Thursday June 22nd 2006, h 09:00 P.M.,  at the GE.TUR.,  inside PALASPORT.

Report: Alessandro Tittarelli
English translation: Giammarco Bufali

1. Organization of the seminars for the year 2007
   
   
2. Presentation of the DVD realized by HITOHIRO SAITO SENSEI with the collaboration of his son. Inside you will find the complete program of SHODAN test except JIYU WAZA.
   
   
3. Explanation of variations made by KAI-CHO SAITO HITOHIRO to the SHODAN and NIDAN test: only in JIYU WAZA form.
   
   
4. Presentation of KYU diplomas.
   
   
5. UCHIDESHI may stay just one weekend in Iwama, only for people-group of HITOHIRO SAITO SENSEI
   
   
6. Questions & Proposals

February, Italy (Sappada) - April, Australia - May, Denmark - June, Russia (Ivanovo) - September, Cile - October, Germany (Berlin) - November, Russia (Vladivostock).  In Turkey (Istambul) would be able to be in summer or in December and perhaps in United States (California?) in September or October.  

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Sensei has prepared a DVD where it is possible to see all the techniques requested in a Shodan examination. Sensei son, Yasuhiro, shows the tai-jutsu program, whereas the Buki Dori and the Buki Waza by Sensei himself. The part of Jiyu Waza is missing because every time is different. The DVD includes also a dedicated part to Iwama, to the Tanrenkan Dojo, to the Atago Jinjia and "Aiki no ie", close the waterfalls; at the moment  this DVD can be only seen on computer.

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Sensei has brought some small  modifications to the Jiyu Waza either for  Shodan or Nidan . Sensei says that, referring to the Jiyu Waza in  Shodan examination, one of the two attackers must be armed with Ken whereas the Nidan, one of the three partners must attack with the Jo. For 3° and 4° the Dan it remains all unchanged. During the Jiyu Waza, of Jo-dori and Tachi-dori, would be better to show, three different techniques each.
It doesn’t need to be the same person to attack with the arm, but every one of attackers can get the Jo or the Ken on earth and attack.

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The diploma is the same of the Dan, a little bit small only. Every teacher can demand these diplomas for Kyu, for the own students, and compile them independently. This can be a valid way in order to support Sensei to give, at the same time, importance to the own Kyu students and make them fell a part of the group. Sensei observes that being a member of an association or a group, implies to pay a membership fee. Sensei does not want any fee therefore, taking this diploma for Kyu, can be considered as a contribution for the association. Sensei knows very well that in every nation, every group has already its own diploma and therefore, he wants to point out that it is only optional a free choice. 

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It needs to define something about the period and the conditions of permanence in Iwama for people who want to be Uchi-deshi.
Members of our group only, can stay to Iwama,  for a weekend too, at the prices that we know; sometime happens that someone arrives in Japan for job or vacation and has the possibility to stay  only one or two days in Iwama. This is not possible for people who begin to other groups and styles, because it is not possible to learn anything in such a short period. Sensei says that, when there was the father, Morihiro Saito Sensei, staying in Iwama less than one week was impossible.  Now is possible to be also only for a day or two in Iwama, for who knows well Dentoo Iwama Ryu.

Sensei subsequently talks about a thing outside program

“After have left the Aikikai are passed already three years. I don’t belong to Aikikai.
My father belonged to the Aikikai and conferred also Iwama Ryu degrees. Once things were freer. My father respected Aikikai, students took Aikikai degrees and who would like, could take Iwama Ryu degrees too. But now I don’t belong to Aikikai, I have left the Aikikai. I want to state that who belongs to Aikikai cannot belong to this Kambu. Those,  the main students, the sempai, the main persons who has important roles in this group,  even people, who has a main role in his nation’s Aikido , if still belongs to Aikikai cannot belongs to this Kambu.
Naturally everybody is studying Aikido, a sole martial art, but organizations are very different, therefore if someone wants to be in an important role in  Aikikai, cannot belong to this Kambu.
It was a little vague; it hadn’t been decided until now.
From this day we want to point this line and make it much clear. I want to thank who participated to the last Koshukai held in Sweden.

