April 29, 2003
Homma Kancho Attends the Aiki Jinja Tai Sai Festival in Iwama, Japan

Every year, in Iwama, located in Ibaragi Prefecture, a festival is held at the Aiki Shrine on April 29th. This year Homma Kancho and Nippon Kan President Doug Kelly made a five day trip to Japan for this special event. The Aiki shrine is located at Iwama dojo, and was maintained by Morihiro Saito Shihan who presided over this event for more than twenty years. Since this was the first year since his passing last May, this year’s arrangements were organized by Morihiro Saito Shihan’s son Hitohiro Saito Shihan. More than one thousand people attended the ceremony this year, and all preparations were executed flawlessly.

The town and dojo of Iwama holds its place in the history of Aikido as the home of the late Founder of Aikido Morihei Ueshiba and the birthplace of Aikido. The Founder lived in Iwama until he became ill before his death in 1968. The Aiki Shrine at the Iwama dojo was originally built by the Founder, and was a place he spent much of his time in spiritual pursuits. Homma Kancho commented “Once a year friends on the path of Aikido gather together here in celebration, and to reflect and show appreciation for the work of pioneers in Aikido who have gone before us. For this celebration the four walls of the Aiki Shrine are removed to show the bond and the harmony between the spirit and the natural world around us. This is my understanding of this event”.

The current Doshu, Moriteru Ueshiba, grandson of the Founder, performed an Aikido demonstration inside the opened shrine with over a thousand people looking on. Even with so many present, only the sounds of a bird chirping in the trees above the shrine could be heard. In my mind’s eye, I could see an image of the Founder performing the movements in the same spot so many years ago.

Traveling to Japan for only three days is a rigorous schedule but being able to participate in TaiSai, meet with many other Shihan and visit Hombu dojo in Tokyo made it a fast but productive visit.