Welcome to Aikido Yoshinkan Sacramento. We are located in the City of Orangevale. Our hosts since 2001 is the Orangevale Recreation and Park District. We are approximately 30 minutes from downtown Sacramento; 1 1/2 hours from Lake Tahoe and minutes away from the American River, Folsom Lake and Lake Natoma.
Founded in June of 1999, we first started offering Aikido at Starz Gymnastics and Pre-School on Main Ave in Orangevale. During this time, a 10 week self-defense class was offered through the Orangevale Recreation and Parks District, which would eventually lead to our moving our program from Starz to the ORPD in January of 2001. In early 2000, Starz owner moved the gym and school to a new location about a block away and it was here that we we hosted our first clinic with Amos Parker Sensei in July of 2000. As it turns out, the recreation director at ORPD was a former student of Aikido himself. This lead to our being able to move from Starz to the Youth Center in 2001 when more space was needed.
Because we are not in our very own location, we have harmonized with our hosts and their environment. Therefore, you will not find tatami mats, bokken and jo racks or even a dedicated place for photographs of the founders. However, these items, with the exception of the tatami, are present within our dojo as are the traditions and etiquette, which makes a dojo what it is. Not the location or looks.
Despite the above, we are very proud of the training atmosphere that we provide. What you will find is a training environment that is safe and fun to train in. We utilize some of the best training mats in the industry for your safety. In addition, you will find that we maintain the highest level of training, without loosing the family atmosphere. You will find a dojo who's students range from 8 ~ 50+; and a dojo who's students are energized and great to train with.
Aikido, The Quiet Martial Art grew out of the combat disciplines of the Samurai. Founded in 1925 by Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei, Aikido is a relatively new martial art that combines physical discipline and practical effectiveness with an emphasis on personal growth. You can translate Aikido to mean the way of harmonizing energy. Unlike other martial arts, Aikido is not developed to win by overpowering an opponent. Aikido makes it possible for you to resolve conflict by de-escalating violence and neutralizing aggression.
Gozo Shioda was among a select group of students to whom Ueshiba Sensei taught the new art of Aikido. A very capable and energetic man, Shioda Sensei studied with Ueshiba Sensei for over 20 years before founding Yoshinkan Aikido. Of the several styles of Aikido developed from the small nucleus of these original students, the Yoshinkan most directly reflects the strong and precise techniques of Aikido as taught by Ueshiba Sensei in his early years. This emphasis on fundamentals ensures that students of Yoshinkan Aikido develop a solid foundation in their Aikido practice.
Like all Aikido techniques, Yoshinkan techniques are designed to turn an opponents own power against themselves. This is accomplished by helping our students come to understand the mechanics of their bodies and the relationship between their balance and that of others. The method in which we use to help our students master the Aikido principles is a Yoshinkan innovation that was developed in the mid 1950's and refined over the years. This method of teaching is a kata based system of repetitive motion that has been used to teach hundreds if not thousands of law enforcement and military personnel all throughout Japan, not to mention countless numbers of students around the world.
Our kata form is called Kihon Dosa, or Basic Exercise and includes six basic movements. These six basic movements can be described as the physical components of movement required to move in concert with a training partner or opponent. Based on strict form, these movements will manifest in reflex action of an efficient manner. They are done in four fashions. 1) Alone 2) With bokken or katana 3) With a partner and 4) With a partner while performing techniques. Once you begin to master these basics, your movement becomes natural, thus enabling you to flow with the movement of your opponent.
The first thing you'll learn is proper dojo etiquette and customs. Our etiquette and customs are what make us a school and family and set the example for all future students and guests. You will learn the Yoshinkan basic posture and six basics movements. Our basic posture is the single most important part of our training. From this posture we train the body how to maintain a strong and balanced foundation while entering and moving in circular motions or while being pushed or pulled. It also teaches us how to move on a single center line which enables us to move in all directions quickly and with great power, without the need for using strength. Because Aikido is primarily a throwing art you will learn how to properly take various types of falls and roles. This is know as "ukemi". Learning how to fall in general is extremely important as most people do not know how to protect themselves when falling. In addition, our ukemi practice also serves to teach us how to flow with our partners energy, thus becoming apart of the movement. This is very important in our training because this teaches us how to relax so we can begin to feel the techniques and most importantly, the movement of our partners body. This relaxation also serves to help you remain calm in tough situations, whether it be physical, emotional, psychological or spiritual. We teach, the better your ukemi becomes, the better shite (person doing waza) you become. Learning how to fall properly is easy and can be learned by just about anyone.
Our training also includes atemi (striking). In Yoshinkan Aikido, we finish what we start, meaning, it is not uncommon for a technique to begin with atemi and finish with atemi. In Yoshinkan Aikido, we complete our techniques by pinning/controlling or throwing our partners, rather than getting to point of off balancing them, then letting them go, only to have them fall or roll without a true throw or pin. However it is important to understand that new students are not expected or subjected to such without first understanding ukemi, which is part of the early training. Our striking is used as a tool to help off balance our opponents and includes, but is not limited to, hand, elbow, knee and foot strikes.
The overall beauty of Yoshinkan Aikido is that it allows anyone, regardless of physical conditioning, gender, race, religion or age to learn and master the principles of Aikido. It also allows each student to train at their own pace, which includes being able to practice the basic movements at home or on the road. But ultimately, the success of Aikido lies in the individual. We here at the Seikeikan are here to assist you in finding your way/path, but it takes dedication, trust and most importantly, patience by the student. Here at the Seikeikan is it taught that we practice technique to learn Aikido. Not the other the around.
