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Aikido, literally translated means "The way of Harmony" It was created by Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969), respectfully referred to as O'Sensei. Before creating aikido, the founder trained extensively in Daito Ryo Aikijutsu and several other varieties of jujitsu, incorporating sword and spear fighting techniques. Although aikido is a relatively young art within the world of martial arts, it is heir to a rich cultural and philosophical background. According to the founder, the goal of aikido is not to fight with or defeat the enemy. It is the way to reconcile the world and make human beings one family.
Aikido is predominantly a weapon less system designed for self-defence. It is essentially non-violent and non-competitive. Force is never opposed by force. By means of spherical movements power is diverted and turned back upon the attacker. In additional to throws to bring the assailant to the ground there are also a variety of joint locks for controlling the attacker, but though these prohibition of competition in aikido is that many aikido techniques would have to be excluded because of their potential to cause serious injury. By training cooperatively, even potentially lethal techniques can be practiced without substantial risk.
AFSA, the Aikido Federation of South Africa, is recognised as the authority for the teaching of Aikido in South Africa by the International Aikido Federation and the Aikikai Foundation, Japan. It was founded in 1977 and has dojos in all the major cities and universities of South Africa.
Contact: the Aikido Federation of SA - (012) 803-8387; website: www.aikido.org.za.
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The aims of Shibui Bonsai Kai are to promote and develop the Art of Bonsai and allied art forms, to help others, and to enjoy the fellowship of other enthusiasts. By helping others, we learn more ourselves, and we have found those people who have contributed the most have advanced the fastest in our fascinating hobby. We also feel that after working with, and seeing such beautiful trees in miniature, one becomes more aware of the natural environment and appreciates our own green heritage.
We meet monthly on the third Saturday afternoon in The Floreum, situated in the grounds of the Johannesburg Botanic Garden in Emmarentia. At our meeting we normally have demonstrations or lectures, hands on workshops, or some Bonsai related activity. We stock all the latest Bonsai Magazines and publications, and a supply of the necessary tools and accessories. We also have an annual "Theme Symposium" and a Bonsai Exhibition. We hold regular "Bonsai for Beginner" Classes at different times of the year. We are members of the regional and national associations, as well as the International Bonsai Organisations.
This year we are celebrating our 20th anniversary and will be holding our "20 years of Bonsai" exhibition on 27 and 28 October from 10h00 to 18h00. The venue will be The Floreum. An admission fee of R5.00 for adults, and R2.00 for pensioners and school children will be charged. The Bonsai exhibit will be of interest to everybody from novice to expert, and we will have on display trees in all stages of training - from basic initial nursery stock, to heritage Bonsai which have been in training for upwards of 20 years. We will also be having Bonsai demonstrations, hands on maintenance, educational displays, and will incorporate a traditional Japanese Tokonoma display.
Contact: Shibui Bonsai Kai at (011) 788-6104
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GO (or IGO)
GO is a game for two players in which black and white stones are alternatively placed at the intersections of lines on a board with the object of capturing the opponent's stones and securing control over open spaces on the board.
If a stone or a group of stones is completely surrounded by the opponent's stones with no empty points within the surrounding area, it is captured, removed from the board, and retained by the opponent. Each captured stone or surrounded intersection counts as one point.
The game ends when all stones have been placed or the possibilities for gaining territory or capturing the opponent's stones have been exhausted.
Contact: SA Go Association - (011) 888-2259
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Japanese flower arrangement had its origin in early Buddhist flower offerings and developed into a distinctive art form from the 15th century, with many styles and schools.
From the Mitsugusoku tradition developed the style known as rikka ("standing flowers"), a more sophisticated arrangement that sought to reflect the majesty of nature and from which all later schools of Japanese flower arrangement derive. In the late 16th century, a new form of flower arrangement called nageire (" to throw or fling into ") emerged for use in the tea ceremony.
The Ikebana international Johannesburg Chapter, founded in 1968, presently meets on the third Tuesday of every month (December recess) at 09h30 at the Lifestyle Family Garden Centre in Randpark Ridge. And we have many qualified teachers in these shools: Sogetsu, Ohara, Ichiyo and Ikenobo.
