How I Met The Most Amazing Aikido Instructor in the World

[@Claudia99441]

Brilliant videos Erik! Keep up the great content!

[@ErikCalderon]

Thank you! Should have another one up in two weeks.

[@tomokocalderon9218]

Liked your video. Cannot believe that was almost 3 decades ago.

[@ErikCalderon]

Yes, it's been almost 3 decades! And I still love getting to train with you!

[@RionneTV]

Fantastic story! It' just like my story regarding Yoshiaki Yokota Shihan

[@ErikCalderon]

Read your story on Aikiweb. Very nice story. Thank you. I remember Yokota Shihan.

[@jayim7996]

Hi Erik....Do you know Jimmy Friedman and Peter Rauls from SF? He was training with Kato Sensei around this time. I thinks he use to go to Japan once a year for Kato Sensei.

[@ErikCalderon]

Yes, I do. I remember the first time Jimmy came to one of Kato Sensei's classes in Ogikubo, and I was with Kato Sensei when he visited Jimmy's dojo, I believe it was the first time or maybe second time he ever left Japan. I have some very nice memories of Jimmy and Peter...

[@jayim7996]

@@ErikCalderon They were Aikido colleagues of mine in SF Bay Area. Peter and I lived in Japan together in the later 70's. He trained at Hombu Dojo, where I trained in Iwama. He was the one who introduce Jimmy to Kato Sensei and started that relationship.

[@jtilton5]

Hi, I was wondering what years did you study at Hombu, and by any chance did you run into my Sensei, Anthony Tartagulia?

[@ErikCalderon]

I was there from 1991 to the end of 1997. I don't recall Anthony, but if you have a picture of him, I can tell you if I've seen him.

[@ErikCalderon]

Maybe a picture of him from the 90's. I watched a video of him and don't recognize him.

[@jtilton5]

@@ErikCalderon Ok, I believe my Sensei left Japan in 88 or 89. Our website is www.nishioaikidothailand.com I believe there are some old pictures of his time at hombu there.

[@ErikCalderon]

@@jtilton5 Yes, I missed him. I arrived in 91.

[@acquiesce100]

Love the honesty. Similar to me I flew to Japan and wasn’t impressed with anyone except one instructor and that was Steven Seagals student who he taught in the late 70s. Steven Seagals dojo was head and shoulders above anyone.

[@ErikCalderon]

Thank you for sharing. Nice to hear you went to Japan. It's such a beautiful country!

[@acquiesce100]

@@ErikCalderon It is and I intend to go back sometime. Lovely friendly people and just a nice vibe to the place. It's funny I had all those pre conceived ideas of what Japanese Aikido so called "masters were like" after reading all the martial arts books at school as a kid, watching TV programmes on Japan and all the martial arts films growing up, yet the reality was very different when I got there. A very anti climax. Thank goodness I had the fortune of seeing and learning from Steven Seagal's Japanese student Nakamichi Sensei. What a difference and so very unique. Unlike anything I have ever seen in all my 30 years of Aikido.

[@scareytv]

Training with you is still just as difficult as the first time I came to your dojo. And that's why I like training with you, lol. Thank you!

[@ErikCalderon]

Well, hopefully it will always be challenging both physically and mentally!

[@petchiiiii]

wow! that's awesome Erik!

[@ErikCalderon]

Thank you, Petchi. Hope you are doing well and staying safe!

[@petchiiiii]

Erik Calderon i’m very well. thank you Erik. hope you are doing great. take care 😊

[@ErikCalderon]

When are you going to post some more videos on your channel?

[@petchiiiii]

Erik Calderon i will do soon. but i cannot think about the content yet. 😅

[@ErikCalderon]

@@petchiiiii You need to join the group VidHouston on Facebook. We meet once a month for content inspiration!

[@annacalderon1952]

Awesome music

[@ErikCalderon]

You like that Warrior lyrics......Took me a while to find the right song for that intro sequence.

[@KarlKarsnark]

Thanks for sharing, Why did Yamaguchi have problems with you/Americans? I always thought he was sort of a shihan's shihan, if you know what I mean.

[@ErikCalderon]

I think it was just me he had a problem with because I would attack people so hard that they couldn't perform the techniques.

[@aikidotrek125]

👍🏾

[@ErikCalderon]

Thank you!