July-August Activity Report 2005

AHAN’s Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Announcement

From all of us at Nippon Kan Headquarters in Denver, we wish to express both our sympathy for all of those whose lives have been so devastated by this disaster and our appreciation to all of the emergency relief workers and volunteers who have given so much in this time of need.

Since this tragedy, we have been thinking carefully about what Nippon Kan can do to support these relief efforts while also maintaining our support for our other ongoing AHAN (Aikido Humanitarian Active Network) projects in Denver and other parts of the world.

We have decided that the way that we may be able to help best, is to support victims that have been relocated to the Denver area in this long term process of rebuilding their lives. If we concentrate our efforts to support those who have joined our community in Denver, we might have the chance to offer help on a consistent basis as we do with the Denver Rescue Mission.

As is the case with all AHAN projects this Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief project will be orchestrated and funded by AHAN. Please do not send cash donations to Nippon Kan in support of this upcoming effort. We recommend that if you wish to make a monetary donation that you do so through the Red Cross or other reputable, verifiable charities.

We will let you know as soon as the direction and planning for this relief aid has taken shape.

We are looking forward to working together to help those who need help so desperately in the wake of this disaster.

Gaku Homma
Nippon Kan Kancho
Emily Busch
AHAN President

Out of Country Activity Report

Homma Kancho Visits Korea.
Seoul, Korea

July 10th-19th, 2005

Yung Sensei and his wife with Homma Kancho in front of dojo.

Homma Kancho was in Korea July 10th-19th, to attend a world peace conference held in Seoul. While attending this conference, Homma Kancho was able to visit the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea and other historical war monuments.

At the conclusion of the conference, Homma Kancho paid a visit to the Korea Aikido Federation; the largest Aikido organization in Korea. Homma Kancho had a very good time practicing with Ik-am Yoon Sensei and his students. www.aikido.co.kr.

Homma Kancho has written an article about his visit titled “Yoon Sensei and the Power of Youth”.

World Expo 2005
Homma Kancho; Special Guest the Argentina Pavilion.
Nagoya, Japan
August 29th, 2005
written by M.S.

Sebastian with Fujita Shihan at the World Expo.

Homma Kancho received a call in mid-August from former Nippon Kan uchideshi, Sebastian Barudi of Argentina. Sebastian had some exciting news and a special invitation for Homma Kancho. Sebastian has been in Nagoya, Japan all summer serving as a secretary/organizer with the Argentina Pavilion at the World Expo (Ai-chikuhaku) 2005. Sebastian had put together an idea and a plan that fell readily into the scope of AHAN activities which he wanted to share with Homma Kancho. To celebrate the 40th year anniversary of Aikido in Argentina, Sebastian had organized an Aikido demonstration led by Masatake Fujita Shihan 8th Dan from Aikikai Hombu dojo in Tokyo to be held at the World Expo. Further, he had organized twenty-two Aikikai Aikido organizations from the Chuba region to join Fujita Shihan in support of this celebration. The demonstration was to be held at 12:00 pm. on August 29th, and Sebastian had called Homma Kancho to attend this special demonstration as a special guest.

Before the demonstration, a slightly nervous Sebastian with Homma Kancho.		Sebastian gives a wonderful demonstration.

The demonstration and other performances turned out to be a great success, due in large part to the organization and hard work of Sebastian and his team of organizers. Homma Kancho commented “One of Nippon Kan’s core philosophies is to blend Aikido with community and culture, and Sebastian has done a wonderful job of integrating Aikido with the larger concept of cultural exchange exhibited at the World Expo. All of the demonstrations performed by the Aikikai organizations were well done, and so was Sebastian’s demonstration of the Late Morihiro Saito Shihan’s 31 jo kata. Since I have a history in Iwama, I was happy to see this demonstration included as well. To be invited to witness these performances was a good opportunity for me to see how Sebastian’s leadership qualities have grown. I hope that Sebastian will keep up his spirit of AHAN when he returns to Argentina after the Expo has ended”.

Sebastian’s job as secretary keeps him very busy.		Sebastian answering children’s questions.

Sebastian began his planning for this demonstration in May, and executed his detailed organization with skill. The demonstration was covered by television and newspaper reports making it a successful promotion for Aikido and the Argentina Pavilion.

