AKR Update September, 2015

Post date: Oct 06, 2015 3:6:17 PM

AKR Update September, 2015

Dear AKR Members and Friends,  

I hope this edition finds all of you are well.  September is now over and there are some articles that I would like to share with you.  Weather is getting comfortable and nice for practice.  In the Yumi tradition they say that bows (Nibe-Yumi) are most stable at this season and “Shiraki-Yumi” (un-lacquered bows) are happy to be used.  I hope you enjoy shooting in the crisp and clear air of autumn.

Sincerely

Yoshiko Buchanan,  AKR President

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From the AKR:

1)  The MNKR has formed the 2016 Seminar Committee.  They are going to have their first meeting by using Google Hangouts.  Thank you committee members and we will be informed as the seminar prepparation progresses.

2) The 2015 Andrew West Memorial Award was given to Erika Alejandra Castillo Licea from Mexicio.   It was created and has been sent to Blackwell sensei.  He is willing to bring it to Mexico and present it on behalf of the AKR, which is appreciated.  Also I appreciate that Alan Beltran (NCKF) helped to create this plaque.

3)  Hideki Nagata has resigned from his position of Auditor.  I would like to express my gratefulness for his excellent service that he lent to the AKR.  He will continue his training in Japan and I wish him all the best on behalf of  AKR members.

As you were notified we need an auditor.  It is greatly appreciated if you could recommend someone to be the AKR Auditor or it is also great if someone could self-nominate to contribute his/her knowledge and skill.                   

4)  2015 Seminar T-Shirts!!  Thank you very much for your support.  My apology for giving two deadline dates (25th and 30th) for the additional order.   The Additional order was not placed due to the insufficient quantity to fill the minimum order to keep the price ($15).   It is appreciated that Junko Kurita (NCKF) worked for this 2015 fundraising effort.

 5)  Creating an AKR annual tournament:  This topic was unfortunately missed from the AKR Board meeting agenda.  However the result of the taikai has been recorded and this record will be helpful when we need to select US team members for the 2018 IKYF Taikai in Japan. 

There is a proposal from the AKR office for a national kyudo tournament.  Kato sensei has updated his idea to begin discussion for all of you: Since there has not been any response from my e-mail, I have drafted some quick ideas.  I will come up with more ideas with my assistant.  

 AKR Taikai (Competition and Recording) Plan.         Draft 12/28/14  Tomio Kato

 The committee will provide an Excel sheet for keeping records and competition rules.

 Events should occur twice a year such as: (Spring and Fall) or (Spring and AKR seminar Taikai).

  Rules:       8 arrows competitions.

                   No practice before competition except for makiwara.

                   Observers will record the results and archers will verify and sign.

                   Rules will be based on AKR competition requirements 

 The committee will recommend US team members for international events, based on the records from the competition

I would like to ask you to pay attention to the idea and bring up your thoughts.  Please contact Kato sensei and share your ideas.   Your participation in the project will provide you with a different type of training and this chance is very much welcomed and appreciated.

6)    Creating a translation committee group

SHAHOKUN, the first half of the Shahokun was translated by Earl Hartman sensei (NCKF) and contributed to the AKR members and the affiliated friends.  The Shahokun that we see in the Kyudo manual is partial.  You will find a quite profound message in the writing.  Hartman sensei’s work is greatly appreciated and I hope you will enjoy reading it to help your training.

Volunteer wanted!  The committee should be able to plan to ask those volunteers to contribute their translation skill and post some articles from the Kyudo Magazine in the future.   It will help to make the AKR website more informative and useful.  If you are interested in translating articles please contact Yoshiko Buchanan at eclayyoshiko@gmail.com. 

According to the ANKF officials they will permit us to work on the articles of the Kyudo Magazine.  Due to the copyright of each article we are not allowed to create complete translations of the articles but “Summary of articles” is allowed.   How we summarize is the question but there are many capable AKR bilingual members who are willing or interested in translating and contributing their work to the AKR.  If that works it would be very helpful to the AKR members to deepen their study. 

