Dojo News

Tanida-Sensei’s Annual Visit

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 23:09:28 -0500

Thanks you to everyone who made this event so great. We continue to learn from the previous year and as a result this year’s event was the smoothest ever.

This year more than ever Tanida-Sensei was full of energy and it was all we could to to keep up. Total hours of practice for the weekend (Friday - Sunday) were about 21 hours. We are incredibly lucky to have him come every year to teach us.

In addition to the koshukai there was a shodan shiken held late Sunday morning. Three Clear Lake students tested successfully for their ranks, and one student received honorable mention by Tanida-Sensei.

There are some photos of the event in the Photo Albums section. More will be added as they arrive.

Hatsunuki

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 22:40:05 -0600

The 2009 US Embukai was another great success with participants coming from Belgium, France, and Canada as well as the US. See the Photo Album link for a collection of great photos from this event. Next year will be the tenth anniversary and we look forward to being a part of that event.

The next event on our horizon occurs on New Year’s Day. Hatsu-Nuki is the term for first draw of the year and is usually performed in Japan on Jan. 1 at dawn at a Shinto shrine. We don’t have ready access to a shrine, but endeavor to do it with the same spirit of solemnity. In Japan, the ritual is followed by a breakfast and hot sake toast to the new year. Here in Houston we do it outside at dawn, so our participants tend to wear as much under their iaido clothes as necessary. The photo above is from the 2004 hatsunuki.

9th US Embukai

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 22:59:01 -0600

Since most of us will be gone to Denton for the US Embukai, and those left will not be able to cover for me, the Friday and Sunday (Nov. 13 & 15) practices will be canceled.

For any guests reading this, the US Embukai is a once-a-year gathering of MJER practitioners in the US and elsewhere who have a living link to Ikeda-Soke. Various lineages within the Seitokai/ZNIR are represented at the weekend long koshukai which culminates in a formal embukai on Sunday. Participants need to be a student of a teacher within Seitokai/ZNIR. Visitors are welcome to observe quietly. The photo above is from the 2004 US Embukai.

Certificates are in; New Wednesday Practice

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:32 -0500

Congratulations to everyone who tested in March. Tanida-Sensei mailed the certificates to Sensei not long after the event, and then he mailed ours to me. A few weeks ago I presented the last remaining certificate to Richard. I am very proud of everyone who tested, and of all who made the journey to Denton to train with Tanida-Sensei. See Photo Albums for some pictures from this event.

Next week a new Wednesday class, from 8:15 to 9:30 PM, will be added to our weekly schedule. Please remember that the preceding yoga class goes until 8:00, and don’t enter the studio until that class is over.

Moving to Friendswood after 10 years in League City

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 21:04:30 -0500

After months of searching we have found a new place to practice. Starting May 1, Friday, we will meet for practice on Friday and Sunday evenings at the Sundance Yoga Studio in Friendswood. This move puts us closer to Houston, the Beltway, 288, and near to Pearland. We will miss the League City dojo, our original home.