Pacific Shintaido is organizing a very special winter retreat
Join us January 15-17, 2027
Register here by filling out our google form.
Pacific Shintaido will be hosting a very special residential workshop which will offer the Shintaido community a chance to come together for both open hand and kenjutsu practice, meditation, connection with nature, and enjoyment of each other’s company.
We are honored to have Masashi Minagawa as a consultant to share his knowledge and insights with us at our PacShin Kangeiko.
Location
The event will be held near San Francisco at The Nature Bridge Retreat Center at Rodeo Beach, the site of the first Shintaido International event in 1980. This is a beautiful beach surrounded by misty mountains, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Theme
The theme of the event will be ‘Aikukan’, which is the title of a newly published book by Masashi Minagawa (Aikukan: A Life in Shintaido) about his life and philosophy. He translates ‘Aikukan’ as ‘space of love’, an ideal which he has dedicated his life and practice to.
History
The Shintaido community has a tradition of having an annual winter retreat, and in his book Masashi Minagawa explains why: ”Kangeiko means ‘cold practice’. The reason we practice at a cold time is that when we face great nature, we realize how powerless and small we are. We try to find nature within ourselves. Through this, we can try to awaken our sleeping potential self. It is a challenge to try to get rid of our old self and find a new beginning.”
There is an explanation in the book about the symbolism of the sword in Japanese culture: “By practicing with a sword, we try to find the spirit of god. We try to protect ourselves from evil or difficulties and …to find peace and purification in the world.”
Additional Writings
Masashi writes many beautiful things about ‘kumite’ (partner practice) in his book, such as :
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- Referring to Rakutenkai (the group that created Shintaido): “I wondered how everyone could do kumite like children happily playing? I was moved by the beauty of the flowing movements that went beyond conflict”.
- On image work: “By becoming aware of how ki functions, and by expanding, contracting, or adjusting our relationship with the partner…we can create …openings in time and space that allow kumite to flow continuously.”
SOA Advanced Workshop
On Friday January 15 there will be an advanced workshop for assistants/1 kyu and above in an indoor space in San Francisco from 9:00 am – noon. This workshop is being organized by Shintaido of America. For more information and how to register please visit the SOA Store/Events page.
Schedule
The general event will begin with people arriving to settle into the dorms around 5:00, then dinner at 6:00, followed by an indoor evening class.
The weekend will then unfold, with classes, meditations, exams, and time for enjoying our beautiful natural setting and each other’s company.
The final class will finish around 4:00 on Sunday afternoon.
Housing
The site has dormitory style accommodation, with a few smaller rooms (which are slightly more expensive, and will be offered on a first come first served basis).
Meals
Breakfasts and dinners will be served in the cafeterias. We will make our own lunches, (also included in registration fees) since we will decide depending on weather either to practice on the beach, or drive to an indoor gym during the day.
Pricing
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- Early Bird payments totaling $550 for SOA members and $575 for general participants are due by October 15th, 2026.
- After October 15th, full payments are due December 1, 2026 totaling $600 for SOA members and $625 for general participants.
- SOA will be providing limited travel scholarships. Please reach out to Connie Borden if interested, at bordensheets@aol.com.
Registration Process
Registration will be confirmed with a deposit of $75. The venue has a deadline of Oct 17 to confirm our numbers, so all participants are encouraged to register as soon as possible using the link at the top of this article.
We hope you can join us for what will undoubtedly be a beautiful, invigorating, unforgettable experience!
Jennifer Peringer and the Pacific Shintaido Board
Register here for Kangeiko 2027 by filling out our google form.