Seminar spirit at JuShinKan Aikido!

New-Dojo-Waza going on!

Green arrow shows the entrance - look for the cherry tree among the bamboo and the evergreen!

New Location’s adress: Lagårdsveien 91 (click for map).  This is the place! Entrance from the first floor (see arrow), look for the cherry “blossoms, the bamboo and the evergreen”…

Actually, we have 2 dojos, respectively 105 and 65 m2, with two large openings in between. We’ll install sliding doors, so they can be used together or separately!

There are also big changing rooms with lots of showers, a reception area for mingling and after practice social time, as well as a kitchenette. The corridor will become a gallery as well.

We’re all working hard to get the place up and going, and we’ve actually started practicing there after Easter (wednesday 11.4) – an inaugural practice with sushi & tea afterwards.

COME ON DOWN and help get the dojo ready!

New dojo is open for more new-dojo-waza!!! Call Jac or Bob or Trond to get access to the dojo to put in some time. Even if you only have a couple of hours – no job is too small, anything you can contribute gets us closer to opening time! Bring the kids!

Yet To Do:  paint, paint, paint! clear out, sweep & clean big dojo floor, paint, lay out the mats in big dojo, cut & glue some mats, get white stones, designing weapons rack, etc, etc, etc… did I mention painting?

Pictures from Day 1 & 2:    (or  click here for photostream on Facebook)

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Done So far:

Day 1 (sat 24.3): Moved out a few tons of training equipment, tore down all the “spinning makes you happy” posters, painted over the zingo-orange walls and decorations with some peaceful white and set up the railings for the mirrors. The small dojo is starting to look great! (50+ manhours)

Day 2 (sun 25.3): Finished painting the small dojo (it’s all peaceful white!) and installed the mirrors, moved 283 m2 of tatami from storage to big dojo (still in piles), scraped off stuff and heat-gunned off gunk, the corridor is half painted, planted a cherry tree and bamboo by the entrance and had sushi for lunch from the next door sushi place! (60+ man hours – damn we’re good!) – Check out the pics below!

Day 3 (mon 26.3): Cleaned ceiling lights & changed light rods (3 man hours)

Day 4 (tue 27.3): Changed light rods around (soft light in dojos and reception and bright light in the corridor), painted more corridor, sparkled holes in ceiling, straightened the mirrors, met the neighbours, moved stuff out of small dojo, broomed and washed it – ready to lay mats! (24 man hours). Thanks to Deirdre for coming by with drinks, sandwiches and goodies!!!

Day 5 (thu 29.3): Fixed a bugger of a light by cannibalizing another, washed & painted wood wall, then hung 4 big mirrors in the big dojo, fitted sidings around mirrors in small dojo and painted them, spray painted first coat on ventilation, signed papers & dispatched funding applications (19 man hours).

Day 6 (fri 30.3): Reception area half painted, one column painted, second coat of spray paint on ventilation, washed wooden walls, plans made for mat laying in small dojo, tried & failed to fix light sensor/switch in men’s WC (15 man hours)

Day 7 (sat 31.3): Spray painted ventilation;  painted pipework & cement beam in the ceiling, mirror sidings and back door, first coat of paint in the reception; scraped off all the paint drippings, dusted, washed & dried floor, corridor & reception; laid 3 plans for mat pattern, chose nr 3, tried 3 alpha corners, nr 3′s the charm! ; laid the center square of whole mats (27). (19 man hours)

Day 8 (sun 1.4): Second coat of paint in reception, took off the “wall skirts?” (‘lister’ in Norwegian); cut 5 mats in two lengthwise, then made two 39 cm wide mats with enough wrapping, stuffed the mats in the sides for a nice tight fit. 2 mats to go to finish!  (19 man hours)

Day 9 (mon 2.4): moved out one more HEAVY machines & shopped for mat-glue  (1 man hour)

Day 10 (tue 3.4): all the heavy machines are out (minus the one the other guy’s supposed to pick up), plan with Easter Key Masters sent out (9 man hours)

