The Joy of being Uchideshi at Kobayashi Dojo
Anastassia Ignatova
People often ask me why I practice aikido. My initial thought has always
been: For pleasure, for the joy of doing it, for self-improvement and finding innerpeace. That answer was not very popular though and during the last 10 years I havebeen practicing aikido I learned the well liked one: For self-defense and to getstronger.
At the end of my stay as Uchideshi at Kobayashi dojo I feel confident to use
only my first thought answer now on. After intense practices with so many people,
under the leadership of different instructors, I finally understand that there are much
more people to practice aikido with joy and mainly for the joy. At first place, it isimpossible to not sense Kobayashi Soshinhan great happiness spread all the time heis around. Once cannot but admire a person with such great respect and warm look,with soft touch and straight results.
On the other hand Hiroaki Kobayashi Dojocho have always impressed meduring each of his seminars I attended. I did not expect he would impress me evenmore when he is on his territory. Practice around and with him seems to make people
comfortable and safe. Watching his movements, so quick and in the same time very
precise, makes you understand in a way the beauty of Aikido.
I feel more than lucky to have been part of the practices led by Kobayashi
father and son during this month.

Uchideshi life is exciting and tiring at once. However, hard trainings andwork around dojos seems to have rolled swiftly. We were only two Uchideshis during
this period (few days before our departure a third one -Erica, joined us) and we havemust of share all good and all tough moments. Happily we made a great team with
Nikola san. Having numerous duties related to the good looking and good runningdojos, and happy Senseis, turned to have a positive effect on us. We got prettyorganized and on time (with small exceptions of course).
That was the perfect opportunity to be part and to observe closely almost
every detail of how dojo runs, which will be very helpful once I open my one dojo
back home. Regarding the lack of sleep, as a mom of two bright kids, this did notaffect me. I would say I had fairly enough non-disturbed sleeping hours.
Uchideshi obligations would rather be hard, close to impossible, toaccomplish without the guidance and close inspections of Kasahara sensei. Therewere a lot of strict looks together with useful hints in Bulgarian language. One of thethings I will remember from him is that we are training martial art and thus, we must
accomplish things as artists.
Uchideshi experience does not consist only of practices and dojo tasks.
One of my very thrilling out of practice event was the participation to theHonozumo. Kobayashi Soshinhan inviteduchideshis and a couple of other members ofKobayashi dojo to the Ceremonial Sumo
Tournament that took place at Yasukuni Jinja
Shrine. We had exceptionally good places
thanks to the generosity of Soshinhan.
Something more, we were able to shake handswith sumo wrestlers and I even had a small
talk with Aoyama Koosuke who is Bulgarian.
The other highly pleasant culturalexperience I had was the attendance to a Tea
ceremony. I was invited to, together with
Nikola san, by one of the volunteers teaching
Japanese language in the community center weused to visit. Takako san hosted us at her home. For the female part we wereproposed to wear a traditional kimonos. As a typical girl, I totally loved this part.
Then tea ceremony started, we wereserved a meal, including sake and small
sweets. Our host was so precise andsophisticated while preparing the tea that
I could not remove my eyes from her. Atthe end the hot Matcha tea just cleared all
my tastes and my mind.
I learned so many things during
my stay as uchideshi in Kobayashi dojo.
I learned a lot of Aikido
techniques, and then I learned that Aikido
is not only techniques. Aikido is spirit tofeel and to spread. Yes, during ones
Aikido way, as everything in life, there
are obstacles and hard times. However,keeping high spirit and being positive
makes our day a smiley one and every
overpassed difficulty is a small step in our personal growth.
At the end of my stay I feel:
grateful for this opportunity;
peaceful and proud of myself;
thankful to everyone I have the chance to met;

Thank you Kobayashi Soshinhan, thank you Hiroaki Kobayashi Dojocho,
thank you Yamawaki sensei, thank you Kasahara sensei, thank you all other
Kobayashi dojos’ instructors and aikodokas! Thank you for letting me be part of yourlives and culture.
どうも ありがとう ございました
P.S. This days I was in Japan were quite remarkable ones – on April 1, thenew Reiwa era was announced; on May 1, was the day of the new Emperor’saccession; this year, 1019, was the 50th anniversary of the Passing of Founder ofAikido, Grand Master Morihei Ueshiba; Lucky, lucky me!