Hombu Dojo Entrance

Attending classes

Aikikai membership card

First of all, in order to train at Hombu Dojo, you must be a member of the Aikikai Foundation. Holders of Aikikai-recognized Yudansha grades are registered de facto since their Shodan, others since registration at their respective dojo. Either way, you should present your Aikikai membership card upon which figures your membership number. Do not worry if you are not already a member of the Aikikai Foundation, you can register on the spot (the office hours are: Monday-Saturday 6:00-19:30, Sunday 8:30-11:30) before your first training session by filling a form and paying a ¥8,400 fee which will grant you a lifetime membership. You will have to present your membership card before every training session. Two types of cards exist, one is for beginners and travelers and the other is for regular members (training for several months and taking grading at the Hombu Dojo). Depending on the length of your stay, you might want to inquire further about one or the other.

Aikikai monthly receipt

Visitors can participate to either regular or beginner classes but not to special classes. Regarding women's classes however, although the morning ones (F3) require a special membership, the ones in the evenings (F2) are accessible to women who paid the basic fee. This basic fee is a daily ¥1,575 that will allow you to attend as many of these classes as you wish on that day (see timetable below for teachers and times). If you are going to spend a few weeks or more in Tokyo, you might want to opt for the monthly fee (¥10,500 Monday to Saturday; ¥13,650 Monday to Sunday). Please note that this fee starts and ends at the beginning and end of each month, it is NOT good for 30 days since registration. Many people make the mistake of assuming the latter is true and they often end up having to pay at an unexpected time so please remember this when registering in order to avoid causing an awkward situation for the office staff downstairs.

Classes schedule

This is the official and most up to date Aikikai Hombu Dojo schedule for both the regular and beginner's classes. Please note that instructors are sometimes away and their absences have to be covered. This information is usually made available on a day to day basis by the Aikikai. Regular Hombu Dojo practitioners therefore commonly check the "Instructors for each class" page on the Aikikai website in order to stay informed on who's teaching when.

Uniforms

keikogi

Another thing to keep in mind is that all practitioners, even absolute beginners must wear keikogi, no tracksuits allowed. Keikogi can be purchased at the entrance desk. Rules in various dojos differ but at the Hombu Dojo, the hakama is only worn by men from Shodan and above while women wear it from 3rd kyu. While nobody will correct you if you don't follow these rules, you might want to blend in as much as possible when you arrive and you know the proverb: "when in Rome, do as the Romans"...

Hombu Dojo does not have a laundry facility but there are numerous 24h/24h laundries nearby that will make your life a lot easier. Make sure that you keep your keikogi reasonably clean as it considered as a mark of respect towards fellow practitioners to wear immaculate and odourless training gear. Although you can get away with wearing the same keikogi two classes in a row in winter, expect to have to change guy at every class in summer. Also, the climate being very humid, your gear might not be dry from one day to the other so make sure you obring enough keikogi with you or that you make intensive use of dryer facilities.

keikogi drying

The changing rooms are suited with ¥100 coin lockers. Everything should be put in these lockers, do not leave your bag outside so as not to clutter the restricted space. Also, you should not leave anything in these lockers between classes or overnight. The third floor of the building has a cloth drying area where you can hang your keikogi between classes. You can leave your gear overnight but make sure you take it home before the dojo cleaning in order not to add extra workload on the volunteers performing it.

The keikogi worn at Hombu Dojo are almost exclusively made out of heavy cotton, not the karate-type. People very often wear their names on their hakama and their keikogi. Japanese use kanji and foreigners, katakana. It comes handy to have your name on your stuff for a variety of reasons. First, it helps you easily identify your gear if you leave it to dry upstairs. Secondly, it is useful for the teacher to know your name, particularly if he sees you for the first time. Regarding zori (sandals), while I would certainly recommend having a pair handy while in Japan, don't bother bringing it at the Hombu Dojo for the practitioners and the Sensei walk around bare footed.

Beginner's classes dojo at the first floor	Regular classes dojo at the second floor

Etiquette guidelines generally followed at the Hombu Dojo

While etiquette is not particularly strictly enforced at the Hombu Dojo, you might want to become familiar with the following considerations before you go in order to make sure that you blend in as much as possible and to avoid being scolded by one of the senior practitioners.