Day 11 (thu 5.4): more walls painted  (6 man hours)

Day 12 (mon 9.4): painted other half of corridor and one half of mens’ changing room, shomen table, shrine & 2 portraits are up in small dojo, planning mat layout big dojo, emptied the back corridor (25 man hours)

Day 13 (tue 10.4): one more wall painted in the big dojo, door steps & wall sidings by the steps cut to size in small dojo, one more mat cut, door curtains hung, one light fixed (17 man hours)

Day 14 (wed 11.4): Precut & scaled the remaining side-tatami, watched KI-guy dismantle and carry out the last weight-lifting machine, wall-sidings cut to right length, washed & cleaned up dojo for: First Practice in the New Dojo, followed by Sushi & Tea! (6 man hours)

Day 15 (thu 12.4): sparkled all the little bubble holes in the cement wall that will become the shomen wall + painted more of the wooden wall & the other column + wall sidings fitted and in place, ceiling holes after the repairmen fixed (8 man hours)

Day 16 (fri 13.4): odds and ends (2 man hours) & First weapons practice! no need to check the ceiling before swinging!

Day 17 (sat 14.4): end pieces on all the mirrors in big dojo, some electrical work, ceiling paneling back in place (nice!), painted the shomen wall, twice, as well as a couple of more walls in the big dojo, cleared & cleaned the storage room, moved red mats & oldest mats into storage, set up shelves for the dogi for sale, a detour to ikea, found a good bonzai tree for the reception & a couple of orchids, shoe rack built, hung a couple of prints in the bathrooms, framed O’Sensei, nailed the wooden siding to hold the mats in. Almost ready for matlaying (37,5 man hours – that’s a whole week’s work in one day!!!).

Day 18 (sun 15.4):   Changed a bunch of switches around (but it was the light that was dead…), one more big plant in, secured the shoe rack, remaining wall in the reception painted, twice, retaining wood strip to hold mats in place in both dojos, cut the last mats in the small dojo – all done!, dumped a carload of rubbish, hung O’sensei portrait in the big dojo as well as a bamboo calligraphy, big dojo is cleared and almost all clean and ready for matlaying!  (16 man hours).

Day 19 (mon 16.4): tested framing of woodprints (1 manhour). First guest at practice, from Bergen, Mathias Alerini, staying all week!

Day 20 (tue 17.4):  second coat of paint under the mirrors and finishing touch in reception, started laying out the mats in the big dojo and found that the walls are not straight, rethinking alignement plan (6 man hours).

Day 21 (thu 19.4): bought cloth & rod to block view in changing rooms, handpicked & washed white stones (2 x 10 liter buckets) took off all the tatami in small dojo (they’re going to do more plumbing in the ceiling… aaaaargh!), framed all the prints (6 manhour)

Day 22 (sat 21.4): the light in the men’s room now works, hung all the prints (we now have a gallery-corridor!), finished painting the other half of the men’s changing room, fixed the damage in the wall done by the plumber, etc (15? man hours)

Day 23 (sun 22.4): repainted the top part of small dojo, half painted women’s changing room, whole mats laid out again in the big dojo (ready for cutting triangles), batton’ed the one side to keep mats in place, moved all the painting stuff & other equipment to storage room (16? man hours)

Day 24 (mon 23.4): mats in small dojo relaid with new pattern,  finished painting women’s changing room, started cutting triangles, laid out white stones under kamiza (6 man hours)

Day 25 (tue 24.4): more mat triangles and fitting mats around the round columns, no more matpiles, room looks huge now!, removed doors of the changing rooms, hung separators and cloth instead (9 man hours).

Day 26 (wed 25.4): cut the remaining triangles and odd shapes – mats finished!!! put all the painting paraphernalia in the storage room (9 man hours)

- todays’ the seminar! will all the odd jobs be finished in time???

Our very own Dojo Opening soon!

