Yaegaki-Kai

Let me introduce you the story of princess Yaegaki. The princess is the heroine of a five-act drama named Honcho Nijushiko, the 24 models of filial piety. This historical drama was first performed in 1766 as a – Bunraku (文楽) – traditional Japanese puppet theater also called Ningyō jōruri.

Later on the drama rapidly became the source of numerous Kabuki (歌舞伎) versions. Yaegaki-hime is a very famous Kabuki character and one of the 3 important princesses in Japanese folklore – Sanhime – and onnagata (女形) woman’s role.

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The Brussels Yaegaki-Kai wish you all a happy new year 2011 – Akemashite omedeto gozaimasu – May the year of the Rabbit (Usagi – 兎) bring you good health, happiness and success. For all of us budō addicts we wish you a lot of intensive Renshu followed by relaxing dai ni dojo “second dojo” sessions, make a lot of new friends through practice and have fun in your day to day life.

In addition to our best wishes for 2011, here is a non-exhaustive list of the main things you have to do in Japan to decently celebrate a happy new year: Bōnenkai (忘年会), Kadomatsu (門松), Kagami mochi (鏡餅), (O)Zōni (雑煮), Osechi-ryōri (御節料理), Hatsuhinode (初日の出), Hatsumōde, Keiko-hajime (稽古始め), Shinnenkai (新年会) and many others. Follow the “Read more” link for more detail …

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Congratulations to Brussels Yaegaki-Kai members for their grading success during the ABKF Winter Nakakura seminar. Congratulation to Leopold V. for his 2nd dan and Eric T. for his 1st dan. Congratulations also to Michael P. – Athens Furyu dojo for his 4th dan and Luc H. – Kendo Gent for his 5th dan.
Omedeto gozaimasu !!!

It has been 10 years now that a bunch of determined Budoka created the Brussels Yaegaki-kai. Since then we welcomed many people. Some of them training for some month or years. Others still with us.

When we started the Dojo it was clear in our mind what we wanted to achieve. Create a place where of course we could learn Iaido/Budo following the teaching of our teacher Oda sensei but also where we could instill a friendly atmosphere rid of any day to day tensions. A place where while harshly training, focusing with all our soul in the keiko we could for some time forget the hazard of life and enjoy the present moment.

On our route some joined us following Oda sensei’s teaching such as Iaido Gent. Others extended Oda sensei’s teaching to countries outside Belgium such as Spiros D. who founded the Furyu dojo in Athens, Greece.

Afterthought 2 Japanese idioms/virtues could describe what we had in mind:

– Hyakuren Jitoku (百錬自得)
“By practising something over and over, you will naturally come to master it.”

– Seiken Shiai (正剣是愛)
“Cross swords and know love.”

After a few years we choosed our 3 Kanji motto: Courage – Chance – Clumsiness. I’ll try to explain it in regard of this 10 years context.

Courage: Is not the kind of courage we could think of. It is not the one used on the battlefield or in any dangerous situation. It is the day to day courage, the one you have when after having a tiring day at work, problems at home or with family and that you are not really in the mood to go to the keik and that even this you move your ass and go for training. Keiko after keiko, month after month, years after years. This is the courage we are talking about.

Chance: Here we are talking about the chance to meet the right persons. During these 10 years we met so many people some of them becoming more than just budo pall, they became our friends.

Clumsiness: Maybe the strangest word. It is here to highlight/remind the fact that everybody make mistakes and that it is by learning from these mistakes that we get better in budo and life. So mistakes should not be directly linked to failure but also to the chance to improve and learn the way.

We wish our Dojo long live …

Great results for the Belgian Team at the 17th European Iaido Championship 2010 in Paris !!!

Two days of seminar with over 23 countries represented and more than 200 participants, everybody in the team so happy to meet all European Iaido friends and receive the teaching of 3 great sensei: Kishimoto sensei, Kusama sensei and Aoki sensei all Iaido 8th dan Hanshi.

An intense individual and team competition with great results: 3x Gold, 2 Silver and 1 Bronze medals + Silver medal for the Team competition …

Furthermore a great week-end for the Brussels Yaegaki-kai with 3 members in the team and 3 medals:
– 6th dan: Philippe B. Silver medal
– 5th dan: Michaël S. Gold medal
– 4th dan: Yuki K. Gold medal

Congratulations everybody. Let’s continue training hard. Gambatte !!!

For full results of all divisions click on Read more …

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Here is a rough chapter translation of the book titled “Iaido shinsain no me” we introduced some post ago. It is now time to publish this chapters that is is a part of the Ueno Satanori – 8th dan Hanshi Iaido – section. The chapter we choose is the third chapter “Iaido is see and cut an invisible opponent”

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How many times sensei do ask to relax the shoulders during keiko or seminar. To relax the upper body. The goal of these sensei is to put across that the action of cutting is not only a physical movement of the arms but the proper usage of the entire body combined to the weight of the katana …

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