Aikido Training in the Mountains, A Long Way from Where I Started

Two weeks ago I attended a weekend training camp with my Aikido club in Tenkawa, Yoshino in the central southern mountains of our Nara Prefecture. I had been looking forward to this weekend ever since I signed up for it months ago. Initially, Erin was planned to go to Tokyo for a huge anime convention, which fell through, so I figured it would be a good time for me to travel on my own as well. Even though Erin's plans fell through, she still encouraged me to attend the camp, seeing it as I did, a once in a lifetime experience.

I have been fairly new to martial arts, but it's been in my heart and mind for much longer. When I was young, I discovered a book one day at Cal City Library titled, Zen In The Martial Arts by Joe Hyams, an personal account of Joe's experiences training in several martial art styles, his insights and lessons learned from various teachers including Master Bruce Lee. I must've borrowed this book from the library dozens of times, each time probably wearin' out the pages but the words still fresh in my head with each story, anecdote, and philosophical insight. Sure, back then in the eighties-early nineties, every kid had fantasies of being a Karate Kid(one of my all-time favorite movies) or a ninja, but this book introduced me to the mental and philosophical side of the martial arts. It was in this book that I first read about Aikido, a traditional by fairly new martial art that was created, like many other disciplines, here in Japan. Here's a link for further history and info, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aikido

I fell in love with the principles of Aikido, the seemingly simplistic forms and application and beauty of the art. It was not until moving here to Japan did I have the opportunity to finally begin my training in this tradition Japanese martial art.

Prior to coming to Japan, my martial arts training started just a few years ago at the Degerberg Academy in Chicago, a great facility and staff who introduced me to several disciplines of fighting techniques for almost two years. It was here where I finally began to do what I had always read in books and watched in movies and TV. After my membership ended at Degerberg and the momentum of life was quickly building with our wedding, our moves, and eventual Big Move to Japan, I had to put my martial arts on the back burner, but I promised myself that once we were settled in Japan I would find someplace where I can pick it back up. I am grateful for for finding the school I attend know, Kashiba Aikido Dojo, and for meeting everyone there.

It's been almost a year since I started training at Kashiba Dojo, an easy bike ride from our place, and I've learned so much and at the same time realize that I've got so much still to learn. First off, all the practices are, of course, in Japanese. So, through the language barrier, it's a huge challenge for me to grasp the lessons each week, not just for the actual, kata(the physical forms or "moves"), but to understand the purpose and deeper meaning of aikido, the philosophy. This is no easy task for a person who has, at best, a kindergarten language level of Japanese. So, back to the basics, as with everything I had to do initially upon integrating myself into a Japanese lifestyle. If I can't rely on my ears, then eyes and hands don't fail me now! I also am fortunate to have had my prior martial arts experience and training from Degerberg in Chicago, which had given me confidence and an understanding of body mechanics that is applicable and indispensable to my Aikido training. This would be tested ultimately during the weekend Aikido camp.
*I also found a great book on Aikido many years ago, Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere, which intially fed my interest in Aikido and currently is my personal text book to studying Aikido on my own.










I was a little worried but mostly excited to get to spend a whole weekend with my classmates from Kashiba dojo, discovering a new part of Japan I've never been to, and learning more about Aikido. My worries came from my poor handle of the Japanese language, even after a year of living here, but I knew everyone in the dojo would be more than helpful and friendly throughout the weekend. We met in the morning by Kashiba Sports Center to board the big bus bound for Tenkawa. It was only about two hours away, but a beautiful drive, especially when we got into the mountains.
We arrived and met in the ryokan(traditional Japanese "hotel") for formal introductions and lunch, then dressed in our gi(uniforms) for today's lessons. We hopped on the bus again which took us to the training building, a nearby junior high school across the river about 15 minutes away. The highlight of all the training sessions were the ones we used weapons, my first time. I mean, back home at Degerberg I began learning Filipino stick fighting, Kali, and knife fighting, but this was the first time to practice with a bokken(wooden sword) and Jo(wooden staff) in very traditional and disciplined Japanese manner... it was awesome!


One particular moment I will never forget occurred very early Sunday morning, after a late, late night of drinking and singing during the enkai(drinking party). We all woke up at 5am, some still sleeping, sore, and/or hungover, dressed in our gi for morning training. I was actually feeling pretty good, even though I was one of the last to sleep and drank my fair share of sake and beer(and some liquor from Okinawa that felt hot in your throat n belly). We filed in line and followed our sensei outside, down the road in the misty morning. We walked and came to a suspension foot bridge across the river, which is not the kinda thing a person reasonably scared of heights wants to deal with at 5 in the morning. Gambattene! We crossed the swaying bridge, five men at a time as the sign indicated, which opened up to a baseball field at the base of a mountain. There, we found our sensei sitting seiza(legs folded underneath) facing the mountain, his bokken at his left side. We all followed suit, taking our place on the hard gravely, sandy ground(almost all baseball fields, soccer fields, any sports fields in Japan do NOT have grass). Let me tell you, sitting seiza is not comfortable to begin with, you have to condition yourself for this posture; but, sitting seiza with tiny pebbles under your bear feet and thinly clothed knees leaves an impression, both figuratively and literally. Itaiiii!!! But after awhile, you just push out the pain and focus on the training. We trained with wooden swords under that mountain before the sun came up, our voices echoed back at us, our feet bruised and sanded smooth. Our lesson ended for now, we retired back to the ryokan for a nap before breakfast, and more training that morning and afternoon.


The whole weekend was an amazing experience. Not only because I was able to learn more about Aikido and practice the things I've already learned, but it gave me great insight and understanding into Japanese culture in general. This was the first time I've been in the company of only Japanese people for more than just a few hour.


We ate, drank, trained, and slept in the company of each other, and it was so great to be part of this community, with welcomed acceptence. We shared jokes, thoughts, and cultural differences and interests throughout the weekend.

It just enforces my observations that we are all the same, no matter where in the world we are. Yes, there definitely are differences due to culture and tradition, but it was simple to see that people are people. I think if you can share a laugh with a person or group, there's an understanding there that's beyond language. For me, the same goes with sharing music. We definitely laughed the whole weekend, and even shared music. Aikido is also like this for me to some degree, a measure of personal understanding with those I train with. I guess it's kinda hard to explain, but I know, without words, that I can communicate with my classmates through Aikido.



I'm so happy and fortunate to have this opportunity to train at Kashiba Dojo, with my sensei and all my classmates. I don't know how often, or if ever, they've had a gaijin(foreigner) at Kashiba dojo, but they have treated me with great love and respect, and overwhelming kindness. The weekend in Tenkawa was no different and I feel even closer to everyone after the camp.