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Busy spring in Tokyo
It's an amazing feeling--an entire arena almost full of aikidoka. The halls echo with aikido talk, gis and hakamas are draped over the seats and the smack of hundreds of people falling together seems to shake the foundations. The All Japan Aikido Demostration--or "embukai" as it's known locally, is an annual ritual for aikido folk hereabouts, a day to sit back and watch the best (and worst) modern Japan has to offer. Many also don their gis for what seems like a 10-second turn on one of five mats set up on the floor of the Nippon Budokan. Being a part of the annual Hombu embu consists of waiting in the basement hallway of the Budokan for about an hour sweating in your gi as various stressed-out senseis organize a line, move the line, re-form the line and then mobilize the troops for their 90 seconds of glory. It feels like the entire world is watching you, although both times I've been in it my friends have said "Really? You were out there?" Just being polite, I'm sure, as that Budokan lighting is far from flattering and I always seem to forget everything I've ever learned as soon as its time for a demo or test. Ikkyo? What's that? Every year there are unforgetable moments, senseis from obscure dojos who make you gasp with admiration and vow to move to the sticks and senseis from not-so-obscure dojos who make you cringe with embarassment. This year's embukai, held in memory of Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba, was no different. The five hours of aikido were capped by a dynamic demonstration of basic technique by Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba that stirred a resounding round of applause. Maybe I'm getting sentimental in my old age, but this year what stood out for me were the kids. Mat after mat seemed full of kids with amazing amounts of energy and ability. Not just the cute little ones, but junior high and high schools as well. It was great to see that aikido is alive and well among the younger generations in Japan. In a year of such grief and loss in the aikido world, it was really moving to see group after group of little kids galloping across the Budokan floor to take their places on the mat, line up in their colored belts and start tossing each other around. Especially impressive for me was a group of girls from Kinjyo Gakuin High School, who did tachiwaza with a power and precision that was truly inspiring. Also outstanding were the boys of Hiroshima Saijo Agricultural High School, who did their techniques in unison with kiai shouts that rang to the rafters. And then there were two little girls who took ukemi for a Shihan--who looked like he wasn't holding back much. And the littlest kids of Hombu dojo, who sometimes needed a pep talk from the teachers in mid-technique. A young man known as one of the tougher characters at Hombu--himself a graduate of the kid's class--helped a tiny girl with her ikkyo on one corner of the mat. I couldn't help but think that the late Doshu would be proud to see the traditions of aikido passed into the future. *** The embukai caps off a busy month or so at Hombu Dojo, starting with the annual pilgrimage to Iwama for O-Sensei's memorial day. Compared to the concrete canyons of Tokyo, Iwama is always a bit of a vacation, still pretty rural even though it's only two hours or so away by train. This year was a bit cold and rainy, but it warmed up nicely in time for the outdoor picnic. First there was a ceremony at the Aikido Shrine in memory of Doshu Kisshomaru Sensei, followed by a demonstration on the shrine's tatami mats by Doshu Moriteru Sensei. Then relaxing and eating a boxed lunch and bean cakes outside of the Iwama dojo. Lots of sake helped take off the remaining chill of the day. *** A newer tradition for some Hombu members is the annual international seminar at Saku Dojo, run by Hombu Shihan Sesishiro Endo. Held during the Golden Week holidays when Hombu Dojo is closed, the Saku seminar is an opportunity to train with aikidoka from all over the world in a more intimate setting. In addition to daily training, the seminar also features demonstrations by visiting teachers and Endo Sensei for the people of Saku, a small city in Nagano Prefecture, north of Tokyo. There is also party featuring the talents of each nationality. This year the Spanish sang love songs, the Germans sang some kind of medieval-sounding song in parts (!) the French sang a sad country song, the Japanese did Okinawan folk dances, and the Americans, well, we sang "The Brady Bunch" theme song. Now that's culture! |