The outdoor arena where the demonstration was held was quite warm that day of August 29th, and the facility offered little shade. It was difficult for the audience to stay for too long in the heat, but there happened to be one particular observer

Shudo Maruyama Sensei (in sunglasses ) with Masatake Fujita Shihan.

who stayed for the entire performance. This was U.S. Aikido Pioneer, Kokikai Aikido Founder, Shudo Maruyama Sensei who lives in Nagoya for part of the year. He had come by train to observe the day’s events himself. At the end of the demonstration, Maruyama Sensei met with Fujita Shihan whom he had not seen in forty years!

In January of 2006, Homma Kancho will be visiting Argentina to participate in an AHAN wellness seminar.

A Busy Summer Visit to Japan by Homma Kancho.
Aug 23rd-Sept 1st, 2005
Upon his return from Japan this last August 23rd-Sept 1st, a Nippon Kan office staff member good naturedly inquired about his trip. “How was your vacation in Japan, Sensei?” Homma Kancho stood for a moment reflecting before he answered. “This was my fourth trip to Japan this year, and I wouldn’t quite call it a vacation, but thank you for asking!”

Homma Kancho currently spends about five to six months of the year traveling to promote humanitarian projects with AHAN, teaching and also doing research for his articles. Summer time is usually a time when Homma Kancho concentrates on researching background information for articles he is working on. In a way, this is kind of a hobby which he enjoys doing.

If Homma Kancho isn’t in the dojo you can probably find him here!

When Homma Kancho is in Denver and you can’t find him teaching in the dojo, or working on his articles, there is one more place to look! Homma Kancho often pitches in at Domo Restaurant during busy rush times to hand wash dishes; sometimes for up to two hundred customers at a time. This is a secret that many people are not aware of, and actually he does a very good job! This past August, Homma Kancho took a few days away from his duties at Nippon Kan in Denver to do research on a series of articles he has been working on. Below are a few pages from his travel diary.

Homma Kancho’s Travel Diary.

WEDNESDAY
Same as usual, on these research trips I have no itinerary. Armed with a pocket-sized book of current train schedules and a list of contact information for Nippon Kan Japan branch staff members, I hit the road. A large typhoon has just come ashore in Japan which is going to complicate my travels. I now am going to have to dodge the storm and still try to get everything done! First stop, Aikido Kobayashi Dojo, to visit Yasuo Kobayashi Shihan. Location: Kodaira City, Tokyo. The typhoon is getting really close to Tokyo and the winds and the rain are getting severe. Umbrellas don’t work in the wind, so I shelter myself in the Kodaira train station to wait out the rain. Finally caught a taxi to the dojo. The taxi cab driver was familiar with the Kobayashi dojo and nodded cheerfully as he took me down a winding maze of very narrow streets. I was beginning to suspect he was taking me around in circles to run up the meter when he pulled up in front of the dojo. I never would have been able to find the dojo myself, any yet this dojo is famous, and has trained Aikido instructors who practice and teach all over the world. Kobayashi Shihan has written an autobiography about the development of Kobayashi dojo that I need to get a copy of.

I have always heard that practice at Kobayashi dojo is so tough that there are even footprints on the ceiling! This I wanted to see for myself. With any luck I might be able to get a picture! Luck would not have it this time however, the rains were getting stronger and I began to worry that they would stop running the trains. I paid my respects quickly to Kobayashi Shihan and his wife and returned, sopping wet, back to the station just in time to catch the last train. I guess I will have to learn the story of the foot prints on the ceiling from Kobayashi Shihan’s autobiography…!

THURSDAY
I set out to find tea bags for a new tea service at Domo Restaurant. I headed for Kappabashi, an area in Tokyo’s famous for restaurant supplies. I was looking for special empty tea bags we could hand fill ourselves with specially blended teas. I chuckled to myself as I thought how I had emailed a request to Nippon Kan Japan branch coordinator to look for 1000 tea bags for me in Kappabashi. He had emailed me back writing that he would try, but that he thought he should look in the Ginza district, a high-end fashion area of Tokyo to find the tea bags. This I found quite puzzling, since I did not think he would find tea bags in the Ginza of all places! I thought for a moment before I wrote him back. It seems that he had mistaken my request for 1000 tea bags as 1000 T-Backs (women’s underwear) which I am sure he thought was a very strange request indeed. Anyway, what on earth would I have done with a 1000 pair of women’s underwear! I was still chuckling as I headed to Kappabashi myself to find the tea bags. As always when I visit this section of the city, I buy way more than I intended too…

