August 10th, 2007-February 6th, 2008 All of the gardens and landscaped areas at Nippon Kan are organic and chemical free so we attract many uchideshi (live-in students) of the four legged, eight legged, many-many legged and winged variety. We have everything from dragon flies, butterflies, praying mantis, locusts, grasshoppers and other insects, fish, snakes, frogs, mice, rabbits, squirrels, fox, badgers, …
I was fortunate recently to attend the Kobayashi Summer Camp Seminar held in Canmore, Alberta, Canada. This 4 day seminar was hosted by the Calgary Aikikai which is the home and Dojo of Inaba Yasuhisa Sensei. Inaba Sensei is a long time student and friend of Kobayashi Yasuo Shihan and as I watched the two of them interact over the …
July 22-present Fifty students from Kazakhstan had an important chance this summer to experience life in Colorado through a special government cross-cultural exchange program. Six of these students, having finished their assigned work-study projects, came to work at Nippon Kan’s Domo Japanese Country Foods Restaurant for a one-month internship.The brightest students from all over Kazakhstan were selected for this work-study …
My name is Genbei and I am senior uchideshi at Nippon Kan. Last August, a white dove flew into the Nippon Kan gardens and made herself at home. She spent the winter with me nice and warm in the dojo office, and this spring, she and Ringo (another visiting dove) hatched two eggs in the nest they built there. The …
Recognition from the Mongolian Parliament and Zorig Foundation President, Congresswoman Sanjaasvren Oyun for organizing the farewell event for the Mongolian student exchange group April 28th, 2007. Recognition from the Denver Parks and Recreation Department for leading participation in the Spring Volunteer Trails Day Globeville Park reclamation project, June 4th, 2007 Recognition from the Minoru Yasui Foundation Inn of Court. Nippon …
July 15th, 2007 The finishing touches on last year’s Nippon Kan garden expansion was completed on July 15th, 2007 with the placement of a bronze statue of the Kanzenonbosatsu (Musubi Kannon). This beautiful image from Homma Kancho’s private collection is a seated Kannon figure representing the Buddha listening to the heart of mankind. Soon after Homma Kancho returned from his …
July 10 – Aug 6, 2007 While Homma Kancho was visiting Mindanao Island in the Philippines last February , he met local community leader and martial art instructor, Ava Yancha. Ava does many things for her community and works especially hard caring for Philippine youth in the Illigan City area. Homma Kancho suggested that she be sponsored as a candidate …
July 5-8, 2007 Calgary Aikiki hosted this four-day seminar in the Canadian Rockies instructed by Yasuo Kobayashi Shihan. (www.kobayashi-dojo.com) In attendance as Homma Kancho’s representative was Nippon Kan Instructor Scott Olson. Homma Kancho first met Kobayashi Shihan over 40 years ago when Yasuo Kobayashi Shihan was an instructor at Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, Japan. They met again at Aikido Journal’s …
Jan-July 2007 Since its inception, Nippon Kan has opened its doors to Denver schoolchildren through its School Field Trip Program. This year, from January to July, over 2,000 students toured the Nippon Kan General Headquarters facility on this special cultural tour. These two-hour excursions into Japanese culture include a facility tour, hands-on origami (paper folding), shodo (brush calligraphy), Aikido demonstrations, …
May 11-16, 2007 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 …
March 25th, 2007 Written by Jim Lattanzio Tournament Nippon Kan chief coordinator Nippon Kan was declared the winner and returned home once again with the winner’s trophy from the 12th annual Enshin Karate-Nippon Kan bowling tournament held March 25th. About 100 people attended this special tournament, founded twelve years ago to honor Enshin Karate’s Founder Joko Ninomiya Kancho’s birthday. Ninomiya …
January 21st, 2007 Written by Emily Busch Nippon Kan Vice President The first Homeless Dinner Service of the year began the same as usual with one exception. Usually, the vegetables are peeled and cut in the Nippon Kan-Domo gardens by students after practice on the Sunday morning of the meal service. On January 21st however it was snowing hard outside …
Jan 8th, 2007 Written by Nippon Kan Office Staff Tyfanny Price Four, six-week sessions of Beginner’s classes are scheduled every eight weeks at Nippon Kan throughout the year. Inspired by New Year resolutions, 110 new students join in this first group of Beginner’s classes for the year. This year, Denver had a very severe winter with several record breaking snow …
Homma Kancho implemented a new direction for Nippon Kan beginning with Nippon Kan’s end-of- year activities in December. Homma Kancho spoke on the matter. “It is now time in the history of our dojo to simplify and streamline operations at Nippon Kan. When the dojo was young, Nippon Kan was run more like a small family business and the focus …
Thomas Dammen Sensei Youth Program Director Dec 16th, 2006 Youth program promotions are held bi-annually at Nippon Kan. In many dojos, fees for examinations and promotions are a typical source of income, especially in children’s classes. At Nippon Kan there are no examinations or any fees charged for promotion which has been a tradition at Nippon Kan since its inception. …
