TAYORI
Selected Articles from Issue 15
January 2002
KAGAMI BIRAKI
Kagami Biraki 2002 was held by Hilo Seishikan Aikido
on Saturday, January 5, 2002. The event
was very successful with good participation by club members and family. The ceremony started at
NEW RANKS
Hilo Seishikan Aikido is proud and pleased to
announce its latest round of aikido ranking promotions. These ranks are based on the evaluations of
individual students and their performance of rank testing arts in November of
2001. The following ranks were
announced and presentations of certificates and belts made at the Hilo
Seishikan Aikido’s Kagami Biraki on January 5, 2002.
10C kyu Dason Fujimoto, Brandee Konanui, Kayla
Lacaran-Costales, Jaymie Masuda, Adam Nagakura, Jonathan Oshiro, Kevin Oshiro
10B kyu Megan Escalona, Taylor Escalona, Deena
Fujimoto, Alicia Valdez, Crystal Valdez, Shyla Yoshihara
10A kyu Reyn Nishioka, Daniel Tavares
9C kyu Anson Almeida, Royce Dela Cruz, Catelyn
Hakoda, Marcus McClintock, Andrew Yoshimoto, James Yoshimoto
9B Kerri Nakatsu
8C Jessica Galacgac, Kawehioka`iulani Hanohano, Jonathan
Maesato
5C Kevin Luiz
5B Austin Camacho, Alan Nishimura
4B Joni Tao
3A David Cadaoas
1B Lindsey Iyo
Shodan Mindy Furuta, Ana Kapihe, Mychael Singson
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!!!
NEW YEAR’S MOCHI
Mochi is an integral part of any new year’s
celebration in Japanese culture. In
Hilo Seishikan Aikido’s Kagami Biraki celebration, mochi was placed in the
arrangement at the shomen. This is
known as “Kagami mochi” or “mirror mochi.”
Mochi was also served in the “sensai,” or red bean flavored dish. Sensai is very traditional in new year’s
celebrations and other joyful occasions.
Mochi itself is regarded as a symbol of happiness and
used at festivals, erection of new houses, and other happy occasions. The kagami mochi during new years is meant
to bring in a brighter and happier year, and a brighter and happier life. The new year’s mochi is a symbol of hope
that the new year will be even brighter and happier than the previous year.
With this in mind, we wish all a happy new year and
that the new year brings a happier and brighter life for all mankind and the
entire earth!!!!
THREE NEW SHODANS
Hilo Seishikan Aikido is really happy and proud to
have promoted three members to the rank of shodan at our recently held Kagami
Biraki. The three of them qualified for
and tested for the rank of shodan last November. We’d like for you to get to know a little about each of them, and
this article is printed for that purpose.
First, we have Mychael Singson, a senior at Waiakea
High School. Mychael will be graduating
this coming June, and his immediate plans are college and to continue at his
part-time job at Larry’s Chevron. His
plans for the future are to finish college, studying electronics, computer
science, or electrical work. Mychael is
also an accomplished musician and part of the popular “Hawaiian Sunrise.” He also enjoys surfing the internet, fixing
computers, and doing some electronic work.
Mychael lists his father as a role model and someone he looks up to.
Mychael started aikido when he was five years old,
and worked his way up through the classes of Walker-sensei, Goya-sensei,
Niwao-sensei, and on up to the advanced class taught by Yonemori-sensei and Adams-sensei. He says he feels like “the learning has
started all over again and the training will be more intense from now on.” His advice for youngsters regarding aikido
is “you have to try hard and even if you feel like quitting, try something
new. When I moved up to the advanced
class everything changed and I saw a new area of aikido.”
Ana Kapihe is someone who is deeply involved in
budo. She not only trains in aikido,
but also trains in kendo and judo. She
first started in aikido back in 1986. What
Ana likes about aikido is its fluid, circular motion and non-aggressive
nature. She also says that aikido gives
one a good workout. Her advice for
anyone practicing aikido is to train one’s balance, patience, and single-minded
concentration.
Ana comes with an interesting background. She is involved not only in physical
training, but also mental and spiritual training. She is a “sweat lodge” leader, which deals with Indian
ceremonies. She is also into Zen. She also enjoys soccer, swimming, woodworking,
and furniture-making. Ana is mother to
one of our club’s youngsters, Kolaka.
She is a full-time student in geology and also does carpentry work. She says that she hopes that a year from
now, she will be just working full-time.
Her hopes and plans for the future are “a better job, nice house, good
shape, and pau school.”
Like Mychael, Mindy Furuta is a senior at Waiakea
High School. In her senior year, Mindy
has been involved in WHS Kiwins and serving as a statistician for the WHS
wrestling team. She is also employed
part-time at Kuhio Grill. She says she
is also enjoying her last year of high school, cruising with friends, and being
herself. Mindy hopes to a college on
the mainland and major in education.
She hopes to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in education and go on
and earn a master’s degree and teach school.
Mindy started aikido back in 1991, when she was a
first grader. What she likes about
aikido is that it “teaches you discipline, patience, and how to defend
yourself.” Mindy’s advice to anyone
practicing aikido is “practice hard and discipline yourself, so you can achieve
your highest potential.”
SPECIAL DUES RATES
This is a reminder that one may receive special dues
rates by paying for the whole year at this time. Youth class rates for a year are $80, rather than $7.50 per
month. Open and Advanced classes may
pay $100 for the year, rather than the usual $10 per month.
Back to:
HILO SEISHIKAN AIKIDO
O-Shima Ryu
Hilo, Hawai`I
Questions, comments, etc.
