Author: Aunshugyo

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2023.10.25-29 Japan Camp in Chichibu – in Photographs

The Aunkai Japan Camp was held from 2023.10.25-29 in Chichibu.

Originally this camp was planned for the spring of 2020, but was delayed for more than 3 years by Covid. Fortunately, to mark the 20th anniversary of the founding of Aunkai, the camp could at last be realized.

This time, there were several points of note:

  • guest participation was permitted
  • real-time online participation via monitor by students from France
  • presentation of study material in a seminar format
  • and a big congratulation to Melanie Mo who was ranked to Kyoshi

All in all quite a different format from the previous camp that had been held back in 2016.

We are very pleased to have received so much good feedback about the camp from participants. A warm thank you to everyone involved.

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2024-02-23 Tokyo Open Seminar

Overview

One-day Aunkai Open Seminar in Tokyo given by Akuzawa sensei.

Theme

In this seminar, focus will be on an exposition of the practical application of Aiki in striking and unarmed martial sports, based on the Aunkai definition of Aiki mechanics. Aunkai derives its effectiveness from internal body manipulation and mechanics, and participants will gain an insight into the training methodology, as well as to feel its application.

The seminar will be presented so as to be accessible to people both young and old, with little or long experience in martial arts, and who are curious about how these arts are intended to work.

Details

  • Date: 23rd February 2024 (Friday [public holiday])
  • Venue: Musashinodai Primary School Gym Hall, Nakano-ku, Tokyo (Address: 5-1-1 Kami-Saginomiya, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 165-0031)
  • Access:
    Seibu-Ikebukuro line: ~12 minutes walk from Fujimidai station
    Seibu-Shinjuku line: ~12 minutes walk from Sagi-no-Miya station, or ~ 15 minutes walk from Shimo-Igusa station
  • Time: 13:00–16:00 (venue opens 12:30)
  • Fee: 8000 JPY
  • Application: please use online application form
  • While not mandatory, we recommend wearing of masks, as many person will be in close proximity
  • Note: direct participation without prior application is not permitted
  • Important: in the past we have experienced issues with venue changes outside of our control. If such a situation occurs, we will post changes on our website and notify applicants via email. Please check email and webpage for possible changes as the data of the seminar approaches.

Further information

  • Participation: 18 years or older and in good health
  • Clothing/footwear: clothing easy to move around in; indoor shoes (barefoot also OK)
  • Other: please bring own water/drinks, towels
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2023-09-23 Tokyo Open Seminar Report

On 2023-09-23 the 2nd seminar of the year was held at the Musashinodai Primary School in Nerima-ku.

The topic of this seminar was usage of the Center of Gravity (CoG) in bujutsu, differentiating movement of body weight from movement of the CoG. Once this had been grasped, the focus turned to transmitting the CoG, using as examples several of the basic forms used in Naido-Bujutsu training.

A big thank you to both all the new participants and to the repeat attendees from the previous seminar in February.

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2023-09-23 Tokyo Open Seminar

Overview

One-day Aunkai Open Seminar in Tokyo given by Akuzawa sensei, divided into two sections:

  1. Body development for Bujutsu
  2. Training for proficiency in bare-hands sparring

Aunkai derives its effectiveness from internal body manipulation and mechanics. The first part of this seminar will focus on essential aspects necessary to understand body structure, use of postural, and body development exercises (tanren) will be covered.
The second part of the seminar will be spent on the relationship to skills related to unbalancing an opponent.
The seminar will be presented so as to be accessible to people both young and old, with little or long experience in martial arts, and who are curious about how these arts are intended to work.

Details

  • Date: 23rd September 2023 (Thursday [public holiday])
  • Venue: Musashinodai Primary School Gym Hall, Nakano-ku, Tokyo (Address: 5-1-1 Kami-Saginomiya, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 165-0031)
  • Access:
    Seibu-Ikebukuro line: ~12 minutes walk from Fujimidai station
    Seibu-Shinjuku line: ~12 minutes walk from Sagi-no-Miya station, or ~ 15 minutes walk from Shimo-Igusa station
  • Time: 15:00–18:00
  • Fee: 8000 JPY
  • Application: please use online application form
  • While not mandatory, we recommend wearing of masks, as many person will be in close proximity
  • Note: direct participation without prior application is not permitted
  • Important: in the past we have experienced issues with venue changes outside of our control. If such a situation occurs, we will post changes on our website and notify applicants via email. Please check email and webpage for possible changes as the data of the seminar approaches.

Further Information

  • Participation: 18 years or older and in good health
  • Clothing/footwear: clothing easy to move around in; indoor shoes (barefoot also OK)
  • Other: please bring own water/drinks, towels
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2023-04/05 France Seminar Photos

After a hiatus of 3 years owing to Covid-19, seminar as France could finally restart from april this year.