In the afternoon, my next stop was to visit Daito Ryu Aikijujitshi Shimbu Kan Dojo and Katsuyuki Kondo Sensei. This time too the taxi cab driver was a great help yet even HE could not find the dojo, and he was born in the area. Embarrassed by his inability to deliver me to the dojo in a timely fashion, he turned off the meter and got out his maps. The maps were very detailed, and he was having trouble reading the fine print. Finally we both got out of the cab and laid the maps on the hood of the car to study them. Both of us got out our reading glasses and put our heads together over the map, determined to find the dojo. Finally it dawned on him to call the dojo for directions which he did. It took us about three seconds to realize that we had parked in the dojo parking lot to study the maps!! We both got a good laugh out of this!!

As I entered the dojo, Kondo Sensei was teaching. He let out a big “YO” and waved to me a welcome. He has always been very friendly every time I have met him, and has always sought me out good naturedly. Besides being a renowned Aikido Instructor, Kondo Sensei is the owner of a large construction company. As a way to help his instructors, Kondo Sensei offers them the chance to obtain their contractors licenses through his company. In this way they can become more self-sufficient in supporting themselves while serving as instructors, and gain a lifetime skill as well!. While I waited for Kondo Sensei, I spent a few minutes talking to Amano Sensei, one of Kondo Sensei’s deshi who happens to be from my hometown of Akita. When Kondo Sensei joined us he pointed to the construction tool belt around Amano Sensei’s waist and jokingly said “Daito Ryu uses many different weapons”. Kondo Sensei was kind enough to take me to dinner, and relayed many valuable stories that I am sure will be helpful in future articles.

FRIDAY
Morning. I set about gathering more information about Aikido, and the relationship between the Founder and the Imperial Military. To do this research I headed to the National Library in Tokyo. I was particularly interested in the history of Aikido and Aikikai during WWII and the transitions Aikikai went through after the end of WWII. When I return to the States, I want to follow up on what I learned here in Tokyo with information that is only available in the United States Nation Archives.
In the afternoon, I went to visit Aikido Yoshinkan Hombu Dojo and Kyoichi Inoue Kancho.

Yoshinkan Kancho Kyoichi Inoue Sensei at his office.

Inoue Kancho was very warm and friendly as he welcomed me into his office. I had seen him last at Iwama’s Hitohiro Saito Jukucho’s “independence announcement party”.

While talking with Inoue Kancho, his Yoshinkan shihan instructors would enter his office to report to him. He would stop to introduce each of them to me. I was both honored and a little embarrassed by his graciousness. After each class had concluded, the instructor of that class would come to Inoue Kancho’s office to give him an official report on the class. Inoue Kancho would stand at attention facing the instructor to receive the report. The manner and tone of the exchange was serious and formal, and every point was delivered clearly with great precision.

I learned a great deal from visiting with Inoue Kancho, his instructors and outside reception staff. As I prepared to leave, Inoue Kancho offered to pose for a photo with me. He even dressed in his hakama for the photo. In our formal martial art world, it is very difficult to ask for a photo from a famous instructor. I was delighted at his offer. He obviously knew what was in my heart but could not ask for. As he walked me out, we paused by a bronze statue of the Yoshinkan Founder, the Late Gozo Shioda Kancho. Next to this bronze statue was a porcelain statue of a dog. I asked Inoue Kancho about this, to which he replied, “Shioda Kancho loved dogs”. In that moment I saw a softer, more human side of Yoshinkan Aikido. This had been a very valuable visit for me indeed…

In the dojo entrance, a statue of Yoshinkan Founder, Gozo Shioda Shihan and a dog statue.		With Inoue Kancho.

SATURDAY
Left Tokyo and headed for Nagoya and the World Expo 2005. When I arrived in Nagoya, the station was packed with people. Since my schedule for the day was open, I hopped back on the train and headed for Ayabe; a town outside of Kyoto. Ayaba is the home of the Omoto Kyo Religion headquarters and adjacent Ten no Tiara graveyard. It was the graveyard I had come to visit. This is ONE of the graveyards that houses a gravesite for the Founder Morihei Ueshiba. I visited the Omoto Kyo heaquarters and gravesite long enough to take a few photos. On the way back I stopped briefly at Kameoka city where additional Omoto Kyo facilities are located. Here they have an excellent library on Omoto Kyo history where I found some of the research I was looking for.

