"1st International Aikido Masters Clinic" with Inoue Kyoichi Hanshi, 9th Dan
(former Yoshinkan Head Master), and Chida Tsutomu Sensei, 8th Dan (former
Yoshinkan Chief Instructor)

Osu All!

In mid-June 2009, I was privileged to have attended the 3-day `1st International
Aikido Masters Clinic" that was organised by Takashima Saburo Sensei, 5th Dan,
and some of our aikido friends in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

It was great to experience the aikido of Hanshi and Chida Sensei again! … even
though 3 days were not long enough.

The Clinic was held under the auspices of DEN – in Japanese Kanji, DEN means
"Legend, Passing Knowledge". DEN is a group that has been setup by Takashima
Sensei "to promote aikido the self defence system and also to promote peace and
harmony amongst people."

It really was a last minute decision for me to go. Everything was organised in
a blur. But I would not have missed the opportunity to "steal" from Hanshi,
Chida Sensei and Takashima Sensei! (O'Sensei was said to have told his students
that he would not teach them anything, but they were free to steal his aikido.)

Leaving the Kuala Lumpur airport, the humidity hit me like a brick wall – at
home, it was a wintry morning when I left for Kuala Lumpur. Then it was
necessary to switch gears and take-in the local sights, sounds and smells. Do
as the Romans do and accept the differences and enjoy the same. Enjoy the local
cuisine, especially the local seafood which is comparatively inexpensive.

Not sure about one of the local delicacies however – the local Durian is known
as the stinky fruit for a good reason. While the Durian's texture and taste are
like creamy custard, its smell is truly an acquired pleasure. If you burp after
eating Durian, you will be reminded of its smell. If you do something similar
at the body's other end … well, I won't go there! Suffice to note that those
around you will know what you had to eat.

We also had a very special outing one night when we toured Thamby Rajah Sensei's
dojo - I say "tour" because there is a lot of history attached to Thamby
Sensei's dojo in Kuala Lumpur. He is known as the "Founder of Aikido in
Malaysia" way back when. (BTW Thamby Sensei is uncle to Joe Thambu Shihan, 7th
Dan, of Melbourne's Aikido Shudokan.)

So what about the clinic? …

We used the hotel's ballroom for the clinic's sessions. It was pretty full to
capacity although it varied between the 3 days – somewhere between 60 to 90
participants I'm guessing. Some people attended a day due to competing demands.
On other days, members of Aikikai also attended the sessions – it appears
Yoshinkai and the local Aikikai have a very good relationship and that's the way
it should be, after all, Aikido is about harmony and peace.

The participants from Canada, probably did the most travelling to attend the
clinic followed by the lone participant from Ukraine.

Now rather than go into minute details of what we did for each session, please
indulge me …

During one of the session breaks, a kohai (the junior in a dojo senior-junior
relationship) and I shared some remarks in which he noted the relatively easy
pace of the session that we had just attended, and the focus of the lessons
learnt. In essence, it seemed that the kohai was a little surprised (and
disappointed?) that we were not smashing into each other and flying across the
mat full of testosterone fuelled ukemi and waza.

In turn, I was somewhat surprised by his remarks and asked him what he
understood by the expression "Aikido Masters Clinic".

The kohai looked at me puzzled like I was weird for asking as the masters –
Hanshi, Chida Sensei and Takashima Sensei - were nearby having a bit of R&R.
But it was not a rhetorical question on my part.

I explained to the kohai that at one level the "Aikido Masters Clinic" was about
the masters who were present at the clinic and passing on the benefit of their
Art. Such clinics are tremendous opportunities to experience the Art of each
aikido master – although the aikido is the same, the flavours of Hanshi's aikido
and, e.g., Takeno Sensei's aikido some how feel different.

How can this be? Well, I will need to attend quite a few more clinics and
seminars before I can comment on this with real insight, enlightenment and
understanding.

I went on to explain that at another level for me, the key issue was about my
mastery of aikido – how am I mastering the Art of Aikido, my progress in the Art
and how I am continuously improving (I hope).

At this clinic, participants experienced another level of aikido that is not
usually experienced at the dojo – you can only cover so much details and
subtleties in an one-hour class at the dojo after all! Such clinics provide
participants an extraordinary opportunity to focus on very deep aspects of the
Art that otherwise may not be possible to fully cover in normal classes. As
always, we should train with an open heart and with sincerity and spirit.

In other words, at such events, I have the opportunity to accelerate my mastery
of the Art. Having access to and the opportunity to learn from such masters is
really a privilege. And we, as the next generation of aikido practitioners,
have a responsibility to steal as much as possible from the masters before there
is a generational change. (Sorry for this slightly darker observation.)

I think we should attend clinics and not expect them to be like a typical lesson
in the dojo – otherwise, why attend such events?

In this context, I recall overhearing some remarks from a couple of black belts
at another clinic, in which they expressed surprised enlightenment at the
connection between a kihon-dosa and a technique that they would have done many
times over at their dojo! This recollection is not meant to be a criticism of
those black belts - rather it is an observation that there is so much depth to
aikido, that there is always something to learn, be enlightened and excited
about the Art.

Noting my remarks, the light bulb seemed to have been switched-on judging by the
expression on kohai's face.

Of course, I also went to Malaysia to be a tourist and experience the local
hospitality, and to have some fun with others who shared a love of the Art,
especially the masters, at the resort Island of Redang.

While we look at the masters in awe of their Art, we sometimes forget that they
like to party too and let their hair down, just like us mere aikido mortals.
But be forewarned – the masters will drink you under the table. And Hanshi
looked pretty good on the resort's disco floor (i.e. beach) too! I think the
average Japanese aikido student would die for such company in a social setting
so far away off the mat.

There were 20 who went to the island – 11 Japan based, 4 from the host country,
3 Canadians, 1 from Ukraine and 1 from Australia. It was quite impressive that
we were able to negotiate the different languages including
English/Japanese/Cantonese/Mandarin. It was a good bonding session.

I understand Takashima Sensei is looking at Malta for the next Masters Clinic –
presumably it will be about the same time next year. So start saving!

Osu!