My Uchideshi Days --- 2015.04.25-2015.05.24
György Anda
I heard about the Kobayashi dojo's uchideshi program first from my sensei,János Virga in Tatabánya (Hungary). I always dreamed about a travel to Japan and asmuch I heard about it from my sensei, I started to think, that now I really might havea chance to fulfill this dream. We contacted Balázs Szabó (MKDE president), whowas currently in Japan and asked him about some details. He also gave me Hiroaki
Kobayashi sensei's (Dojocho) email address and after some email change my visit
was approved. Hiroaki sensei proposed a date in April and sent me all the documents
about the uchideshi program.
When I arrived to Japan, Balázs helped me to get to the dojo from the airportand explained me the travelling methodes.
When we arrived to the Tokorozawa dojo
the afternoon practice was ongoing, so wewaited until it is finished. Balázs introduced me
to Hiroaki sensei and to Recep Büyükgüzel, who
was already 2 years ago uchideshi. I also met
with my uchideshi mates, with Alejandro andJuan (son of Alejandro) from Uruguay.
While I was watching the first practice, I
understood, how different is the training in Japan
from a training in Hungary. All the participants
were amazing.
My first training started in the evening. The weather was really good, about 32
degrees and the humidity was also higher, then in my country. It took me nearly aweek, until my body adapted to the new weather conditions.
After that point I was able to enjoy the the trainings. I really enjoyed it, senseis
were showing amazing technics, all of them were so high ranked, which I have neverseen before. I really enjoyed it.
The uchideshi life was not easy, but I really liked it. So-shihan's practice wasamazing, I was amazed about his movements and his training methodes, he is a reallygreat sensei with huge knowledge. I’m really happy, that I was able to attend to his
practices.
Some people can find the tasks of an uchideshi really hard, but I received somuch from the senseis and also from the other people on the practices, so when I wastired, had an ijury or felt not well, Ialways told to myself, that this isnothing compared to that amount ofknowledge andtraining, what I
receive on every practice.
And we received also muchmore. The first amazing trip was toImawa, where we were able to see
Moriteru
Ueshiba
Doshu'sdemonstration in Morihei Ueshiba's aiki
shire and after it, the Kobayashi dojoorganized lunch, a picture with the Doshu
and we also visited the shire on the hill,where o'sensei spent much time.
Yuji Kasahara sensei also organized atrip on the 1st day of Golden Week, whenafter a practice we visited a taiwan styletemple. I really enjoyed it and as the picture shows, everyone.
On the same week's wednesday Masuda Manabu sensei showed us his dojo andwe were able to participate nearly one week on his trainings and on Monday heorganised a trip for us with Mikio Kobayashi sensei to Nikko, which is part of theWorld's heritages. We were able to visit the beautiful shires and temples and also the1st shogun's grave and the 3rd shogun's shire.
The largest event was the 53rd
All-Japan Aikido Demonstration inNippon Budokan. I have neverbelieved that I ever would be able toparticipate on such an event, withnearly all member of the Kobayashi
dojos.
The 1 month, what I was able
to spend in Japan was a dream. I
received so much. The practices
were amazing, I tried to learn asmuch as possible from the senseis
and they also teached me, how the life of a dojo looks like.
They are not people, who are participating on a place. They are a family. They
take care of each other. We also learned about the culture and the all-days ofjapanishe people.
There is no word, which could describe, how grateful I am for everything, what
I experinced during this 1 month.
I know, that I made many mistakes and I really felt sad about them, but I
always tried to do my best, to fulfill each request according my best knowledge.
Thinking back to each day, I can feel myself so lucky, that I was able to be participate
for a short period among these wonderful people.

”Ima made Soshihan, Hiroaki sensei,
Masuda sensei, Kasahara sensei,Koyanagi sensei, Mikio sensei, minasan,
honto ni arigatou gozaimashita”