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Seminar Report

「The First Asia-Oceania Kyudo Seminar
- With harmony and peace of mind: Kyudo ties together the people of the world.-」

Dates:Seminar Special Shinsa 13-15 April, 2012
Venue:Nippon Gaishi Sports Center Kyudo-jo (NagoyaCity, Aichi, Japan)
Sponsors:International Kyudo Federation / Co-sponsors: All Nippon Kyudo

 

The cherry blooms near Nippon Gaishi Sports Center Kyudojo were still in full bloom after a spell of cold weather.

First day.

Attendants began arriving at the dojo more than one hour before the opening ceremony, and prepared to equip themselves. At 9:30 am the opening ceremony started. Most of the participants were from Asia and Oceania, including New Zealand, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The others were from Austria, Sweden and Russia. Including foreign residents in Japan, there were fifty six members ranked from mudan to Renshi godan.

A full-scale seminar was planned in April last year but had to be scaled down to Nagoya Kyudo Koryukai because of the East Japan Earthquake. So the organizers were determined to make this year's event a success.

Mr. Takeo Ishikawa, President of All Nippon Kyudo Federation made a welcoming speech to participants. ( see the article ).

 

Next, instructors were introduced, and Shunin Koshi, Hanshi Hachidan, Yoshimitsu Usami said a few words:"This seminar aims to promote Kyudo to the world, which All Nippon Kyudo Federation and International Kyudo Federation shall pursue. It's a practical seminar for you to learn the basics through Shao and Shagi based on Kyohon. Please do your best in these three days. Thank you. "

Keiko Iimura, Renshi godan from New Zealand took the lead to recite "Raiki Shagi" and "Shahokun".

Then the Yawatashi began. Hanshi Kudan Takeo Ishikawa did Ite, and Hanshi Hachidan Yoshimitsu Usami and Hanshi Hachidan Masakazu Honda did Kaizoe. In the humbling atmosphere, foreign attendants had to sit in the uncomfortable seiza position.

At 10:20 am, all attendants started Hitotegyosha. Five at a time aimed at Mato: All were tensed.

At 1:30 pm, Shagi Instruction started. There were three groups in three Shajo. Each Group had two instructors. And each member was received intense instruction.

Instructors corrected them by hand and word with volunteer interpreters. English, Chinese and Russian interpreters were very busy at the Shajo.

At 3 pm, instruction of the basic position, Kihontai, began. All members repeated basic action carefully: sitting down, standing up, walking and moving turns. Divided into levels, three groups were instructed in elaborate ways.

At 5 pm, the first day ended. But many attendants remained in dojo and practiced by themselves. These three days seminar were so precious that they wanted to practice as much as they could in the dojo.

 

Second day.

Hon Haward ,Yodan Tokyo (USA) led Raiki Shagi and Shahokun. They were recited in chorus. After a group photograph was taken, Koshi gave a special performance, "Mochimato Sharei". Ite were Hanshi Hachidan Yoshimitsu Usami, Hanshi Hachidan Masakazu Honda, Kyoshi Nanadan Mikio Enomoto, Kyoshi Nanadan Shimahei Ohsawa and Kyoshi Nanadan Minoru Kasai.

At 9:30am Shagi instruction began. The three groups went to their Shajo as they had the day before. After this seminar most of them would take an examination for promotion. To prepare for it, they practiced Gyosha in Shinsa no Maai, as they would have to in the examination. At the end of the morning lesson, they moved from Shajo to a meeting room and watched visual materials to learn the Maai.

In the afternoon, they practiced Shagi till 4 pm taking a few breaks.

After the second day, all attendants got together for a friendly reception. The view from the meeting room of the hotel was wonderful. Nagoya castle and beautiful cherry blossoms were illuminated.

 

At the meeting, President Ishikawa said "I believe that the ties among attendants will become a warm light that will illuminate Asia and Oceania to expand our Kyudo."

There was a special guest. Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado, Honorary President of the International Kyudo Federation, attended this meeting.

Her Imperial Highness made s speech in English that Kyudo, which was Japanese traditional Budo had the peerless beauty with high standard artistic quality. Her Imperial Highness wished all Kyujins around the world to work keep the tradition, develop techniques and hand over all they learned to the next generation.

After Mr. Usami, Shinin Koshi led guests in a toast, international friendly conversations spread around.

 

The final day of the seminar, again Shagi instruction began with.

At 10 am Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado showed up at the Kyudojo and took the honored guest seat. Then a special performance Enbu started. Three local children aged from eight to ten aimed Enteki mato twenty meters away. They used short bows, gave their best performance, and received warm applause. Next, three junior high school students and three high school students took positions for Kinteki. Junior Kyudo is very popular in Aichi, and they performed in grand style.

After their performance, Shagi instruction began again. Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado watched these performances enthusiastically, and made a conversation with president Ishikawa.

At 11:45 am the ceremony of presentation of the certificate of completion commenced. An attendant who wore the No.1 mark was presented the certificates by Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado. After the ceremony Her Imperial Highness left the dojo with great applause. The afternoon instruction focused on the next day's examination. The results are on page 30 of this issue.

 

会長挨拶 / Message from the President

本日は、多くの受講者の方にお集まりいただき誠に喜ばしく思います。昨年は、東日本大震災の影響から、交流稽古会として実施せざるを得なくなってしまいましたが、今年、このように盛会に開催できることは、本当にすばらしいことであります。思えば、6 年前に国際弓道連盟が設立され、記念大会や世界弓道大会が開催されました。アジア・オセアニア地域からも多くの方が参加されたことは、まだ記憶に新しいところであります。そして関係者の発案と努力により、このような機会を提供するということでこのセミナーが始まりました。今後、益々参加者が増え、皆さんにとって、なくてはならない行事になることを願い、そして夢見ることができるということは、弓道を志す一人として感動の念にたえません。時代は移り変わるものですが、日本の伝統である弓道の本質は変わるものではありません。日本には、〝初心忘るべからず〟という言葉がありますが、皆さんもそのような気持ちを忘れないで、このセミナーに臨んでいただきたいと思います。

Today, I am deeply grateful to many attendants from overseas for coming here to Japan.Last year we held a limited seminar, which is Koryu Keiko Kai, because of East Japan Earthquake. But now I am delighted that we could have such a large scale international seminar this year.

Six years ago, International Kyudo Federation was established, then they held the Taikai celebrating the establishment of the International Kyudo Federation and First Sekai Kyudo Taikai. I still remember that we had many participants from Asia Oceania region.

This seminar has started to give you these opportunities with the effort of those involved. I hope this seminar will attract more participants to be indispensable events for them. And I thrill to dream of it as a person who pursues Kyudo.

Things change with the times, but the essence of Japanese traditional Kyudo will not change. There is a saying in Japan, which is "never forget the ideals with which you started out". Please keep this ideal in your heart, and enjoy this seminar. Thank you very much.