Aikido Demonstration Show

On October 19, an Aikido Demonstration show was held in Louvain-La-Neuve, which Ambassador Shimokawa attended. This event was organized by the Secretary General of the Belgian Aikikai, seventh Dan Shihan Dany Leclerre, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the introduction of Aikido in Belgium. Many players from Belgium, France, and Luxembourg attended the demonstration. Mr. Mitsuteru Ueshiba, the great-grandchild of Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, also attended from Japan and performed.

In his greetings, Ambassador Shimokawa encouraged the participants who practice with passion on a daily basis. Ambassador Shimokawa mentioned that when he was Director General of International Cultural Exchanges in Tokyo, he had also the title of “Ambassador in charge of martial arts and sports”. Different from sports, he underlined, martial arts are a uniquely Japanese “way” which relates to the spirit of self-control and human life itself.