have a connection that can be strengthened by your visit. Or maybe that place is Honbu !

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Old 10-28-2005, 01:47 AM   #12
PaulieWalnuts
Location: Edinburgh
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 117
Scotland
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Re: Going to Honbu....or Iwama

The good thing about Going to see Sensei now (i mean Hitohiro in Iwama) is that any1 can now go regardless of having any iwama experiance, just like how it used to be under his father in the 70s and early 80s before he got stricker. If you check out his website about going, it states that point about not having experiance. well done sensei opening more doors to the world.

On the point of which dojo in honbu, the old Iwama dojo or hitohiros own dojo- well it depends what you want. going to honbu or the old dojo you will have different teachers everyday, you may prefer this or you may feel to many cooks spoil the broth. its the same at the old iwama dojo but you have people teahcing aikikai style there now as well as what Saito senseis old sempai are teaching, PLUS NOT SO MUCH WEAPONS ANYMORE.
if you got to see Hitohiro, well you have 1 teacher working with you the whole time, plus you get probabaly the best aikiken and jo teacher in the world by far. ( his taijustu are no1 in my eyes to)
plus daily shuriken practice. you will love it. its a strick tradtional way, but amazing.

im sure there are other dojos you can attend also
who are you under( style)

good luck choosing
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