Kannagara Aiki Taisai 2010

By Steve Dainard on 05.05.2010 23:06:09

This year's Aiki Taisai event was very enlightening to me! One of the significant aspects was training barefoot on the river rocks and gravel. At first the pain was distracting, but as Sensei pointed out you needed to ground yourself into your center. Also, gliding through the rocks rather than stepping on them was a good suggestion. The experience was so moving that I ordered a ton of river rocks delivered to my home in Sacramento. (The rock is from the American River.) Two cubic yards of rock! I now have an area established for practicing bokken! A trial test of the rocks confirmed they hurt just as much in Sacramento as Granite Falls!

By Steve Dainard on 05.05.2010 23:06:09

This year's Aiki Taisai event was very enlightening to me! One of the significant aspects was training barefoot on the river rocks and gravel. At first the pain was distracting, but as Sensei pointed out you needed to ground yourself into your center. Also, gliding through the rocks rather than stepping on them was a good suggestion. The experience was so moving that I ordered a ton of river rocks delivered to my home in Sacramento. (The rock is from the American River.) Two cubic yards of rock! I now have an area established for practicing bokken! A trial test of the rocks confirmed they hurt just as much in Sacramento as Granite Falls!

By Kurt Dunning on 30.04.2010 02:04:53

“CLACK!!!”….the heavy wooden sword had narrowly whizzed past my head and collided into my own, which was raised in a hasty block. The collision sent reverberations up the oaken Bokutoh and into my core! The impact instantly launched my own Bokutoh around my shoulder and on a perilous course towards my confronter’s head; now this was real! “Dunning-san, strike more to horizontal!” demanded Koichi Barrish Sensei, the Aikido Master and Guji (high priest) of Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America. Sensei then demonstrated the correct motion, gliding effortlessly offline to his student’s top-of-head strike and definitively cutting him down to horizon; the attacker sprawling under the mass of Sensei’s own Bokutoh’s counterstrike! “Hai! Domo arigato gozaimasu Sensei!” Trust me: when two heavy Kashima Shin Bokutoh abruptly come together with a resulting change of direction and energy, you want to get it right! The fifty or more of us Aikido students and teachers had gathered under the auspices of Sensei’s yearly Aiki Taisai (Aikido training seminar). The Misogi (Shinto river purification) that morning had awakened and invigorated us for the day’s intense training, and the aches and pains of my body and the worries of my mind had washed away in the cool waters. Tsubaki Grand Shrine Of America is nestled in the primal forests of Washington’s Pacific Northwest, and the natural setting is soothing balm for a modern soul. We trained wooden sword by the pristine river on Saturday and then on Sunday before the Shinto Shrine itself. As we trained before the Shrine, tiny cherry blossoms floated and danced around us, sharply contrasting and yet beautifully complimenting our combat. Later that day, Sensei Barrish performed the memorial Ireisai for Morihei Ueshiba O-sensei, the founder and genius of the martial art of Aikido. The ceremony was solemn and moving. Barrish Sensei’s wife, Chika Barrish, worked selflessly to simultaneously coordinate the unfolding events of the Taisai while also photo documenting, and her diligence was an inspiration to all. It was Sensei’s sixtieth birthday, and Mrs. Barrish had us all sign a personal message of congratulations on a huge poster. When Sensei Barrish arrived for the special Saturday potluck at the keikan, we sprang the surprise: “Happy Birthday Sensei!” Mrs. Barrish’s homemade Sunday brunch was not only delicious; it nourished my very core. If only I could have Japanese curry and flavored rice like she prepared for us to eat everyday! All Sensei’s deshi and seminar attendees were great to work with. Sensei and his students went above and beyond to help us far-flung travelers to work on the material presented, and some of the attendees had traveled from as far as Eastern Europe! I hope all the attendees will be Tsubaki Ko members and help to support and preserve Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America and what Sensei Barrish is doing for the Aiki world.