After the active start to the New Year for Jushinkan members attending seminars with Bjørn Eirik Olsen Shihan, West Coast Festival in Haugesund, Seishiro Endo Shihan in Stockholm, Jorma Lyly and Jan Nevelius, both in Heggedal (near Oslo), Tissier/Bénézi/Croizé in Paris and a long weekend with Marc Bachraty in Sweden , it’s now time to fit in the General Assembly 2012: After practice on Wednesday 21 March i.e. 20.15-21.00.

And the latest news is that we’re about to open a new dojo – and it’s all ours!
It has 2 halls of 105 and 65 m2, big changing rooms with lots of showers, a reception area for mingling and after practice social time. Planned inauguration practice: first wednesday after Easter (11 april) with sushi party to follow.
New Location: Lagårdsveien 91, first floor of the Colosseum building

Details of new improved scheduling, new classes to be introduced at the general assembly. So BE THERE and be heard!

As a teaser, please enjoy these “before” photos (by the way…. this means dugnad coming weekend(s)!)

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Merry Christmas-waza and Happy Newkemi Year!

We keep it rolling during the Christmas-holidays!

The dojo is being refurbished and therefore closed until 2. january, 2012.

But Sandnes Aikido welcomes us to practice with them at the Sandnes dojo – on:
- friday 23. dec.   19-20.30
- monday 26. dec.  19-20.30
- wednesday 28. dec.  19-20.30
- friday 30. dec  19-20.30

Please call  Trond to book a practice:
944 33 496

To get a ride from Stavanger on Fri 23rd
or Mon 26th, call Jac 98 25 06 28.

Map to the Sandnes Kampsportsenter (on Hovebakken, in the Gandal-area).

Otherwise, see you next year – back to normal schedule on January 2, 2012.

Great season coming up at JuShinKan

JuShinKan Aikido is organizing several seminars in the Winter/Spring:

- West Coast Aikido Festival in Haugesund (27-29 January, 2012) details:  poster in english  - or FB event here

JuShinKan is coorganizing the “Vestlandet Aikido Festival” together with Haugesund Aikidoklubb (the 2012 host), Bergen Aikidoklubb and BSI. This year, the new club in Sandnes will join in as well.

The instructors of the 5 dojos will each be teaching one session each, and Erik Vanem from Oslo Aikidoklubb and the technical committee of NAF will both teach and hold a NAF-grading (6th through 1st kyu).

JuShinKan will organize a club car-trip to Haugesund for which the club will cover the travel costs for members.

The aim of the event is to “know each other better, train with others than we are used to, learn from each other, and so that it will be easier to stop by in each other dojos and open our horizon”. Read the articles about the 1st festival in Haugesund and the 2nd festival in Stavanger to know more about it. You can count on some great socializing there!

- Fjords’n'Aikido with Fabrice Somers, 5th dan (seminar 27-29 april 2012 + fjords 30 april & 1. mai) poster coming soon or see Facebook event here

Fabrice Somers is coming back to hold his 3rd seminar in Stavanger! Somers is a close student of Endo Sensei,  whom he often accompanies as uke in his European tours. He also spends a few weeks every year at Hombu to practice with Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba. He has a vibrant and joyful presence and is very generous when sharing his experience, emphasizing the principles that Endo stands for, taking the time to work with everyone present.
Read more about Fabrice Somers in this article: (English version) (Norwegian version) and see a video with Fabrice on YouTube

Welcome to Stavanger!  (also in between seminars, of course!)

JuShinKan went to Japan

Monday 24.10 - Sunrise in Tokyo and sunset in Kyoto…

Between the sunsrise and sunset, the Shinkansen bullet’ed us across the country, we visited the Heian Jingu Shrine and the peaceful pearl of a garden behind it.

Found the Ryokan, a Japanese style inn – tatami room with futons layed out at night, beautiful view on a small garden to wake up to, japanese style breakfast, which is only complete after viewing the Koi in the pond (which come to you when you clap your hands!) and usually there is a bath house (one for women, on for men).  The scrubbing shower followed by a hot, hot bath was most welcome!