SUNDAY

Shudo Maruyama Sensei in front of the Kokikai dojo.

Returning to Nagoya, I set out for Kokikai Aikido to visit Shudo Maruyama Sensei. I had seen Maruyama Sensei in July in Philadelphia, and looked forward to seeing him again here again in Nagoya. As I turned the last corner, I spotted Maruyama Sensei leaning out of his window watching for my arrival. As always, Maruyama Sensei was in good health and full of energy. After a great dinner together, Maruyama Sensei took me to one of his favorite places; a local Karaoke bar. I had a hunch, that turned out to correct. Maruyama Sensei really enjoys karaoke, and is a good singer as well!

MONDAY
Having a staff VIP pass made it a lot easier to get around the World Expo. It was very crowded and very hot as the Argentina pavilion staff busied themselves getting ready for the 40th Anniversary of Aikido in Argentina demonstration. The stage was large, and unfortunately was set up in the direct sun. It was so hot outside that the demonstrators had forgotten to wear zori had to hop across the concrete to get to the matted demonstration area. As I stood watching and taking photos, I thought to myself that the hopping somehow did not look quite “martial” enough. All of a sudden I heard a voice right behind my ear. “Why don’t you take my picture!” I turned in surprise to see Maruyama Sensei standing there in sun glasses and a large floppy hat! After I recovered from my surprise I arranged for Maruyama Sensei to meet with Masatake Fujita Shihan, who was a special guest from Aikikai of the Argentina Pavilion committee. Fujita Shihan and Maruyama Sensei had not seen one another in person in over forty years. I think I will write about this meeting some other day…

Sebastian, Maruyama Sensei and Homma Kancho.		The World Expo was so crowded!

I wish to thank Sebastian Barudi and all of the Argentina Pavilion staff for inviting me to be a guest at this event. I appreciate all of the effort and hard work that was put into this presentation. Good job, Sebastian…

After saying my goodbyes to Maruyama Sensei, I jumped back on the train and headed for Matsukawa Village in Nagano prefecture. I was lucky, the trains were running in my favor, and I managed to arrive in the village at 9:00 pm. I was there to visit the Kyogaku Taiko Drummers of Matsukawa. I could here the drums as I got close to the dojo where they were practicing. Inside fourteen people were practicing HARD; sweat pouring down their backs and arms. As I stepped into the dojo I almost passed out from the heat. I soon figured it out. Not only were they generating heat in that space but they also had the heat on. They were practicing to play in our upcoming tour to Rio de Janeiro in October, and wanted to become acclimated to the tropical heat!.

I had surprised them, but it did not take long after practice to get a party together at one of the drumme’rs homes. It was after 10:00 pm, but fresh veggies were soon gathered from their gardens and served fresh with miso and of course cold beer and sake! When did the party end? I’m not quite sure…

Such a wild and sweaty practice!

TUESDAY
Left Matsukawa village and headed back to Tokyo to visit the Nippon Budo Kan information center to do a bit more research. In the evening I met the Nippon Kan Japan branch staff for dinner. All of them had at one time or another spent time in Denver at Nippon Kan headquarters. For all of them , that was a time in their lives when they were single, and their lives were more care-free. Now all of them have kids to take care of. Their thoughts are preoccupied with their kid’s education and all of the other worries that parents have universally. It made me smile to see that none of them drink much sake any more. Everyone it seemed had come to understand their place in life these days.

WEDNESDAY
Time to head back to the United States. I always ask myself if I am returning to the United States or if I am going to the United States. After thirty years of living in the United States, it would make sense to say that I am returning to the United States; yet I say that with about 80 % conviction. About 20% of me thinks that I am just going to the United States, and that is an important part of me that I can’t give up. At Narita airport I retrieve the boxes I had sent ahead and make my way to a waiting area. To the surprise of many travelers, there I set about repacking all of my bags. With everything I had shipped and my personal belongings strewn about me, I reorganized the bags to distribute the weight. After I had finished my handiwork, I dragged my extremely heavy bags to the check-in counter. Trying not to break a sweat I lifted the bags onto the scales, pretending they were light as a feather. My ruse did not impress the check-in attendant but she allowed me to pass with my bags anyway. This is always one of the greatest challenges no matter what airport in the world.