If you still belong to Aikikai and invited me to hold a Koshukai I cannot accept this invite.
If you are active members of the Aikikai I cannot confer my degrees to you, I cannot confer my diploma to you.
I am proud of my group, of my way to practice, and this cannot be commercialized like a business.
Naturally if we have friends in Aikikai we can continue to cultivate our friendship, we can meet them, drink and to eat with, but because we belong to two different organizations, I cannot go to hold a seminary managed by an Aikikai master.
If I organize a Koshukai in Japan I cannot accept students of the Aikikai; but if I’m invited from you, like as an example from Alessandro, with this opened Koshukai, and people of other styles, like Yoshinkan, Aikikai, Shin Shin Toitsu comes, it’s ok because I am invited from Alessandro who belongs to this Kambu and people are free to come.
Who invites me must be a member of the Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shurenkai; this because I don’t want to create conflicts, I don’t want to hear anybody saying that I have stolen people to Aikikai and I do not want to create any kind of problem.
When there was my father, he belonged to both, but now, it is the moment to decide and to sign one clear line between the Aikikai and us.
 For example in California there are two great organizations that are in Aikikai. You are free to participate to their seminary, this is ok, but if you become a member of those organizations this is wrong. 
You must decide. I think that many of you are still in Aikikai, and have the yudansha card, this truly happens more in Japan, but I would be more happy if you sent one official letter of resignation, for a more correct relationship with both organizations.
We are in the third year and I have waited for you to see what you would have decided, but now this is the moment to make one corrected choice. 
In Japan the Aikikai has asked to take a written decision towards me, immediately.
 In Aikikai other styles are many and if you want you can choose to practise the one you want.
In Sweden, people have begun with Tomita Sensei many years ago, Tomita Sensei was a student of Saito Sensei and they have always loved and studied the methodology of Saito.  I told them that they have always chosen the style of Iwama and I have asked then, why you are so attached to the Aikikai diploma as much as you do have never studied the Aikikai style?
Why you are so attached to the Aikikai diploma and you want to belong to this organization? 
When my father was alive, Kisshomaru Sensei came once a month in Iwama and taught I didn’t take lessons from Kisshomaru Sensei and when my father went to the Hombu dojo, to Tokyo, to teach I participated to the lesson of my father only.
Therefore I have never studied with any Aikikai master.
This is all."

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Fabio Luppi asks if it is possible to clear the meaning of  “Dentoo Iwama ryu”  because there are many new persons who participate for the 1st time to this Kambukai for teachers.

Sensei answers: “There are many persons who have studied in Iwama and they all  wanted to call this study “Iwama Ryu” and continue to call it Iwama Ryu, therefore I wanted to put this word, this name: Dentoo, “traditional”. Literally “Dentoo” means handed on from generation to generation.
Saito Sensei has received the techniques directly from O Sensei.
I have received the techniques from Saito Sensei directly therefore, recognizing this directed thread, from O Sensei to Saito Sensei and then to me, I wanted to put this word Dentoo Iwama Ryu to distinguish me from the others who are practicing the style of Iwama.
Dentoo means “tradition”, but instead saying “ traditional Iwama ryu” that would be a too much simplicity translation, I want to put emphasis in specifying that this “Dentoo Iwama Ryu” is that one for directed thread, original, authentic.
We can compare it to a tree: start from the roots, then there is the trunk from which leave many branches, from branches the leaves leave.
All the leaves are like teachers or the groups scattered in the world that practice Iwama Ryu and there are the leaves too, fallen on the earth,  that still say to practice or continue to be called Iwama  Ryu.
What I want to say is that the “Dentoo Iwama Ryu” is represented from the roots and the trunk.
This is Dentoo Iwama Ryu.”

Sung Gyun Cho takes part in order to ask Sensei if the behaviour rule in force for the Aikikai is in force for the small associations of Italy too. In Italy there is the Aikikai  that represents the Aikikai Foundation and there are other associations, greater minors or who are, that take part of this universe of the Aikido.
Therefore the question is if the rule that is in force for the Aikikai is in force also for the other associations. 

Answer: “There is no problem for these things. The national organization that you have is different. You need it for the administrative and bureaucratic things, insurance and so on. What is important for me is the distinction between the O-Sensei branch, Kisshomaru Sensei, Moriteru Sensei (and tomorrow the son of Moriteru Sensei, that it is Aikikai) and the O-Sensei branch, Saito Sensei, Hitohiro Sensei that is Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shurenkai.
You choose one or the other.”

No more participation, the Kambukai close with the thanks and the photo of group.

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