All posts by admin

Thinking of a Miracle

Several times of late I’ve argued with different people about what a miracle is.
Certainly, there are different opinions.

Is a miracle something unthinkable, something unimaginable, something impossible to understand?
Or is it something that ties the world we are used to with something greater? Sort of a reminder that there is something else out there?
Or is a miracle just some attribute of a fairy-tale? So that life is a little easier, so that there is something to tell a child at bed-time?

Read More

Seminar of S. Seki Shihan in Moscow, November, 2006.

The seminar was held in Moscow from November 3 to 7, 2006, and was dedicated to the 15th anniversary of Koinobori Dojo.

Koinobori Dojo receiveв numerous congratulation messages from Japan, Switzerland, USA, Russia from friends, teachers, organizations, from all those who helped in the creation and development of Koinobori Dojo throughout the 15 years of its history. The seminar conducted by S.Seki shihan became the most important event of the Dojo’s anniversary year.

Over 200 participants gathered to attend the seminar from 10 cities and towns of Russia (Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Fryazino, Puschino, Domodedovo, Ryazan, Saint Petersburg, Kaluga, Abakan), as well as from Lithuania, France, and the USA.

Read More

Dear colleagues and friends!

The traditional international seminar led by S. Seki Shihan, 7th Dan, Aikido World Headquarters (AIKIKAI Hombu Dojo) took place from November 3 – 7 , 2006 in Moscow. The seminar was devoted to the 15th anniversary of Koinobori Dojo.
More than 200 people participated in the seminar, including representatives from Moscow, N. Novgorod, Fryazino, Pushchino, Domodyedovo, Ryazan, St. Petersburg, Kaluga, Abakan, Lithuania, France and the United States. Read More

Each seminar Seki sensei teaches in Moscow is, first and foremost, an event for which of us starts preparing long before it actually begins. Strictly speaking, right from the day when the previous seminar is over.

This is a familiar feeling: we have just said good-bye, having finished the last class of the seminar, and, over the regret of the days which have passed so quickly (maybe the speed of time changes in these days?), over the delight of new understanding of certain aspects, there arises the thought: When is the next seminar? What is it going to be like?

Read More

Impessions of seminar participants.

This is not the first time I’ve attended Seki sensei’s seminar, so I will not reiterate what I’ve written before: the precision, the power, the conciseness, the gentle attitude: I’ll try to express things that struck me in particular during this year’s seminar.

First and foremost, I am deeply grateful for the fact that Seki sensei has started to add verbal explanations when demonstrating the technique. Read More

VII International Aikido seminar under the direction of S.SEKI Shihan.
October 14th-20th, Moscow, Russia 2002.

The seminar program included the main part (14 classes) and the general review (3 classes), as well as the Dan examination. The review part of the seminar was held in one of the largest judo dojos in Moscow – the Shabolovka sports complex. A total of 240 aikidokas participated in the seminar, including representatives of 9 Russian cities and towns (Moscow, Stupino, Domodedovo, Nizhny Novgorod, Saint Petersburg, Chelyabinsk, Tomsk, Ufa, Rostov-on-Don), as well as guests from Lithuania, Ukraine (Melitopol), USA and Japan. 16 participants were awarded Dan ranks as a result of the examination, of them 1 Dan – 10, 2 Dan – 1, 3 Dan – 3, 4 Dan – 2 practitioners.

Seminar Impressions

Douglas Marshall (USA), 20 October 2002

The days leading up to the most recent seminar with Seki Sensei were like the days before Christmas (in the U.S.) when I was young. The anticipation made the preceding days go by slowly, and the night before the first day of the seminar I could hardly sleep. Read More

The International Seminar directed by AIKIKAI Hombu Dojo shihan S.Seki was conducted in Moscow on October 24-29, 2001. The seminar was dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the foundation of Koinobori Aikido Dojo. About 130 people from 6 cities of Russia, as well as guests from Lithuania, USA, Poland, Armenia, and Japan, took part in the seminar.

Read More

The VI International Seminar directed by S.Seki Shihan was held in Moscow on October 24-29, 2001.

The seminar was dedictated to the 10th anniversary of the foundation of Koinobori Dojo. Read More

V International seminar under direction of Shoji SEKI shihan in Koinobori dojo. November 14-20, 2000. Moscow

The seminar consisted of three parts: the main part (a total of 12 hours, with the number of participants at each practice not exceeding 40, which offered every participant a chance to practice directly with the Sensei), the overview part (3 hours, held in one of the practice gyms of the Russian State Academy of Physical Culture (RGAFK), with over 70 participants), and the examination (1 Dan – 9 examinees, 2 Dan – 5 examinees). Over 130 aikidoists actively participated in the seminar, representing five cities of Russia, all AIKIKAI dojos of Moscow, and including guests from Lithuania, the USA, and Armenia.

Seminar impressions

World Harmony Modeled on a Selected Dojo

Mikhail Kudashkin, November 25th, 2000.

Seminars on the level of those led by such people as Seki Sensei usually attract several hundred people, and unless you are an honored guest of the dojo, the chances that you will be able to actually work one-on-one with the master himself are very small. Read More

The year 1996 was special: Koinoboro Dojo celebrated five years’ anniversary of its foundation. Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba and Hombu Dojo leaders deemed it possible to grant the Dojo’s request and send Seki shihan to Moscow to conduct the anniversary seminar.

Read More

S.Seki shihan first visited Russia in 1995 as the head of AIKIKAI Hombu Dojo delegation. The delegation’s European tour was organized by the AIKIKAI Foundation. The delegation held brief seminars and demonstrations in several European countries (Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia).

In Moscow the delegation members took part in the All-Russia Aikido Festival, conducted several practice sessions at the Olympic Village, answered journalists’ questions at the press conference at the Moscow State University, as well as toured Moscow’s landmarks, including the Kremlin and the Red Square.

The delegation members included S. Seki shihan, Yu. Kobayashi shihan, T. Kuribayashi shihan, M. Takamizo shihan, Y.Irie shidoin as well as several representatives of Japanese aikido dojos.