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AIKIDO OF NOE VALLEY is located at the corner of Castro and 26th Streets in San Francisco. Ideally situated in one of the city's most popular residential areas, the dojo is very near the shops on 24th Street that is the hub of this district. A variety of restaurants, a spa, a health food store, a bakery, coffee shops, book stores, and other delightful places to shop and explore add to the appeal of the neighborhood. As mentioned in the two-part article linked above, the dojo itself has a lengthy history in the area. The space is welcoming, filled with martial art relics and lined with redwood paneled walls. The sprung floor and tatami mats are extremely forgiving, making rolls and falls comfortable and safe, especially important for beginners. Plenty of light from bay windows adds to this friendly, supportive atmosphere.
AIKIDO OF NOE VALLEY is proudly affiliated with the Takemusu Aikido Association (TAA), an international organization tied directly both to Hombu Dojo, the main Aikido school in Japan, and to Iwama Dojo, O'Sensei's country retreat managed for many years by the late Morihiro Saito Sensei. AIKIDO OF NOE VALLEY also enjoys a connection to Tsubaki Kannagara Aikido/Shrine in Granite Falls, Washington. Presided over by Rev. Koichi Barrish, this dojo/shrine is the only Shinto Jinjya in the United States. A nonviolent, Japanese martial art, Aikido is practiced by people of all ages, races, nationalities, and creeds who want to learn an effective means of self-defense while coordinating mind/body/spirit. Towards this end, and following the guidelines set forth by the founder, classes at the dojo progress from the most basic movements, executed slowly, smoothly, and deliberately during the first hour, to more quick, advanced, and spontaneous levels of technique during the second. Classes are ongoing so beginners may enter at any phase and move at a pace with which they are comfortable yet challenged. Although everyone feels a little awkward at first, beginners will find the more experienced students helpful and encouraging. As emphasized by the instructor, reviewing basic techniques and proceeding at a deliberate pace in the beginning advances everyone's training.
At AIKIDO OF NOE VALLEY, fundamental techniques are always a part of Keiko, or sincere practice, as the instructor attempts to preserve the lineage of Aikido as it has been passed to him over the course of nearly three decades. At the same time, the ultimate goal of Aikido is Takemusu Aiki, or the spontaneous creation of form. The instructor takes this purpose seriously, so as basics are mastered a more free expression of the art is generated and encouraged.
In addition to the regular evening classes held in Noe Valley, the Japanese wooden staff (Jo) and wooden sword (Bokken) are taught, both in the context of the regular schedule and on select Saturday afternoons at various locations in the open air, weather permitting. Both beginners and advanced students are welcome to attend these sessions that also include socializing and a picnic. Practice of the wooden staff and wooden sword, even in the beginning, is an integral part of training. Because barehanded techniques, or taijutsu, are rooted in the use of Jo and Bokken, practice of one aspect of the art perfects the other. Repetitive use of the wooden staff and sword imparts the elements of balance, responsiveness, power, and the extension of Ki, or energy. As was important to the founder, the principle of timing is also developed through the partner practices with the staff and sword.
If you have not done Aikido before and would like to try a free class, you are welcome to do so. Simply drop by the dojo to join one of our regularly scheduled classes. Wear loose clothing and be ready to move.
Thank you for visiting us!
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