Sept 27-30th, 2007
Nepal Teachers Day. Back row: Mr. Adhikari, Instructor John, Front row: Pura, Instructor Rajesh, Dayangi.
“Aikido is a completely different martial art both philosophically and technically that most anyone can practice.”
Aikido is gaining popularity in Nepal, and Aikido Nippon Kan Nepal is growing. In November 2004, current Aikido Nippon Kan General Headquarters official instructor to Nepal, Rajesh Bista invited Homma Kancho by mail to visit to Nepal to introduce the martial art of Aikido to his students. Mr. Bista was the first to bring Aikido to his home country.
In February 2005, Homma Kancho had the opportunity to visit Nepal, but without complete address information was unable to locate Mr. Bista on that visit. Contact was reestablished and a formal visit was arranged by Mr. Bista for Homma Kancho and a group of students from Nippon Kan Headquarters who visited Nepal in January of 2006. On this trip, Homma Kancho taught an introductory seminar at the Kokushin Karate dojo run by Mr. Bishnu Kanta.
The practice of Aikido in Nepal began with this visit, and practice continues to be held now on a daily basis. New members have joined consistently and on this visit Homma Kancho instructed for two days to the enthusiastic students of Kathmandu. Twenty five Kyu promotions were approved for Nepal Aikido Nippon Kan. Instructor Rajeesh Bista has been a good leader of this growing organization and we are looking forward to his advancement as a Nippon Kan General Headquarters staff member. Pramod Adhikari has also been a valuable member performing the administrative duties of the group.
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- Renting space at Kanta Sensei’s dojo.
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- Also renting space at the Judo dojo.
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- Homma Kancho with Sanat Kumar Additional Inspector.
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- Nepal Olympic committee Mr. Pradhan.
“I am pleased to see how the practice of Aikido has grown in Nepal. The etiquette and practice of all of the students is very good. Instructor John from Nippon Kan Headquarters and Instructor Rajesh Bista have been doing a wonderful job teaching not only Aikido technique but manners and philosophy as well. I also would like to commend Pramod for all of his hard work addressing the administrative duties of your growing organization. I am very proud to see the growth in all of students in Nepal and I am proud to see our first woman student Dayangi Sherpa becoming not only a good aikidoist but a wonderful role model for other students as well. Everyone practices here with a sincerity and innocence that is refreshing to see.
“Aikido Nippon Kan Nepal is not quite ready for a permanent dojo facility, but all of you have made great strides in uncomfortable conditions to continue your practice. Even on the days without a mat space you have found places to practice outside in front of the temples with bokken and jo. This is commendable and shows good spirit. This kind of ingenuity and motivation will build a solid foundation well into the future.
“The day will come when the political situation in Nepal becomes stable enough to be able for us to support a permanent dojo facility in Kathmandu for you to practice, but this will take a little more time to accomplish. There are many different martial arts in Nepal and I am also learning that the martial art society in Nepal is controlled by a hierarchy of a few. This seems to be a complicated political hierarchy that I believe the practice of Aikido must be become independent from before more support can become available.
“The Nepalese people are a good people, and there are many students that are sincerely thinking about the future of young people in Nepal as well as the future of Aikido. With the confident actions demonstrated by students with a sincere heart towards the future, more support from Japan and the United States is not far away.”
Early morning in Kathmandu.
Aikido Nippon Kan Nepal Instructor
John Grotrian