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