Tuesday 25.10 – NorthWest Kyoto

Really recommend looking up Yoko Okamoto Sensei (a lady 6. dan} in Kyoto – whe studied mostly with Yamaguchi Sensei and was student of Tissier for a couple of years in Paris before teaching in Seattle for some years then opening her own dojo in Kyoto! (tip: the dojo very difficult to find, do take along an enlarged google map and the address written in Japanese!}

Made the morning practice at Okamoto Sensei’s Nishijin Dojo, followed by a visit to the coffee shop around the corner with Sensei – one could never have guessed it was a coffee shop from the outside!. Then Sensei showed us to the weekly market at the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine situated a few street behind the dojo (mmh, hot baked sweet potato!} and left us with a tip about an Onsen in the mountains… and a welcome back to next day’s practice.The Ryoanji Temple ang vast gardens, a few metro stops and a kilometer up the hill further West is where the famous Rock Garden lies: there are 15 big rocks in a magnificently cured white-pebbled bed, and one never can see all 15 at once, no matter which angle one admired the garden from – fascinating!Onwards to the Palace & the Gardens at Ninnaji Temple: fantastic place, it’s like stepping into a movie set, with massive gates, impressive walkways, intricate housing of tatami’ed rooms and surrounding wooden corridors, surrounded by carefully cured gardens, a 5-storied pagoda, moon-viewing bridge, splendid golden wall paintings and more…
The day was rounded up with watching the evening’s naginata, kendo and iaido practice at the Kyoto Budo Center, where, incidentally, Yoko Okamoto teaches aikido & weapons on Friday morning (not on the centre’s official schedule…) and where this year’s Tissier/Yasuno june seminar was held.

Wednesday 26.10 – Temple Day in the Higashiyama Area in East KyotoWalk – NanzenJi, a  bouddhist temple from 1291 with the Sanmon, a giant two story entrance gate, an Roman-style acquaduct and a wonderful small moss garden.
Walk & coffee at the beginning of Jingumichi street, then we almost made it up to the Shoren-In temple, but got a private tour of a calligraphist’s house instead, in japanese, from a very enthusiastic lady-monk…
- Walk, walk, walk – ChionIn Temple - a massive Gate with huge steps leading to the absolutely magnificent main building, still decorated with “skirts” around the buildings after the recent celebration, a humongous bell house, wonderful small Yuzen Garden, the view over Kyoto being very secondary to the experience.

Walked through the Maruyama Park, spurred on by hello’s and bye-bye’s from uniformed school children on school busses, and found the small walkway with steps up to the KodaiJi Temple established by Nene, the wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1598, with a Kangetsu-Dai (moon viewing pavilion), wonderful gardens, pebble landscapes and bamboo-groves.

Walk & noodle-lunch in one of the small restaurants on Nene’s Street, a well preserved and fully functional historic street, before heading through the merchant street leading up to Kiyomizudera Temple hanging on the mountain side & the Jishu Shrine within it, where we witnessed young girls going blindfolded from one rock to the other, as this would ensure them to find the right partner in life.

Walk around and found the Yasaka pagoda, only because it is throning 49 meters above the two-storied houses around it and on to the Yasaka Shrine, which comes to its best at nighttime with all its lit lanterns…

 Walk out the main gate and you’re standing in Gion, walk across the shallow river, take the first tiny pedestrian street to the right and you’re on the Pontocho – one restaurant after the other, one better than the other.

After 9+ hours of walking, I’m sure I forgot to mention a few more of the temples and shrines passed by… I’m nowhere near “shrine’d out”, but I sure earned the extra round at the little sake bar and the taxi ride home!

