It’s almost been two years since Saito Sensei visited our shores and although it probably seems a long way off, the years seem to be going by faster and faster each year. So, this time we figured we’d give you plenty of notice.

Saito Sensei has graciously agreed to visit Australia over the Queens Birthday weekend, June 12th~14th, 2010. As you can well imagine, the venue, schedule, pricing, etc. have yet to be worked out but don’t forget to mark it in your diary now.

Simon

As of December 1st 2008 Iwama Shinshin Aiki Shurenkai Melbourne has no home. Unfortunately the space we were hiring has become unavailable indefinitely and we have been forced to move on. In the short term, we will continue traditional Sword and Staff practice in the Flagstaff gardens at the usual times.

Regards,

Simon

So I hadn’t realised it but email has been broken for sometime. If you’ve tried contacting us we weren’t ignoring you, we just didn’t know you’d tried. I promise it’s really fixed this time.

Iwama Shinshin Aiki Shurenkai Melbourne will be performing during this year’s Japan Festival, Sunday 18th May 2008 at the Box Hill Town Hall and TAFE. If you’re interested in all things Japanese, this is the place to go. For more information, please visit the Japan Festival website.

Our very good friends at Aikido Shudokan are hosting Inoue Kyoichi Hanshi, 9th Dan Yoshinkan Aikido, for his Melbourne visit in April this year. As a part of his visit, a demonstration will be held and will feature Inoue Hanshi, other guest instructors, and Aikido Shudokan students and instructors. They would like to extend an invitation to this once-in-a-lifetime event.

The details of the demonstration are as follows:

Date: Friday 4th April 2008
Time: 7pm
Location: Collingwood College, Vere Street, Collingwood
Tickets: $12.00

Simon Harris will be conducting a workshop together with Steve Grantham at the West Melbourne Dojo, 14 Batman Street, West Melbourne on Friday, 7th February 2008 between 7pm and 9pm. There will be two one-hour classes covering open-hand, sword and staff techniques.

For anyone who's tried contacting us recently via the contact page, we've been having a few technical difficulties and your email most likely didn't get through. We've fixed it now but I'd like to apologise to anyone who didn't hasn't received a reply.

Having spent many years travelling to Japan and living as an uchi-deshi (live-in student) and more recently as a soto-deshi, I thought it would be a good idea to write down some bits and pieces for anyone contemplating a stint themselves.

Simon Harris will be conducting a workshop together with Steve Grantham at the Shuren Dojo, Kalmia Heights Primary School, Kalmia St, Frankston on Friday, 1st February 2008 between 7pm and 9pm. There will be two one-hour classes covering open-hand, sword and staff techniques.

Once again, thank you to those that have helped and supported the Dojo throughout the year. Have a safe holiday period and I hope to see you all back on the mat in January. I'm looking forward to 2008 being an even better year.