Budo and Thoughts

In December 2012, we had the pleasure and honour to host a seminar here in Israel with Fukakusa Motohiro Shihan, an Aikido master 8th Dan Aikikai from Renbukan Dojo - Thailand. This year, the seminar had two main events: 1. A six days Aikido seminar at our dojo ( Masatake Dojo Israel ) Fukakusa Shihan teaches at Masatake Dojo 2. A peace seminar (between Arabs and Jews in Israel) - to introduce Aikido to a very special organisation called: " Budo For Peace ". Fukakusa Shihan teaches Arabs and Jews for Budo For Peace Together with Fukakusa Shihan, came from Japan and from Holland many many guests, among them, Mrs Fujita Shoko - our dear teacher's wife. Fujita Masatake Shihan 8th Dan Aikikai leads our dojo since 2006. In 2009, unfortunately, he became ill, and since then he is at his home in Tokyo, being taken care day and night by his wonderful wife. This year, Mrs Fujita asked to visit us during this aikido seminar, to enjoy watching how well F

Situation in Israel is not very clear now. Well, it is never really clear here, but when we have visitors from overseas, they are always surprised that it is so peaceful and beautiful. But now it is not quiet. Now there is war. Missiled fly above us and on us. Smoke rises following an Israeli air strike on a house in Gaza City. Picture: AFP Israelis  suffer, Palestinians suffer, and we all pray for its quick end. Our town is so far ok, but we hear missiles land and explode south, north, east and west of us. Our military has a new weapon that shoots a rocket against a rocket and they hit each other in the air and explode. It saves here many many lives. a woman protecting her daughter in the south of Israel - November 2012 Photo from: http://www.facebook.com/News213 Everywhere people keep training as usual. We worry, we are prepared to run to shelter, we are trained to do that, but once our aikido class begins, we forget everything and there is peace.  Even

John Stevens Sensei (7th Dan Aikikai) Aikido seminar in ISRAEL 3-11 August 2012 Masatake Dojo is honored to host an aikido seminar with Prof. John Stevens Sensei (7th Dan Aikikai). John Stevens is an internationally acclaimed Aikidoka and one of the foremost authorities on Aikido and Buddhist studies. He is the author many famous books of Aikido which are available in many different translations. He is a respected member of academia, a professor at Tohoku Fukushi University, in Sendai, Japan (just north of Tokyo, on the east coast). I have always found his literary works interesting, thought provoking, and very educational in the study of Aikido and other cultures as well. Click here for the full interview. John Stevens  (born 1947 in Evanston, Illinois)   is a Buddhist priest, teacher of Buddhist studies and aikido teacher. Stevens teaches Eastern philosophy at Tohoku Fukushi University in Japan. His aikido rank is 7th dan Aikikai. He has lived in Sendai since

Dear friends, I hope you enjoy the photo albums created (and still being created) by Olga and Roby: Day 1 (Click Here) Day 2 - Kids class a  (Click Here) Day 2 - Kids class b  (Click Here) Day 2 Adults (Click Here) If you have nice photos that you took, please do not hesitate to send me. See you on Sunday evening - the final day of the seminar. Yours, Ze'ev Erlich.

Our dojo's shomen with photo of Furuya Sensei, O-Sensei, and fresh nandina (nanten) branches Yesterday, our dojo had a special aikido class, commemorating the late Rev. Kensho Furuya Sensei, who passed away five years ago in his dojo, during an aikido class, on March 6th 2007. The Aikido class was intensive, and we decided to practice without any words. Only the sound of our feet moving over the tatami, and the sound of us taking ukemi.  At the end of class, I spoke about Furuya Sensei, and we all had Sensei's favorites: Cakes, wine and snacks...  This anual memorial keiko has become a tradition of our dojo - Masatake Dojo - ISRAEL. Reverend Kensho Furuya Sensei 1948-2007 http://www.aikidocenterla.com/memorial/sensei.html A Great Teacher And a Friend In 2001 one of my students lent me a book. It was "Kodo Ancient Ways: Lessons in the Spiritual Life of the Warrior/Martial Artist". After reading this amazing book, I became curious about the author

About 4 years ago, just after a wonderful Aikido seminar in Holland with Fujita Masatake Sensei, he collapsed in Tokyo at the Hombu Dojo (Aikido World Headquarters). He was diagnosed with a brain stroke, and spent two years in hospitals and rehabilitation. In the past 2 years, he is at home, taken care by his wonderful wife and weekly visits by a medical team. His close students and friend visit him often, and sensei listens to them, sometimes responding a bit with very small body gestures. We all miss Masatake Fujita Sensei so much. Whenever we visit in Japan, we go to visit him, and his wife always welcomes us at their house. These visits are always emotional... Our son Kazuki loved so much Fujita Sensei's visit in Israel. He was like a third grand-father for him, and there was always a nice present for him and a good word during Aikido practice. A year and a half ago, when Kazuki was 8.5, we visited Fujita Sensei, and as always, some of Fujita Sensei's close st