[Aikido × Travel] Enjoying an Aikido Seminar and Dojo Visits in Prague, Czech Republic – 08
On the morning of October 25th, the day of the seminar, I woke up at 6:30 and checked how my slight cold was doing.
My throat was still sore, but thankfully I didn’t feel any fatigue. It seemed I would be able to participate without any problems.
We planned to take a bus to the venue, but just in case anything delayed us, we decided to take an earlier bus.
The Lithuanian group had just under ten people—some familiar faces, some new—and we exchanged brief introductions before boarding.
The bus arrived at the stop right in front of our hotel exactly on time, and we reached the stop near the venue right on schedule as well.
The hall was still fairly empty when we arrived early, but we completed the registration smoothly.
“I think Sensei will be arriving soon.”
With that thought, I stepped outside and saw the car of the friend who was driving Sensei pull into the parking lot.
The instructor for this seminar was Fujimaki Shihan from Aikikai Hombu Dojo. I’m always grateful for his guidance, but meeting him abroad gives the encounter a slightly different, almost refreshing feeling.
I hurried to gather the Lithuanian group, and we welcomed Sensei at the entrance while introducing everyone.
By the time we finished changing into our dogi, more and more people had gathered. Even though most of them were strangers, spotting a friend among the crowd instantly lifted my spirits.
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It was cold outside, but inside the hall the heating made it pleasantly cool—perfect for training.
Before 9:00, everyone sat in seiza, and after a brief explanation from the organizers, Shihan entered and the seminar began.
Participating in a seminar in a country I had never visited before was nerve racking. I didn’t know what kind of training the participants usually did, and I would be paired almost entirely with people I had never met.
After warm ups, basic movements, and several techniques, Shihan introduced the participants.
About 80% were from the Czech Republic, and others had come from Slovakia, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, the Philippines, and Japan—seven countries in total.
Looking around, I noticed there were more white belts than I expected, and children were training alongside adults.
Even within the same art of Aikido, people from different countries and dojos move differently—their strength, their ukemi, everything varies. But practicing together while respecting those differences made the training both exciting and enjoyable, even with the nervousness.
Because of my condition, I tired a bit more easily, but the morning session—focused mainly on basics—passed in no time.
For lunch, we quickly changed and were taken to a burger shop. I had grilled salmon, and Mike ordered a hamburger. Both of us left feeling satisfied.
The afternoon was divided into three 40 minute sessions: white belts only, all participants, and black belts only. This thoughtful structure reflected Shihan’s consideration for the many beginners present.
We were scheduled to join the second session, but I was curious about the basic class Shihan was teaching, so we watched from the adjacent basketball court.
Watching Shihan carefully explain ukemi and footwork, I was moved by how sincerely he wanted to convey Aikido. His teaching was so gentle and precise that it warmed my heart.
During the combined white belt and black belt session, a young girl—probably in early elementary school—came to train with me several times. I was happy she approached me, but practicing with someone so small and flexible required even more care than working with adults. It taught me how challenging it can be to find connection and apply techniques gently.
The black belt session afterward was much more advanced, and I enjoyed working hard and breaking a good sweat.
After the seminar, we gathered everyone to take photos with Shihan and friends—but Mike was nowhere to be found. As I looked around the venue, one of the participants approached me.
“I was training with him, and he got injured.”
What a shock.
The seminar continued the next day, and we were also supposed to join practice at the dojo afterward.
“He’s really upset…”
He pointed to a corner, and there I saw Mike cooling his arm.
Apparently, after finishing a technique and taking ukemi, his elbow had been twisted upward. No wonder he was angry. Even slight movement caused him pain, and when we gathered for photos, everyone expressed concern.
There was a social gathering afterward, but Mike couldn’t lift his arm enough to carry his bag. Shihan kindly offered to take him by car, so we accepted. I headed to the restaurant directly with my Lithuanian friends.
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