The article below has been selected from the extensive archives of the Online Aikido Journal. We believe that an informed readership with knowledge of the history, techniques and philosophy of aikido is essential to the growth of the art and its adherence to the principles espoused by Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba.
I had thought that people involved in something as traditional as Japanese gardening would make fairly conservative tourists. It turned out, however, that most of the staff were quite young and they wanted “adventure.” In less than a week, in addition to more conventional sightseeing, they did bungy jumping, parachuting, scuba diving, horse trekking, kayaking, and “black water rafting,” which consists of floating down a subterranean river, in pitch darkness, through glow-worm caves, while suspended in an inflated truck inner-tube. They also managed to visit the hot spring resort of Rotorua, Lake Taupo, (“bigger than Singapore”) and Coromandel Peninsula, which features some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in the world. Several young women in the group were just as active as the men, but also found time to shop for sheepskins and “All Blacks” rugby jerseys.