Thursday 27.10 – a day for the Spirit, the Mind and the Body

Local train to the Kurama Onsen in the mountains (thanks to Okamoto Sensei tipping us about this place!) – outside hot springs with a view of the forrests on the mountain side – so peaceful and inspirational for a quiet mind – it was easy to

decide to stay up in the mountains for the day. Walked through the small village of Kurama, home of the Tengu figure (the red mask with the looooong nose hanging in our dojo},  and witnessed preparations for a funeral – everyone was dressed in black,

solemn-looking, lining the main street, felt soooo

out of place in our touristy attire… and

walked up to the Kurama Shrine, fantastic web of shines and subshrines connected with trails through forrests and mountain tops. Connected to some spiritual peace and got down again with a peaceful mind in time for some more practice  for the body with Yoko Okamoto!!!

Friday 28.10: Nijo Castle!

Incredible architecture, edifices, wall paintings, carefully cured gardens, moats, huge koi, and the quiet… am I really in the middle of Kyoto? The castle gardeners arranged the gardens so that there is always one plant or other blooming all year (saw the list and the plan!). An ingenious feature of the construction was that the floors of the outer corridor were built to squeek as to “announce” intruders, but the squeeking is pleasant as it sounds like little crickets.

Will miss the Ryokan (Japanese style Inn), its Japanese breakfasts and the great staff – but time to move on: took the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Himeji and had a grand night out in a small restaurant chatting away with the cook in japanorwenglish – a hellovanevning!

Saturday 29.10 – The White Heron

Himeji Castle, also nicknamed the White Heron due to its tall white keep (main tower, representing the head} and surrounding fortifications folding out like wings to its sides. There are 3 moats, walls impossible to climb, trick architecture to fool possible storming troops, several baileys and a maze of paths through 64 gates (now only 12 left) – built to impress, control nearby castles (Osaka) and Western Japan. Was used as “Edo Castle” in the film Shogun, as well as for many other samurai films… I’m definitely IMPRESSED!!! -
Just had to take the (free!) guide out for lunch to complete the experience!!
Believe it or not, there were cherry blossoms! not as plentiful and beautiful like the spring ones, but the “late year” cherry blossoms were blooming right now (well, not so unusual this kind blooms from april to november)…
And by the way, for the time being the main keep (castle tower) is covered in a huge tent due to restauration work as the roof tiles and the white plaster are being replaced, that in itself an impressing engineering feat! The tent is painted with the image of the keep and within it there is a viewing tower that enables you to see the outside from very close, as well as see how the roof and the walls are built, a rare opportunity! Reopens in 2015.- and to top the day, I discovered plum liqueur on the rocks. Mmmmmmh… Ume! Kampai!

Sunday 30.10 – disappear into the mountains

Trip to Mount Shosha, which could be seen from the Himeji Castle. Drizzling drops (the only ones during the whole trip) only added to the serenity of the wonderful forrest walk – but am very thankful for the funicular that takes you up the steepest bit to the Engyoji Temple, which has a main temple throning on the mountain side (resembles the Kiyomizudera in Kyoto) and is surrounded by many secondary temples. One of them is where many scenes of ‘The Last Samurai’ were filmed, a.o. the cherry blossom scene… and by the way… the cherry blossoms in the movie were as fake as the snow in the snow scenes…(both fabricated for the scene shooting)… but the buildings, yes, they were real and the scenes shot on location! One of the rooms is now called the Tom Cruise room (he rested there…).

Monday 31.10 – immersed in historic Japan

Woke up with a view over Biwa Lake, Japan’s largest lake. To begin with, it was shrowded in haze, which dissipated during breakfast and uncovered the surrounding mounds and mountains. Hikone castle may not have the biggest keep (main tower), but is strategically set on top of one of those mounds with intricate defensive waves of walls, zigzag enty gates with collapsable bridges, rings of moats, lake and river… even the surrounding living areas were built in a way that was strategically defensive.

No wonder the castle never was attacked during the 260 year continuous reign of 14 successive Lords of the Ii family!! It was given to the first Ii Lord for his excellent contribution at Sekigahara battle (the one that unified Japan under one Shogun). And by the way, the “crazy scene” in the film ‘Shogun’ (from 11’35) was filmed on some of the steps and gates at Hikone Castle…Funny, we haven’t met a single foreigner ALL DAY, which makes this Japanese Culture immersion the more special!

