Seminars

Seminar Additional Info:

Schedule (tentative)

Fri. Oct. 19

• 5:30 p.m.: registration opens
• 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.: Osawa sensei

Sat. Oct. 20

• 9:00 a.m.: registration opens
• 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Osawa sensei
• 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.: Lunch (Ontario Aikido Federation AGM will be held at this time.)
• 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Osawa sensei
• 3:45 p.m.: Testing
• 7:00 p.m.: Banquet at “North” restaurant

Sun. Oct. 21

• 9:00 a.m.: registration opens
• 9:30 a.m. to 10 :20 a.m.: Obata sensei
• 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Osawa sensei

More details on testing can be found toward the end of this document. 

Note: Please bring your own water bottle. York University is a non-disposable plastic bottle facility.

Bring your own lock.

Registration

We encourage you to pre-register with a discount (deadline Oct. 10), using the online form.

Banquet

The seminar banquet will be held Saturday, Oct. 20 at North Restaurant. Regular ($35) and vegetarian ($25) options are available. You can include your confirmation for the banquet on the pre-registration form. If you want to confirm your attendance at the banquet and then pay upon arrival at the seminar, please do so by e-mail before Oct. 10.

Accommodations

The Spring Hill Suites by Marriott hotel is about six km from the dojo at 612 Applewood Cres., Vaughan. It is offering us a discount: $159 plus tax per day, including breakfast.

Some rooms have two queen beds plus couch bed, suitable for three or four people.

The rooms are blocked with this price until September 19. There is no guarantee of availability after Sept. 19!

Method of reservations

“Reservations for the event will be made by calling the hotel directly at (905) 760-9980 or toll-free at (877) 515-4070 or booking online through this reservation link. 
“When making reservations, travelers must quote the AIKIDO special group rate at the time of booking. The Guest Service Agent will require this information in order for your guests to receive the special group rate.”

Transportation options

Please check the news before you arrive regarding any weekend closures or service advisories for Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) subway Line 2 (from Kipling to St. George stations) or Line 1 (from St. George to Pioneer Village stations). You can find this information at this site).
Note that TTC has indicated that on Sat. Oct. 20, Line 1 subway service between Spadina and St. Clair West stations will not begin until noon. Before then, shuttle buses will carry passengers between these two stations. This may affect your trip to the Pioneer Village station. Please allow more time for the trip if necessary, and check TTC status before travelling day.

During the seminar, contact Yumi at (647) 871-2823 if you have trouble finding the facility.

Public transit/TTC to the dojo

The bus is fast and cheap. (Do not take the UP Express train downtown to Union Station).
At the airport, look for the signs or ask where the TTC bus stop for the 192 Airport Rocket is.
In Terminal One, it is on the ground level near Column R4.
In the Terminal 3 arrivals level, go to column C8-C12.
The fare one-way is $3.25, cash only. This bus takes you to Kipling subway station on Line 2.When you get off the bus at Kipling station, enter the subway (no additional charge) and take the subway to St. George TTC station. Transfer to the northbound line to the Pioneer Village station (NOT the York University Station!). Take the York University Athletic venues exit. It is less than a five-minute walk to the training area, the Tait McKenzie Center, 1 Thompson Rd. (Please see the map; #4 on the map)

Cab/Limo

You can easily find cabs or limos at the airport. Figure on about a $60 fare to the seminar/hotel. If there is a service interruption or closure as mentioned previously, this will be your best bet.

Driving/parking

Please refer to the map.

On-campus parking: This is often hard to find and somewhat expensive.
Take Steeles Ave. West and turn south at Northwest Gate, near the Pioneer Village TTC subway station.
There is some on-campus parking near the Tait McKenzie Centre (#4 on the map).
• Please note that during the school year the University is very busy; please allow time accordingly.
• #79 – this parking lot is In front of the centre (it is often full.) It is on the southwest corner of Ian Macdonald Blvd. and Thompson Rd.
• #63- has some public parking available. It is near Northwest Gate/Ian MacDonald Blvd.

