2024 Aikido Shinryukan Beijing Seminar – A Retrospection
by Stefan
Nobuo Takase Shihan, Chief Instructor and founder of Aikido Shinryukan
This year´s Aikido Shinryukan Beijing Seminar took place on 13th & 14th April. Sensei arrived three days earlier, on Wednesday morning, and taught evening classes in our dojo from Wednesday to Friday. On Friday, some of our members took their kyu grading tests.
The seminar started on Saturday morning and ended on Sunday afternoon. 60 participants from dojos in Beijing and other cities in China spent two days practising together, and received excellent instruction from Sensei. As always, Takase Shihan emphasized the importance of kihon during his classes. Through his teaching, techniques we had practiced many times before appeared in a new light. Sensei pointed out many new details, showed us different variations for techniques, and so gave each of us a lot to take home and reflect about: “homework” for our training in future.
The seminar started on Saturday morning and ended on Sunday afternoon. 60 participants from dojos in Beijing and other cities in China spent two days practising together, and received excellent instruction from Sensei. As always, Takase Shihan emphasized the importance of kihon during his classes. Through his teaching, techniques we had practiced many times before appeared in a new light. Sensei pointed out many new details, showed us different variations for techniques, and so gave each of us a lot to take home and reflect about: “homework” for our training in future.
Seminar impressions
At the end of the seminar, two of our members, together with five other students from Beijing and Tianjin, passed their Shodan test – a milestone on their Aikido path, but also an important event for our dojo. Congratulations!
Lu Zanyang (left) and Wang Yi (right), after their successful Shodan test, together with Sensei
Takase Shihan´s visits are always special events for our dojo, but this year even more so, for several reasons:
After a five-year long interruption due to the Corona virus pandemic, it was Takase Shihan´s first visit since 2019. Most of our current members started Aikido after that, and some had been training for several years without ever having the chance to meet their Chief Instructor in person and learn from him. This strange situation has now ended. In a way, it feels that for our dojo the pandemic has only now, finally, come to an end.
After a five-year long interruption due to the Corona virus pandemic, it was Takase Shihan´s first visit since 2019. Most of our current members started Aikido after that, and some had been training for several years without ever having the chance to meet their Chief Instructor in person and learn from him. This strange situation has now ended. In a way, it feels that for our dojo the pandemic has only now, finally, come to an end.
Takase Shihan giving instructions at the seminar
Secondly, apart from Sensei we also welcomed several members of Shinryukan New Zealand: Ashley Sharpe Sensei came together with Takase Shihan, it was his first visit to China and to our dojo. Papu Siameja Sensei made the trip from Shanghai. And Richard Low (whom some of us had already met at the 2019 Shinryukan seminar in Tianjin) flew in from Singapore.
Papu Siameja Sensei
Ashley Sharpe Sensei with Takase Shihan
Thirdly, for the first time we could welcome our friends from Aikido Kishu. Yang Yexin Sensei made the long trip from Guiyang, together with all of his students. It was the first opportunity for the members of our two dojos to get to know each other and grow more together as members of the Aikido Shinryukan family.
Members of Aikido Kishu and Beijing Shinryukan
And finally: It felt great to meet old and new Aikido friends from other dojos: to practice with them on the mats, and to catch up after the long interruption due to the pandemic.
Seminar group photo
On the last day of Sensei´s visit we spent a relaxing afternoon together, drinking coffee and chatting. Our students took the opportunity and asked their questions about Aikido, and Sensei got the chance to know our students a bit closer. After our last dinner we saw him off to the airport …
On the last day of Sensei´s visit
Many thanks to Sensei: for making the long trip from New Zealand to Beijing, for his teaching which gave us so many insights, and for his valuable support of our dojo. Thanks to all Aikidokas from dojos in Beijing and other cities in China who came to participate. And finally, a huge Thank You to all members of our dojo who invested a lot of time and effort in preparing this seminar!
Beijing Shinryukan members with Takase Shihan, Papu Sensei and Ashley Sensei