And I’m learn how to say the time by listening to train announcements: Ju Nana ji… San Ju Ich… Ichiban sen (took the 17.31 train from track 1, obviously…).

Tuesday 1.11 – the Black Crow at the foot of the Japanese Alps

From the ‘White Heron’ to the ‘Black Crow’, Matsumoto Castle‘s nickname earned by the tar’ed wooden walls.

Surrounded as it is by kilometers of flat marshlands and beyond that the magnificent Japanese Alps, it’s a flatland castle (does not sit on a mound or mountain), so its moats are much wider – a musket shot’s width. Arrows don’t make it across the moat, therefore no need to protect wooden walls from outside fire. Got yet another ‘free’ guided tour around the castle, and the ‘payment’ was: conversation time (in English) with the rest of the volunteer guides – so worth it!, asWe were VERY lucky with the weather, the Japanese Alps in the North are usually enveloped in mist, but there was a clear view from the castle, could even see the spear temple on the mountain silhouette! (even the guide was taking pictures!)

Wednesday 2.11 - Culture shock!

After the quiet temples and shrines and the vigorous mountain air, we woke up in the biggest city of the world – Tokyo! Up at 4.30 am to make to the sunrise practice at Hombu dojo with Waka Sensei (Doshu’s son and newest addition to the teaching staff at Hombu). Shop, shop, shop, then an afternoon Endo session followed by a Miyamoto session. Gazed at the Eiffel tower. Ok, it’s the Tokyo tower, but it damn right looks like the Eiffel tower in Tokyo – go figure!

Thursday 3.11 – a Holiday in the Holiday

The 3rd of November is a National Holiday – therefore Hombu dojo is closed… what else to do than to go watch the all-day budo demos at the Meiji Jingu Park:

Emtpy Minds Films made a video of the day: long version (7 mn) or short version (3 mn), I’m sure we’re in the crowd there somewhere!
- Kyudo at the Shiseikan (which is also Kashima Shinryu’s Inaba Sensei’s home dojo)
- Aikido demos (not Aikikai, but Korindo Aikido, founded by Minoru Hirai in 1938)
- Kobudo Shinkokai Embu (58 different schools of “older” budo forms, read the webpage from the second paragraph on and DO look at the pictures, they’re fantastic (from a few years ago) and give a great cross section of the selection demonstrated!
- Momote-shiki (traditional archery)
- Yabusame – Incredible to witness archers hitting their 30 cm target shooting from horseback in full galop, then reload and hit the next target 100 m down the track!!! Tomoko Mizuyori came to spend part of the day with us at the Shiseikan, and she explained that all the children dressed up in the most beautiful kimonos are brought to the Shrine for the ShichiGoSan Festival (7, 5 and 3-year-old children). Ended the wonderful day by paying our respects at the Meiji Jingu Shrine and then headed for dinner at one of the regular restaurants near Hombu with Gaute Lambertsen, who also ordered a terrific selection of delicious foods and it all became a great evening to end a great day out!

Friday 4.11: Excellent practice with Gaute at Doshu’s morning session.

-The Zojo-Ji temple grounds lie right next to the Tokyo Tower (the local Tour Eiffel) and it’s where the Mausoleum for 6 of the Tokugawa shoguns can be found.
-The Senso-Ji is Tokyo’s oldest temple and is known for its huge red lantern hanging in the gates, for being the birth place of Tokyo for its market and shopping in and around the

 grounds of the temple.
-Evening practice with Endo followed by a hearty meal and sake with a great group from the dojo…. ever had half a tuna head served as a delicacy? the cheek and the gelatinous stuff behind the eye is the best! (and that was just one of them delicacies). What a FANTASTIC DAY!!!

