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International bonsai exhibition and aikido

On Saturday and Sunday (8th and 9th May) congress center Mons (Ljubljana, Slovenia) is hosting an international bonsai exhibition.

Aikidokas of Aikikai Federation of Slovenia will prepare a 30 minutes demonstration of aikido. Demonstration will be at 13.00 on both days. Welcome!

Entry fee for exhibition: 5€.

Organizer, bonsai club of Slovenia

Location

Doshu 2009 Netherlands

Delegation of 8 from the Slovenian Aikikai Federation attended Japan-Netherlands Aikido Relationship Seminar - Celebration of Aikido’s New Stage as NOC*NSF member.

In 2009 Aikido is receiving the official recognition of the Dutch Olympic Committee. This is to illustrate how this Japanese form of martial art has been accepted by the Dutch population and became part of our cultural activities. To mark this moment, the memorial seminar and Embukai will be conducted by Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba. This unique event also symbolizes the unification of the Aikikai organizations in the Netherlards.

International seminar and yudansha grading

Traditional October seminar organized by the Slovenian Aikikai and led by Wilko Vriesman Sensei was attended by over 70 aikidokas. We learned more about the budo and technical aspects of Aikido and how this knowledge could be integrated in both teaching and learning process.

Then there was dan grading where Aleksandr Starovojtov and Dejan Bišćević were promoted to sandan. Peter Fistrovič - to shodan.

Milestone International Summer School in Netherlands

18 aikidokas from Slovenian Aikikai joined annual summer school in Markelo, Netherlanfds. This aikido camp was special because of the Japanese guest teacher Shiahan Hiroshi Ikeda who was sharing tatami with Wilko Vriesman. This is an undoubtable recognition of our Sensei.

This summer school was also longer than usual and tried 9 days or 40 hours of training under supervision of world class teachers with aikidokas from Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Tunisia and Algeria

Slovenian Aikikai delegation at the Ministry of Sport and Education

The Slovenian Minister of Sport and Education received Hombu Dojo Shihan Yukimitsu Kobayashi and a delegation from the Slovenian Aikikai Federation.

Minister Igor Lukšič stated his intention to support the official recognition of Aikido as a branch of sport and the Slovenian Aikikai Federation as the umbrella organization for Slovenian Aikido clubs.

Slovenian Aikikai delegation at the Japanese embassy in Ljubljana

His Excellency Shigeharu Murayama, Ambassador of Japan to Slovenia, received a delegation of the Slovenian Aikikai Federation and Hombu Dojo Shihan Yukimitsu Kobayashi during the latter's visit to Ljubljana.

Mr. Murayama stated his intention to provide cultural, media and organizational support of the Slovenian Aikikai Federation, as the umbrella organization for Slovenian Aikido clubs.

Aikido seminar by Hombu Dojo Shihan in Ljubljana, Slovenia

On March 17, a key event for the Slovenian Aikikai Federation took place - an Aikido seminar led by Hombu Dojo Shihan Yukimitsu Kobayashi and the Federation's technical director, Wilko Vriesman Sensei. This is the second time that Aikikai Hombu Dojo, the Aikido world headquarters, has sent its representative to Slovenia, marking an important step towards official recognition.

The seminar, which was held at the Triglav Sports Hall, was attended by almost 100 participants from the Slovenian Aikikai Federation and other Aikido clubs in Slovenia and abroad.

The event was covered by the national sports media, including this photo report on Sportal.

10th IAF Congress Tanabe, Japan

The Slovenian Aikikai Federation took part in the 10th Congress of the International Aikido Federation in Tanabe from 5 to 12 October 2008, where it had the status of an official observer.

The Slovenian Aikikai Federation sent its delegate, SAF president Aleksandr Starovojtov, to Tanabe in order to demonstrate our feeling of being part of Aikido's big extended family, and also to make sure that the Aikido we are doing is "authentic" and close to the Aikikai Hombu mainstream.

