A Short History of Shorinji Kempo in Finland

Transcription

1 A Short History of Shorinji Kempo In Finland Page 1 of 12 A Short History of Shorinji Kempo in Finland The Early Years from Shorinji Kempo was started in Finland by Sakata Fumiyasu Sensei. He came to Finland to study economics at the Jyväskylä University in He started teaching Shorinji Kempo at the Jyväskylä University in year He was nidan at the time (later godan) from Rakuto-doin in Kyoto. Sakata Sensei stayed in Finland about four years and moved then to Sweden and later he founded a Finnish restaurant called Finlandia in Kyoto. Fumiyasu Sakata and Vesa Mäki-Kuutti in Finlandia restaurant, Kyoto 1989 Mr. Bernard Lancin from France started Shorinji Kempo with Mr Sakata in Jyväskylä, he later returned to his home country but was later again back in Finland as nidan, assisting our branch in the late 70 s. One of the first students was Mr Jaakko Katajamäki, later sandan, who founded the second club in Seinäjoki after one year visit to Japan to study Shorinji Kempo. Mr. Katajamäki was also later the Instructor of Jyväskylä Branch at a time when we had no qualified Branch Master. Mr Tarmo Marjanen started 1973 and was the second Branch Master of Jyväskylä Branch. None of the above people practice Shorinji Kempo today.

2 A Short History of Shorinji Kempo In Finland Page 2 of Jyväskylä Branch was officially founded, it was the seventh Shorinji Kempo dojo outside Japan. For several years Jyväskylä was the only place in Finland where Shorinji Kempo was practiced. Branch Masters of Jyväskylä Branch: - Fumyasu Sakata , - Tarmo Marjanen Timo Lehto 1980, - Jaakko Katajamäki , - Kari Mäki- Kuutti Tarmo Marjanen 1983 Year 1984 Timo, Kari and Vesa (we were still using the old manji)

3 A Short History of Shorinji Kempo In Finland Page 3 of 12 Year 2001 (right)branch Master of Jyväskylä Branch Kari Mäki-Kuutti starting from year (middle) Branch Master of Kajaani Branch Vesa Mäki-Kuutti (left) Assistant Branch Master of Jyväskylä Branch Timo Mäki-Kuutti They started Shorinji Kempo in Year 1978 (term 351) in Jyväskylä. Second training place was Seinäjoki 1977 founded by Mr Jaakko Katajamäki, it was never registered as an official branch. The activity in Seinäjoki died off after several years when Mr. Katajamäki moved to Tampere because of his work. Some Early Years Activities of Shorinji Kempo in Finland There was a short lived friendship club in Saarijärvi Morikawa Zeoh Sensei from Rakuto Doin visited Jyväskylä in April and a training session was held Mr Sakata Fumyasu (5.dan) gave a training session in Jyväskylä which had over 130 kenshi from Finland. Timo Lehto and Tiina Saukkonen had their nidan test The first National Summer Camp was in Saarijärvi. Teachers were Tarmo Marjanen (3.dan) and Kauko Uusoksa (2.dan) Finland the Second national summer camp was in Saarijärvi. Teachers were Mr Jaakko Katajamäki (3.dan) and Mr Tarmo Marjanen (3.dan).

4 A Short History of Shorinji Kempo In Finland Page 4 of 12 Saarijärvi 1980 During Saarijärvi summer camps there was the legendary morning quick marching in the pine forest bare footed. The Dojo floor was also rough tree and very sticky. Second Shorinji Kempo Branch in Finland was Helsinki In 1982 the Helsinki Branch was founded by Mr Tarmo Marjanen (4.dan). Branch Masters of Helsinki have been: - Tarmo Marjanen (4.dan) , - Tiina Saukkonen (3.dan) , - Ilkka Virtanen (5.dan) , Tiina Saukkonen, second Branch Master of Helsinki

5 A Short History of Shorinji Kempo In Finland Page 5 of , Ilkka Virtanen Sensei, 5. Dan, Branch Master of Helsinki 1981 WSKOs first kamoku was received and made it easier to teach and learn. 1982, 1983 national camps was held at Jyväskylä Lyceum with some kenshi from Sweden Mr Tarmo Marjanen 4.dan and Mr Roy Colegate (3.dan) arranged a camp in Helsingki, with kenshi from Finland and Sweden July an international camp and Nordic Taikai were held in Visby, Sweden. A lot of kenshi from Finland participated. Teachers were Mr Roy Colegate 3.dan Mr Tarmo Marjanen 4.dan, Ms. Tiina Saukkonen 3. dan, Roger Sjöström 3.dan, Leif Larsson 2. dan, Dennis Jersewski 2.dan Graham Nabbs 2.dan (BSKF). At this time we began co-operation with the Swedish Branches lasting for several years.

