Finally, here comes the special day!!
The festival for all Aikido practitioners who love Aikido, The 60th All Japan Aikido Embukai.
As same as the last year, fine weather and clear Blue sky with sunshine, there were many people who carried huge bags and luggage and headed to one particular place. Yes, it was Nippon Budokan which is commonly known as TAMANEGI. (*onion: because the object on the top of the roof looks like an huge onion )
Compared to the last year, there were so many people here and there including information staff, demonstrators, and audience. Since a bunch of people came and went there, thus I anticipated that people jostling one another everywhere in Nippon Budokan. After we, Hamakaze, arrived at audience seats of green because our performance will be held at green court. However I do not know why, but for group of IHI, which are amicable fellows for Hamakaze, sat audience seats of red by accident (ha ha).
As the time of opening ceremony of the Embukai approached, the most of audience seats up to third floors were filled with people. Our Hamakaze members spent their free time respectively as buying lunch or souvenir or checking program, or speaking to each other with relaxed mood.
As the huge digital clock at Budokan hit 12:00 PM, we heard thunder drum sound dub a dub and main lights were turned on brighter at a time and every corner of the venue, which had been dim until that time, was clearly illuminated.
While atmosphere of stage turned from relax mood to that of excitement and tension, we sang the national anthem with atareing at the raised national flag. Sometimes I heard someone sing with different pitch while singing, it made me grin and relax again (ha ha).
After we received precious message of Doshu, and congratulatory message and address of guests, the first period of demonstration was started finally. Seeing the young students working so hard, I must never forget my original intention! ! I said to myself.
In another group, I was astonished to see that everyone's movements were in perfect sync throughout Ikkyo until its pin.
While our friend Dojos, Arakawa Aikikai, Aikido Nobi Dojyo, and Nagareyama Aikido Doukoukai, demonstrated at each court, I gave loud applause to them from bottom of my heart.
Finally, time of demonstration of IHI was approached. The number of demonstrators of IHI was 9 and also 9 for Hamakaze, so we got 9 pairs of 18 people totally.
Finalizing this combination is no easy task! This is what often happens in the Embukai. When we made two rows as demonstration pair at basement where the near stage, but we recognized that “Oh-no, one person missing!” or “Not showed up yet!” or “Okay let’s make team for three peoples during demonstration” or “I am UKE(*persons who receive technique) so I run(*in order to take position at far side), and "I don't have to rush cuz I'm TORI(*persons who give technique)” etc.
We had such conversation back and forth and adjusted the final order until just a few dozen seconds before the performance (sweat). So, nobody knows what is going to be happened or who would participate to the demonstration by couple seconds before it, this is the common style of the Embukai (ha ha). As I expected, I heard the merciless drum sound (*in order to let us know the demonstration starts) during our leader called “To the front..” (*the order before groups start demonstration) and made us a little rush, but since our group had practiced and rehearsed on the day before well, so I believed that no body made messed up and just demonstrated correctly!! The actual demonstration time, 90 seconds passed so quickly without any time to be immersed in emotional mood and our group moved to photo spot of entrance of Budokan right after our IHI demonstration. We took group photos in the dazzling angled sunshine and the first period of demonstration was finished as scheduled.
After some interval, the second period of demonstration was started. The major point of the second period was program number 21, demonstration of SHIRAKAWA Ryui-Shihan. In the other hand, Hamakaze demonstration number was 32, thus the demonstration of SHIRAKAWA-Shihan was going to be started while our group would be preparing. In order not to miss his demonstration, I ignited my fight spirit (←should ignite it to another subject) and moved to a place where was close to the court for SHIRAKAWA-Shihan. I saw his quick and fabulous techniques closely and carefully while his demonstration.
In a result I ignited my fighting spirit to see his demonstration, when I moved to the basement for our Hamakaze’s demonstration, oh-my goodness!! can not believe that SHIRAKAWA-Shihan was at a distance that could be touched by my hand, but I controlled and calmed myself and moved back to waiting place of Hamakaze.
Finally, the time of our group, Hamakaze demonstration was approached. Since the instructor, Mr.T of IHI organized and adjusted actual demonstration member in advance, thus there is no such accidents like what happened in the previous demonstration. 9 people from Hamakaze and 5 people from IHI, total 14 people with 7 pairs, our group was ready and just waited for the drum sound. As the same as the IHI demonstration, I heard the merciless drum sound during call the order of our leader “To the front..” and started the performance.
Our group demonstrated some basic techniques of Shomen-uchi Irimi-nage, Yokomen-uchi Shiho-nage, Ttsuki Kotegaeshi, and Tenchi-nage alternately and seriously. Then, thankfully we all finished today’s main event without any trouble.
In the Embukai last year, I did not recognize until I heard this episode due to big tension and excitement. During Hamakaze and IHI's demonstrations, SEKI-Shihan always stood near the door of the demonstration court and watched over us warmly. This warm-hearted episode moved and reminded me to practice Aikido more and more in response to Seki Shihan's spirit.
A demonstration number of SEKI-Shihan was 45 which is almost the climax of the program, thus I changed my clothing and sat the seat in order to watch the Shihan’s demonstration from the beginning to the end. In a meantime our SEKI-Shihan’s amazing demonstration was started. I took a video of Seki Shihan's demonstration by my phone so that my technique could be as close as possible to Seki Shihan's.
The 60th All Japan Embukai concluded with the demonstration by Aikido Doshu, and ended successfully this year as well.
This year 2023, the Embukai was held without any restriction for the first time after around four years of Covid-19. About over 10,000 people including performers, staff as well as audience gathered at Budokan. I felt that finally we all back to normal life before Covid-19 spread all over the world.
At last, some members of Hamakaze and IHI could not take part in the event due to work and injure taken during Aikido practice unfortunately. I eagerly hope that everyone would participate in the next 61st Embukai after more keiko. and would perform impressive demonstration at Budokan like we did this time, from bottom of my heart.
And of course, after the next whole Embukai, let’s toast our great demonstration with glasses of beer!! (* annotated by an editor)
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