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 …
Children can’t be raised by cement or bricks ~ An Activist Monk in Sittwe, Myanmar
October 31, 2017
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 …
A Tragedy of an Endless War
October 23, 2017
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 …
AHAN Nippon Kan Activities in Bangladesh
October 22, 2017
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 …
Organic Farming in a suburb of Hội An, Vietnam
October 21, 2017
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 …
A Shovel for a Bokken
October 20, 2017
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 …
Visit to Bilay House
October 20, 2017
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, …
Hiromi Matsuoka Sensei – Dispatched to the Dojo of Stephanie Yap Shihan in Florida
September 30, 2017
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. …
Aikido and Physical Training
September 29, 2017
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 …
Beyond Generations – Joko Ninomiya and Koichi Ninomiya
September 22, 2017
There is a great Karate Shihan (Karate Master) in Denver, who is well known and respected throughout the world. The shihan is Joko Ninomiya sensei, the founder of Enshin Karate. Our first encounter with each other goes back over 40 years, and ever since then we have developed a deep and mutually respectful friendship while respecting each other as a …
Nepalese Army – Devoted the Most to putting Nippon Kan’s AHAN Credo into Practice
September 16, 2017
There can be many appearances of Aikido, as it should, in my opinion. Just like gathering with fellow Aikidoka (Aikidoists ) after practice (keiko) to have a good time with a few drinks and “sake” can be a good aspect of Aikido to foster a sense of camaraderie among fellow Aikidoka, not only to promote a healthy sense of self-esteem …
A visit to Nippon Kan by Nepal’s High-Ranking Military Officers
September 13, 2017
Nepali Army Rangers Colonel Anup Thapa and Lt. Colonel Sameer Rana came to visit Nippon Kan to attend the Completion Ceremony of the 30-day long Marathon Keiko Seminar to witness the Nepali soldiers’ accomplishments. Nippon Kan and its advisors and executive members hosted a welcome party for the honorable guests during which Nippon Kan Headquarters presented to them a commemorative …
K9 Training Center, Emily Dojo
September 13, 2017
During the Welcome Party hosted by Nippon Kan and its advisors and executive members, the Nepali Army Rangers Colonel Anup Thapa announced that a Dojo, funded and donated personally by Homma Kancho and established 4 years ago for the purpose of training Nepali Army’s K9 battalions, was recently renamed to be “K9 Training Center, Emily Dojo”. The Training Center has …
A visit to Nippon Kan by a group of delegates from Higashi Naruse Village, Japan
September 12, 2017
It’s been 27 years since the Higashi Naruse village and Nippon Kan formed an alliance to facilitate cultural exchange programs. Nippon Kan welcomed 5 high school students and 3 village staff members this year. The group of delegates from the village not only visited a few public elementary schools, a local farm, but experienced American lifestyle through a short-term home-stay …
Many helping hands at AHAN Meals Service Project
September 12, 2017
The group of delegates from the Higashi Naruse village and the group of soldiers from the Nepal Army, a total of 16 helpers between the two groups, participated in the August’s Meals Service Project. The project has been supported by Homma Kancho’s leadership and his individual monetary contributions and many Nippon Kan volunteers for the past 27 years to have …