IAF Congress in Tanabe

[P Goldsbury]

This forum has been quiet recently, so here is a new topic.

The IAF will hold its 10th Congress next year. The venue is the city of Tanabe, which is the birthplace of Morihei Ueshiba. Apart from the actual congress sessions, there will be several hours of training every day, conducted by the shihans of 7th dan and 8th dan rank from the Aikikai Hombu instruction department.

At the last Congress, held in 2004, a major topic was discussed as a result of discussions on web forums such as this. The topic was dojo violence and sexual harrassment. The discussion served to open they eyes of some, especially males of a conservative bent accustomed to 'traditional' training, who had never thought about the matter.

One topic that is likely to be aired is the lack of competition in aikido, but if
anyone has any other 'burning issues', I would be interested to hear about them.

The Congress will take place in October 2008 (later than usual, to avoid the fasting month of Ramadan). Along with congress and training, it is planned to organize trips to places often visited by the Founder, such as the Kumano shriens and the Nachi falls.

Best wishes to all,

PAG

[PRehse]

One topic that is likely to be aired is the lack of competition in aikido, but if
anyone has any other 'burning issues', I would be interested to hear about them.

Wonder if they would invite someone from the Tomiki world.

[MikeE]

You probably have a better chance than someone who was originally Aikikai and now is in K. Tohei's line.

[Thirza]

Hello Peter,

thank you for the information...are there real dates defined?
I'm planning my scedule for 2008,...the sooner I know the dates, the easyer I can arrange everything,

thank you,Thirza Schraa.

Itten dojo

[P Goldsbury]

Hello Peter,

thank you for the information...are there real dates defined?
I'm planning my scedule for 2008,...the sooner I know the dates, the easyer I can arrange everything,

thank you,Thirza Schraa.

Itten dojo

Hello Thirza,

There is now detailed information on the IAF website, at www.aikido-international.org

Best wishes,

PAG

[john_lord_b3]

Hello Thirza,

There is now detailed information on the IAF website, at www.aikido-international.org

Best wishes,

PAG

Hello Prof. Goldsbury,

You got Private Message from me

Thank you!

[gaijinsmash]

you guys are lucky, i live quite close to Tanabe, its realy nice and if you like your Onsen after some hard training then Shirahama has some great ones (its 1 or 2 stops south on the JR line. the Nachi falls and surrounding temples are realy good (there are more onsen here too) While your in the area try and visit Koya-san. If the weather's good then there s a nice Kayaking trip that can be easily organised at Kesagawa JR station (which can be added to a day trip to Nachi)

[P Goldsbury]

you guys are lucky, i live quite close to Tanabe, its realy nice and if you like your Onsen after some hard training then Shirahama has some great ones (its 1 or 2 stops south on the JR line. the Nachi falls and surrounding temples are realy good (there are more onsen here too) While your in the area try and visit Koya-san. If the weather's good then there s a nice Kayaking trip that can be easily organised at Kesagawa JR station (which can be added to a day trip to Nachi)

Ben Lazarus

Moderator: Mr Lazarus, welcome to E-Budo. Please sign all your posts with your full name. You actually agreed to do this when you became a member.

I agree entirely about the location in Tanabe and I believe that the travel agent who is looking after accommodation plans to offer some excursions to local places of interest.

Best wishes,

[gaijinsmash]

Sorry about that. Just to note you dont need a travel agent to organise all the trips (ie if your staying longer) Wakayama is realy easy to travel around, The Lonely Planet Guide is quite good for it.

Ben Lazarus

[P Goldsbury]

Sorry about that. Just to note you dont need a travel agent to organise all the trips (ie if your staying longer) Wakayama is realy easy to travel around, The Lonely Planet Guide is quite good for it.

Ben Lazarus

Sure. I meant that the Tanabe city government has asked a local travel agent to organize accommodation for congress and seminar participants and I think they plan to offer local trips also. Of course, people can make their own arrangements for local sightseeing if they wish.

[Amir]

Dear Prof. Goldsbury

If you are looking for topics to discuss about Aikido. I would say the role of Uke is one such issue, Examples for topics which were raised here and at aikiweb very often:

can one teach beginners to be good Uke?
What is required of Uke?
Should Uke assist or resist Tori while performing a technique? When? Stages?
Who is the actual techer per technique, your Uke or Sensei?


Competition is one singular approach to this more generic issue.


Amir

[P Goldsbury]

Dear Prof. Goldsbury

If you are looking for topics to discuss about Aikido. I would say the role of Uke is one such issue, Examples for topics which were raised here and at aikiweb very often:

can one teach beginners to be good Uke?
What is required of Uke?
Should Uke assist or resist Tori while performing a technique? When? Stages?
Who is the actual techer per technique, your Uke or Sensei?


Competition is one singular approach to this more generic issue.

Amir

Amir,

Thanks very much. I agree that the four questions are very important and need to be discussed. We have lectures followed by Q & A sessions and these would be good topics. I will have a meeting at the Aikikai Hombu later this month and will discuss this general matter with Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba.

Best wishes,

[Mark Murray]

Goldsbury sensei,

I guess one "burning" topic that I'd like to see addressed is the issue with "aiki" training. As you have noticed, there is a way of training to gain "aiki" skills. It has been shown that these training methods are direct and physical, not indirect (do kata for 20 years) and intangible (ki is the breath of life). The topic has started to become, why aren't these training methodologies being taught? It is beyond doubt that these "aiki" skills were those employed by Ueshiba. So, where have they gone and where has the teaching methodology gone?

Thank you,
Mark

[P Goldsbury]

Hello Mark,

I would answer you as I did for Amir's questions.

Some of us have been doing our own private research on the issues you have brought up (which have been discussed at length in Aikiweb and Aikido Journal). I have approached the two surviving Hombu 9th dans about this and they both told me that O Sensei never explicitly taught these skills. So I think this is the first issue: why; why not?

(Both of these 9th dans had worked out their own private training regimes and one did this outside the Aikikai.)

Best wishes,

[Mark Murray]

Thank you sensei for the reply.

Do you think there will be any discussions as to why or why not?

Mark