Aikikai Basel - In Basel for more than 40 years
History
When Werner Hindermann, a Judoka from Basel, saw Aikido for the first time in Paris a good 40 years ago, he was excited. He long considered opening an Aikido Dojo of his own in Switzerland. In 1971 our club, Aikikai Basel, was born. In the Dojo on Oetlingerstreet 81 in Kleinbasel which he had furnished himself, Hindermann offered regular practice, although the club only had 15 members then. This would soon change, as the gentle martial art Aikido become more and more popular in Basel. A bigger dojo was needed. A few houses down, in the cellar of Oetlingerstrasse 69, practice continued. In 2004 renovations to the house forced the club to look for a new home again. This led us to Horburgstrasse 22, where we could move into our beautiful dojo located in the back yard in summer 2005.
Organisation
Aikikai Basel ist part of the Swiss umbrella organisation ACSA (Association Culturelle Suisse d'Akikido). This organization is recognized by the Aikido headquarters in Tokio. Some of the founding members of our club are still active and pass on their great Aikido experience as instructors, e.g.Jean-Claude Aegerter (7. Dan) and Jean-Francois Marquis (6. Dan). In addition, further Yudansha lead practices. They all place great importance on the solid learning of the Aikido techniques. Techniques with the sword (bokken) and stick (jo), out of which Aikido was originally formed are also taught at Aikikai Basel.
Practice
During the week there is at least one practice session in the evening, on Thursdays in the morning as well. In addition, there is a Jodo Practice session on Thursday evening. In summer there is a special weapons class in Kannenfeldpark if the weather permits. Kids’ and youth classes are held on Wednesday and Friday late afternoon. Approximately once a month a seminar is held on Saturday at Aikikai Basel, i.e. a special practice. Many members also attend seminars organized by ACSA.
Interested members of the public are welcome to join a practice session for free. The 1st class on Tuesday (18:45 bis 20:15) is especially tailored towards beginners.
Club Activities
In the dojo there is a small kitchen with a “bistro” where members can enjoy a chat and a drink after practice. A tiny library with books on Aikido, Zen & related topics imparts knowledge. On our homepage current events and news are listed. Various club events such as film screenings, a trip to the funfair, seasonal get-togethers, the annual general meeting with supper bring variety to the year. However, practice is the most important aspect of our club life.