question about kendo dojo's

[Alejandro1516]

hello, nice to meet you all im new to the boards, i apologise for any misspells (not my first language), i was wondering if any of you could help me with some info.

i herd theres a way for a person to live at a dojo and train all the time, if so whats it called and how could an outsider try to get this?,

also i herd nagoya is a relativly small city, are there any other small city's with dojo's?, and are any to the north where the temperature is colder?,

concerning visa's whats the max amount of time they can grant you, and is "kendo training" a viable path to ask for a visa pass?.

i thank you all in advance to whoever asnwers this questions, id greatly apreciate it.

[kumaken]

Welcome aboard.
Maybe I can help with some of your questions.

-I don't know what the live-in-dojo thing is called. I know it was common in the past (a hundred years ago??), but I'd imaginge it's very rare (non-existant) in kendo today.

-Nagoya is in the top five largest cities in Japan (pop. 2mil +), and not considered small. I imagine it has lots of dojo and great sensei. There are dojo in almost any community, large or small, north or south.

-Visas. You can get a basic 90-day visitors visa. Other visas are generally valid for one year, but require some kind of contract/guarantor (with an academic institution, employer, etc) in order to get it.
There is a visa for cultural study, but it is very difficult to get because, again, you need a contact in Japan to verify you as a student and the teacher has to be especially skilled/recognized in their art. Might be easier for koryu, but kendo sensei are a dime a dozen here.
For better visa info, contact the nearest Japanese consulate or embassy.

How long do you want to stay in Japan? This is the most important question to ask.

PS Why the North? The best kendo is in the South!

[Alejandro1516]

well i plan to stay for 2 years+ atleast, i want to finish my training in kendo or some form of marital art, i have 0 contacts in japan sadly, however i am very much determined to make this a reality, i hope atleast to get a 1 year visa, then to get in a dojo and get a longer permit, i say north cuss its colder and i hate the heat '-', right atm im just hunting for posible residances that arent that expensive (just looking for standard room, no luxury's), and well i kinda wished i could join a dojo and live there but seems X ;, thanks for the reply.

[yohed55]

What do you mean finish your training?!? Kendo training never ends. Do you attend a dojo now?

[Neil Gendzwill]

The term you are looking for is "uchi deshi" which is a live-in student. I'm not aware of any kendo dojo that offer this sort of program, although there may be some koryu out there that do. If some koryu still accepted uchi-deshi, I think fluency in Japanese would be a starting point and also a willingness to commit for longer than 1 or 2 years.

Your best bet is to find a job in Japan if you can and train kendo in your spare time. Many people teach english, I don't know if there are opportunities in other languages.

Another alternative is to attend International Budo University.

[Alejandro1516]

yes finish my training as in, aslong as necesary, this is a life long project for me, what i mean as in finish means, when i get the personal questions im seeking, i wish to study kendo, for personal insight etc, the main problem is, i dont know japanese, and i dont know wich place to go yet, i know ill learn japanese while im there, kinda cornering myself into this, as for the university i thought about it, but i just cant wait another year for the new recruiting, if you ask yourself if im an ignorent anime lover, im not, im pretty dedicated to this, as for the other question, no i havent practiced kendo before mainly because there arent any dojo's here, like none, i practice karate, and always wanted to learn kendo. and pls keep em comming im really strapped for info, thanks again '-'

[Neil Gendzwill]

Alejandro, there is kendo in Mexico (http://www.kendo.com.mx/modules/news/). I strongly suggest you check out kendo in your own country first before deciding to move to another country to try out something you have never even seen.

[Alejandro1516]

that still means i would have to change to another state to do kendo, when i say there none around where i am, im serious, im not just some fan boy who said o pretty swords, ive been studying this shit alot, just no dojo or people who practice, this is a trip for several reasons not just kendo, im just focusing on an activity that would be beneficial in my opinion to my training (physical, mental, spiritual), the point of going to japan is a personal challenge, you know survive in a world that would rather much like to eat you, so please dont mis interpret what i say, im just asking for info if you guys can offer some info, wich i deeply apreciate, only 2-3 weeks to go till i set of on the plain and im kinda nerveus / excited etc, and i always said only thing to fear is ignorence so hence why i ask for youre guys help ^^;

[kumaken]

Was I correct in understanding that you'll be on the plane to Japan in 2-3 weeks? Don't want to rain on your parade, amigo, but you'll need more time than that if you want a 1-year visa.
One option I forgot to mention was the working holiday visa, but you'd have to check with a Japanese consulate/embassy to see if it is available for Mexican citizens. This entitles you to work part-time for one year (or 2 six-month periods), and may give you flexibility to find practice time.
All that said, I agree with other posters: you need a certain level of Japanese ability to do even basic things here, so studying that is another big consideration.
And don't worry, Japanese people won't eat you.

[Lloromannic]

¿En que estado estas?