By Kurt Dunning on 30.04.2010 02:04:53

“CLACK!!!”….the heavy wooden sword had narrowly whizzed past my head and collided into my own, which was raised in a hasty block. The collision sent reverberations up the oaken Bokutoh and into my core! The impact instantly launched my own Bokutoh around my shoulder and on a perilous course towards my confronter’s head; now this was real! “Dunning-san, strike more to horizontal!” demanded Koichi Barrish Sensei, the Aikido Master and Guji (high priest) of Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America. Sensei then demonstrated the correct motion, gliding effortlessly offline to his student’s top-of-head strike and definitively cutting him down to horizon; the attacker sprawling under the mass of Sensei’s own Bokutoh’s counterstrike! “Hai! Domo arigato gozaimasu Sensei!” Trust me: when two heavy Kashima Shin Bokutoh abruptly come together with a resulting change of direction and energy, you want to get it right! The fifty or more of us Aikido students and teachers had gathered under the auspices of Sensei’s yearly Aiki Taisai (Aikido training seminar). The Misogi (Shinto river purification) that morning had awakened and invigorated us for the day’s intense training, and the aches and pains of my body and the worries of my mind had washed away in the cool waters. Tsubaki Grand Shrine Of America is nestled in the primal forests of Washington’s Pacific Northwest, and the natural setting is soothing balm for a modern soul. We trained wooden sword by the pristine river on Saturday and then on Sunday before the Shinto Shrine itself. As we trained before the Shrine, tiny cherry blossoms floated and danced around us, sharply contrasting and yet beautifully complimenting our combat. Later that day, Sensei Barrish performed the memorial Ireisai for Morihei Ueshiba O-sensei, the founder and genius of the martial art of Aikido. The ceremony was solemn and moving. Barrish Sensei’s wife, Chika Barrish, worked selflessly to simultaneously coordinate the unfolding events of the Taisai while also photo documenting, and her diligence was an inspiration to all. It was Sensei’s sixtieth birthday, and Mrs. Barrish had us all sign a personal message of congratulations on a huge poster. When Sensei Barrish arrived for the special Saturday potluck at the keikan, we sprang the surprise: “Happy Birthday Sensei!” Mrs. Barrish’s homemade Sunday brunch was not only delicious; it nourished my very core. If only I could have Japanese curry and flavored rice like she prepared for us to eat everyday! All Sensei’s deshi and seminar attendees were great to work with. Sensei and his students went above and beyond to help us far-flung travelers to work on the material presented, and some of the attendees had traveled from as far as Eastern Europe! I hope all the attendees will be Tsubaki Ko members and help to support and preserve Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America and what Sensei Barrish is doing for the Aiki world.

By Paul Shipley on 26.04.2010 22:36:19

Dear Sensei, This year's Aiki Taisai and Ireisai was a wonderful experience. The connection between the bokken work we did outside and the techniques we worked on inside was fascinating to explore, and vividly highlighted problems that I have had with my training recently. I'm looking forward to exploring these concepts throughout the year. The daily flow and connection of Misogi, chohai, chinkon, aiki training, and fellowship with good friends over good food made for a delightful weekend. Many, many thanks to you and Barrish-san for such a wonderful Taisai. Many thanks also to all of the wonderful deshi at the taisai, we all greatly appreciated the chance to train and learn with you. Sincerely, Paul Shipley The University of British Columbia Okanagan Kannagara Aikido Dojo

By Paul Shipley on 26.04.2010 22:36:19

Dear Sensei, This year's Aiki Taisai and Ireisai was a wonderful experience. The connection between the bokken work we did outside and the techniques we worked on inside was fascinating to explore, and vividly highlighted problems that I have had with my training recently. I'm looking forward to exploring these concepts throughout the year. The daily flow and connection of Misogi, chohai, chinkon, aiki training, and fellowship with good friends over good food made for a delightful weekend. Many, many thanks to you and Barrish-san for such a wonderful Taisai. Many thanks also to all of the wonderful deshi at the taisai, we all greatly appreciated the chance to train and learn with you. Sincerely, Paul Shipley The University of British Columbia Okanagan Kannagara Aikido Dojo

Kannagara Aikido

at Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America

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