AHAN Nippon Kan IISA (Instructors in Support of AHAN) Training Tour: Korea Aikido Federation President Ikam Yoon Sensei’s Denver Seminar

J M

May 11-16, 2007

From left Yoon Sensei, Vice President Busch, Miae Sensei, Homma Kancho.

From left Yoon Sensei, Vice President Busch, Miae Sensei, Homma Kancho.

AHAN Instructors in Support of AHAN, (IISA) are instructors of many different styles and affiliations who support AHAN’s philosophy of service to the community through projects in their own hometowns. The only requirement for becoming an AHAN IISA Instructor is to get involved with one’s students in community service projects of their choosing. As part of AHAN’s IISA program, instructor education is very important, especially for instructors who exhibit an enthusiasm for learning and a dedication to their own practice. Nippon Kan encourages instructor development with projects such as these training tours.
IISA Instructor Ikam Yoon Sensei, a pioneer Aikido Instructor and President of the Korean Aikido Federation (www.aikido.co.kr) was invited to participate in this year’s AHAN 2007 IISA Instructor Training Tour to the United States and Mexico. For the first part of the tour, Yoon Sensei, accompanied by his wife Miae (also an Aikido instructor) came to Denver, Colorado to teach at Nippon Kan Headquarters.

Ikam Yoon Sensei originally trained in the martial art of Aikido under Yasuo Kobayashi Shihan (Aikikai Koboyashi Dojo (www.kobayashi-dojo.com) in Japan. Yoon Sensei is also accomplished in the arts of Korean Hapkido and Tae Kwondo, both of which are very popular martial arts in Korea. After his studies with Kobayashi Shihan in Japan, Yoon Sensei became one of the first instructors to teach Aikido in Korea.

The word Hapkido is written in Korea with the same Japanese kanji symbols as the word for Aikido. Thirty years ago in the United States, Hapkido dojos could be found most everywhere, and Hapkido dojos in the United States often had a pictures of the Founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba hanging in their training areas along with the Japanese kanji for Aikido. What was being taught in Hapkido dojos was not Aikido, but does have historical ties to the Founder Ueshiba. Today, the Hapkido dojos that remain in the United States do not bear a photo of the Founder or the kanji for Aikido. What is taught today in Hapkido dojos is an original Korean martial art and is completely different from the Aikikai Aikido taught in Japan. Hapkido has a Japanese side to its heritage from the days when Japan occupied Korea and I believe Hapkido should be included in our Aikido history. There are high ranking Hombu shihan who throw people high into the air while with one finger while sitting in seiza. If this is considered Aikido, then the definition of Aikido is general enough to include Hapkido as well.
Colorado sightseeing the Yoon Sensei, his wife and Homma Kancho.

Colorado sightseeing the Yoon Sensei, his wife and Homma Kancho.

Today, Ikam Yoon Sensei has branch Aikido dojos all over Korea, and he concentrates his personal teaching on his Korean Aikido Federation’s next generation of Aikido instructors. Aikido is becoming more widespread as a martial art in Korea, and Yoon Sensei and his wife Miae have worked very hard to accomplish this goal.

Yoon Sensei taught a dynamic seminar in Denver with about 100 Nippon Kan students in attendance. After classes, which were enjoyed enthusiastically by all, time was spent in a variety of activities focusing on cross-cultural communication and exchange.

Written by Gaku Homma
Nippon Kan Kancho