Asia Trip 2012: Ohara - Iaido lineage & French bread!

FRI 13-JUL & SAT 14-JUL: Our time in Tamano City ended all too quickly, we had barely gotten to know the great people there, but the journey must continue. Our next stop would be Ohara, birthplace of the legendary Miyamoto Musashi and becoming quite the ghost town if not for the tourism and state-of-the-art budokan. We were met at the station by Trevor Jones-Sensei (Iaido Renshi 7 Dan) who, once again, offered to host our short stay.  With less than an hour before he had to go to work, we made a brief stop at Haruna-Sensei's house to pay our respects.  His wife was expecting our visit, and greeted us warmly at the door. 

It was Hanna's first time visiting the house of our Iaido Sensei' Sensei, but even with this memory, the architecture was no less impressive. The finishing of the beautiful front foyer/dojo has been maintained as if brand new, and the tatami rooms that lead to Haruna Sensei' shrine would've put the best ryokan to shame. Following Trevor's example, we performed a shinto ceremony to the shrine, then retired to the living room to admire the wall of trophies and to chat for a bit. There aren't as many visitors these days, as Haruna Sensei' students have moved on to other dojos. It is primarily foreigners who still wish to honour their lineage that stop by a couple of times a year. Trevor says she appreciates that the few of us still remember him this way, and we're sure Ohmi Sensei will feel good about hearing this.

That night, we had a very satisfying Ramen and Gyoza dinner before returning to Trevor's house. We chatted about various interests with conversations often returning to our shared involvement in the Iaido community. It is always great to hear about the past and how each of us that do Iaido in the Western world are connected by only a few degrees of separation.  Fellow Mu Mon Kai student, Michael H, has participated in recent BKA Iaido seminars and has nothing but praise for the organization and the people. We must not forget that the Canadian Iaido history is closely linked to that of the UK and while we've lost connections, it is my hope of re-establishing the communication to help each other grow to the level of the Japanese. 

The next day, Trevor brought us to a hidden French Bakery/Bed & Breakfast less than 10 minutes from his house. It was only a chance meeting at the bank that lead to this amazing discovery. Apparently, he was having a little trouble translating a phrase when a Japanese women, Hiromi, speaking near-perfect English came to his assistance. After a brief chat, it turned out that she lived with her husband and two kids, Hugo and Leo, in the adjacent city of Nishiwarakura. The family had moved back to Japan only two years ago from London, where her husband Olivier was a trained French baker and Yoga instructor. There they set up a local business next to the home, named it after the kids, and Olivier spends time baking twice a week, and teaching English, French, and Yoga in the nearby cities.

It was an amazing feeling, stepping in to this small bit of France in the middle of a village in Okayama. We ended up staying a lot longer than expected, having a great time chatting with the family about how they ended up here and what our plans were for this trip.  The discussion somehow lead to them asking if we knew a certain individual from Quebec that had visited their shop recently. Of course, in our minds we were thinking:

"If you asked if we knew someone in Toronto, it is still highly unlikely we'll know them, let alone another province"

but we humoured the question as they continued:

"Yeah, he was apprenticing under a Japanese swordsmith..."

.... what? ....really!?

That could only be one person!

Pierre Nadeau, who, along with his Sensei was invited to the JCCC in Toronto several years ago to do a demonstration on swordsmithing.  Lo and Behold!

What a small world! ^_^

When our plans were set to come to Ohara, we would have never expected such a turn of events, and this has immediately become one of the highlights of this trip. With the day moving on, we signed the guestbook and hope them good business in the future as we moved onto the Musashi Tourism area of Ohara.

Our first stop was at the Musashi Budokan, a marvel of architecture, with the roof shaped like a helmet from the side, and the Musashi Tsuba from the top. We wandered the emtpy halls, looking into the large auditorium and smaller sub-dojos imagining what it would be like to have such a facility back in Toronto. One can only dream....

As we passed by one of the sub-dojos used by the local Kendo club, we came across an interesting motto from the Musashi Budokan Kendo Club. Interestingly it reminded us of a key point in Kyudo, and is a great indication of how all the Japanese Martial Arts are related by culture and history. 

