On to my next adventure, Denver CO, Nippon Kan dojo

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For a while after I decided to quit working in New Mexico I struggled with what I was going to do next. I pondered this while in the high mountains of Colorado for my friends’ Nagel and Julie’s wedding in Steamboat Springs. Traveling and spending time alone reminded me of what I enjoy and I began thinking about other things that I enjoy. I put myself in a paradox of places, because I love the openness and simpleness of the wild places, yet to study Aikido I must live in a town large enough to support a dojo. I relish in the convenience of technology and the city life, but blanch at the culture’s blindness or disregard to the costs of such things and understand the simple way of life without these things. I am pulled this way and that and things are as unclear as ever. However, over the past couple of years I’ve found that opportunities present themselves as needed.

The previous week I had been talking with Josh and Amaya after work over some Mexican food and beer. I told them that I might be leaving New Mexico and they in turn asked what I wanted to do, I told them I didn’t know and spewed forth a few of the ideas that had been rolling around in my head, going back to Idaho to work, going to the east coast to work, going back to Phoenix to work, going to school somewhere, and as an afterthought, becoming an uchideshi. I had never really taken the thought of being an uchideshi seriously, but looked into it about a year ago. However; Amaya questioned me a bit about it and encouraged me to look into it more.

I did look more into it and sent out a few probing e-mail and now, just over three weeks later I have been accepted into the uchideshi program at the Nippon-Kan dojo in Denver Colorado. As an uchideshi I will be a live in student at the dojo. There are currently 4 other uchideshi in residence and together we will be responsible for the daily upkeep of the dojo and connecting grounds, which include a Japanese garden, restaurant, and Japanese folk art museum. In return for the upkeep and a relatively small monthly fee we get a private room to stay in, two meals a day from the restaurant and 4-5 hours a day of Aikido practice often overseen by senpai (senior instructors) or by Homma Sensei himself.

Gaku Homma Sensei was himself an uchideshi of the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba and then under noted Saito Sensei. Homma Sensei has since earned 8th dan, or 8th degree blackbelt and I am excited to learn under a teacher who learned directly from the founder.

I’ve been asked how long I will be there and the truth is I don’t know. Each “semester” is 3 months, but there is no limit on how long you can spend there, there have been uchideshi who have stayed for 5 years at Nippon Kan before Homma Sensei encouraged them to find their own path. It usually takes 3-4 years of attending regular classes to get shodan (black belt) in Aikido, so I think being there 2 years as an uchi deshi would be the equivalent, so that is what is in my mind now, but I will take it one day at a time.

I'll be leaving August 30th, until then I'll be in Phoenix, so say hi.

I have enough money for the tuition for the first three months, but will need to get a part time job to pay for my phone, truck insurance, gas, and future tuition, so if any of you in Denver know of anything let me know. There are other costs too, non monetary costs, I will be away from much of my family (but I have family in CO, so that’s not too bad), I will have very little free time between practice working at the dojo and working for money, that little free time means little socializing and few outings into the wilderness.

Over the past two years my life has been in constant motion, I think it is time to settle down in a way, to reflect on what I have learned these by traveling and working in the wilds. While some, including me, were doubtful of this path I have stumbled upon after working a cushy corporate job I am thankful to all of you who have encouraged and supported me over these two years and again these past few weeks.

Here’s the Nippon Kan (Japanese House) website:
http://www.nippon-kan.org

For more about the uchideshi program and the dojo here’s a book written by Homma Sensei:
http://www.nippon-kan.org/home/sketch_diary.html
Or the actual book is here (the first part of the book talks about different parts of the uchideshi program):
http://www.nippon-kan.org/uchideshi/Sketch_diary_optimized2.pdf

Pictures of Nippon Kan
http://www.nippon-kan.org/dojo_tour/dojo.html


Robert

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