Aikido in Bangkok: A martial art with no age limit

Let’s be honest! Although muay thai is the national sport of Thailand, how many people do you personally know who are actively training and competing at local and international events. I know only one (an ex-pat who used to train in Sri Racha and fight in Pattaya), bus his career is almost over as he is now well over thirty and his body has started taking its toll. Basically, national sports that fall into the category of ‘martial arts’ are reserved to individuals, or better say athletes, who are young and in a very good physical shape. Muay thai is not the only example. How many middle-aged men have you seen practicing sumo, the Japanese national sport?

So, what do we do then, when we’re into martial arts but are no longer the young lads we used to be five, ten, fifteen years ago? Do we give up and stand horrified in front of the mirror as we see our once lean and muscular body turn into exactly what we had promised ourselves we will never turn into? My advice is to take up aikido, a Japanese martial art that will fulfil both your dreams of continuing practicing a martial art, even if you’re not in your teens anymore. Apart from that, aikido is a great way of staying physically fit, mentally relaxed, and spiritually engaged. All this can be done right here in Bangkok, under the supervision of world-renowned aikido masters.

The history of aikido in Thailand goes back to the early 1960s when, Tamura Shihan, an aikido master from the Asia University in Tokyo sent graduate students holding black belt rank to teach aikido in the Land of Smiles. The first classes were held at the College of Physical Education located at the National Stadium and, ever since, Thailand has benefited the technical and logistical support from the Aikido World Headquarters from Tokyo.

By early 1980s, the aikido movement already had a strong foundation in Bangkok, with Thai students, soldiers and police officers making the core of a group of aikidoka (practitioners of aikido). Kawasaki Thailand helped found Renbukan, a dojo (martial arts training facility) that is still active. The Aikido Association of Thailand was set up with the help of Prapant Chittaputta, a Thai sensei (teacher) who is still holding aikido classes even today.

A boom in the practice of aikido among Thais and foreigners stationed in Bangkok was noticed with the opening of an aikido club at the Thai-Japan Youth Center in Din Daeng in 1982. The King of Thailand honored the club with his presence on the day of the grand opening! Around this time, aikido started spreading to other provinces too, with Chinag Mai holding a leading role while more and more dojos were being opened in Bangkok, too.

Renbukan Dojo, located in the heart of Bangkok on Sukhumvit Road, is the current headquarters of aikido in Thailand and is lead by Shihan Motohiro Fukakusa who holds the rank of 8 dan Aikido Aikikai. Fukakusa Shihan, or Khun Somchai, as he is known among the Thais, is considered “the father of aikido in Thailand” as he has taught aikido in the Kingdom since 1964. He was one of the first Japanese to hold aikido classes and do demonstrations in Bangkok. He was a pioneer on a mission and, almost 50 years later, he is the proud president of one of the strongest recognised aikido associations in Southeast Asia.

So, what does aikido really mean from a physical point of view? Let’s imagine you’re on the dojo mattress all warmed up and ready for practice. You’re standing in the basic aikido stance (kamae), which involves a stable position of your legs with palms open and arms halfway outstretched in front of your body. Your practice partner, called uke, the one who will attack, will most likely grab one of your wrists. From here, depending on the technique you want to execute, you will do several turns and twists of your arms, legs and hip. Eventually, you’ll get your opponent either in a position where he can’t move as you’ve “locked” his body (usually on the ground, with the uke facing the mattress and one arm stretched back up) or in a position where his/her only chance of not having the arm broken or shoulder dislocated is to roll forward or backward (sometimes doing a flip in the air and landing hard on the mattress).

Fukakusa Shihan’s guiding principles are “discipline, unity and love.” He is also a caretaker, controlling teaching techniques in the Southeast Asian region, position appointed to him by the Aikido World Headquarters from Japan. Joining Renbukan Dojo from Bangkok will not only give you the chance of learning aikido from one of its most respected masters, it will also give you the opportunity to travel, socialise and, most importantly, practice aikido with other aikidoka around the world. The frequent aikido seminars that Fukakusa Shihan is invited to hold around the world are perfect occasions for his students in Bangkok to tag along and be part of an international community that shares the same passion.