Our next stop was the Musashi Dojo, the original training spot for Iaido and Kendo in Ohara, and also the home dojo of Haruna Sensei. The building hasn't changed since our visit almost 5 years ago when our journey in Iaido had only recently began. A quick search into a closet revealed an Oar/Suburito prop used in re-enactments of the Musashi vs Sasaki Koijiro fight. We had a little fun with it as Trevor described the excitement and fun the locals put into the show. While the dojo remains empty most of the time, we are happy to hear that it still gets the occasional use, as a non-Kendo Federation Iaido group from Osaka had booked some training there in a couple of hours.

These two days were quite refreshing as we prepared ourselves for the hectic environment of Japan capital.  It's hard to believe that we're only halfway through this Asia Trip. We've already accomplished so much, now we must work even harder. So long, Okayama. Bring it, Tokyo!

Huge thanks to Trevor Jones Sensei for giving us a place to stay, taking us around town, and generally being great company!

Asia Trip 2012: Kyudo Instruction in Okayama

Our time in Tamano was very informative. Each of us received unique and effective tips for improving our Kyudo from a range of perspectives. I've listed out the overall focus for each of us below.

Disclaimer: Keep in mind that these are our interpretations of what was said to us. It may not be helpful to anyone else, nor can we say it is exactly what we were told. That being said, we all felt much more confident in our Kyudo following these two days of intense training and instruction.

For Patrick:

1) Must Aim! See the target. Place the target as your perform the technique. Release into the target at the conclusion of your technique - Only with this awareness will your Kyudo have meaning.

Up until this point, I've had lots of trouble aiming when doing Kinteki. I've had a lazy right eye since I was a kid, making it extremely difficult to focus or even use that eye when both are open. My left eye tends to take control. This was immediately noticed by the Sensei who could see that I wasn't aiming at any specific point for each shot. They suggested I close my left eye during Hikiwake->Kai until I'm able to use the right eye regardless, and this helped a lot. It will still be some time before I'm able to aim properly, but at least we've found a solution to work on.

2) Relax the hands and maintain the shape throughout. With a proper grip, left-hand on the bow and right-hand on the string, the equipment and body can do the work.

A lot of the tightness in my hands was due to trying to keep the bow and arrow level during Uchiokoshi. We worked on this for several minutes, gathering quite the crowd in the dojo. I think we came to a pretty good solution for this as well. ^_^

3) Hanare from the centre through to Tsunomi. Let everything flow through. Leave nothing behind. Even from a distance, the release will look beautiful.

For Michael:

1) Thumb for both hands must align with the target going in opposite directions.

2) To begin Hikiwake, must push the bow and allow the string to catch the groove of your glove and pull it. It is not initiated with the pull of the right hand.

3) At hanare, think about opposite motions. The thumb pushes forward, while the middle finger must pull in and the line of your arm extends toward the target.

For Hanna:

1) Relax body at Kai. Looking very tense. Use breathing: Before drawing, exhale everything and bring power to the lower body. As you get to kai, breath in to open up your chest. As you open up your chest, you open up your Kai.

2) Tsunomi needs to be correct. Her arrow has a tendency of going down because of incorrect use of Tsunomi.

3) Use entire body as a spring, especially at Hanare to allow for a natural release. The core of your spring is the middle of your body which is your heart. Physically and mentally you are releasing this spring. A spring expands both ways. If you're able to do it right, you will feel good about it, and the person watching will also feel good.

COOL TIP:

There was a lot of talk these two days on aiming and seeing the target. When asked how we can practice this aiming when using Makiwara, Sato T-Sensei was able to give this tip:

1) Find an aim point on the makiwara.

2) Arrow should end up 45 degrees to the top-right, about 4-5cm away.

If you can consistently hit that point, then you should be able to consistently hit the Mato.

Asia Trip 2012: Kyudo in Okayama - Day 2

The following day, Sugimura-san had arranged for us to receive instruction from Sato Kaoru-Sensei (Hanshi 8 Dan) at the Tamano City Kyudojo and arranged to pick us up at 12:15 at the hotel. His contribution to our trip so far has been exceptional. We cannot thank him enough for all he has done to make this stay fruitful and enjoyable. 

THU 12-JUL: Our first stop was at the Mitsui dojo where we trained the day before. We were to change into our dogi and hakama and pick up our equipment for transportation to the city dojo. It was only about a 10 minute drive, but Sugimura-san was able to fill us in on the history and importance of our intended destination.  In fact, the Tamano City dojo was the site of the 2005 Kokutai Kyudo Taikai. Every year, Japan holds a national competition that puts athletics at the forefront. The kyudo event is a show case of the country's up and coming talents, with each prefecture sending their best and brightest representatives. Two members of our Toronto Kyudo Club (Seikyu Kai) had the honour to participate in the general and student categories: Takahashi Mie-Sensei, our club founder, and Itokawa Yukiko-san, our head sempai. The building was impressive indeed. Reminicent of the one at Meiji-Jingu in Tokyo that we briefly toured in 2009. With such a storied history, we entered with a hint of trepidation, hoping our modest grasp of Japanese etiquette was enough not to embarrass our dojo.

