Young People’s Aikido in Shingu, Japan
Notes from a Pilgrimage
When we visited the children’s Aikido class, we happened to be there on a day that the class ended with a recitation of the “Oath of Aikido.”
A better translation into English has been provided by Linda Holiday Sensei:
“Joining together in friendship,
hand in hand with children all over the world,
I vow that through practicing Aikido
I will grow up to be an adult
who never gets into fights,
never bullies anyone,
never makes war,
and prays for world peace.”
Sounding the drum before reciting the Oath of Aikido…
… the girl in front then led the class in reciting the Oath.
The two pictures on the wall on the right are of O-Sensei, the founder of Aikido. The picture high on the wall on the left is Michio Hikitsuchi Sensei, who was Chief Instructor of the dojo for fifty years until his passing in 2004. Hikitsuchi Sensei was 14 years old when he began training with O-Sensei.
