Cultural exchanges | Graf Dojos Sàrl

KIDS JAPAN 2025

Cultural exchanges for young aikidokas SWITZERLAND-JAPAN

Approach education in a completely different way by immersing yourself in Japanese culture, feeling, touching, seeing and experiencing cultural differences in order to increase awareness and acceptance of our differences and similarities. This is the primary goal of our huge travel plans to Japan for Aikidoka children from Switzerland.

It was in 2014, during the jubilee of 150 years of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Japan, that the Neuchâtel & Biel Dojos, organized a such exchange for children between 10 and 16 years old fro the first time. These little samurais from Switzerland have become ambassadors of sameness in a world of differences.

We did it !

Hello everyone,
Dear friends, dear sponsors,
On 30 November, we ended this wonderful trip to Japan with a big party at the Biel Dojo, bringing together the families and all the participants in the trip. The highlight of the evening was the screening of the film of the trip. This allowed the families to discover the adventure and share in their children’s excitement.
A brief history
The idea for this trip began in 2023, with the first trip scheduled for 2024, which was later postponed to 2025. At the end of 2024, the group for the trip was formed. The search for funding began in March 2025, marked by a gala evening with the Taiko group (Japanese drums), bake sales, flea markets, aikido demonstrations, and participation in First Friday, followed by the last action before departure: Raiffeisen crowdfunding.
It is thanks in part to your VALUABLE SUPPORT that this project was able to come to fruition. A BIG THANK YOU.

Highlights of the trips: deepening the learning of Aikido, basic notions of the Japanese language, visit to must-see places, such as Toyko, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Miyajima, as well as the birthplaces of Aikido like Ayabe. Meeting with the Oomoto center, a branch of Japanese Shinto having had a great influence on the pacifist philosophy of Aikido and guardian of traditional Japanese arts (calligraphy, tea ceremony, ikebana,…). In 2018 there were overnight stays with Japanese host families in Shinshiro, the twin city of Neuchâtel in Japan. At the same time, you have to know how to eat with chopsticks, purify yourself before entering a temple, …, so many experiences that children have in these two weeks.

This magnificent trip took place from 4 to 19 October 2025.
During these two intensive weeks, the 22 young aikidokas discovered the roots of aikido, immersed themselves in Japanese culture and philosophy, and visited the cities of Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Fukuoka and Ayabe.
They trained alongside young Japanese aikidokas in the dojo of Master Kubota, 8th dan, in Nara. They trained in Fukuoka with Master Suganama, 8th dan. They visited Japanese schools and explored various themes from the Youth + Sport programme.
At the Oomoto Centre in Ayabe, they visited the birthplace of aikido. At the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo, they discovered the world of Miyazaki’s Japanese animated films.
In Hiroshima, they visited the Peace Memorial, an important place in the history of humanity.
They went on an expedition and discovered the richness of Japanese nature on Miyajima Island with the Itsukushima-jinja torii gate.
They visited various Japanese temples, including Senso-ji Temple in Tokyo and many others. On average, these young people walked 12 km per day!
It was incredible and even better than anything we could have imagined. The children’s eyes were sparkling.
We came back with unforgettable memories for both the children and the accompanying adults. New friendships were formed and families were delighted with the positive effects of this trip on their children, who gained in maturity.