After boarding the plane I thought about my travel schedule for the last quarter of the year. There are four more countries to go, I thought as I drifted off to sleep. I did not wake up until we were circling San Francisco.

This had been a very good trip. I had met many wonderful people, heard very valuable testimony on the history of Aikido from a number of perspectives, and been able to complete a lot of the research I had set out to complete.
Not a bad week for a vacation…!

AHAN Domestic Activity Report

Nippon Kan Army Dispatched.
July 30, 2005

Motion and Sweat. American “Volunteer spirit” at work. Nippon Kan members at Red Rocks Park.

Red Rocks Amphitheater, located on the first rise of the foothills west of Denver is famous. The Rolling Stones have played there after all! Red Rocks is a natural outdoor amphitheater that seats 10,000 people. What makes it unique is that it has been carved from solid rock, and the natural acoustics and beauty make it a favorite place for musicians, fans, and visitors from around the globe. Nippon Kan 2005 Spring Volunteer Project was held here this past July 30th, 2005.

Spring Volunteer project you say? In July? This year, Nippon Kan’s Fifteenth Annual Spring Volunteer project was originally scheduled for earlier this spring, but was cancelled due to severe rain. The Red Rocks Project was chosen as the rescheduled event.

Rained Out! Nippon Kan volunteers turned out to give it a try.

For this particular project there were a variety of tasks scheduled by the Denver Park and Recreation Department and our Nippon Kan army split up into teams to clean up hiking trails, paint bridges and walk-way railings, and the most strenuous; to pull barbed wire from old fencing along the park’s western border.

The Denver Parks Department has nick-named Nippon Kan volunteers as the “Nippon Kan Army” because of how hard our volunteers work, and how well our volunteers perform. After fifteen years, Nippon Kan has been a source for volunteer help that the Parks Department have come to rely on. This July 30th, about sixty students volunteered their time to help. Many thanks to everyone for another job well done.

8:00 am. Students arrive early to prepare for the work ahead.		Painting the handrails.

Trail maintenance crew.		Painting the bridge.

The altitude makes breathing difficult!		Mr. Morris Brown, age 83, never misses a volunteer project.

Nippon Kan volunteers at lunch at Domo after the work ends.		Keeping an eye out for rattlesnakes!

250 Koi Nobori Donated to Nippon Kan.
July 22, 2005

Koi Nobori--Carp kites hanging still, waiting to catch the wind.

Nippon Kan was the recipient of 250 koi nobori or carp kites donated by Matsukawa Village, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. It is a tradition in Japan to celebrate “Boys Day’ by flying these special kites during the month of May. Young boys are given these kites by their families when they are very young, and each year the kites are flown as a symbol of strength and determination; a desirable quality for boys in Japan. The carp is used as a symbol for strength and determination because of the seasonal journey each carp takes, swimming upstream against the currents with a great deal of determination. The kites flying against the wind symbolizes this journey of the carp swimming upstream. As the boys grow into young men, the kites are no longer flown for them, and the kites are folded and stored in the family home. Only new kites are suitable to give to the next young boy in the family. The kites donated to Nippon Kan are from two to fifteen feet in length, and were donated by families in Matsukawa Village. One of the intended uses for the koi nobori kites, will be to present them to elementary schools who participate in Nippon Kan’s cultural demonstration and tour program in the coming year as a symbol of courage and determination.

The idea for this gift came from the Kyogaku Taiko Drummers who live and train in Matsukawa village. The drummers organized a campaign to collect used kites from village families through local and district newspapers. In all, 250 kites were collected from Matsukawa and surrounding villages and given to Nippon Kan. We wish to thank everyone for their generosity, and will document how the koi nobori are used in upcoming reports.

The first intended use for the koi nobori kites will be to use them at the upcoming AHAN sponsored Matsukawa Kyogaku Taiko Drummers World concert tour 2005 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Following this concert series, the kites used will be donated to the Rio de Janeiro Japanese Brazilian Association.
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Nippon Kan Receives Official Thanks from the Zorig Foundation, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Aug 19th, 2005

Thank you letter from the Zorig Foundation. click to enlarge.