Saturday5.11: Last Day

Made it to Doshu’s morning class again and got Tani Sensei as partner for an hour of Ushiro Ryotedori – quite a workout interspersed with a wealth of lessons and you can’t imagine the width and levels and kinds of lessons that Tani had in store for me. Much to take home in gratefulness. Wow!
Found my camera that I’d forgotten at a temple shop at the Senso-Ji… Wow!
Nice cozy dinner at Tomoko’s place in the outskirts of Tokyo, home-made food and home-made Ume… Wow!

Sunday 6.11: Going Home is Not Easy

Took the looooooong way to Narita airport… well, actually there’s like at least 7 different ways to get to Narita, and that would be just for the train choices! Tried at least 3 of them. Kind of, changed underways, I think… But since I’m sitting here in Norway writing this, we must have made it to the airport in time!

Now starting to plan next trip…

Aikido all summer at JuShinKan!

Summer is supposedly here, but you wouldn’t know it… cause we’re keepin’ it going strong all summer! Come practice and keep summer-fit! (do check the schedule for last minute changes, though… see link in the menu on the right).
Note: we are reducing hours to monday, wednesday and friday from 18.30-20. Welcome!

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NB!!! Comin up soon – please mark the date and don’t go anywhere else!!! (already more than 50 aikidoka have announced their attendance, so JuShinKan needs all the help we can get from club members!)

NEW: Practical information for the Marc Bachraty Seminar!

- Marc Bachraty, 5th dan (Fjords’n'Aikido, 25-28 August, 2011)  seminar poster -  facebook event
After last year’s very successful Fjords’n'Aikido Seminar and a follow up seminar in Mai ’11, Marc Bachraty has pledged to come back  for another 4 days of aiki-pleasure on and off the mats! We got people coming from all over Europe to attend this one, so ‘Marc’ your calendar!

If you like Christian Tissier, this Marc Bachraty seminar is for you! Marc is one of Tissier’s main students, teaches at his dojo in Vincennes and serves as uke for Tissier in many demonstrations (see YouTube videos) and seminars, as well as giving many seminars throughout Europe himself. A down to earth person with a warm personality, a good teacher with a powerful and clean technique!

Bachraty Sensei volunteered an extra practice session on the thursday in the mountains! (for free!) and JuShinKan will be taking Bachraty  and all who are here to the fjords on friday daytime. We will be hosting aikidoka coming from Germany, France, Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden, and from all around Norway, etc – so we’ll have plenty of good practice partners!

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Other coming events:

JuShinKan Aikido is also organizing (or co-organizing) several seminars this coming season – keep an eye open for these events!

- West Coast Aikido Festival (27-29 January, 2012) details coming soon
We will also organize a club trip to Haugesund , where the 4th West Coast dojos (Bergen, Haugesund, Stavanger and (new!) Sandnes) will get together for the fourth time. The instructors of the 5 dojos will each be teaching one session each. In addition, we’d like to organize a grading (6th – 1st kyu) with a member of the NAF technical committee as special guest. The aim of the event is to “know each other better, train with others than we are used to, learn from each other, and so that it will be easier to stop by in each other dojos and open our horizon”. Read the articles about the 1st festival in Haugesund and the 2nd festival in Stavanger to know more about it. You can count on some great socializing there!

- Fabrice Somers, 5th dan (Fjords’n'Aikido – fri 27 april - tue 1 May 2012) details coming soon
Fabrice Somers is coming back to hold his 3rd seminar in Stavanger! Somers is a close student of Endo Sensei,  whom he often accompanies as uke in his European tours. He also spends a few weeks every year at Hombu to practice with Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba. He has a vibrant and joyful presence and is very generous when sharing his experience, emphasizing the principles that Endo stands for, taking the time to work with everyone present.  He is usually accompanied by many of his students, so there will be some great practice ther!
Read more about Fabrice Somers in this article: (English version) (Norwegian version) and see a video with Fabrice on the Junten Dojo site.

 Welcome to Stavanger!  (also in between seminars, of course!)