Entering the Aikikai building

picture of O Sensei at the Aikikai

When you enter the building, you should stop by the reception desk to deposit your Aikikai membership card. Don't forget to greet the staff by saying "konichiwa" or "konbanwa" depending what time it is. Then take out your shoes and place them in the storing spaces on the left side. Then walk up to the changing rooms, the one at the first floor (floor F2 in Japan) is for women, and second floor (F3) is for men. As you walk in, you should to bow the pictures of O Sensei and Kisshomaru Ueshiba that are in the staircases. Greeting the people in the changing room is also good practice.

The beginner's dojo is on the first floor (F2) and the regular classes take place at the second (F3). There are different entrances for males and females at each floor so make sure you use the correct one (see floor plan below). At the appropriate entrance of the dojo (beginners: E1 for males and females - regular: E2 for females and E3 for males; see floor map), practitioners and visitors should adopt a seiza position in the doorway and perform a bow aimed towards the kamiza, followed by another one aimed towards the centre of the dojo.

Aikikai Hombu Dojo floors map

Start of the Aikido class and greetings

• 
  men's changing rooms
  Practitioners line up in seiza about 5 minutes before the class. There is no particular seating arrangement or rank order and in fact, unless you know people well enough to ask them personally, it will be pretty hard to know someone's grade. Although there is no sitting arrangement, do make sure that you do not sit too close to the back door so as not to prevent people from entering or bowing.
• The Sensei usually arrives sharp on time and enter via the door closest to the kamiza (E2). He sits at the centre, between the kamiza and the students, and both parties perform the first bow (rei) towards the pictures of O Sensei Morihei Ueshiba and his son Kisshomaru Ueshiba.
• Sensei then rotates towards the practitioners and all perform the second rei and say "onegaishimasu", meaning something like "please let me train with you".

Start of the practice

• After a series of individual warm-up exercizes, students go kneel down at the back of the dojo and the teacher demonstrates the first technique.
• Students then bow to the Sensei and choose a training partner, usually the closest one next to them. This pair usually stays together for the whole duration of the class although this tends to be changing a bit lately. Unless you hear the Sensei say "aite kaete" after demonstrating, you should keep the same partner. During beginners classes however, the pairs change at each technique.

During practice

• Philippe Gouttard sweeping the mat
  There should be absolutely no talking on the tatami, don't exchange comments or names during the practice. The only thing that you will say to your partner for the whole hour is likely to be "onegaishimasu" and "arigato gozaimashita".
• When the sensei starts demonstrating a new technique to the class and everyone goes back sitting in seiza around the mat, make sure you don't sit in front of the kamiza.
• People often kneel down around Sensei when he is showing a technique to a pair of students. I personally don't automatically do it unless my partner and I are clueless or unless I am clearly getting in the way of the Sensei. If you are going to sit, do not sit between the Sensei and the kamiza.
• If the Sensei is showing your partner something, you should be sitting in seiza no matter how quick the explanation may be.

End of the practice

• At the end of the class, everyone lines up and bows again to the kamiza, and to each other like at the beginning but this time, saying "arigato gozaimashita".
• The Sensei then exits the dojo, kneeling and bowing from the entrance door, followed by a bow from the student as he leaves.
• Everyone then bows to their training partner(s) saying "domo arigato gozaimashita".
• People use brooms to sweep the mat or wet cloths to clean the wooden surfaces, feel free to participate anytime.
• You will then see people chatting away, practising informally or folding their hakama. You should make sure that you fold your hakama facing the kamiza at the back of the dojo in order not to disturb practitioners, also, try to stay away from the doors.
• If you are going to sit down, make sure you never sit in a way where the back of your feet are facing the kamiza.
• Exit the training area through the same door as the one you used to enter, performing both bows exactly as before.

With these rules in mind, you should blend in quite easily and feel quite comfortable when you make your first entrance at the Hombu Dojo. But remember, the Hombu Dojo is a learning place and nobody will expect you to be perfect. You will probably be reminded a few of these rules and probably some others during your stay and it is all part of the experience. Enjoy your stay in Tokyo and train hard!

A little introduction video on Hombu Dojo

	Aikikai Hombu Dojo		Convenience store		Launderette		Supermarket
	Bath house		Fast food		Restaurant		Train station
	Coffee shop		Hotel		Sport centre

• Phone: (+81) 3-3203-9236
• Fax: (+81) 3-3204-8145
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Website: www.aikikai.or.jp

Acknowledgements:

• Many thanks to Camille Tanaka-Pouant, Jordy Delage and Sébastien Bertolo for the corrections.