The Zorig Foundation was one recipient of the second shipment of thirty computers to Mongolia this past June. This official letter of thanks acknowledges Nippon Kan and all the people of Denver who donated computers for this shipment. The Zorig Foundation received ten computers this time to distribute to those in need. Also recipients of this shipment were the Gandan Temple who received fifteen computers and other elementary schools who received five computers.

Later this year we had planned to ship another forty computers to Mongolia, and we will soon have the forty computers serviced and ready to ship. Since the Hurricane Katrina disaster, some of these computers scheduled for delivery to Mongolia will now be diverted to help relocated disaster survivors here in Colorado. Until this project can be organized, the next shipment of computers to Mongolia will be temporarily postponed. It is important at this time to help those in need who are a little closer to home.

Letters from AHAN Mexico, and AHAN Costa Rica.
August 15th, 2005
Homma Kancho received two letters recently from AHAN Mexico, Take Musu Aiki’s Fernando Roman Sensei and Rocio Aguero Sensei, www.mexicoaikido.com.mx. and AHAN Costa Rica Coordinator Marcos Gonzales, Zanshin Do Dojo. www.aikido-costarica.galeon.com.

Nippon Kan’s AHAN activities in other places around the world are always done in partnership with local dojo’s in a native area. AHAN is a vehicle for groups to come together for a common cause, and this cause is never an attempt for Nippon Kan to gain control of other dojos; to make them part of some Nippon Kan satellite dojo network. All dojos who are friends of AHAN around the world remain independent of Nippon Kan with their own affiliations and within their own organizations. It is a goal of Nippon Kan and AHAN to have open relationships with dojos from many different organizational and style backgrounds. A purpose of AHAN is to offer advice and support to local dojos to promote their own growth in their own communities, pure and simple.

On October 7th-9th, AHAN is sponsoring a seminar to be held in Costa Rica hosted by Marco Gonzales of AHAN Costa Rica, Zanshin Do dojo and instructed by Fernando Roman Sensei of AHAN Mexico Take Musu Aiki. It is our hope that by supporting this seminar that both communities will be able to strengthen their own dojos and organizations and their own ties to each other in their own communities.
In our travels with AHAN we have run across some of the sadder side of politics. We have experienced parent organizations of dojos we have come to know through AHAN mistrust our intentions; barring their students from attending AHAN events. It is sad that they feared that we were somehow trying to take over control of their dojos, when our AHAN activities are just meant to strengthen their place in the community. We have seen organizations that entice students with ranking without regulation. In Latin America we even ran into an organization that was offering Aikikai shodan certifications that were obviously forged. Authentic Aikikai Certificates have verifiable certificate log numbers and have an AIKIDO water mark in the paper. Luckily the unfortunate experiences we have had are few, and are far from the goals of AHAN. We hope to continue our support of friendships with Aikido dojos everywhere to increase the positive potential in our practice on and off the mat.

The letters from Fernando Roman Sensei and Marco Gonzales are very sincere letters of appreciation for AHAN and Homma Kancho’s support. It is letters like these and others from many dojo friends all over the world that bring all of us inspiration. Any dojo that is interested in AHAN is welcome to join us in promoting themselves and their own communities.

Fernando Sensei’s letter. Click to enlarge.		Marco’s letter. Click to read text.

Nippon Kan Children’s Class Joins in AHAN’s Computer Redistribution Project.
August 13th, 2005

Under Nippon Kan student (and father) Eric Moore’s direction the project begins.

Nippon Kan’s AHAN computer redistribution project is in its second year, and to date has been very successful. We have had an almost overwhelming response from the greater Denver community to our call for used computers. We have received so many in fact, that organizing and sorting the computers has been a primary challenge!
Homma Kancho and the Nippon Kan adult student computer team have joined with students from the advanced Children’s class to form a new computer processing team to sort, catalogue, repair and ready the computers for shipping. Kids these days know more about computers than most of their parents, so having students from the advanced Children’s class has become quite an asset to the computer team.

After the advanced Children’s class every Saturday morning, under the leadership of Eric Moore, the team gets busy preparing the computers for distribution. The project has become beneficial in many ways. It is beneficial not only for the recipients of the computers but also for our younger members as a way to learn to work together as a team, to increase their computer skills, and as a way to learn first hand about volunteer spirit and caring for others. This project also qualifies for extra curricular school credit.