Contact: Ikebana International JHB Chapter at (011) 704- 1421
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Judo is a form of unarmed combat that stresses agile motions, astute mental judgment, and rigorous form rather than sheer physical strength. Literally, Judo means the way of softness, which states " softness controls hardness well. "Judo techniques (waza) includes throwing (nagewaza), grappling (katamewaza), and attacking vital points (atemiwaza) of the body.
Developed as a sport by Jigoro Kano from Jujutsu ion 1882, Judo has been valued as a method of exercise, moral training, and self-defence. Kano set up a system of ranks (Dan) and classes (Kyu) as an encouragement for his disciples. Judo was made formal entry in the Olympics for the first time in 1964 at the Tokyo games.
Contact: Judo South Africa - (012) 654 0179
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Ju-Jitsu began with "sechie-sumo" (court banquet wrestling), a court event popular in the Nara (710-794) and Heian (794-1185) periods. During the Edo period (1600-1868), Ju-Jitsu development as a self-defence martial art and was used in making arrests. Ju-Jitsu schools proliferated during this period but declined with the collapse of the Samurai class after the Meiji Restoration of 1868. Although Ju-Jitsu is now practiced as a sport, the emphasis in all-reputable schools or clubs remains on practical combat methods.
Ju-Jitsu in South Africa started in Cape Town in 1928. South African Teams have competed in an International Ju-Jitsu Tournaments and World Championships (lately in U.S., New Zealand, Canada and England) and brought medals and trophies. In 1988 a demonstration team from the World Ju-Jitsu Federation toured South Africa.
Contact: Ju-jitsu South Africa - (012) 993-1622
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Karate, the art of empty hand, and self-defence that uses no weapons and relies instead on three main techniques: arm strikes (uchi), thrusts (tsuki), and kicks (keri). A distinction is made between offensive and defensive techniques, which are modified according to the position of one's opponent. For defence, there are various parrying methods (uke) corresponding to each of the methods of offensive.
There are two sections in karate competitions: form (kata) competition and sparring (kumite) matches. Karate Association of South Africa (KASA) was founded in 1991, when the three existing bodies of karate were unified to form the new Karate dispensation. The KASA hosts some 15 championships per year, which include from the age of 8 to veterans. All these championships instil in the practitioners the true way of Karate, which is human development.
Contact: Karate Association of South Africa at (011) 782-2153
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Kendo is a relatively recent term that implies spiritual discipline as well as fencing technique. The cultivation of sword skills flourished during the kamakura period (1192-1333) and in the late 18th century protective equipment and bamboo training swords (Shinai) were introduced. Fencers' faces are protected by the men (face mask) and the trunk of the body is protected by the do (chest Protector). Training is based on a variety of movements of attack and defence known as waza and the most fundamental techniques are stance, footwork, cuts, thrusts, feints and parries.
The South African Kendo federation was formed in 1986, and is affiliated to the European Kendo Federation and the International Kendo Federation. South Africa regularly participates in the European and World Championships.
Contact: Kendo Federation in South Africa - (011) 782-2153
Koi originated in ancient Persia (the present day Iran) and were introduced to Japan via China some 2000 years ago. Since the introduction of Koi in South Africa in the these graceful and dignified living jewels have become the hobby - or obsession - of many South Africans and the Koi shows at which fanciers show off their prize specimens, draw crowds of admiring spectators.
SAKKS is a non-profit organization that supports the growth of the Koi hobby in South Africa. It's goal is to improve and expand the knowledge of Koi keeping. It accomplishes this by means of a regular newsletter, seminars, outings, communicating with it's members and supporting Koi shows.
Contact: South African Koi Keepers Society - (011) 679-3512
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Kobujutsu comprises traditional martial arts of the Ryukyu islands, of which Okinawa is the largest. Many forms of karate, such as Shotokan and Goju-ryu have their origin in these islands.
Ryukyu Kobujutsu includes toshu jutsu (empty hand) and emono jutsu (weaponry). Yuishinkai Kobujutsu was formed as an association in the early 1950s by O'Sensei Motokatsu Inoue, a master in many different forms of martial arts. His teachers were Fujita Seiko (ninjutsu) Konishi Yasuhiro (karate-jutsu) and Taira Shinken, regarded by many as the greatest weapons master of his time. From Taira, O'Sensei inherited a love of traditional weapons forms, and a desire to preserve them, as they were in danger of becoming extinct. O'Sensei believed that training empty hand techniques could not be separated from weapons training, as the two complemented each other. His student is Shihan Edward Jardine, head of Yuishinkai and Ryukyu Kobujutsu South Africa.