From the ANKF:

1) Fletching issue   Mr. Harada, ANKF office manager, who accompanied the teachers for the 2015 IKYF/AKR seminar briefly, explained about the “Fletching Issue” and what points overseas students should pay attention to.  Making a very complex story short, the guideline from the ANKF is that we cannot use the “Ojirowashi (White tail sea eagles) and “Ohwashi  (Sea eagles)”  at any ANKF events.   “Feathers Certificate of Traceability” is available for those who have natural fletchings.  Also, besides the above mentioned strictly protected eagles, owners should use this certificate to list the fletching that they are currently using and to carry the certificates with them when they travel.

The federation presidents, shogos and representatives attended this meeting with Mr Harada.  Please ask for more detailed information about this issue from the participants of the meeting.  Those who attended this meeting are requested to share the information, which will help to prevent any violations in the future.

The AKR office is planning to post the document (English) from the ANKF to the AKR website.

(Not posted yet as of Sept. 30, 2015)

2)         Permission for translation has been asked to the ANKF.  

From the IKYF:

1) Nagoya Special Shogo seminar.  The information has been distributed together with the Nagoya Chuo shinsa.  Those two events have a different dead line.  Please pay attention to the individual dates.   

2) 2015 Overseas Special Shogo seminar in Tokyo will take place at the Chuodojo from 10/27 – 30.  There will be five attendees from the AKR this time; George Nakashima, Tomio Kato, Earl Hartman, Maria Peterson and Yoshiko Buchanan.

From the EKF:

O’Brien Sensei’s funeral took place at 4 pm on Friday the 11th September at the following crematorium.  I hope he rests in peace.

1)  The Condolence Flowers were sent to the O’Brien sensei’s funeral.  His funeral was given this Card Message: Our thoughts are with you today. We will treasure our memories of Liam O'Brien sensei. From the members of the American Kyudo Renmei.The address was:  Mortlake Crematorium, Kew Meadow Path, Townmead Rd. Richmond TW9 4EN

From the Affiliates:

1)         The report on the joint seminar of Kyudo-Kai Chile and Kyudokai Asuncion:  it has been a while since the seminar took place.  Both members of both countries may be feeling a slightly warmer air at the end of winter and I hope they are practicing regularly.  I was fortunate that Okabe Koji (5ht dan, Argentina) travelled to Santiago to assist me.  I am very grateful for his help.

I respect and admire their enthusiasm and making efforts to learn kyudo and such phenomenon has always been expressed by the ANKF teachers who have travelled to the US.  However despite their admirable attitude I have to admit and report here very frankly that they are living in the “Kyudo Wilderness” that we were all living in some 20 years ago.  The basics of almost everything needed to be taught.  The basics of shaho and Shagi, five person shinsa timing and even dojo layout (entrance, exit, the shomen altar) were all instructed.

I will not report the given instruction in detail.  I am very grateful to Mr. Yanai (2nd dan, Brasil) who began helping both Chile and Paraguay.  I believe he did his best and so did I.  In order to help them to improve their quality and skill of kyudo the Senpai countries like the US should keep providing them our experience, knowledge, skill and spirits.

Currently Mexico has been taken care of by Blackwell sensei and Owaki sensei (rensi 5th dan, SoCKR who has been resides in Mexico for his business) who is assisting and there will also be Reiko sensei, too.  Okabe san is willing to continue helping both Chile and Paraguay and the Brazil Kyudo Kai will cooperate with Okabe san.  Kato sensei travelled to Buenos Aires as requested and will continue to instruct the Buenos Aires group.  Panama has Mie sensei (renshi 5th dan, KAC) and Paraguay has been taken care of by Okabe san.  

I am expecting Marcelo (5th dan, Bariloche Kyudokai) will be able to work with Okabe san to help with some part of the current and future kyudo development.

In closing I would like to inform you of some future activities that Okabe san is planning.  He will have a seminar in Paraguay this month and in Chile next month.  He is planning a seminar inviting a higher rank instructor from Japan in May 2016.   I will be in Brasil in March 2016.  I will talk with Miike san during the Special Seminar in this month in Tokyo and request them to consider an IKYF official seminar in South America.  I have heard that Blackwell sensei encouraged the Mexico group to host such a seminar and I believe it is the time for them to deserve such an official seminar. 

End of September edition