May 26-June 5th, 2010 Nippon Kan Kancho, Gaku Homma visited Yangon, Myanmar in late May and early June of this year. The purpose of this visit was to research locations for a new permanent facility for the AHAN Learning Center in Yangon. On this trip, Homma Kancho hand carried five new computers donated by the Minoru Yasui Inn of Court …
From Korea AHAN Korea Charity Benefit Concert
November 21, 2009
November 21, 2009 Korean Aikido Pioneer and Korean Aikido Federation Founder and President, I-kam Yoon Sensei and his students sponsored and produced a charity concert in November for underprivileged families in Seoul. This project enlisted not only Aikidoka under Yoon Sensei’s direction but many talented artists and volunteers from the general public. Yoon Sensei understands well the philosophy of AHAN …
HTC Women’s Campus in Elein
November 5, 2009
Nov 5th, 2009 On the following day, the drummers visited the city of Al Ain for a concert to be performed on the HTC Women’s University campus. This campus has smaller accommodations, so two performances were scheduled to accomodate the over 600 women in attendance. The Woman’s University in Al Ain does not have a gymnasium. In accordance with Islamic …
HCT Men’s Campus in Dubai
November 4, 2009
November 4th, 2009 The next day, we made our way for about a two hour drive from Abu Dhabi to the city of Dubai, where the Kyougaku Taiko Drummers were scheduled to perform at the HCT Men’s University Campus auditorium. The drummers played an hour long concert on the beautiful men’s campus which was also attended by Minister Setsuo Ohmori …
Abu Dhabi Japanese School
November 3, 2009
Nov 3rd, 2009 At 6:30 pm. that same evening, about 200 people gathered at the Japanese school gymnasium for a concert for the 40 Japanese students who attend the school plus staff, family members and friends. This Japanese school is well known for its high standard of scholastic and intramural studies and the teachers worked busily to turn the well …
Concert at the Embassy of Japan in the UAE, Ambassador Residence
November 3, 2009
Nov 3rd, 2009 The second drumming concert was sponsored by the Japanese Department of Agriculture as part of a Japanese fruits export symposium in Abu Dhabi. The concert was held at the Japanese Ambassador’s residence at the opening of a Japanese imported fruit tasting for the spouses and relatives of distinguished ambassadors from many different countries stationed in Abu Dhabi. …
Emirates Palace Hotel
November 2, 2009
Nov 2, 2009 The first performance for the drummers was held at the infamous Emirates Palace Hotel on a special stage built entirely for the Festival of Thinkers Gala Dinner show. No expense was spared for this three-hour concert where world-famous performers entertained the 1000 guests who had assembled for this gala event. This event was attended not only by …
United Arab Emirates, Japanese Taiko Drumming Concert for 13 International Nobel Laureates
October 30, 2009
Oct 30-Nov 7, 2009 UAE Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) sponsored the “Festival of Thinkers 2009” as an emporium of Nobel Prize Winners from around the world this past October. The international conference included a world-class concert for guests, royalty and other dignitaries at the Emirates Palace Hotel. The Japanese Embassy in Abu Dhabi, in conjunction with Nippon Kan AHAN …
Homma Kancho Visits Izmir, Turkey
June 1, 2009
June 1st-8th, 2009 Every year for the past few years I have come to visit Izim, Turkey on the Aegean Sea. Izmir has beautiful oceans and beautiful skies and is one of my favorite places on earth. Nippon Kan graduate uchideshi Cihan Karaogluol is from Izmir and I came to Izmir on this trip to attend his wedding. The wedding …
Homma Kancho Teaches in La Paz, Bolivia
April 5, 2009
April 5th-12th, 2009 The elevation of the international airport outside the city of La Paz, Bolivia is 4000 meters above sea level. It is considered good manners to greet passengers visiting from lower elevations with a warm smile and an oxygen tank. Even as you leave the plane you can feel the lack of oxygen in the air. As AHAN …
AHAN Nippon Kan Myanmar Begins
March 10, 2009
March 10th-14th, 2009 Earlier plans to visit Myanmar were finally realized this past March with Homma Kancho’s exploratory tour. This visit was a surprise visit by design, and Homma Kancho went alone and unannounced. Homma Kancho was interested in learning about humanitarian organizations at work in Myanmar for possible ways AHAN might be able to contribute that are within our …
Homma Kancho’s Annual Visit to Bangladesh
March 5, 2009
March 5th-March 8th, 2009 After leaving Nepal, Homma Kancho took a quick trip to Bangladesh to check on ongoing AHAN projects there. Currently AHAN supports two orphanages in Dhaka with one ton of rice per month, computers and other building, medical and school supplies. On this trip, Homma Kancho was also interested in researching a facility he had heard of …
AHAN Excursion to the Pokhara district of Nepal
February 26, 2009
Feb 26th-March 4th, 2009 After the seminar events in Kathmandu were complete, Homma Kancho and Yoon Sensei accompanied by me (Bishu Kanta) as guide, set out for the resort town of Pokhara, 240 kilometers west of Kathmandu. Martial arts are very popular in Pokhara and in the early morning hours, students gather around the sports center, some practicing inside, some …
Homma Kancho Visits Mindanao Island, Philippines; Illigan City, Malawi Village
February 20, 2009
February 20th-25th, 2009 Homma Kancho visited Aikidoka in two cities on Mindanao Island in the Philippines. At the end of last year, this area of Mindanao was a hot-bed of local terrorist activity which interrupted normal life in a number of ways. There was a high risk of kidnapping, and as a precaution, even the AHAN Nippon Kan Mindanao staff …
AHAN Nippon Kan Guatemala Seminar
February 13, 2009
February 13-15, 2009 Aikidoka in the capital city of Guatemala City came together last year to form AHAN Nippon Kan Guatemala. This February, Homma Kancho visited for the first time and taught at a six hour practice held at the Escuela Central Aikido, coordinated by Pablo Buentafe. Homma Kancho was accompanied on this visit by AHAN Nippon Kan General Headquarters …