Taiko workshop: 7 March with Takatsuki Taiko

Exciting news!

Toowoomba's sister city in Japan, Takatsuki, is generously donating several Wadaikos (taiko drums) to Toowoomba, for use by our taiko group. 

We would like to invite people in Toowoomba region to participate in a Taiko workshop, followed by the Mayoral Reception, on Wednesday, 7th of March, from 9:30am to 13:30pm at the Empire church theatre.

Members of Takatsuki Taiko group will perform and also instruct in taiko drumming. All are welcome and it is free. 

Come feel the sound of wadaiko!

Iaido seminar wrap-up

Saturday may have been one of the hottest and most humid day in quite some while, but the iaido seminar organised by the Kohokai and hosted at Kenshinkai dojo was one of the best training experiences I have had for quite  some time.  

Led by Toshi Tsukadaira sensei and Emiko Yaguchi sensei (after 90 minutes of kendo as a "warm up" for some of us) we engaged in a more Japanese-style seminar format, where we generally worked on kata of our choice and had the various sensei available provide input. This was incredibly useful in identifying and starting to address some of those niggles and rough edges in our performance, and I would love to see it employed more often as a seminar approach in the future.

Personally, I would like to especially thank John Isaacs sensei for the warm welcome, the considerable time he gifted to me to provide feedback on what I was doing, and the invite for Toowoomba-based kendoka and iaidoka to come far more often (and, indeed, regularly) to Brisbane to touch base and continue our improvements in both disciplines. 

I would also like to second Isaacs sensei's sentiment regarding Yaguchi sensei's  instruction. As he said, "sensei is the epitome of what a Sensei should be - humble, informed, great example, but most importantly she genuinely cares about the students and makes them the priority".

Many thanks also to Tom Johnson for having organised the event, which always takes considerable behind the scenes action. We are hoping to have another session with Yaguchi sensei before she leaves in March, and we will certainly look forward to that opportunity. 

Happy New Year and welcome back to training

 明けましておめでとうございます！Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu! trans. "Congratulations on the dawning (of the new year)."

I hope that everyone in the extended BBRD community has had both a recharging and enjoyable time over the past few weeks, and that everyone is ready to engage with the year ahead with energy, joy and good humour.  

While I am sure some have already indulged in hatsu geiko, or their first training session of the new year, the official Keiko Hajime for the Club will be Tuesday evening starting at 6 pm sharp. Prior to the start of training we will have a general dojo clean up, including mopping down the tatami. I will be there from 3.30 pm and invite all who are available to come and ensure that the keiko-jo, store room and toilets are in a suitable state to formally begin our year. 

Could those who intend to be there for the evening please make sure that you let me know you will be attending. As with previous years, we will have some light refreshments at the end of the training session, so ideas on numbers will be important.  

The evening will be scheduled in a similar fashion to previous years, with a spread of activities representing the disciplines and activities supported by the Club, and I am looking forward to seeing as many of you there as possible participating.

2017 looks to be a period of considerable opportunity for the Club, and I am looking forward to building of the solid foundations laid down over the past twelve months. University Games is on the Gold Coast again this year, there are many upcoming opportunities to train with senior sensei and test our progress, and chances to share our passions with the wider community. 

However, as always, it is important to remember that the strength of any organisation is rooted in the people who comprise it. And I have been enormously proud to be associated with everyone here— active members, supporters, friends, visiting sensei. All our lives would be poorer for the absence of anyone in that  community. 

Nihon Matsuri wrap up

It was great to see the turnout on Saturday for the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Toowoomba-Taketsuki Sister city relationship. The weather mostly held out till the end though we were not able to undertake the jujutsu demonstration due to the thunderstorm. The food was lovely, the drummers awesome, and it was gratifying to see Toowoombans get out there and support an event such as this. 

Many thanks to Dylan, Peter and Tracy for the load up and unpack into the dojo on the day, for Tom Johnson sensei for the loan of the yumi and ya to add to the general display and coming up to observe proceedings, a big special thanks to Raymond for not only driving all the way from Kingaroy for the day, by stepping into the breach when no other Toowoomba-district kendoka were available to assist Michael with the demonstration, and to Eric for being a stalwart and staffing the information booth along with Tracy and Michael in the heat (and his marshaling of kids during the kendo demonstration and his Jodo demonstration under time pressure).  

It was also lovely to see Lauren Ole and Dave Johnson in the heat, and many thanks to both of you for assisting in the hurried pack up as the rain hit!

We had quite a bit of interest in folk wanting to do iaido, kyudo and kendo, so we will look forward to seeing that translate onto the dojo floor in coming weeks.