From 10th IAF Congress Tanabe Japan

Slovenian Aikikai on the national TV

First Aikikai.si videoclip

Thanks to Lucija Šiftar for the camera and direction, Alen Salihovič for the voice, and Jernej Prelac for project management.
Aikido ljubljana seminar slovenia demonstration the best short movie

Key event for Aikido in Slovenia

(from left to the right) : Wilko Vriesman Sensei, Kazuki Takei - Japanese Embassy, Yukimitsu Kobayashi Shihan, Aleksandr Starovojtov. Slika: Tadjej Maligoj

Yesterday we realized a key event for Aikido in Slovenia, namely, a visit by Hombu Dojo Shihan Yukimitsu Kobayashi.

For this occasion, an Aikido seminar and demonstration were organized on the highest level, with the Directorate for Sport of Slovenia’s Ministry of Education and Sport, the First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan, and other high-level guests attending. The event received good coverage from the media, including Slovenian National TV, the News TV channel, and several newspapers and magazines.

As president of Slovenian Aikikai, I would like to thank everyone for attending the event, as this provides great support for Aikido, and our organization.

Slovenian delegation in Iwama

During our last day in Japan we visited Iwama, the place where O'Sensei lived and taught Aikido. We trained in the dojo there, which was built by the founder and where all the greatest Aikido masters trained, those who presented Aikido to the world and passed the knowledge on to new generations.

The Dojo keeper is Isoyama Shihan, one of the most respected Aikido teachers in the world. We were extremely honored that the Shihan organized a ceremony at the shrine and held a training session especially for us.

Slovenian delegation at the Hombu Dojo

During the last week of February, a delegation from the Slovenian Aikikai Federation (Aleksandr Starovojtov and Jasmin and Dejan Biščević) and the Federation's technical director, Wilko Vriesman Sensei, were received by the Doshu at Aikido World Headquarters in Tokyo.

We reported to the Doshu on our work, and also presented him with a gift. We were honored to have this photo taken with the Doshu and his son.

We trained in Hombu Dojo for one week, and also had a long meeting there with International Affairs representatives. The manner in which we were received was a great honor for Slovenian Aikikai, since it showed that we are on track to achieve Hombu recognition and subsequent IAF membership.

Hombu Dojo Shihan visits Sovenia

Slovenian Aikikai Federation cordially invites you to attend Aikido presentation and demonstration that will take place on18 March 2008 at Triglav Sport Center. It is a key event for the Slovenian Aikido. For the first time of history of Aikido, a representative of the Aikido
World Headquarters - Hombu Dojo, Yukimitsu Kobayashi Shihan will visit our country. The arrival of Mr Kobayashi to Slovenia is of utmost importance for the development of Slovene Aikido and of course for the official recognition of the Slovene Aikikai federation by the Aikikai
world headquarters based in Tokyo, Japan.

Date: 18th March 2008
Place: Triglav Sports Centre, Vodovodna cesta 25, 1000 Ljubljana
17:30-19:00 - Aikido seminar
19:30-20:30 - Presentation, demonstration and press conference

The demonstration and the press conference will be attended by representatives from the Ministry of of Education and Sport, Japanese Embassy, Slovene Olympic Committee, communes of Ljubljana, Škofja Loka and Velenje and last but not least, our guests of honor – Wilko Vriesman Sensei (5th dan) from the Netherlands and Yukimitsu Kobayashi Shihan (7th dan)
from Japan.

Yukimitsu Kobayashi 7 Dan

The latest good news from Aikido World Headquarters in Japan: Yukimitsu Kobayashi Hombu Dojo Shihan - who will be visiting Ljubljana, Slovenia in March 2008 - has been promoted to 7 Dan.

Congratulations!

Aikido winter school in Amsterdam

A 12-member delegation from the Slovenian Aikikai Federation took part in the annual Aikido winter school in Amsterdam. For some of us, this was the sixth year of practice with Wilko Vriesman Sensei.

