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Below are just a few of the comments we received from students and instructors
who attended the seminar from other dojos and organizations. If you attended the seminar
and would like
to give us your comments on the experience, we would be happy to post them here! (Responses
as of 2/26/2003)
RE: Morihiro Saito Sensei Memorial Seminar 2003
Homma Sensei, Emily, and all of Nippon-kan:
Thank you once again for a most memorable experience. Your professionalism and hospitality
is always greatly appreciated
and unmatched anywhere in the world. Hitohiro Saito Sensei was received extremely well
by all and I know his father would
have been very pleased and proud. You provided participants with an opportunity to gather
with family of Morihiro Saito
Sensei and share how our lives have been touched by this Great Master. For this, I sincerely
thank you as you continuously,
unselfishly share your bountiful gifts and the spirit of aiki with others across the globe.
With respect and admiration,
Mark Larson
Minnesota Aiki Shuren Dojo
Dear Homma Sensei,
I would like to thank you and all who helped at the Morihiro Saito American Memorial
Seminar. Everything was very well organized. Everyone was very friendly and helpful.
Thank you very
much for making us feel welcome. Thank you very much for sharing your Aikido.
Sincerely, Charles Buechel Student Nippon-Kan Wisconsin.
NK Dojo,
Hello from Idaho. This is AlejAndro Seneso and 3 Shapes Aikido. I wanted to write to say
thank you for the great time I had while in Denver and the Hitohiro Sensei seminar. I must
say it was the best seminar I have ever been to. The location held, the food and entertainment
of on Sat. night was incredible. The throat singer was truly a treat.
You and your dojo and the students were all inspirational in the manner and conduct with
which they all acted and responded to all the needs of a seminar of this size. It says
a great deal about the inner quality of your dojo and the essence of your Aikido.
Meeting you Homma Sensei is a treat. You have been very educating and inspiring in my operating
a dojo. Your books have helped out a lot. I look forward to coming out and doing some training
at your dojo.
I also want to express my appreciation of the quality of character and Aikido in your kids
program.
I have waiting for some time to visit your dojo and meet Homma Sensei. I was far more than
I expected. Thank you.
Best Wishes,
AlejAndro & 3 Shapes Aikido
Dear Homma Sensei:
Thanks to you, Emily Sensei, and all of your students for hosting the seminar with Saito
Hitohiro Sensei. As always, you put on a great event. I appreciate the support you've demonstrated
over the years for the Saito family.
Peace,
Aviv Goldsmith,
Instructor
AIKIDO in Fredericksburg
Thanks, I really enjoyed it and hope that you're able
to bring Hitohiro Sensei back again next year.
(Tim Sheldon)
An observation on the Saito Seminar by Steve Miller, Aikido Nippon Kan-
Wisconsin:
Of course every detail of the Saito Seminar, 2003, was professionally addressed by the
Nippon Kan staff. Great job! Please accept my most sincere congratulations and thanks to
Homma Sensei!
I have attended seminars in the past by Saito Shihan, the elder, and all in attendance
were very impressed as much by the legend as by the exacting attention to detail within
every technique in the O'Sensei repertoire. However, I was not prepared on this most recent
occasion to experience the superb quality of the next generation of traditional Iwama Aikido
exemplified by Hitohiro Saito Sensei. I now believe that he has genuinely assumed the responsibility
of carrying the truest essence of O'Sensei's Art to the current generation. I eagerly look
forward to my next training session with Saito Sensei, either in Denver or Iwama.
Thank You! The Seminar was wonderfully organized, thanks to all of you.
Everyone I met from Nippon Kan was most helpful, courteous & just plain friendly!
The techniques presented by Hitohiro Saito Sensei were powerfully and clearly executed,
a wonderful and very valuable learning experience for all in attendance.
And thank you for your hospitality at Domo, where we enjoyed an excellent dinner. The entire
weekend was an experience I will long remember. Thank you all!
(Terrydeedee@cs.com)
This was a moving experience for me. The dedication and support
was exceptional, and Nippon-kan should be very proud of the members who helped with the
memorial. Again, thanks.
Curtis Akido of Reno
Dear Nippon Kan,
Thank you for a wonderful seminar. You were fabulous host. My students and
I felt very welcomed. The organization was very smooth not to mention the terrific parties
you folks give. We are all very appreciative of all the efforts from Nippon Kan to make
it a great success. The Seminar was fantastic. The party was fantastic. The food was fantastic.
And most of
all Nippon Kan was fantastic.
From all of us at Sunset Cliffs Aikido, a very big Thank You.
Sincerely,
Bernice Tom Sensei
Hello,
I would like to attach for you a review I wrote of the Hirohito Saito Sensei
seminar. Thanks so much!
Tracy Pace
Hello All,
I just wanted to share with you the incredible time I had at an Aikido convention this
past Feb. 7th-9th. This particular seminar featured Hitohiro Saito Sensei from the Iwama
Japan dojo, and was hosted by the incredibly benevolent Gaku Homma Sensei of Nippon-Kan
in Denver.
I could tell you stories about the wonderfully bruised and sore wrists I walked away with.
