534 Mendocino Avenue Santa Rosa, CA 95401
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534 Mendocino Avenue Santa Rosa, CA 95401 |
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Traditional
Aikido of Santa Rosa teaches weapons as an integral part of Aikido training.
As such, each class begins with a short session of weapons training. Sunday
morning there is a class fully devoted to weapons training, with Tuesday
evenings reserved for advanced weapons. Below is a list of the three weapons
styles offered at the dojo.
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Aiki Weapons (Iwama Style)O-Sensei, the founder of Aikido, was skillful with both sword and staff, frequently demonstrating the same movements to be effective even while empty-handed. Aiki-weapons are taught as shown to Jay and Lynn Senseis by Saito Sensei during their trainings at Iwama dojo in Japan and during Saito Sensei's early visits to Northern California. Characteristics of Aiki-weapons are the bigger movements
used to teach hip rotation and body movement, moving off the line of
attack, as well as ki extension.
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Sugawara Sensei's Partner PracticesSugawara Sensei developed these partner practices as a way to introduce movements found in the Katori style of weapons, which are very different than Aiki-weapons. The movements are much faster and much more direct when compared to Aiki-weapons. These katas teach the basic principals of Katori weapons. There are 8 kumi-jo (bokken v. jo) and 5 jo-ai (jo v. jo) practices. The first four katas in the kumi-jo are practiced as if wearing armor. The strikes are harder and target weak points in the armor that would be worn by a warrior swordsman. The second four (5-8) are practiced as if without armor and are softer, closer and even faster than the first four. There are five jo-ai katas, which are practiced with the same distance and speed of the 5-8 katas of the kumijo. Learning these katas not only provides a foundation
for Katori training, but is required before a student may be invited
to train Katori. Learning Sugawara Sensei's kumi-jo and jo-ai also allows
the instructor to gauge the character of an individual, which is the
basis for admission into the advanced weapons style of Tenshin Shoden
Katori Shinto Ryu. |
Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto RyuTenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu is a 600-year-old sword style, considered to be the most distinguished of all Japanese martial traditions, and as such was designated an intangible cultural treasure by the Japanese government in April 1960. Bell and Johnston Sensei's have received the 'kyoshi', instructor's license, for this distinguished and complex art, from Tetsutaka Sugawara Sensei. Students who have gained proficiency in Sugawara Sensei's partner practices may train this weapons style, which is taught each Tuesday evening from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm. Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu is trained with the
utmost seriousness and is not to be taken lightly. There are expectations
of those who train Katori far and above normal expectations. |
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