Photos from the seminar

Milestone seminar with Wilko

This weekend’s seminar in Velenje and Ljubljana with Wilko Vriesman 5 Dan was a huge success, to say the least. We achieved a new record number of 63 participants, ranging from beginners to the highest levels. But Wilko was fully up to the challenge. He masterfully led the seminar so that everyone participating got the maximum benefit out of it. Wilko has set a new standard for the next big seminar in Slovenia with Yukimitsu Kobayashi Hombu Dojo Shihan 6 Dan on 19 March 2008.

Thank you, Wilko Sensei!

Wilko Vriesman seminar coming soon!

We hope you all know already about this weekend’s seminar in Velenje and Ljubljana with Wilko Vriesman 5 Dan. Everybody should come, even beginners – your participation is very, very welcome. And of course participation at Aikido seminars, just like regular training, is the key to making progress. This seminar will give you wings – no Redbull necessary!

Successful seminar

Aikido seminar 11.11.2007

There were 38 participants at the national Aikikai seminar in Ljubljana, which is very encouraging for Wilko’s upcoming seminar. Only a few regular participants were missing. Of course, the overall number could have been even higher, as will hopefully be the case when Wilko comes. Special mention goes to the eight participants from Velenje, who traveled the farthest to get here. Since Wilko will be in Velenje on Friday, we hope for a good turnout. Once again we invite everyone who’s not from Velenje to come if you can – you won’t be disappointed. And we certainly expect the tatamis to be crowded on Saturday and Sunday.

Summer school with Wilko Vriesman Sensei

Photos from the event

The Aikido Summer School, led by Wilko Vriesman Sensei and organized by Slovenian Aikikai, took place in Ljubljana on August 23-26.

Four days of intense training were attended by over 40 aikidokas from Slovenia and abroad. The growing interest in this teaching methodology attracted practitioners from two Austrian Dojos, Meiyukai (Vienna) and Kimusubi (Villach-Klagenfurt).

Following their successful examinations, Aleksandr Starovojtov and Dejan and Jasmin Bišćević have brought three Nidan grades to the Federation. Tadej Pačnik's hakama, earned after the nikkyu test, will adorn Dokiai Dojo.

Seminar with Michal Baňas in Ljubljana

Photos from the seminar

Thirty participants from Slovenian Aikikai, the Czech Republic and Slovakia enjoyed a seminar with Michal Baňas from Prague. This was the Federation's first seminar with Michal, who has been practicing Aikido for 17 years and teaching in his own Dojo for over 10 years. He was also the first Aikido teacher of Aleksandr Starovojtov and Staša Pisek.

During the seminar we practiced building trust between uke and tori. The training was both beginner-friendly and challenging to advanced students.

More guests from EU countries will be joining us at the Ljubljana Summer School on August 23-26.

Slovenan Aikikai discussion group

We are happy to introduce an Internet community where we can share our thoughts and experiences regarding Aikido.

This discussion group is a good opportunity for Slovenian Aikikai members to communicate and network, gain knowledge about Aikido and the Federation, and help one another make progress as Aikido practitioners and as human beings.

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New Slovenian Aikikai dojo in Velenje

Velenje Dojo

Slovenian Aikikai - as represented by its main trainer, Jasmin Biščevič - has started a new dojo in Velenje.

Seminar with Wilko Vriesman in Ljubljana

Aikido Seminar by Wilko Vriesman Sensei, April 2007 Ljubljana

For the 7th time already, Wilko Vriesman Sensei came to Ljubljana to give a seminar - this time with an assistant, Tom Dijkman 4 Dan.

Over 50 members of our federation enjoyed three days of intensive training. There was an examination at the end of the seminar, and Arsen Miloševič, Denis Zadnikar, Matjaž Žalig and Veljko Novakovič passed their 1st Kyu exam. Congratulations!