In 1976, Jardine travelled to Japan to find a teacher. He met O'Sensei, who accepted him as a student, treated him like family, and taught him in depth. On his return to South Africa, Jardine started teaching Yuishinkai Kobujutsu. Today, Yuishinkai and Ryukyu Kobujutsu South Africa is the largest traditional school in the in the world, with dojos in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Others have taken the system to other parts of the world, including England, Sweden and Finland, etc. Yuishinkai and Ryukyu Kobujutsu South Africa stresses traditional values of respect for others, and competing with the most important opponent - the self. Central to the system is training zanshin (awareness) and kamae (posture) to avoid conflict.
Training comprises both weapons and empty hand. The empty-hand training includes katas that would be familiar to students of other systems from Shuri-te and Naha-te.
Contact - Yuishinkai and Ryukyu Kobujutsu South Africa: (011) 648-5527 or 083 267 1134.
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Sumo is considered by many to be the national sports of Japan. It has its origins as far back as 400B.C. the sport embodies all the principles of perfect balance, full body harmony and aggression coupled with strength and technique. Sumo became a professional sport in the early Edo period (1600-1868). The object of this sport is for a wrestler to force his opponent out of the dohyo (centre circle of the elevated cement-hard clay ring )or cause him to touch the surface of the dohyo with any part of his body other than the soles of his feet. To decide who has stepped out or touched dohyo first is often extremely difficult and requires the closest attention of a referee (gyogi), and judges (shimpan) sitting around the dohyo at floor level.
Professional Sumo is limited to Japan only, and the rest of the world practice amateur Sumo. Top-ranking wrestlers have an average height of 185 Cm and an average weight of 148Kg. The eight year history of Sumo in South Africa has seen SA ranked fifth in the world (out of 76 countries) for four years and in 1996 South Africa has seen SA Ranked fifth in the world (out of 76 countries) for four years and in 1996 South Africa emerged from the World Championships with the new Open Weight world Champion. In 1998, SA Took the Super Heavyweight title as well. In 1999, SA Took Bronze at 1st Junior World Championships. Training is held in Kempton Park etc.
Contact: SA Sumo Federation - (011) 975-8521
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Matcha (powdered tea) had a great influence on Japanese culture through an activity called chado (the way of Tea) commonly known in English as the " tea ceremony." The raison d'etre of chado is a gathering called Chaji, which is based on the every day acts of sharing food and drink. The host invites a few guests to share the beauties of the season in an environment of peace and serenity. The highlight of the gathering is the preparation and drinking of a bowl of thick tea shared by all the guests.
After its importation to Japan from China in the twelfth century, matcha was primarily used in Buddhist ceremonies and drunk by Zen monks to prevent drowsiness during meditation. Later, aristocracy and samurai took it as a medicine. Sen Rikyu (1522- 1591), perfected the tea ritual with Zen sensibility based on the ideal of living fully in the present. His emphasis one quality, truth, directness, and unpretentiousness in the tearoom revolutionized the etiquette, aesthetics, and thinking of his day. The ideals of the way of tea are represented in the four principles of harmony, respect, purity, and tranquillity. The most important reason for chado's longevity is that it provides an oasis of tranquillity and spiritual renewal in a frenetic and ever changing world.
Contact in SA: Tea Ceremony Club of the Japanese Society at (011) 783-6711.
Web site: www.urasenke.or.jp/eframe.html
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Most of Uchikake comes in bright colours, embroidered or even hand painted all over the kimono. They are all 100% silk. These Uchikake's are very heavy and big. Purchasing a new uchikake for most Japanese women today for their wedding day will cost a fortune. So much so, a log of brides would rather rent it on their wedding day. These Uchikake makes an excellent wall or window decor. It is just too heavy and takes up too much space. It is such a treasure to have one.
Until the Edo period (1600 - 1868), the Uchikake was a garment worn by ladies of warrior or noble families on ceremonial occasions. Since that time, it has come to be part of the traditional Japanese bridal costume. The Uchikake is made of silk and has long flowing sleeves. It is worn over the inner kimono and is tied with the obi for inner. The cotton filling weighs down the hemline and serves to give this kimono an elegant and regal affair.
Contact: Brian Watkins 011-674-3578
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