[Alejandro1516]

tijuana baja california, and yeah i was thinking to get a 6month pass then make an extention at japan, the visa takes 1-2 days up to 1 week, so yeah im still boarding my plane in 2-3 weeks '-'

[neko]

you must be loaded if you plan on staying here for 6 months without a job. where in japan are you headed? i am in okazaki and have had trouble finding a dojo and i already do kendo. i think being a complete beginner might be even harder to find a dojo. if you go to some place like tokyo or osaka there should be plenty of places to choose from. but tokyo is mega expensive. where are you going to stay? how will you support yourself? OMG, i hope i don't sound like your mother. :nervous:

seriously though, good luck, kendo is a wonderful thing. but when you say, "going to japan is a personal challenge", i don't think you realize just how challenging it can be. add kendo on top of that, trying to find employment, learning the language, man, my head just swims thinking about it.

[Alejandro1516]

yeah thats the main reason i want to make the trip, i have means of supporting myself there, and was thinking to stay at a minshuku, tho i dont know if they take long term people, or if any of the minshuku's have a training dojo \(-_-)/, basicly when it comes to picking a place to stay, as simple as it gets is fine.

[nodachi]

Rent is going to kill you if you aren't careful. Minshuku can fall in that category as well. Look for gaijin houses or an apartment through places like leopalace for cheaper options. You may find a cheap minshuku, but look into these other options. And if you don't have a long term plan like others have said, then you really are in trouble. Other major saving tip from me to you, NEVER eat out. Cook your own food, only buy stuff grown in japan, and you will save a ton. Also, find smaller vegetable/fruit shops to get your produce. The grocery stores will usually kill your budget on produce.

Like others have said, good luck... your money will disappear faster than you realize if you are not careful.

[Alejandro1516]

thanks for the tip, ill make sure to check the gaijin houses, so far i plan to stay in japan for 6 months, then try to get into the budo university program, wish i had known sooner i might be in japan right now in that school.

[Cicada]

this is crazy.

[Paikea]

tijuana baja california, and yeah i was thinking to get a 6month pass then make an extention at japan, the visa takes 1-2 days up to 1 week, so yeah im still boarding my plane in 2-3 weeks '-'There's a fine kendo club near you in National City.

San Diego Kendo-Bu Japanese-American VFW Hall 541 E. 24th St. National City

[Alejandro1516]

thank you paikea for youre reply, unfortunatly traveling to the usa regularly for training is prolly harder than just moving to japan, tho i have been thinking about all of the reply's and my feet are somewhat more on the ground, im trying to get into IBU, so that i may get formal training for that 1 year, after we will see, not that im changing my mind to going to japan, just waiting for the papers to arrive, and yes i am a bit crazy, the main idea for a trip of this magnitude is survive or die, its a personal test, since i dont have much problem with the subject of death, its just a "bigger risk", thanks again for all the reply's, maybe in the futere ill get to spar with some of you ^^;.

[mingshi]

the main problem is, i dont know japanese, and i dont know wich place to go yet, i know ill learn japanese while im there, blah blah
The question is, do you know the Japanese for "where is the nearest kendo dojo?"

Also, if you've never done kendo before, expect to get footwork and basics for the first 3-6 months... (that is, the entire time of your visa)

Good luck.

I feel friendly today.

[nodachi]

Has anyone mentioned yet that there is a requirement at IBU that you should be a shodan before entering? Or was that in reference to seminars but not the year long program?

Not trying to burst anyone's bubble but this might be a problem...

[Alejandro1516]

as far as i know you dont need to know any kendo to enter the program, and i dont plan to practice kendo the first 6 months actually, i plan to study the culture, visit sites, learn the language etc, 6 months is defenetly a joke training wise, wish i could just stay for 4 years without interruptions but the damm visa is on the way, only thing is i sent my mail info and still havent heard reply, was about 1 week ago, also i was reading, its posible to take kendo as a career?, im not 100% sure about this but thought it was a 4 year course.

[nodachi]

...also i was reading, its posible to take kendo as a career?...

Unless you are Japanese and a police man, you cannot make a career out of kendo. It may be the focus of your life, like many of us who focus on kendo when we can and work is just a hobby we do to pay the bills, but it won't ever be a career.

Although your sentence is a little funny so this may be me misinterpretting your English... apologies if that is the case... do you really mean career or are you trying to say a college major?

[Alejandro1516]

i dont really know, just read that you can study kendo for 4 years, prolly collage major as you say, and yes excuse my bad english its not my first language, trying to streatch the 6 years i need to live in japan to get citisenship (dont know hows that spelled sorry), so thats why i was thinking if i could get the student visa permit with that.

[KendoPadawan]

I think this guy just wants to go on an adventure.. I was going through that phase once. I wanted to go to the IBU and train for a year and just leave everything behind. Couldn't really care about anything else. But I realised if I did that, then the consequences for me in the future could be worse.

Anyway dude, I see where ur coming from. I do recommend to do it because this might be only once in a lifetime you would ever get.. But just remember, what you do will lead to your own consequences.

[Alejandro1516]

yeah, you hit it right in the spot, its an adventure, and it only comes once in a lifetime, i thank you for the advice, to bad the IBU dosent send reply's on emails much... -,-, sent my adress and everything but didnt get a reply