It was a relief to be welcomed from Tanaka-Sensei whom had trained us the day before. After a brief tour, Sato Tadashi-Sensei and Watanabe-san (one of the female members at dinner) dropped by, and were eager to see how our session would go with Sato Kaoru-Sensei. Needless to say, we felt his presence right as he stepped through the doorway, and he wasted no time in slapping us into shape. And I mean that quite literally! It seems he is well known for having an "hands-on" approach to teaching Kyudo. With a firm slap to the lower back, my centre of gravity was shifted forwards. With another slap to the upper chest, my body was aligned top to bottom. He kept his hands at each of those points until I was almost into Kai. At which time, he gently tapped my left arm and slid his hand towards the target. *Soot* *Soot*. "Push towards the target!". "Feel the snap towards the target!". and BAM! My arrow flies true, if only slightly strong, landing just above the Mato. I didn't see how he instructed Hanna, but Michael got pretty much the same thing as me.

The onlookers seemed mildly amused, and later asked us how we felt. While it's a rather different approach than what I'm used to, I personally enjoyed it, and came away with quite a bit of satisfaction and awareness from the lesson. It would be interesting to feel the effects long term. After a bit more training and instruction, we broke for some tea and mochi that was kindly donated by Tanaka-Sensei. We sat down and chatted for a bit, before the other Sato-Sensei (Sato T) comes over to get us to try Enteki…..Really?….Cool!!!

In Kyudo, there are three shooting distances: (1) Makiwara, ~half a bow length distance, to practice basics, (2) Kinteki, 28 meter distance and is the typical length used for grading and Taikai, and (3) Enteki, 60 meter distance.  Since modern Kyudo is based around Kinteki, the goal is to hit at 60 meters with as little change of your technique as possible. A slight arch from the hip at Uchiokoshi is required so as not to lose the cross at our shoulders and spine. It is also important to ensure the release of the right hand continues along the downward angled path. 

Our results weren't very impressive, but the experience was definitely a lot of fun. The Sensei seemed to enjoy helping us out as much as we did taking the shots. Both are quite the characters. Sato-Sensei with his boisterous humour, and Tanaka-Sensei with his quiet, laid-back attitude. The spirit of Kyudo and the character of the Mitsui Kyudojo is so clearly represented by these two individuals. With such contrasting personalities yet exact same approach to training.  In the past two days, I've seen them each shoot over 20 arrows. Every single shot was preceded and concluded with full Taihai (Rissha) etiquette. From Nujo, to Taijo. Not a single step rushed. Not a single movement wasted. It is truly inspirational to see these Sensei embody the way of the bow.

Following our visit to the Tamano City Kyudo HQ, we returned to the more relaxing and familiar confines of the Mitsui dojo for another 3 hours of training. We received some final instruction, words of encouragement, and requests to come again soon. 

It has been an overwhelming couple of days in Okayama. Our first Kyudo training experience in Japan was memorable for the practice, the learning, but most importantly, the people.  We were welcomed with open arms and spirit, like members of their own family. For isn't that what the Martial Arts are about? Wherever there's a dojo, you will find family.

Asia Trip 2012: Kyudo in Okayama - Day 1

This first week in Asia has been a mixed blessing. The excitement of reuniting with friends and family coupled with opportunities to explore the cultures we came from, have been tempered with mental and physical stress and illness. We're hoping that is all left behind as we head towards our first Kyudo training session in Japan.

WED 11-JUL: We were scheduled to meet with Shojiro Sugimura-san (5 Dan) at our hotel in the small port city of Tamano, Okayama. The Diamond Setouchi Marine Hotel is situated above a beach and is home to its own Spa and luxury suites. A bus from Okayama station (1hr 10m) took us directly to the lobby where we left our baggage to be checked-in later.

