Earlier in 2017, conflicts erupted again in villages near Bangladesh, and the conflicts have resulted in forcing over 500,000 (estimated) Rohingya persons, who are followers of Islam, to become refugees in Bangladesh. In fact, I witnessed many such refugees in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh during my recent trip to the region. While AHAN Nippon Kan has remained and will ever remain …
Behind the Scene of Humanitarian Support Activities ~ What I’ve learned through humanitarian support activities.
A mother with 27-year-old disabled son on her back, their hardships will continue until it’s time for one of them to pass away. I saw them at a support supply distribution center among victims of the use of defoliant during the Vietnam War. The mother and the son cannot hide, but rather have to “expose” their appearances to remain eligible …
Children can’t be raised by cement or bricks ~ An Activist Monk in Sittwe, Myanmar
Ms. May was waiting for us. Ms. May came out to greet me with her big welcoming gesture with her baby belly. Back in 1996 when she was 3 years of age, she was brought to the temple by her mother, and it was only the mother who left the temple and went back home. As the mother was so …
A Tragedy of an Endless War
With her 27-year-old son on her back while carrying 25-year-old son, the mother must live day-by-day. Simply going to work is a luxury…. These people are the victims of the use of defoliant during the Vietnam War. Although many assert different claims about these unfortunate people, whose full-time job, as it seems to have become, is to be given the …
AHAN Nippon Kan Activities in Bangladesh
I visited Cox’s Bazar and its surrounding region in southeastern Bangladesh to witness humanitarian support activities by Madrasa Orphanage and School for girls based in Dhaka to help a number of Rohingya Refugees. Nippon Kan has been supporting Madrasa Orphanage and School for girls in Dhaka for the last 10 years, and it’s estimated that there are currently approximately 500,000 …
Organic Farming in a suburb of Hội An, Vietnam
I visited a farm run by Mr. Quoc Tuan who opens his 10-acre or so farm land for those who are interested in organic farming. The main purpose of the visit was to promote organic farming at the farm to grow scallions (a.k.a. green onion, spring onion and salad onion) in the Karasin (also spelled …
A Shovel for a Bokken
Aikido Nippon Kan’s Annual Autumn Community Service celebrated its 26th Anniversary in Denver’s landmark, Civic Center Park. “Engaged Budoism ( https://nipponkan-archive.org/writings/engaged-budoism/ )”, one of Nippon Kan’s most important Aikido Philosophies, is one of the teachings by Homma Kancho. That is, we must not be trapped in an illusion that we can master the art of Aikido only practicing it …
Visit to Bilay House
I paid a visit to Bilay House again with my last visit 3 months ago. Many children welcomed my visit again, and it was good to see them. A total of 44 children live together at Bilay House, and among them are 4 high school students, 13 junior high schoolers, 18 grade school kids and 9 kindergarteners. Also, 5 adults, …
Hiromi Matsuoka Sensei – Dispatched to the Dojo of Stephanie Yap Shihan in Florida
Morihiro Saito Shihan: if you are an Aikido instructor and don’t claim to recognize the name, you must either be a novice instructor with shallow and lackluster experience or intentionally ignoring him for some inconvenient reasons. Morihiro sensei and Yap sensei He is the one and only “late Morihiro Saito Shihan of Iwama” who passed away in May of 2002. …
Aikido and Physical Training
A video clip of Aikido demonstrations by Hiromi Matsuoka, who has been featured in this Facebook page, has been accessed and viewed over 17,000 times in just 2 months, and the number of access continues to grow. Hiromi Matsuoka started to practice Aikido when she was 8 under Yasuo Kobayashi Shihan of Aikido Kobayashi Dojo, and she holds the 4th …
Beyond Generations – Joko Ninomiya and Koichi Ninomiya
There is a great Karate Shihan (Karate Master) in Denver, who is well known and respected throughout the world. The shihan is Joko Ninomiya sensei, the founder of Enshin Karate. Our first encounter with each other goes back over 40 years, and ever since then we have developed a deep and mutually respectful friendship while respecting each other as a …
Nepalese Army – Devoted the Most to putting Nippon Kan’s AHAN Credo into Practice
There can be many appearances of Aikido, as it should, in my opinion. Just like gathering with fellow Aikidoka (Aikidoists ) after practice (keiko) to have a good time with a few drinks and “sake” can be a good aspect of Aikido to foster a sense of camaraderie among fellow Aikidoka, not only to promote a healthy sense of self-esteem …
A visit to Nippon Kan by Nepal’s High-Ranking Military Officers
Nepali Army Rangers Colonel Anup Thapa and Lt. Colonel Sameer Rana came to visit Nippon Kan to attend the Completion Ceremony of the 30-day long Marathon Keiko Seminar to witness the Nepali soldiers’ accomplishments. Nippon Kan and its advisors and executive members hosted a welcome party for the honorable guests during which Nippon Kan Headquarters presented to them a commemorative …
K9 Training Center, Emily Dojo
During the Welcome Party hosted by Nippon Kan and its advisors and executive members, the Nepali Army Rangers Colonel Anup Thapa announced that a Dojo, funded and donated personally by Homma Kancho and established 4 years ago for the purpose of training Nepali Army’s K9 battalions, was recently renamed to be “K9 Training Center, Emily Dojo”. The Training Center has …