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Sensei — Teacher —
先生 Before / birth
Sensei literally means “the one who was born before”. The expression is to be understood in the sense of practice: it designates the one who came to the discipline before.Each teacher develops an approach rooted in the five principles of junomichi. These give the class its method and its logic. Beyond techniques, it is the principles — as a method of autonomous research and practice — that the teacher seeks to transmit first. The teaching qualification is obtained through both a written and practical presentation before the technical commission of the FIAJ. It attests to the candidate’s qualities as a researcher, their ability to lead a dojo, to generate individual and collective work, and to ensure the continuity of the practice. |
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Mondô — Exchanges on practice —
問答 Question / answer
Junomichikas feel the need to regularly exchange intuitions, thoughts and understanding of junomichi through free conversations.In Japan, these exchanges are proposed by the teacher, sometimes taking place during the class. In junomichi, they occur after practice on the tatami, freely, at the initiative of each participant. These exchanges arise from discoveries and understandings experienced during practice. |
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Dojo — Place where ways are practised —
道場 Way / place
The place of junomichi is the dojo: it is where practitioners gather to bring the practice into existence.Its organisation supports concentration, simplicity and efficiency. It creates a clear separation from ordinary life. Upon entering, the practitioner leaves aside thoughts and attitudes that could hinder practice, and commits fully to it. The dojo is a place of commitment and sincerity. Through its rules and attitudes, it allows practice in full integrity and freedom. The dojo is the place of freedom. |
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Tatami — Practice mat —
畳 Straw mat
The surface of the dojo is covered with thick mats. They allow barefoot practice and safe falling.Their firmness requires precision in receiving the body. In this way, the tatami contributes to the sincerity of practice. |
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Shômen — Place of honour —
正面 Authentic / correct / surface
Hosting the portraits of the founders, Jigorô Kanô and Igor Correa, the shômen orients the dojo. It is saluted upon entering the tatami and serves as a spatial reference during practice.
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Jôseki — Place of honour —
上席 Upper / seat
The jôseki (or kamiza) is the place where teachers, senior practitioners or guests sit during demonstrations or examinations. Its position is not fixed but never coincides with the shômen.
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Shimoseki — Place of practitioners —
下座 Lower / seat
Facing the shômen, the shimoseki is where practitioners stand during greetings and demonstrations. They are arranged according to rank.
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Dôgi — Practice garment —
道着 Way / clothing
The dôgi consists of a white jacket and trousers. It offers equality of appearance and freedom of movement and grip.
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Obi — Belt —
帯 Belt
The belt holds the dôgi and applies slight pressure, helping the practitioner maintain awareness of the hara.
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Rei — Salute —
礼 Salute
Junomichi practice is structured by different forms of salutes: individual, paired and collective.The salute marks the beginning and the end of practice sequences. It is an action of the whole body and an opportunity to centre on the hara. |
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Shômen ni rei — Salute to the place of honour —
正面に礼 Front / to / salute
At the beginning and end of class, a collective kneeling salute is performed towards the shômen, following a clear call from the most senior practitioner.
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Sensei ni rei — Salute to the teacher —
先生に礼 Teacher / to / salute
This collective salute is performed towards the teacher. Together with shômen ni rei, it frames the beginning and the end of the shared practice.
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Otagai ni rei — Salute to each other —
お互いに礼 Each other / to / salute
Otagai ni rei designates the mutual salute performed between two practitioners before and after working together.Facing one another, the practitioners acknowledge each other through this gesture. It establishes the conditions of the practice: sincerity, attention and engagement. Through this salute, each accepts both roles — to act and to receive — and recognises the other as a partner in the research. Otagai ni rei may also be performed collectively by the whole group when the teacher chooses not to distinguish themselves from the practitioners. In this case, the teacher stands among them as a practitioner: someone engaged in the work, questioning themselves, and proposing directions for research. Repeated at the end of the exchange, otagai ni rei closes the work and restores distance, while preserving what has been experienced. Like all actions in junomichi, the salute is carried by the whole body and finds its origin in the hara. |