We received the following update about the conditions of the Iwama Dojo from Francesco Corallini and promptly we are passing it on to you. The news come from an uchidechi and they seem to suggest that the overall sate of O’Sensei’s old dojo is far from ideal but still mendable.
News from Iwama (report by uchi deshi): The dojo ceiling is caving in. The walls are at a bit of an angle and with each aftershock (just had one right now) the section where the new (lower ceiling) and old ceilings join sags down a little more. The kamidana, osensei’s weapons, the calligraphy and now even the tatami have been recovered. It’s too dangerous to go inside now. Doshu will go on saturday to see the damage for himself. The Jinja is okay and deshis are continuing to have keiko inside it. Some of the doors were literally shaken out of it but they went back in no problem. The torii gate is a bit broken but can be replaced. The original shrine in the honden is at an angle inside it’s housing but that can be fixed.
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