On Saturday, 23 May and Sunday, 24 May 2026, Volker Hochwald Shihan (6th Dan, Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shurenkai; direct student of Saito Morihiro, Saito Hitohira, and Saito Morihiro Nidaime) conducted a Traditional Aikido seminar (koshukai) of the Iwama School – Dentō Iwama Ryū Aikidō – in the main martial arts hall of Corpo Libero SSD in Ronchi dei Legionari (Gorizia Province, Italy).
The seminar, which attracted practitioners from Bavaria, Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, and, naturally, Friuli Venezia Giulia, was organized by Iwama Budo Kai ASD of Trieste as part of its Major Events 2026 program. The event was arranged through dojocho Enrico Neami, who personally invited Hochwald Sensei.
The spacious tatami of Corpo Libero comfortably accommodated more than twenty participants throughout the six training sessions (keiko), which took place during the entire day on Saturday and continued on Sunday morning. As always, the program alternated between practice with the traditional weapons of Iwama Aikido (jo and bokken) and empty-hand training sessions. Regarding weapons practice, Hochwald Sensei focused on the study of Kimusubi no Tachi (an advanced sword practice, also known as Otonashi no Ken), exploring numerous Ken no Ho and Tai no Ho variations. This was followed by the study of the 13-movement Jo Kata of Aikido and its corresponding Kumijo exercises. In the taijutsu portion of the seminar, participants worked on the fundamental Tai no Henko and Morotedori Kokyunage, as well as numerous techniques from Ushiro Eri Dori, followed by various Yonkyo and Shihonage techniques. The keiko concluded, to the satisfaction of all participants, with a session dedicated to Jo Dori, the practice of unarmed defenses against attacks with the medium staff.
Volker Hochwald Shihan’s extensive experience and long-standing training at the Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shurenkai Hombu Dojo in Iwama enabled him to enrich the intensive technical program—participants tested their endurance not only through rigorous practice but also because of the sudden onset of summer heat during Saturday’s sessions—with numerous moments of reflection and analysis on the long process of technical evolution that links, directly and inseparably, through i shin den shin transmission, the teachings of the Founder, Ueshiba Morihei (Aiki Kaiso), to those of Saito Morihiro Shihan, and subsequently to Saito Hitohira Jukucho and Saito Morihiro Nidaime (Yasuhiro) Sensei. These insights were complemented by many references to specialized terminology, to the kuden (oral teachings) of the Founder and Saito Sensei, and by numerous anecdotes drawn from Hochwald Sensei’s personal experiences in Iwama.
Beyond the technical practice itself, the seminar also provided several opportunities for fellowship and social interaction, as is often the case on such occasions. In particular, participants enjoyed a Saturday evening gathering held at one of the region’s excellent food and wine establishments.
The organizers hope to repeat this highly successful experience in the near future by arranging another seminar that will further strengthen the already solid relationship with Hochwald Sensei, as well as with the attending practitioners, much as has already been achieved with fellow Shihan Stefano Di Carlo (more).
The next major event on the calendar will be the Shihan Double Feature seminar scheduled for late June in Buchloe (near Munich), where Hochwald Shihan and Di Carlo Shihan will alternate instruction on the same tatami [info & registration].
enriconeami.net 