19th Nov 2007
Houston Seminar by Alex Wood
Last weekend, I attended Shinjinkan Dojo’s fall seminar in The Woodlands, Texas. Instruction was split between many different instructors, including Stephen Toyoda Sensei, Michael Black Sensei, and Cesar Aguirre Sensei. The main instruction, however, was given by Manabu Masuda Sensei, guest instructor from Japan!
Learning the same techniques and concepts that we practice regularly from an entirely different perspective was a great learning experience, and incredibly interesting. Masuda Sensei taught us basic jo strikes which we had never practiced before, and his bokken work was phenomenal. There were five dan tests; two nidan, three shodan. My friends Luke Bahar, Michael Nguyen, and myself all tested for shodan, while George Hutchinson and Julie Auman are the new nidans!
Attendance reached a higher level than any other previous Shinjinkan Dojo seminar. Students from various dojos attended, some traveling a great distance to be there. Ray and Kim Donovan from Chicago’s Soshinkan Dojo, guests from Ikushinkan Dojo, Seishinkan Dojo, the University of Houston Aikido club students, and even a Marine all travelled to Shinjinkan for the seminar.
While we worked hard and had fun training at the seminar, fun activities outside of the seminar also took place. The Saturday night dinner was held and catered at George Hutchinson’s house, and it was absolutely delicious. Then, on Sunday afternoon, we went to the Texas Rennaissance Festival. Masuda Sensei got to participate in such activities as knife throwing, battle-axe tossing, bow-and-arrow shooting, and elephant riding!
All in all, the seminar was very fun, and I look foward to getting to train again with Masuda Sensei and with the guests from other dojos again!
*Alex Wood is a Shodan at Shinjinkan dojo in Spring, TX.