After a quick stop at a convenience store for a bento, the taxi took the three of us + Sugimura-san to the Mitsui dojo. The Kyudojo Is owned by a local shipping company, and has almost 90 years of history. It was a short walk up a narrow, paved road to the practice area. The dojo itself is constructed of the bare minimum necessary, with only space for 3 mato. A club's vast supply of yumi and ya were hidden behind a few sliding doors, but everything else was in plain view as you entered the front door. The inside was a huge contrast to the simplistic exterior, with a beautiful wood floor and walls lined with history (achievements, pictures, and names of the dojo members).

A white board for notices was hung along the kamiza wall and, for now, contained some rather familiar faces. Looks like we were well expected prior to arrival.

Sugimura-san introduced us to Sato Tadashi-Sensei (Kyoshi 6 Dan), Ojima-Sensei (Renshi 6 Dan), and Yonemoto-Sensei (Renshi 5 Dan) who all practice "Shamen" style.

We began by finding a bow and fixing the string to the nock of our arrows. Michael, Hanna, and I had each brought four "ya" for practice with intention of purchasing more in Tokyo later in the trip. The sensei helped us wrap and file the strings to the right size and we were able to start by 11:30am. Sato-Sensei wanted to watch us do taihai first to gauge our level. While were a bit nervous (apparently, not Michael), we did our best to show what we've learned from Toronto. Afterwards, Sato-Sensei proclaimed us sufficient for 2 Dan and our training got under way. Little did we know that the encouraging words were just a precursor to a day full of tearing down, and building back up.

The first thing he wanted us to do was increase the pull-strength of our bows. Michael was upgraded from 13kg to 14kg (not much due to his still busted ankle). I was upgrade from 14kg to 16kg, and Hanna was upgraded from 9kg to 11kg. It definitely pushed us out of our comfort zone, but we gathered as much spirit as we could and started shooting, and shooting, and shooting, and shooting....

I had to work on improving my:

- Ashibumi needs to be at the right length and angle. To help out, Sato-Sensei got a triangular piece of cardboard with measurements for where your feet should go based on your yazuka and angle. A good way of measuring. Apparently, my yazuka is "93.5cm"

- Tsunomi at hanare. Point left thumb into target. 

- Right hand should snap/whip back relaxed and with right thumb opposite of target.

We continued this way for the next several hours; taking the occasional rest, grabbing our own arrows, and watching Sato-Sensei and Yonemoto-Sensei practice. While we could start feeling some improvement in the major areas, there was still a lot of refining to do. The Sensei were kind and gave us time to work it out, shot after shot, arrow after arrow. A bit later in the afternoon, Tanaka Chotaro-Sensei (Kyoshi 6 Dan) arrives and gives some instruction as well. He practices "Shomen" style, one of the few at this dojo.

Altogether, we were at the dojo for 6 hours. Somewhere after the first 3, I had to switch back to a 13kg.  During one period of rest, when Michael was massaging his ankle, Sato-Sensei casually mentioned that  he should try to shoot at least 50 arrows this afternoon. Not sure if he made it there. 

At 6pm a couple of dojo members including an Aoi Tomoka, (who just got 5 Dan) came in street clothes to get a few shots in quickly. Sugimura-san mentioned that this is what they do if they have to work late and don't get much time.  It's good to see that even with busy schedules, the members find ways to get into the dojo for at least a few shots.  It doesn't hurt that the group is very friendly and sociable, as we proceed right after to an Izakaya for dinner. We were joined by Tanaka-Sensei, Yonemoto-Sensei, Sugimura-san, Aoi-san, Watanabe-san, later Konishi Kengo-san (5 Dan at same time as Aoi-san).

Hanna and them seemed to have a lot of fun chatting, so we didn't press her for translations. It's a tough job so she deserves to have some fun. One thing I was able to pick out was that in Japan nowadays, students are only looking to hit the target and there's less focus on Taihai. That might be a difference in approach from foreign countries who do Kyudo not for the sporting aspect. There were many comments by the dojo members that our Taihai was top notch for our rank.

As the night was winding down, Sugimura-san gave us a good piece of advice for tomorrow's training with Sato Kaoru-Sensei (Hanshi 8 Dan). Although we might hear differing or even contradicting instruction. That's ok. They're all correct. We need to take it all in and choose what's works best for us. After some extended fairwells, we get a lift back to the hotel from Tanaka-Sensei. We could definitely use the rest for another day of keiko.

Asia Trip 2012: Iaido in HK

THU 05-JUL: Our first training session and meet-up was at the Shek Tong Tsui Athletic Centre in Sai Wan. The complex is on the 5th floor of a municipal building and has courts available for Squash, Ping Pong, and Badminton, as well as a couple of multi-purpose rooms; one of which we used for the Iaido class.