If your budget does not allow you to travel abroad, you can always attend the seminars Fukakusa Shihan holds within Thailand. Plus, you can assist your master with his self-defense classes, which he regularly holds for Thai Airways, or the charity events he organises. These are just some of opportunities you will be given as an aikidoka, but before you do that, you will have join one of he three aikido dojos from Bangkok that operate under Fukakusa Shihan’s “banner.”

Renbukan Dojo, the one where Fukakusa Shihan holds his aikido classes, is located between Sukhumvit Soi 67 and 69, behind Taisin Square Building. The easiest way to reach this destination is by BTS; Phrakanong station is right by. The dojo is on the second floor, above the Yamaha Music Instruments showroom. Classes are held in the evening, every day of the week, with the exception of Saturday and Sunday when there are also morning sessions. Generally, the first class of the evening is for beginners while the second and/or third classes are for intermediate and advanced students. On Saturday, there’s a special bokken (wooden sword) and jo (wooden staff) class.

Monthly fees vary depending on age:  1.000 baht (under 12 years old), 1.200 baht (13-25 years old) and 1,500 (26 years old and above). The great thing about aikido is that there’s no age limit; though there’s a recommended age of seven for the youngest. The bokken and jo class is at an additional fee of 1.000 baht per month. If you’re only visiting Bangkok, you can train at Renbukan for a fee of 300 baht per time. Instruction is both in Thai and English, with a bit of Japanese here and there.

The second dojo you can join is Din Daeng Dojo, located at the Thai-Japan Sport Complex in Din Daeng District. This dojo has the largest training area I know of in Bangkok, with a raised wooden platform covered by good-quality tatami (mats for martial arts). It is run by Sensei Prapant, who holds the rank of 5^th dan. There’s no fee for his aikido classes, but you will have to become a member of the sport complex, which is a meagre 40 baht per year.

Two-hour classes are held every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday evening, from 18:30 to 20:30, with the first hour being attended by more beginners, while the second one sees mare intermediate and advanced students. On Saturday and Sunday, classes start at 13:00 and are usually attended by mostly beginner aikidoka. Instruction is in Thai only and the place can get pretty crowded. The venue is also used by the Judo Association of Thailand.

The third dojo, STOU Aikido Club, is located on the second floor of Sukho-Samosorn building, on the grounds of Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, near Muang Thong Thani Village. The classes are held in the evening on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, while on Saturday and Sunday the classes start a bit earlier.

Before joining any of these dojos you will have to purchase a gi, an aikido training uniform. They are available both at Renbukan Headquarters or at FBT shopping mall on Ramkhamhaeng Road (in the corner of Soi 65). Prices vary depending on size, but they are around 1.000 baht for adults.

The annual membership fee to join the Aikido Association of Thailand is 500 baht. Membership will give you the right to participate (if you meet the required hours of training) in the official rank examinations, which are held four times a year at Renbukan Dojo.

It is important to mention that the organisation run by Motohiro Fukakusa belongs to the Aikido Aikikai “branch,” with the governing body at Hombu Dojo in Tokyo. Aikikai is known around the world for having remained true to the philosophy and techniques of its founder, O-Sensei Morihei Ueshiba, Hombu Dojo being now run by the founder’s grandson, Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba. There are also other “branches” of aikido that operate both in Bangkok and around Thailand.

Watch an aikido demonstration at the Queen’s Park in the center of Bangkok:

For more information regarding aikido in Thailand visit www.thaiaikikai.com. Photographs are courtesy of Dorin Marchis.

A slightly shorter version of this article was
initially published in “Bangkok Trader” (Vol. 5, No.7, June 2011)