What Sumiyoshi Juku emphasizes
• Unlike other dojos, we emphasize on human development.
What the children class emphasizes
○ Basic physical strength development
• A strong body developed from childhood to boyhood will be a lifetime asset.
That is why we make them continue practicing basic physical strength development.
In addition, a strong mind and body creates a positive behavior and has many positive effects on their studying.
○ Basic learning of Aikido
• We establish a curriculum that allows you to learn the basics of Aikido and set up practice times for each group on Sundays.
We have instructors for each group.
• The practitioners are promoted in the following order:
White belt → Yellow belt → Red belt → Orange belt → Blue belt → Green belt → Purple belt → White and Black belt
Practitioners with purple belts and above can also practice in the general class.
○ Strong mind and independence
• We make each practitioner set their own goals, state their intentions clearly,
and acquire the ability to keep execute what they have decided.
• Aikido has spread to every corner of the world now.
Japanese Aikidoists are trusted by people all over the world, and “the spirit of harmony” in Aikido is considered important.
If your child accomplishes both in academics and sports, and studies or be assigned abroad in the future,
they will have many friends as Japanese Aikidoists and succeed overseas.
○ Development of personality
• We develop children to be kind to other people and tough on themselves at the same time.
We teach children to respect their parents, take care of their family, and look after themselves.
• We guide children to be able to make daily greetings at home, dojo, and school.
• We enable children to say greetings from themselves, such as “Good morning”, “I'm going”, “I'm home”, and “Good night”.
• We train children to be able to listen to the speaker without looking away.
• We guide them to sit seiza-style when listening to their instructors in the dojo.
• We teach children to be able to decide things about themselves, take action and take responsibility for the results.
• We enable them to recognize their own role and act by themselves in the group.
• Ambiguity and loose behaviors will be eliminated from them for completeness. Telling lies is strictly prohibited.
• Our guidance focuses on overcoming their weaknesses and ambiguity rather than competition.
• We teach them to have the right thoughts and learn the ability to continue, make a decision, and execute it.
• The dojo-chou always tells them the ideal form and teaches the technique accurately with his direct guidance.
• If children continue these things for about 10 years, they will be able to form a gentle, strong, wise, positive, and bright personality.
They will be no longer tied to bullying and social withdrawal.
• At our dojo, we fairly give everyone strict instruction.
As your child's growth is much faster than you imagine, parents need to grow as well.
Therefore, we recommend that parent and child practice together in our dojo.
What the general class emphasizes
○ Development of rich sense of personality
• We believe that the greatest happiness in one`s life is spending whole life in active and healthy.
In order to spend your life in active, you need the right mind and strong body that gives you positive thoughts and goals.
We are seeking for right thoughts and richness of mind that is not tied to the material world, such as status, honor, objectivity, self-centered thinking.
We aim to acquire Aikido technique and spirit that allows practitioners to have the right mind and the right thoughts.
○ Exploring technique and spirit of Takemusu Aiki
• Ueshiba Morihei O-sensei, the founder of Aikido aimed at "Training Makotobito" through Takemusu Aiki.
We practice Aikido techniques in line with the art of Takemusu Aiki, as well as learn and master the spirit of Takemusu Aiki.
O-sensei has already told much about the spirit of Takemusu Aiki using many difficult terms, which are explained on "Marutatsu blog" in a plain way.
(Available for only our Juku practitioners via Internet)
• The techniques of Takemusu Aiki can be roughly classified into Taijutsu (body technique), Aiki-ken (Aiki sword),
Aiki-jou (Aiki cane), tachi-sabaki (movement using the sword), tachi-nage (throwing sword), jou-nage (throwing cane),
tachi-dori (taking sword away), jou-dori (taking cane away), tantou-dori (taking dagger away).
Also, sabaki (handling) has two different cases where dealing with one person or dealing with two or more persons.
These are all practiced in training, which contain hundreds of different types of techniques.
"Marutatsu Video" is published to learn easily all of these techniques.
(Available for only our Juku practitioners via Internet)
○ Takemusu Aiki and rich sense of personality
It is not enough just to train at dojo for having a good sweat and to be refreshed.
O-sensei tried to grasp the truth through Aikido practice and use it in his life.
At our dojo, we practice Aikido in line with the direction that O-sensei`s thought for, and we believe that doing these develops truly rich sense of personality.