What is the Aikido approach to etiquette?
Etiquette is a human creation, and it is found nowhere else in the animal kingdom. The notion of what is “proper” etiquette varies greatly from culture to culture, and it is impossible to state that one particular standard of behavior is the correct one. The Aikido approach is to let a sense of etiquette develop naturally, through regular training, and there are no elaborate rules of etiquette at the Headquarters Dojo. Here is an example: children training at an Aikido dojo in Hawaii were never told to put their shoes in order before stepping onto the mat. However, after a few months, even the messiest of the children were arranging their shoes neatly, something that greatly surprised (and pleased) their parents. The children naturally came to realize the importance of etiquette without being told by the instructor. Any kind of etiquette that has to be rigidly enforced, is not true etiquette. “Budo training begins and ends with respect” is a common saying but even this does not have to