2023-04-20 Akuzawa sensei shortly after arrival in France, at Manabu Watanabe hanshi‘s training venue.

2023-04-22/28 Lyon: Black Belt Seminar & Intensive Seminar

2023-04-30/31 Paris: Master Class & Open Seminar

Apart from the above seminar, Akuzawa sensei also gave several private classes, and made time for some sightseeing.

The entire trip’s schedule was extremely tight with little time for relaxation, but happily achieved the primary objective of allowing students to meet with and feel Akuzawa sensei inthe flesh once again, leading to many happy faces, including also Akuzawa sensei who was delighted to be among his students once again.

Planning is underway for a repeat seminar trip in the coming year.

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2023-04/05 France Seminar Additional News: Black Belt Promotions & Magazine Article Publication

(1) New Promotions to Black Belt Rank

As the first France seminar after 3 years of absence owing to Covid-19, Akuzawa sensei checked the current skill levels, and also promoted a number of students to black belt rank after confirming their progress and achievements.

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Jean-Luc, Akuzawa sensei, Olivier, Loic
Alex, Akuzawa sensei, Nicolas

Additionally, while unable to meet Akuzawa sensei in person during sensei’s seminar trip, a number of diligent students nevertheless graded with Manabu Watanabe Hanshi as sensei’s representative after sensei’s return to Japan, and obtained black belt rank.

Philippe

Congratulations to the newly promoted Black Belts!!

(2) Article publication in French martial arts magazine Self & Dragon

While in France for the seminar, Akuzawa sensei was interviewed for this magazine article.

Photo credits: P.Y. Benoliel

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2023-02-23 Tokyo Open Seminar Report

Here the photo report of the first seminar of 2023, the 20th anniversary of the found ing of Aunkai Bujutsu.
Participants ranged from areas as diverse as Aichi prefecture and Sendai, and included first-timers itching to get an experience of what Aunkai consists of, as well as repeat participants, all a mix of beginners and and people with long experience in martial arts.

During the seminar participants made several impactful statements as they made discoveries and revelations:
– “I got to feel Akuzawa sensei’s seemingly limitless power”
– “Akuzawa sensei’s movement was way more impressive than I had even imagined. This as really another great learning experience.”
– “Video really doesn’t do it justice. You do have to feel it. I’d been trying so hard to understand how [Morihei Ueshiba] O-Sensei had been using his hara, and by feeling Akuzawa-sensei I managed to get some sort of image.”

We thank all participants for their enthusiasm and helping make this such a great seminar.

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2023.10.25-29 Aunkai Japan Camp

From 2023.10.25th until 10.29, Aunkai will organize an international training camp in the Chichibu region of Saitama, near Tokyo, similarly to the camp held in 2016.
Anyone is welcome to join, not only current students and members. If interested, please fill out the application form.

Details will be publish in due course.

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2022 Ranking and Grading Events

This year saw a number of grading examinations for Aunkai members with several years of experience.

In this set of gradings, use was made for the first time of a strict set of guidelines for judging not only external form but internal skills and understanding, which is to become the baseline for Aunkai gradings.

Akuzawa sensei’s feedback was an important part of the grade presentation ceremonies, giving students guidance on where to focus for the most effective progress.

2022.5.21 White belt grading / 2022.6.4 brown belt / black belt presentation

2022.6.18 Renshi black belt grading examination

2022.8.11 Hanshi black belt grading examination

2022.8/.9 Presentation of black belt ranks

2022.10.27 Grading of Akimasa Watanabe (Swiss Aunkai)

2022.10.29 Presentation of black belt and kyoshi rank

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2023-02-23 Tokyo Open Seminar

Overview

One-day Aunkai Open Seminar in Tokyo given by Akuzawa sensei.

Aunkai derives its effectiveness from internal body manipulation and mechanics. In this seminar essential aspects necessary to understand body structure, use of postural, and body development exercises (tanren) will be covered.
A part of the seminar will be spent on the relationship to striking, unbalancing an opponent, and the relevance for aiki techniques.
The seminar will be presented so as to be accessible to people both young and old, with little or long experience in martial arts, and who are curious about how these arts are intended to work.

Details

  • Date: 23rd February 2023 (Thursday [public holiday])
  • Venue: Nakachou Community Centre, Rec Hall 2 (Address: 20-5 Nakachou, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo)
  • Time: 13:00–16:00
  • Fee: 6000 JPY
  • Application: please use online application form
  • For Covid social distancing purposes the number of participants will be limited
  • Owing to close interaction with partners, wearing of mask is mandatory
  • Note: direct participation without prior application is not permitted

Further Information

  • Participation: 18 years or older and in good health
  • Clothing/footwear: clothing easy to move around in; indoor shoes (barefoot also OK)
  • Other: please bring own water/drinks, towels