Here at the Seikeikan dojo, we understand the importance of proper training and dojo etiquette . We use this etiquette not as a means of worship, but as a means of telling everyone within the dojo, teachers, students and guests, that we have come to train with respect, dignity and honor.
An important aspect in the study of Budo is learning to discipline one's own behavior. A prime example of this discipline is the etiquette we observe with our instructor and fellow students in the dojo. Unfortunately, the etiquette we practice is often confused with worship. Yoshinkan Aikido is not a religious practice. When we bow or observe special ceremonies, we do so for the purpose of training our minds; and not for the sake of worship or submission.
The etiquette we practice reflects our respect for others, but this respect must have depth and sincerity. Following the correct procedures of dojo etiquette is one way to show respect. However, we cannot demand respect from others, nor shall we assume that they respond to us in some preconceived way. To be genuine and respectful to another is what is truly important. To be impolite is to have little consideration and being inconsiderate is to be lacking, somehow, in some essential kindness. Correct etiquette in Aikido is, basically, acting politely and with consideration of others.
Other important aspects of etiquette deal with more commonplace concerns. Please remember to pay your dues on time. In our enjoyment of Aikido training, we must not forget about our responsibilities to Aikido, and to our instructors. When training as a visitor in another dojo, please check the visitation policies, and remember that your behavior reflects on your home dojo. In short, our practice of correct etiquette may be thought of as courtesy or kindness; as treating others as we wish to be treated ourselves; and as an extension of our Aikido training which must not be overlooked.
Aikido Yoshinkan Sacramento is the official business name of the dojo. However, in IYAF tradition, the dojo has been honored by receiving a Japanese dojo name from Terada Kiyoyuki Hanshi (10th Dan), and members of his dojo in Yokosuka and Yokohama, Japan. The name we received from Terada Hanshi is Seikeikan, which means:
"The House located in steep-walled valley's with holy and pure water streams, where many Budoka and Wise persons who have "Noblesse Oblige" meet each other ." (translated from Terada Kiyoyuki Hanshi)
This name was registered with the IYAF in March of 2000 and should not be confused with the dojo of the same name in Ontario, Canada. Though the romanji/hiragana is the same, the meanings is very different from our fellow Yoshinkan Aikido dojo in Ontario Canada.
Many thanks to Amos Lee Parker Shihan and Kenji Nakazawa Sensei, for all their assistance. Their help and continued support is very much appreciated.
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STAR:
Represents the Sacramento Region.
OUTLINE:
The outline is that of the State of California.
KANJI:
The the dojo name "Seikeikan".
TREES:
The inspiration behind the use of the two trees comes from a story that Yamashita Sensei would tell. In this story, it talks about how a gardener can plant two trees and tend to them day after day, in the same manner. And even though the gardener uses the same technique and procedure to build a strong and sturdy foundation, these two trees will undoubtedly grow to be two very different trees. Today, they represent the two teachers that have most influenced my life and my Aikido. My first teacher, Yamashita Mitsuru Sensei and my current teacher, Amos Lee Parker Shihan.
I also used the trees because here in Northern California, we have two varieties of the California Redwood. Both are majestic giants of nature, just as Aikido founder Morehei Ueshiba O'Sensei and one of his best students, Yoshinkan founder, Shioda Gozo Soke are in the world of Aikido.
Like the California Redwood, Aikido starts as a very small seed. This seed being the basics to a new student of Aikido. Just as the Redwood has taken years of nurturing to become what they are today, so does ones Aikido. It is an art that takes years of nurturing as well. The Redwood did not grow overnight to become the majestic masterpieces they are now. Nor does Aikido; and like the Redwood, it takes years for one's Aikido to grow from that small seed that our instructors first planted, into a strong and hopefully sturdy foundation.
As the Redwood continues to grow over the years, so must one's Aikido. It is a growth process that will last a life time and will never be complete as long as we have the will to learn.
INNER CIRLCE:
This represents my family. Through their support, I have been able to continue my training and open this great dojo to share with you what I have learned from my teachers.
OUTER CIRCLE:
This represents my faith. For without my faith, none of this would be possible. Through my faith all things within have been made possible.
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The dojo crest which you see to your left, replaced the dojo logo we once wore on our keiko-gi. One of the main reasons for changing is because the original logo ended up being 4 inches in diameter, which was much wider than we had hoped. So after brain-storming with each other and Parker Shihan, we decided to go to something more representative of Aikido and to tie our dojo in spirit, back to Terada Hanshi who named our school.
We believe most will recognize the 8 pointed star that is surrounded by a circle. This is the image of Shihonage, the essence of Aikido. The character in the middle is the character "SEI", which is the same as in the dojo name, which means spirit, and is Terada Hanshi's name. While visiting and training with Terada Hanshi in Vancouver in 2002, we asked his permission to use this symbol and his name in our dojo crest, which is worn on the back of our keikgo-gi. Terada Hanshi once again honored us by accepting the crest and giving us his blessing.
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As noted earlier, the chief instructor and founder of our dojo is Steven Miranda. He is assisted by his assistant instructors who themselves are full-time students of the Seikeikan Dojo and are also registered with the main dojo in Japan. Our chief technical advisor and mentor is 8th dan Shihan, Amos Lee Parker of Houston TX. In addition to Parker Shihan visiting our school twice a year, school members are encouraged and participate in Yoshinkan clinics throughout North America.
Many thanks Bill Shank of the Sanbukan dojo who helped in transferring our school logo from a hand sketch drawing to a computer image, Yamashita Sensei for his dedication and support; and to the many others that have, over the course of the years, played some part in helping this dojo and website grow.
Welcome to the Seikeikan Dojo. All visitors are welcome and I look forward to meeting and training with you.
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