Trip to Japan part 2: First Class at the Hombu Dojo | Travels

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Trip to Japan Chapter List

1 - Arrival to Tokyo

2 - First Class at the Hombu dojo

3 - The group travels South

4 - Kyōto, historical capital of Japan

5 - To the discovery of Tokyo

6 - Practice with Philippe Gouttard

7 - Introduction to Daitoryu Aikijujutsu

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Trip to Japan part 2: First Class at the Hombu Dojo

Written by Guillaume Erard

Wednesday, 10 September 2008 12:42

This is the second part of the series of articles on the Dublin Aikikai Aikido trip to Japan in May 2008. It is day two, the night has been short and full of surprises (not the least of which was an earthquake shaking their bed for a whole minute in the middle of the night) and the crew is heading in jolly mood for its first practice at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo.

That morning, we realise that we are quite lucky to be staying about 10-15 minutes walk from the Hombu dojo. It will be a significant advantage for the days to come since it means that we can go back to lay down for a while between classes, a luxury that many visiting Aikidoka cannot afford because of the remote accommodations that they have chosen. The thing is that there is no resting room as such for visitors at the Aikikai so usually; visitors invade the neighbouring coffee shops in order to relax and spend the time between classes.

The group on the way to Hombu

The walk from the hotel to the Hombu dojo is very pleasant; we are in a nice part of Shinjuku, with lots of small streets and many little shops. It really feels like a small village inside Tokyo. On the way, we pass a place where an old couple is making Tofu (豆腐) every morning. A few meters further, it is a small bakery that pleases our sense of smell with their fresh breads and croissants. Actually, I will soon grow quite addicted to their turtle shaped brioche after hard mornings of training... We also pass a couple of convenience stores, an off-license, some small 10 seats restaurants and the always useful launderette. What strikes us is of course the typical chaotic, spider web like, arrangement of electricity, phone and antenna cables above our heads.

The spider web of phone and electicity lines

Electric cables in the streets

I am told that it is because of the seismic nature of the region that they lines were not buried. Last but not least, we pass countless vending machines which are a very important part of urban landscape in Tokyo. You can find pretty much anything in there, from cigarettes to drinks (hot and cold, including beer), from sandwiches to toys or even flowers. These massive 1L Asahi cans are a big temptation after a hot class!

oha

The always welcome vending machine

Before we know it, we finally arrive in front of the legendary site where once stood the old house of O Sensei and its attached dojo, the Kobukan Dojo (皇武館道場). Since 1967 it has been replaced by a he five-story dojo including three separate training areas totalling 250 tatami (畳) that hosts the Aikikai Hombu Dojo (合気会本部道場). The main dojo is on the third floor and totals 100 tatami, while two other training areas exist on the 2nd and 4th floors. The reception area is located on the first floor, and changing rooms are located adjacent to the main dojo on the third floor. Regular and Beginner classes are held in the main dojo and are open to all Aikido practitioners who hold Aikikai membership. Special courses take place daily in either of the remaining practice spaces. Current special courses include a Women's class, and a set of Beginner (up to 4th kyu), Intermediate (4th-1st kyu), and Advanced (1st kyu and above) courses. These courses have fixed start and finish dates and limited enrolment.

Entrance of the Hombu Dojo

One cannot help feeling a bit nervous upon the first entry into the building that has seen so much of Aikido history unfold over the years and where all the top Aikido instructors have been formed, including our own, Philippe Gouttard. Registration is quick and we climb the stairs towards the changing rooms. We are greeted by the traditional "Ohayogozaimasu!!!" (おはようございます, good morning). It is 6am and the changing rooms are absolutely packed with Aikidoka from many nationalities. Japanese are probably making only half of the total number. We try to access a locker and change, avoiding stepping over one another. As I pass the curtain to enter the dojo, my heart starts beating when I face the kamidana (神棚, wall of honour) that I have seen so many times reproduced in the different Aikido books I read over the years.

The main dojo of the Aikikai Hombu Dojo

Everybody is warming up individually. Philippe is here, as usual (he has attended every single class for the whole length of his stay), standing at the back of the dojo and chatting to other practitioners among which I can recognise Frank Noel a 7th dan from France. I also get the nice surprise to see Silvia, a Bulgarian friend who had spent a few months with us in Dublin the year before. It is actually very comforting to see familiar faces. Atsunobu, a Japanese Aikidoka whom I had met in San Diego the year before is on the mat too. Later on, I notice the presence of Olivier Gaurin. He and I have been in contact via Aikidoka Magazine but I have never met him in person. We will actually get to know each other better during my stay and he is the one who will introduce me to the practice of Daito-ryu Aiki- jujutsu a few days later. These encounters really make me realise that Aikido is indeed a small world and that it is a wonderful thing to be able to meet so many Aikidoka in the same neutral place beyond all considerations of style and affiliation. That is in fact one of the main interest of practicing at the Aikikai.

Philippe Gouttard and an Uchi Deshi

At 6h30 sharp, the Doshu (道主, keeper of the way) Moriteru Ueshiba, the grandson of founder Morihei Ueshiba enters the room which is now in a complete silence, while everybody is seating in seiza (正座, kneeling). The class starts by a 15 minutes warming up. Space is very restricted but it feels good to be on the mat. Talking about the tatami, the first thing that we realise is that it is way harder than the tatami we are used to practice on in Europe. It will soon become a problem for the knees and backs of those less experienced...

Me at work

After the warm up, the Doshu starts showing the basic Aikido techniques, Irimi Nage, Ikkyo, Shihonage. His role as Dojo-Sho is to preserve the integrity of the teaching and show neutral, textbook-like Aikido day after day just like his father did before him. At the Aikikai, you usually train with the same partner for the entire hour. The class is great and even if the space is tight, people are very watchful and we quickly feel comfortable. We finish the lesson by a 10 minutes Jyu Waza (free techniques), quite exhausted. There is now a welcome, half an hour break before the next session. It is Hayato Osawa Sensei who is going to take the following class. What a great opportunity it is to be able to experience the teaching of all these famous teachers in the same place!

The class finishes at 9pm, it is now time to clean the dojo (everybody is involved, including the great masters!), fold our hakama (袴) and take a cold shower. No hot water at the Hombu Dojo, even in winter...

After wiping the floor with the other practitioners, Philippe is at it again with a broom

We then head towards a small coffee shop where we will end up taking most of our breakfasts during our stay. Located just around the corner from the dojo, its the owners have obviously spent some time in Britain. They serve us a copious English breakfast composed of eggs, toasts, lettuce and cold mash potatoes. The tea is excellent and the toasts massive! This collation is most welcome and feels well deserved after this first morning, all of this for barely 4 euros (¥600)!

Once the breakfast finished, it is now time for us to take a quick shower at the hotel and discover the streets of Tokyo!

Check out the locations described in this article

__________________________

To go further:

Trip to Japan part 1 - Arrival to Tokyo

Trip to Japan part 2 - First Class at the Hombu dojo

Trip to Japan part 3 - The group travels South

Trip to Japan part 4 - Kyōto, historical capital of Japan

Trip to Japan part 5 - To the discovery of Tokyo

Trip to Japan part 6 - An hour on the mat with Philippe Gouttard

Trip to Japan part 7 - Daitoryu Aikijujutsu