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Sagawa-ha Daito-ryu II
Hello,
I'm sorry for posting so late. Perhaps many of you have long forgotten this subject. After numerous consultations with Kimura Tatsuo Sensei, I'm posting here to clarify few points.
1. Training at Sagawa Dojo / Sagawa-ha Daito-ryu: It's still not open for public. Native Japanese must apply in writing to be allowed to practice. As to foreign practitioners, still no-one is allowed. After my initial experience class I was not allowed for further practice. Only later Kimura Sensei agreed to let me come to his dojo located in Tsukuba.
2. As to Mr. Hasegawa's experience: After knowing about the discussion on Aikido Journal Bulletin, Mr. Hasegawa apologized to Kimura Sensei, saying something about "foreign students have incorrectly interpreted his expression after his experience class in Tsukuba". In his interview in Aiki News (Spring 2001, No.132, page 46) he reffers to his experience with Kimura Sensei in different way. Yes, he still continues Aikido. He was allowed only for one experience class.
3. In Aikido Journal Bulletin Board, Mr. Pranin reffers to someone, whose opinion of Sagawa Sensei was low. I've asked Kimura Sensei about that, he explained that it was years ago, when Sagawa Sensei was still alive. A very famous budoka and budo journalist came for an experience class in Sagawa Dojo, and was treated just like everyone else (simply: thrown hard when practicing with students there). He felt embarraced and angry (expecting to be respected perhaps, since he was already quite famous in Japan's budo circles). Afterwards, he wrote some articles (?) about how he "took best of Sagawa Dojo' students and Sagawa Sensei himself" (!). He apologized to Sagawa Dojo only after Sagawa Sensei's death. It wasn't a public apology, though.
Kimura Sensei asked not to mention that person's name.
Some people training in Sagawa Dojo/Tsukuba are highly ranked (I mean 5th - 8th Dan) kendoka, judoka, karateka, aikidoka. Kimura Sensei himself was 5th Dan Aikido and 3rd Dan kendo, when he joined Sagawa Dojo.
4. Techniques: When writing my article I already knew it will be met with disbelief and criticism. Here again, I have nothing more to say than: THIS STUFF IS REAL! All I can say to people, who treat it with skepticism (well, not to blame them, if I haven't experienced it myself I would never believe): Try to get permission to join an experience class in Tsukuba. See (or FEEL) for yourself.
Kimura Sensei said:
"Many people say: to see is to believe. But is Sagawa-ha Daito-ryu to feel is to believe".
I recall post from Mr.Dan Harden, about putting a lot of hard work and sweat into such achievements. This is exactly what should be done. Sweat, sweat, and ... more sweat. There are no shortcuts. Fist few years in Sagawa Dojo are terrible. You just take ukemi, any technique you learn and try to initiate on someone will be resisted, and at the end it's you, who lands on tatami. That's how they train your body and spirit.
I am going to practice under Kimura Sensei again in November. Mr. Hasegawa will be allowed for another experience class then.
Anyway, if there are questions, which I am able to answer, I will. Thank you all.
Paul Wollos
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