Author: koryu

The successful story that begun in 2008, known as „Women Self-defense Workshop“, for the sixth time is going to educate those who belong to the gentler sex on how to protect themselves in case of an attack or a physical abuse. 

That year, the Organization dedicated to the study of Japanese martial arts „Taiyou e no Michi“, for the first time in Macedonia organized an event of this kind and since then the Workshop became a synonym and a place where girls and women can learn techniques for self-defense from unwanted situations. 

On 25th/26th October, the sixth Workshop will take place, titled: „With control – to victory“.

Although this event first opened only for our female members, during the years others that belong in the gentler sex started participating, regardless of their years or their level of knowledge.

The second day was dedicated to Daito ryu Aikijujutsu, as well as to kata from other classical martial arts that Dovezenski practiced with well-known and renowed Japanese teachers.

Immediately after the seminar some of the participants tried to transfer some of their feelings:

– I can say that this one might have been one of the most complex seminar that I’ve been to in the Hombu Dojo and that required physical and mental stamina. It was filled with many techniques, with and without weapons, and as a bonus we got to experience a new koryu school that sensei trained in Japan. Her kata were as if you dance with your opponent, as a calm water that brings you to the waterfall from which there is no escape.

The Saturday night we had the opportunity to get to know Japan through photos, videos, and kuden.

Definitely an amazing country that has to be visited. (Vladimir A.)

– This is my second seminar in Hombu, and I must say I had a great time. From the kata we trained there was something for everyone. Rough, gentle, or elegant… a for everything else we have the kunai :))) I really love this weapon and it was great that I could refresh my technique with it. I really liked the evening presentation, even though I was tired. Sensei was so into it, that he transferred all of us in Japan for a brief moment. All in all, a great weekend seminar, 10 out of 10, would do it again 😀 (Blagica S.)

– It is completely different to have a training in the dojo in Skopje and in the Hombu Dojo. For these two days we had 12 hours of training + 4 hours interactive presentation of Senseis’ trip to Japan. There were many kata, techniques, weapons, falls and rolls, that you simply get a feeling that you wouldn’t do anything else except training. And there is no other clothing except keiko gi, there is no other place under the Sun for you except the beautiful nature over there, and you don’t need other company except your friends from the dojo.  Trully!

To train with that many sempai is wonderful, I thank all of them for everything they share with us, the younger. There you have as much time as you want to try again and again, to ask some of the elder. Sensei is always with us for a conversation, for training, for joking and laughter 🙂 For those two days you fall and get up over a 1000 times, you get a quality beating (I returned with inflammation of my shoulders and back), but the feeling is amazing, you feel purified physically, mentally, and spiritually, you develop a new apetite for discovering and understanding of the arts, your love and the need for coexistence grows, you strenghten you body and your spirit, you have a great gratitude towards life for that you simply breath, move, live…

I really liked the kunai and the kusari fundo (I tried them for the first time). You can notice your weaknessess where you haven’t paid much attention before. Kamae! Kuzushi! Kiai! The new school opened a different window for us, the tales of Japan were magical, fascinating, but for that there is more to be told!!!

All in all, the concept for the two days was excellent, for me personally the time flew by quickly and I didn’t want to return to Skopje. One of the richest seminars in content with the greatest company! 🙂 (Sanja S.)

– A great seminar, excellent techniques, good times. Each training – three hours, filled with a lot of material. We had the opportunity of seeing some other Koryu schools. I got to know a lot of new weapons. My head knows best from the strike with the bo :))) But it was worth it, it really was. Thank You Sensei for the great techniques and a great weekend (Taki G.)

In the period from 11th to 28th of September, instructor Igor
Dovezenski stayed in Japan, with purpose to grow his knowledge,
learning directly from his Japanese teachers, as well as their best
shihans.

During the stay, shidoshi Dovezenski trained 8 hours
everyday, traveling in different cities and visiting various dojos.

The largest part of his time the instructor spent in the
Shimbukan dojo, of the legendary teacher Risuke Otake.
In
addition, sensei Otake is the only master for traditional martial
arts in Japan that is declared by the state as „living national
treasure“. His dojo Shimbukan is the place where the oldest
documented Japanese martial art is taught – Tehshin Shoden Katori
Shinto ryu Bujutsu. Sensei Risuke Otake personally taught Dovezenski
the kenjutsu kata from the level Omote. Additionally, the oldest
members of Shimbukan transferred a great deal of their knowledge,
through correcting his mistakes on his already learned
techniques.
Igor Dovezenski is the first Macedonian that trained
in the Shimbukan dojo and that has been taught directly by the
teacher Risuke Otake.

During his improvement in the land of
the rising sun, the leader of Taiyou e no Michi trained in the Hombu
Dojo of Masaaki Hatsumi, the last living ninja master and successor
of nine traditional Japanese martial schools. At the same time, he
had private sessions with several Japanese shihans, where he had the
opportunity to learn in more detail some aspects and principles of
the schools that are taught in the organization Bujinkan.

During one of the training sessions in the Hombu, soke Masaaki
Hatsumi personally awarded a hachidan (8th dan) to instructor Igor
Dovezenski, and expressed gratitude for the work of spreading the
arts of his organization that the Macedonian instructor had done.
Also, soke Hatsumi was interested in Macedonia, as well for the
current situation that surrounds it. Igor Dovezenski is the first
Macedonian from the Republic of Macedonia that had trained in the
Hombu Dojo of Bujinkan, and for now, he remains the only
representative of the organization for our country, acknowledged
personally by the chief Masaaki Hatsumi.

Along the visit of
the many museums and dojos, with purpose to dive deeper into the core
of the Japanese traditional martial arts, the training for Daito ryu
Aikijujutsu is worth to be mentioned, that instructor Dovezenski had
with sensei Yoneda in the city Kawasaki. This teacher is a personal
friend of sensei Antonino Cherta, with whom many years ago studied
that art from the last successor Takimune Takeda. The experience
gathered on those training sessions is invaluable for the further
improvement of Dovezenskis’ skill.

To describe the feelings
and to transmit the experience acquired during the stay and the
training in Japan, would take thousands of pages, so we will finish
this report with forwarding a gratitude by instructor Dovezenski to
his teachers, students and friends for the continuous support for his
work in the field of the martial arts.