The attendance of those outside of Aikikai Australia was initially refused. International Aikikai members were welcome but Australian-based Aikikai affiliates (such as AKI) were not. This dissolved into resistance after a period of time and eventually acceptance at the end of November 2005. Finally, other Australian based Aikikai groups were permitted to attend but only for the 3 days that Doshu was in attendance. The AKI Australia members were invited personally by Doshu in May 2005 whilst attending his keiko and enbukai at Hachimangu Shrine, Kamakura.
So 11 AKI members from around Australia attended and participated with 400 others in an university hall the size of a basketball court. There was little air inside and the temperature outside was 35-40 degrees with 90% humidity. Ukemi was impossible due to too many people, and the last day the temperature reached 42 degrees! Inside seemed even hotter!
Putting aside the attitudes of the host organisation and the atrocious conditions, we all made the most of the gathering. We met old friends and made new ones. The teaching of Sugano Sensei was very interesting and impressive; a most humble man in my opinion. Yamada Sensei is a powerfully built man and his waza was also powerful. Takase Sensei was technically precise whilst Ken Cottier was relaxed and effective.
Kodani Sensei (a Honbu Dojo uchideshi) was left behind on the Saturday by Doshu to join in the training and to teach the last class, but he was also left alone by the participants due to his reserved nature and lack of English. This was noticed by Edwin Waters from AKI Sydney who approached him and spoke with him in Japanese. Kodani Sensei remembered him and our group from Hachimangu Shrine in 2005 so this seemed to make him feel more at ease. Also Ayano-san spoke with him and he asked her if she could act as translator for his class. She was fitted with a microphone and translated for him. She looked like Madonna performing at a concert! Kodani Sensei's class was very enjoyable.
It is my belief that AKI Australia made a good impression as a group of open minded Aikidoka whose skills were also noticeable amongst the many people there. One of the most noticeable impressions was that we are very lucky indeed to have such excellent teachers in AKI Thank you to Takeda Sensei and our senpai.
- Stephen Seymour