This special session was booked by the local HK Kendo Association rep of the Iaido division for our sakes and we were extremely grateful for this added opportunity to train and get to know each other.

Ms. Agnes Lee has 3 Dan Iaido and 5 Dan Kendo, and her technique, along with her students, show this experience, feeling and solid basics. Being such a small group, they haven't had any local options to grade, so their ranks: a couple of 1 Dan, and a couple of 2 Dan, show the quality as expected from being awarded in Tokyo.

The training session was especially rewarding, finally having the opportunity to do Iaido in HK. We had the room from 9pm - 11pm and the most of it.

After bowing in, we shared warm-up exercises. Nothing too different, as expected. We followed with about an hour of self practice and then some embu, which is typical of visits such as these.

Hanna performed 5 x Seitei-gata with two other students, while I did 5 x Koryu with Ms. Lee. It was a good opportunity to show our differences in MSR and MJER. The club's exposure to Koryu has been relatively lacking as Iai is still in its infancy Hong Kong. Following the Japanese schedule, Koryu is not required for grading until 4 Dan, so introduction has been slow.

Following practice, we proceeded to a nearby McDonalds for a little socializing. Turns out a couple of the members, including Ms Lee, have lived in Canada for an extended period of time and their command of the English language showed. Hanna was sure relieved at that. =)

It was a fun evening. Tomorrow evening, we do it all again. ^_^ First, we visit Ocean Park to see the Pandas!!!!

*Edit: We were supposed to meet again on FRI 06-JUL, but a family dinner went over time. Nevertheless, our brief encounter on Thursday was memorable and we hope it is a start to a lasting relationship.

Asia Trip 2012: Training Schedule

Only four days left and we're off to Hong Kong and Japan for a month. It's a strange feeling. A mixture of excitement and anticipation for the upcoming adventure, but also knowing that we'd be missing an exciting summer in Toronto with all our friends from Mu Mon Kai, Seikyu Kai, Chung's Arts Academy, and the bLEAders team.

Alright, enough sentimentality. This trip gives us a great opportunity to train with and receive instruction from the highest level of Iaido and Kyudo practitioners in the world. Even in a world class city like Toronto, these martial arts are still in their infancy and we can use all the support we can get. Besides improving ourselves, we will also look to raise awareness of the Iaido and Kyudo communities in Toronto and create networks that will help us grow in the future.

Let's hope our bodies hold up! ^_^

JUL 05 - IAIDO - Hong Kong, 石塘咀體育館 with the Hong Kong Iaido group
JUL 06 - IAIDO - Hong Kong, 北角渣華道體育館 with the Hong Kong Iaido group
JUL 11 - KYUDO - Okayama, Mitsui dojo with Satoh Tadashi-sensei (Kyoshi 7 Dan)
JUL 12 - KYUDO - Okayama, Private dojo with Satoh Kaoru-sensei (Hanshi 8 Dan)
JUL 18 - IAIDO - Tokyo, TBD with Hatakenaka Atsumi-sensei (Kyoshi 8 Dan)
JUL 21 - IAIDO - Tokyo, TBD with Hatakenaka Atsumi-sensei (Kyoshi 8 Dan)
JUL 22 - IAIDO - Tokyo, TBD with Hatakenaka Atsumi-sensei (Kyoshi 8 Dan)
JUL 23 - IAIDO - Tokyo, TBD with Hatakenaka Atsumi-sensei (Kyoshi 8 Dan)
JUL 25 - IAIDO - Tokyo, TBD with Hatakenaka Atsumi-sensei (Kyoshi 8 Dan)
JUL 29 - KYUDO - Narita, Chiba-ken Kyudojo - Watch 5 Dan Shinsa at 

Quick update

As with most un-planned blogs, I didn't have any content prepared for this busy month and a half. Plans for our summer sabbatical to Hong Kong and Japan are rounding out nicely with only a few logistics to go. We've got lots of Iaido and Kyudo training lined-up so I'll probably be taking it easy the next couple of weeks to rest up for a trip that looks to be quite gruelling. Stay tuned for a running diary of our travels (whenever internet access is available) as the previous one seemed quite popular.

Our schedule should be finalized and posted soon. If any readers happen to be in the area and would like to meet up, feel free to drop me a line in the comments.