Off-campus parking: There is parking off-campus (see Pioneer Village Station map… it is about a 15-min. walk to the dojo) north of the Pioneer Village subway station. It is relatively inexpensive on Friday and free on Saturday and Sunday.
As you approach York University on Steeles Ave. W, turn north on Settler Rd. (the north entrance to the Pioneer Village station). Follow the parking signs.
Walk south and cross Steeles Ave. West and then go south on Northwest Gate. Follow the map and you will get to the Tait McKenzie Centre.

Please refer to the map.

Dojo location at York University (4)

Click here for a full map of York University Keele Campus.

CAF Testing for Yudansha Grades

Testing for yudansha grades, shodan through yondan, will be held on Saturday, Oct. 20 at the CAF seminar. All test candidates must be registered participants in the CAF, with their dues paid up. Read carefully the following procedure:

Yudansha Test Application

Instructors must supply the following information on each and every test candidate in the body of a plain-text e-mail:

• Candidate’s name
• Candidate’s age
• Testing rank
• Date of last test (for shodan candidates)
• Date of issuance of last yudansha grade (for nidan, sandan, and yondan candidates)
• Days of practice since last test
• Dojo name
• Sensei name
• Optional information

Notes

• The candidate’s name should be as it appears on the dojo list from the CAF.
• Days since last test refers to the number of days that you have practised; adjust that to include the expected additional days of practice you will have by the test date.
• Complementary information may be supplied, such as any pertinent physical limitations.
• The candidate’s sensei should submit the completed Dan Test information indicated above. Otherwise, the candidate may submit it with his/her sensei’s permission

Deadline for Application

• The Dan test application must be received by the Chairperson of the Examination Committee, Yumi Nakamura, by Sept. 20, 2018.
• Send the Dan Test application e-mail to Yumi Nakamura at
• Copy the CAF Secretary, Douglas Mathieu,
• Copy the Seminar Coordinator, Jim Barnes ,
• Application deadline is Sept. 20 2018

Other necessary forms

All candidates must fill in the following two forms and then print and sign them and submit them to the Seminar Coordinator with the test fee at the start of the seminar.

• CAF Application for Promotion
• Hombu Application for Test

Two additional forms are required for Shodan candidates

• Hombu Application to Join Aikikai
• Hombu Application for Yudansha Book

The forms are fillable PDFs. Acrobat Reader seems to work best for these fillable PDF files.

The Coordinator will only accept forms from candidates cleared by the Examination Committee.

All printed forms must be typewritten with no handwriting except for signatures.

Where an instructor’s signature is required, your current instructor must sign, except for dojo chief instructors, who must get a signature from a member of the Examination Committee.

The forms are available on the CAF website (Hombu forms are available in the “Members” section. “Hombu Forms” and the CAF testing form are available in the “About” section, under “Testing Materials”).

Payment

Candidates must pay a non-refundable examination fee of $30. Payment of the examination fee must be submitted in advance of testing with the necessary forms, at the registration desk at the test location, before 12:00 noon on Sat. Oct. 20.

After announcement of a successful test, the promotion fee must be paid by cheque to “Canadian Aikido Federation.” The cheque (no cash, credit or debit cards) must be given to Doug Mathieu, the CAF secretary, or Yumi Nakamura, chair of the Exam Committee, before you leave the seminar.

The promotion fee varies with Dan level. See the CAF website for details. Your payment is due at the seminar immediately upon passing the examination.

Withdrawal

Candidates expecting to test can withdraw at any time before the day of the test. However, as soon as possible they should inform:
• the Examination Committee Chair (Yumi Nakamura)
• the CAF Secretary (Doug Mathieu) and
• the Seminar Coordinator ( Jim Barnes )

If you notice any technical problems or have any concerns about this web page, please e-mail us the details.