If anyone goes to japan and have time for aikido I can only recommend that you go to a training in the dojo of Kato Shihan, he really have some good aikido to pass on to the new generation!

Before we went to Japan, I asked on aikidojournal.com/forum and the aikiweb.com/forums what to see and any dojo could be recommended!
We got many got good advices!
From the aikido journal, Mike Collins suggested that we contacted the dojo of Kato sensei - and so we did!
(here you can see their pictures from our visit)
Already before we left Denmark we had contact with Nori sensei a student of and administrative assistant of Kato sensei, Nori sensei himself have been training with Kato Shihan for more than 40 years!

When we arrived to Tokyo I called Nori sensei, who faxed us location of the dojo where we could train on our last day in Japan 7th. of April.
This was app. 25 minutes from Shinjuku station in Tokyo - but very easy to find, Nori sensei and some aikido-students
meet us at the station, so we could take bus together and then walk trough the beautiful park.
The dojo we trained in was situated in a big sport centre at the end of the park.

What a training - we had planned for 2 hours, but got almost 3 hours keiko ! Empty handed, with jo and bokken.
It was very interesting for us, coming out of a different aikido school. I especially like the way Kato sensei lead "up" all the time - both Finn and me had the pleasure of being uke for Kato sensei and it was a wonderful feeling!!
Thank you to all the people training with us, and having patients with us (many new movements :)

After training we went to park to sit under the Cherry blossoms, have soda, beer and snack !!
Please see the pictures in the link below, to realise how nice it was!
Here Nori sensei gave us all a copy of a Aikido magazine with pictures and interview of Kato sensei.
Unfortunately it was in Japanese, but when we got home I received a translation to english of the interview - with permission to publish it - click here to read it! I scanned the photos from the article, and included them.

The day ended with a very nice dinner in very cosy in a good restaurant - Kato sensei and his students are cheerfully, easy going people, both in the dojo and outside!



If anyone goes to japan and have time for aikido I can only recommend that you go to a training in the dojo of Kato Shihan, he really have some good aikido to pass on to the new generation!

I know that he also travels to US - you can check out the site of Rocky Valley Aikido

/Michael

Photo album 1 , photo album 2 and photo album 3 - interview with Kato sensei - their pictures from our visit