The younger members of the team add new energy to the project.

The Children’s class members who participate in the project receive Nippon Kan coupons for each hour of service. The coupons are fashioned to look like dollar bills, but are actually Nippon Kan “MOO” thank you coupons. (The Nippon Kan logo has the symbol of a cow, so MOO seemed appropriate!) One hour is worth one MOO: each of a dollar value. These MOO coupons can be used at Nippon Kan towards class fees, books or uniforms or saved up to be used at Domo Restaurant. As this summer drew to a close, it was a time to say farewell to many of our most senior Children’s class students as they left home for their first year of college. Some of these students have been practicing at Nippon Kan since elementary school, and to see them off on their first big adventure away from home almost brought a tear to the eye. Seeing the happy excitement in their faces helped to remind us of the happiness of these transitions, and to look forward to seeing them again soon on vacation.

One student that left to attend the University of California at Berkley this fall is Talia Moore; one student who began her practice at Nippon Kan as a child, and who has grown up to be an intelligent, graceful and talented young woman. Talia was a wonderful student who took care of younger kohai students for many years. She also worked at Domo Restaurant where she proved her talents as an organized and skilled wait person.

Also heading off to new adventures this year after graduating from Denver University High School were Landon and Keaton White. Keaton also worked at Domo Restaurant this past summer to gain a little “real world” experience before heading off to Macalister College to study Japanese and Economics. Landon has been accepted into a very exclusive Year-in-Japan study scholarship program. Also graduating this year from home-study independent-study high school is Diego Rodriguez Warner who left for Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts with a full scholarship. Diego did a great job as Homma Kancho’s Spanish translator, assistant and uke on trips to Mexico and Nicaragua in 2004.

Talia Moore.		Keaton and Landon White with Homma Kancho.

Deigo and Homma Kancho in Mexico, 2004.

We are all proud of these young Nippon Kan students who have grown into outstanding young adults with the help and support of the wonderful adults in their lives.

Nippon Kan Children’s class teaching method is very different from other martial arts and other dojos. Our goal is to concentrate on the children’s own individual development without pressure to perform. We feel Nippon Kan Children’s classes are a good environment for learning as well as having a great time! To learn more about Nippon Kan’s Children’s class philosophies, Homma Kancho’s book “Children and the Martial Arts an Aikido Point of View” is recommended reading.

Aikido Nippon Kan Dojo Activity Report

Keeping Nippon Kan Beautiful… A Look behind the Scenes.

Nippon Kan has projects and activities all over Denver and in many parts of the world, but they would not be possible if the Nippon Kan headquarters facility was not strong and in tip top shape. Nippon Kan headquarters in Denver is housed in a 10,000 square foot facility plus gardens and grounds. The facility houses the dojo, Japanese folk art museum, uchideshi living quarters and Domo Restaurant. There are hundreds of people that visit the Nippon Kan facility every day, and maintaining the facility and gardens is a full time job. As with any facility there are always toilets to fix, door hinges to replace, light bulbs to change, and air conditioning, heating, electrical and security systems to maintain. These chores are ever ending, and require many hours by many people to maintain. This kind of constant maintenance and repair is possible with the help of many Nippon Kan senior students, who continue to donate their time and talents to keep the Nippon Kan facility running smoothly.

When the building was first renovated in 1996 for use by Nippon Kan and Domo Restaurant, all of the plumbing fixtures, piping and installation was donated by long time Nippon Kan senior student and advisor Mr. John Pestotnik, owner of Performance Plumbing in Colorado. Still today, almost ten years later you can catch John every once in a while fixing a leaky sink or replacing worn out parts himself. As the president of a plumbing company that employs over 100 plumbers, John does not need to make these repairs himself, but when asked, he always replies, “This is my dojo”, as he continues to do the work himself.

“This is my dojo” says John Pestotnik.		Scott takes care of everything!

Student volunteers at the dojo… sometimes it just takes motion and sweat!

