Welcome to Taketonbo.org
This site is dedicated
to an ancient Japanese toy -- the taketonbo,
or in English, Bamboo
Dragon fly
Background
Information --
From
June 20 until July 8, 2000 I was one of 200 educators who were participants
in a marvelous adventure to the island nation of Japan. The trip was sponsored
by the Japanese government through an organization called the Japan-United States
Education Commission (JUSEC) and it is administered by the Fulbright
Memorial Fund. 
Our
trip itinerary was impecibly laid out. It included several days in Tokyo
filled with workshops and presentations about the state of affairs of Japanese
culture, society, and education. Then we had a free weekend to explore on our
own. Since I practice the Japanese martial art, Aikido, I used my free
time to search for Aikikai World Headquarters the home dojo of
Aikido. It was a difficult search, but I found it and I trained there 3 times.
To assist other Aikido pilgrims in finding their way to Hombu Dojo I
have created a set of on-line directions
to 17-18 Wakamatsu Cho, Shinjuku Ku, Tokyo. Following our initial
stay in Tokyo, we spent ten days in a more rural part of Japan. I (along with
20 of my fellow Fulbrighters and an interpretor/guide) was assigned to the beautiful
city of Kaga in the prefecture of Ishikawa on the Western shore
of Japan. During this time we visited institutions representing all four levels
of Japanese education; university, high school, middle school and elementary
school. We also visited a school for handicapped students as well as city and
prefecture governmental offices, local industry and a traditional Japanese inn
(ryokan). The highlight of the entire trip, however, was the two day
home-stay with a Japanese family. I stayed with the Kazuo Miyashita family.
And that began the story of Taketonbo.org ...
latest site update -- 6/19/02