Homma Kancho explained why the Macho Party was held out in the cold: “It feels not right and lonely not to have a Year End Party. But there are many people in the countries in Asia where AHAN provides humanitarian support activities who are not sure whether they can be blessed with the next meal. I still struggle to fathom …
This is the letter written by late Kisshomaru Ueshiba, then Doshu, a son of Morihei Ueshiba, the Founder of Aikido, dated on August 11, 1969 and addressed to Homma Kancho when he was still a young man who would not yet have founded Nippon Kan. The letter clearly states Homma Kancho had been an uchideshi of the Founder of Aikido, …
In a mountainous area in western Thailand near the border with Myanmar, is where Bilay House stands and operates. Bilay House adopts and looks after children who have come over and through the mountainous area from Myanmar for various reasons. Pastor Bilay, the leader at Bilay House, is of the Karen tribe, and he has both legs paralyzed from the …
After the research & support tour in the city of Huế, I visited a local Aikido club in the evening, as usual when I’m in the area. Young people, from middle schooler and college kids, were gathering and talking jubilantly and noisily with their mobile phones, and I found out they were talking about Japan’s Anime. Some of the kids …
Earlier in 2017, conflicts erupted again in villages near Bangladesh, and the conflicts have resulted in forcing over 500,000 (estimated) Rohingya persons, who are followers of Islam, to become refugees in Bangladesh. In fact, I witnessed many such refugees in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh during my recent trip to the region. While AHAN Nippon Kan has remained and will ever remain …
A mother with 27-year-old disabled son on her back, their hardships will continue until it’s time for one of them to pass away. I saw them at a support supply distribution center among victims of the use of defoliant during the Vietnam War. The mother and the son cannot hide, but rather have to “expose” their appearances to remain eligible …
Ms. May was waiting for us. Ms. May came out to greet me with her big welcoming gesture with her baby belly. Back in 1996 when she was 3 years of age, she was brought to the temple by her mother, and it was only the mother who left the temple and went back home. As the mother was so …
With her 27-year-old son on her back while carrying 25-year-old son, the mother must live day-by-day. Simply going to work is a luxury…. These people are the victims of the use of defoliant during the Vietnam War. Although many assert different claims about these unfortunate people, whose full-time job, as it seems to have become, is to be given the …
I visited Cox’s Bazar and its surrounding region in southeastern Bangladesh to witness humanitarian support activities by Madrasa Orphanage and School for girls based in Dhaka to help a number of Rohingya Refugees. Nippon Kan has been supporting Madrasa Orphanage and School for girls in Dhaka for the last 10 years, and it’s estimated that there are currently approximately 500,000 …
I visited a farm run by Mr. Quoc Tuan who opens his 10-acre or so farm land for those who are interested in organic farming. The main purpose of the visit was to promote organic farming at the farm to grow scallions (a.k.a. green onion, spring onion and salad onion) in the Karasin (also spelled …
Aikido Nippon Kan’s Annual Autumn Community Service celebrated its 26th Anniversary in Denver’s landmark, Civic Center Park. “Engaged Budoism ( http://www.nippon-kan.org/writings/engaged-budoism/ )”, one of Nippon Kan’s most important Aikido Philosophies, is one of the teachings by Homma Kancho. That is, we must not be trapped in an illusion that we can master the art of Aikido only practicing it …
I paid a visit to Bilay House again with my last visit 3 months ago. Many children welcomed my visit again, and it was good to see them. A total of 44 children live together at Bilay House, and among them are 4 high school students, 13 junior high schoolers, 18 grade school kids and 9 kindergarteners. Also, 5 adults, …
Morihiro Saito Shihan: if you are an Aikido instructor and don’t claim to recognize the name, you must either be a novice instructor with shallow and lackluster experience or intentionally ignoring him for some inconvenient reasons. Morihiro sensei and Yap sensei He is the one and only “late Morihiro Saito Shihan of Iwama” who passed away in May of 2002. …
A video clip of Aikido demonstrations by Hiromi Matsuoka, who has been featured in this Facebook page, has been accessed and viewed over 17,000 times in just 2 months, and the number of access continues to grow. Hiromi Matsuoka started to practice Aikido when she was 8 under Yasuo Kobayashi Shihan of Aikido Kobayashi Dojo, and she holds the 4th …