Nippon Kan instructor Mr. Scott Olson was instrumental in the initial construction phase of our current Nippon Kan dojo and Domo Restaurant facility. Scott’s phone number is permanently posted in the office with a big sign that says “IN CASE OF A BUILDING EMERGENCY, CALL SCOTT”. Scott is the person to call with any maintenance or repair issues and Nippon Kan is indebted to his generosity. Scott reminds me of Ben Cartwright on Bonanza or Charles Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie; he is like the old time western hero that can make or fix anything and has the heart and generosity to match his skills as a carpenter. Scott has done everything from rescuing a kitty stuck somehow in the men’s changing room to fixing the central heating and cooling systems for the dojo and restaurant. Our senior students are good role models for younger students at Nippon Kan, who have learned by example that taking care of the dojo is everyone’s responsibility, and everyone pitches in when there are chores to be done!Homma Kancho is the chief coordinator for dojo projects, but in recent years his travels with AHAN take him away from Nippon Kan for parts of the year. In his absence a new generation of student leaders have worked together to make sure that not only are all of dojo maintenance activities are executed, but all in-house activities, seminars and projects are coordinated efficiently. Says Homma Kancho “It is not healthy to live all of your life under your parent’s wings. Parents won’t live forever, and it is important for younger generations to learn to become independent and self sufficient. The same is true at Nippon Kan. Studying our Aikido world, I have seen many instances where a dojo faced an uncertain future after the passing of their first generation instructor. Nippon Kan in a way is like a large ship at sea. It needs to move forward steadily, and be ready to deal with any kind of situation.”

When Homma Kancho is in town these days, he sometimes is surprised to see students gathered to work on a volunteer project they have organized themselves. Homma Kancho jokingly feints surprise with “Huh? What is going on today?” but is always pleased to see the initiative in his students.

Students and friends at Nippon Kan not only pitch in to maintain the dojo facility, but also to run the office, teach classes and organize projects. Nippon Kan functions as a dojo because of the many who donate there time and energy and every single person is a valued treasure here.

Seeing a student pull weeds in the parking lot before class out of his or her own volition is a quality in that student that makes Nippon Kan a quality place to be.
Visitors at Nippon Kan.

Once in a great while we hear that Nippon Kan is a rough place to practice from others outside of the dojo. Nippon Kan Aikido is not flower arranging, so it can be a little vigorous at times, but most visitors that come to Nippon Kan have a very good time! In fact, the technical classes offered at Nippon Kan instructed by Jeremy Olive Sensei and Rudy Landry Sensei can be quite physical, but they are two of the most popular classes at Nippon Kan. Challenging and strenuous classes they are; rough and violent they are not. People sometimes misunderstand this if just relying on hearsay.

Visitors come to Nippon Kan from all over the country and all over the world. In Japanese, visitor practice is called tobikomi keiko. Any time a visitor comes to Nippon Kan, Homma Kancho considers them his personal guests, and they are treated with respect and courtesy. Visitors of any style who have received ranking in their own dojos, are encouraged to wear their hakama and ranked belts while they are visiting Nippon Kan. All visitors are introduced to the entire class after practice and given a “hand” of welcome from students. Many visitors practice a style that is somewhat different than Nippon Kan, and instructors take special care to consider the visitors style when choosing a curriculum for the practice to ensure that they have an enjoyable time. If a visitor practices at a beginning level, care is taken by all

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instructors and Nippon Kan students to make sure the visitor has a safe practice as

well. If Homma Kancho is at Nippon Kan at the time of a visit, he tries to say hello in person to all visitors, especially visitors who have traveled from far away. If the timing is right Nippon Kan hospitality includes an invitation to dine at Domo Restaurant with students after practice.

At right is a letter written by a visitor to Nippon Kan named Kris de la Torre who was able to spend much of the summer with us attending classes on a regular basis.

Mr. Hideharu Igaki Sensei, USA National Karate-Do Federation Coach visits Nippon Kan.
August 15th, 2005

Igaki Sensei and Homma Kancho.

After attending a JKF seminar, Hideharu Igaki Sensei and his entourage went directly to the Colorado Springs, Colorado Olympic Training Center to attend a “coaching camp”. During this busy week, Igaki Sensei made the time to come to Nippon Kan and Domo Restaurant to celebrate the birthday of a friend. Igaki Sensei is extremely busy as a Karate coach for the U.S. Olympic Team and travels all over the United States with his coaching duties. Besides being a well known Karate coach, Igaki Sensei is also an accomplished potter. His pottery is used exclusively at Domo for serving both chilled beverages and special teas.

We wish Igaki Sensei well in all of his endeavors, and thank him for taking a moment to visit us at Nippon Kan.