6 A Short History of Shorinji Kempo In Finland Page 6 of Feb.. A national camp in Jyväskylä Lyceum. Teacher Mr. Marjanen July. In Visby, Sweden International camp, teachers Roy Colegate 3.dan, Leif Larsson 2. Dennis Jersewski 2.dan, Graham Nabbs 2.dan (BSKF). Visby, Sweden 1984, Jyväskylä kenshi

7 A Short History of Shorinji Kempo In Finland Page 7 of 12 Kari and Vesa Mäki-Kuutti took also part in Nordic Embu Taikai During the Embu Kari managed to throw Vesa under the judges table. Comment from the watchers: "We thought you are going to kill each other" Nordic Embu Taikai Visby 1984 Change of leaders In October 1984 Mr. Tarmo Marjanen did not follow the Hombu practicing program in Tadotsu and had a lot of personal problems there. He was therefore released from his duties in the Shorinji Kempo Organization. The governance and running of Jyväskylä and Helsinki Shorinji Kempo Branches were reorganized, and a change of generation happened.

8 A Short History of Shorinji Kempo In Finland Page 8 of 12 Aosaka Sensei and new organization in Finland, slow growth After previous years problems we were lucky to meet Aosaka Sensei for the first time at the Swedish summer camp in July There Aosaka Sensei helped us to get our organization and activities working again. To us it was a revelation to see a great Sensei and his Shorinji Kempo in person, giving us courage and inspiration to continue Shorinji Kempo in Finland. After this time Finnish kenshi have participated in European Taikais and Camps almost every time: Paris 1986, England 1986, Paris 1988, Paris 1990 and so on. WSKO International Taikais in Japan were attended regularly starting from 1989 for the first time. Aosaka Sensei (and other WSKO instructors from Europe) visited Finland regularly to teach at Finnish camps. Jyväskylä Branch has started several friendship clubs which have grown into branches: Kajaani, Säynätsalo, Vaajakoski, Laukaa Säynätsalo Branch was started from Jyväskylä in 1985 and became an official branch in Juha Utriainen, 5.dan, Säynätsalo Branch Master.

9 A Short History of Shorinji Kempo In Finland Page 9 of 12 Kajaani Branch: 1986 Shorinji Kempo practice was started in Kajaani by Vesa Mäki-Kuutti from Jyväskylä. Kajaani became an official branch in Branch Masters: Vesa Mäki- Kuutti, 3.Dan ( ) Juha Korpinen, 2.dan (Instructor Timo Mäki- Kuutti, 4.dan) First local training session in Kajaani april Hämeenlinna Branch was a friendship club of Helsinki Branch from 1997 to It became an official branch in Branch Master: Seppo Ruusukivi, 4.Dan

10 A Short History of Shorinji Kempo In Finland Page 10 of 12 Finnish Shorinji Kempo Federation In 2000 we had enough branches to establish a federation and started the preparations. At the World Taikai in Paris 2001 we were encouraged by Aosaka Sensei to go ahead with this. In September 2001 WSKO arranged a Regional Training Seminar in Jyväskylä, Finland. Instructors were Arai Sensei of Hombu, Aosaka Sensei of the European office and several other teachers from Hombu. At this camp the founding of the Finnish Shorinji Kempo Federation was finalized with the great help of Arai Sensei and Aosaka Sensei. Presidents of the Finnish Federation: Kari Mäki-Kuutti, 4.dan, Branch Master, Jyväskylä Branch Ilkka Virtanen, 5.dan, Branch Master, Helsinki Branch Juha Utriainen, 5.dan, Branch Master, Säynätsalo Branch Kari Mäki-Kuutti, 5.dan, Branch Master, Jyväskylä Branch Finnish Federation has arranged 3-4 local federation camps every year. We have also invited WSKO instructors for official camps at one or two year intervals. Our main instructor and Sensei is Aosaka Sensei. We have also had visits from Maehara Sensei and in 2010 Sanada Sensei, also an official instructor of WSKO. Vaajakoski Branch was started as a friendship club of Jyväskylä Branch in It became an official branch in 2006 Branch Masters: Petri Lotila, 4.dan Vesa Ratinen, 3. Dan 2010 Laukaa Branch was started by Jyväskylä kenshi in It became an official branch also in 2008 Branch Master: Jukka Autiomäki, 3.dan 2008-

11 A Short History of Shorinji Kempo In Finland Page 11 of 12 Vantaa Branch was started as a friendship club of Helsinki Branch in It became an official branch in Branch Master: Sami Konttila, 3.dan, 2009 Mariehamn Branch is the only branch in Finland not started from the same origins as the others. It was started by Mr. Muruganand Ambrose from India. He had studied Shorinji Kempo in Mumbai Branch in India up to nidan grade. Later he was married to a Finnish girl and moved to Mariehamn in the late 1990 s. Mariehamn club joined Helsinki Branch as a friendship club in It became an official branch in 2009 when Mr. Ambrose had his sandan test. Branch Master: Muruganand Ambrose, 3.dan, Present friendship clubs in Finland: Petäjävesi club under Säynätsalo Branch Helsinki University Club under Helsinki Branch Mikkeli club under Jyväskylä Branch West Helsinki club 2011-

12 A Short History of Shorinji Kempo In Finland Page 12 of 12 Locations of Finnish Branches and friendship clubs, 2010