But really, rather than being painful, they are pleasant reminders of the incredible time
I had. Aside from meeting a gazillion wonderful people who all share the same passion and
spirit, I learned a lot about myself and the martial art I'm pursuing.
Saito Sensei speaks practically no English, and so he needed to use a translator. Through
the adept translations of the interpreter and Saito's expressive gestures, features, and
fluid movements, we all learned a great deal. In fact, his skill at showing correct movement & technique
needed almost no translation. It turns out he speaks the universal language perfectly.
He even managed to crack jokes with little more than body language, sending the entire
gym of 300+ aikidoka into ripples of amusement and laughter.
We relentlessly practiced, bokken fighting and disarming techniques, as well as locking
and throwing techniques such as shihonage (sometimes called the "four-corner-throw"),
which generally involves a pivot, and bringing the person's wrist to their shoulder, from
which point you throw them. Several of Saito Sensei's students stood by and were immensely
helpful in correcting and assisting with proper technique. I was impressed at the level
of personal attention we all managed to receive with such a large crowd of people. It was
invaluable.
After all the hard work, the staff of the hosting Nippon-Kan dojo performed over and above
what could ever have been expected of them. Aside from generously providing sleeping spaces
for poor traveling out-of-towners (such as myself), they also provided showers and two
traditional Japanese breakfasts (for an extremely fair and nominal fee). Staying in a place
with the atmosphere of the Nippon-kan dojo alone was worth much more money than I paid
for the breakfasts.
The night before the seminar ended, the staff of Nippon-kan and Homma Sensei put on an
AMAZING potluck spread. Homma Sensei, also a Japanese chef, made mounds of traditional
Japanese foods, and his students made salads, soups, and desserts to round out the display.
The evening started off with a traditional ceremony of opening a sake keg with 3 red-stripe
handled mallets, which are used to crack open the wooden lid. The festivities that night
boasted a wonderful array of entertainment, from slightly beer and sake tipsy aikidoka
and their songs and skits, to the wonderfully ethnic sounds of world renowned Mongolian
throat singer, Zula who played the traditional Ma Tou Qin (Horse Head Violin) while crooning.
A dragon even showed up to dance and slink around when Saito Sensei treated us with some
Taiko style drumming and singing.
In the end, there were wonderful people met, new and wonderful friendships made, many gastrointestinal
delights to be had, and invaluable lessons learned in my chosen martial art form. Laughter
and positive attitudes abounded as the incredible seminar sadly came to an end. I would
like to deeply thank Hitohiro Saito Sensei, his students, Gaku Homma Sensei, and his staff
for their teachings, time, and true aikido spirit. I would encourage everyone in the world
to check out this martial art at least once in their lifetime. It is an experience and
endeavor well worth it.
Remember, if you're not smiling or laughing, you're not doin' it right, and it isn't worth
it…
Tracy Pace
Jyushinkan Dojo
I would sincerely like to thank Homma Sensei for hosting the Morihiro Saito Shihan American
Memorial Seminar. And of course, thanks to Hitohiro Saito Sensei for choosing Denver as
the host city for this historic seminar. The seminar was such a great learning experience
for me. I feel honored that I was able, not only to attend, but to participate in the set
up and tear down.
Though honored, I also felt very humble in the presence of so many skilled aikidoists, much as I do
in my own dojo. The humility I experienced was not of a self-effacing kind, but rather a realizing
the potential of what dedicated practice and devotion to the art could bring. Truly awesome are the
skills that have been honed by such advanced practitioners.
Being on the first aid crew, I had some concerns about the safety of so many people being on the matt
at the same time. Yet, there were no injuries of any consequence during the full three days that I
am aware of. This tells me that aikidoists not only take on great responsibility in taking care of
themselves, but also in protecting their partners. And in expansion of that responsibility, taking
care of the people in close proximity to us as we practice. There are often more people affected by
our actions than we might realize
This seems to be a good starting point for me.
Thanks again to Homma Sensei,
J. Farquhar
Thank you for hosting Saito Sensei,
Saito Sensei made his debut with your seminar and he ushers in a new era for Iwama Style Aikido. I
would like to say that the seminar was incredible. It was awesome to see so many people of high rank
stand behind Hitohiro Saito Sensei. As Aikidoka of all styles it is imperative for us to support the
Saito family. The late Saito Shihan gave so much to all of us, inside and outside the traditional Iwama
Style. Who better to carry the torch than his son Hitohiro Saito. He has the ability to show the relationship
between the sword and taijitsu better than anyone I have ever seen, aside from his father. His youthful
body, energy enable him to demonstrate technical points of the art that all of us can learn from. I
pray for health and prosperity for the Saito family.
Gratefully,
Chad Sawyer
Aikido of Reno
Homma Sensei, Scott and Debra,
Thank you so much for your hospitality and comradeship. I thoroughly
enjoyed the seminar and party. I even enjoyed helping with the setup and
breakdown of the gymnasium at the Buddhist temple. You have a wonderful crew
of good workers with great attitudes, togetherness and spirit. I hope to
visit again someday.
Thank you again,
Tom Huffman
Gainesville, Fl.
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