1st Australian Shihan Taikai 2007

Ed Lomax. Mr Bean impersonation, or just loving the action at the Taikai?

The concept of the 1st Australian Shihan Taikai was conjured while indulging in some very average pizza and drinks from the drink bar at Cocos in Noda city, Japan. Maybe the bad food ingested instigated the need for some good. Thus the idea of holding a Taikai was born. I for one have only held a few seminars locally for my dojo in Tasmania, but alongside the enthusiastic Gillian Booth felt that a Taikai could be ripened to a rich two days of fresh and tasty budo for all Australian Bujinkan Buyu. We had a solid feeling about the concept and continued to liase with a knowing from within that the timing was right for such an event to be held on Aussie soil. Time moved forward and Gillian worked with passion to produce a professional event alongside her trusting students and friends. Together we cooperated, designated and divided work that was relevent to our geographical location in order to develop and organise the best Taikai we could. 

With over 170 people attending the Taikai from as far as New Zealand, we enjoyed with our buyu two days of friendship, excellent training, and laughter.

Many thanks to everyone who attended this event. For those who attended, it states that you believe in Soke Masaaki Hatsumi and his Bujinkan Ryu. It is of upmost importance to trust the martial art and who you learn it from. The Shidoshi and Shihan are those who have been trusted by Soke to continue and spread the teachings of his art to the Australian public and abroad. Therefore, thank you to all those who have the heart of the Bujinkan budoka and supported the instructors and the Bujinkan dojo arts at the 1st Australian Taikai.

Thanks again to the following Shihan for their time, effort and Bujinkan hearts:

Ed Lomax, Tim Bathurst, John Cantor, Andrew Beattie, Greg Alcorn, Scott Shultz, Simon Gaunt, Peter White, Scott Abercrombie, Nick Lynne, Steve Caswell, Robin Doenicke, Gillian Booth, and Jamie McAnnich.

We hope to see everyone and more at the next one in 20??

Bufu Ikkan