Fukuoka - Hoy

[bobdonny]

2 days till I, and the Irish WKC delegation, head for Fukuoka for a 10 day training session with Sumi Sensei hacidan..

I am sheeting it :o

Training 9-13 in the morning and 5-8 in the evening.

Any advice? On the kendo or the place itself?

What is eveyone else doing to prepare for the WKC (i am not competing but going for the training camp)?

[rfoxmich]

Ganbatte. I envy you.

[Awooga Guy]

Good luck fella :)






That is all.

[ScottUK]

Go to Hakata Bay - where the Mongols invaded - very nice place to visit (if the weather holds out).

You're only a train ride from Ganryujima (near Kokura-kita ward) where Musahi fought Kojiro - also very cool place to see. Get the train to Mojiko and then a short ferry... don't forget to carve an oar en-route!

[ziggey]

don't forget to carve an oar en-route!

yeah, either that or kill everyone who gets in your way (preferrably with your bokuto)... =)

[xvikingx]

Any advice? On the kendo or the place itself?

Have fun and thank your lucky charms that you're not going in the Summer!
Also avoid meitaiko like the clap.

[bobdonny]

nice advice all round ;)

How bout meitaiko? should i carve 2 oars for there ;)

[xvikingx]

nice advice all round ;)

How bout meitaiko? should i carve 2 oars for there ;)

It's minging cod eggs mixed with some spice. Fukuoka is famous for it so you are likely going to have at least one of your hosts feed it to you, then you are going to have to eat it and lie through your teeth about how yummy it is. 1 oar should be enough, just besure to swing it at whoever brings you that stuff.

[ben]

For some more recent history you could go to Aburayama, which is now a public park. During WWII it was a place where a group of Japanese junior officers took captured American airmen and executed them using 'budo' techniques: karate (didn't work apparently), kyudo and iaido. One of those officers, whose death sentence was commuted, is now kendo hanshi 9 dan.

http://home.comcast.net/~winjerd/IMTFE_2.htm

b

[mingshi]

Definitely say HAI out loud to head for the Tabe/ Nomi-houdai restaurant and drain their Asahi stock dry!!

I got tricked into that meitaiko once with a cute bento on Shinkansen... Felt so cheated that I'd never had eki-bento again!!

[Kenshi]

For some more recent history you could go to Aburayama, which is now a public park. During WWII it was a place where a group of Japanese junior officers took captured American airmen and executed them using 'budo' techniques: karate (didn't work apparently), kyudo and iaido. One of those officers, whose death sentence was commuted, is now kendo hanshi 9 dan.

http://home.comcast.net/~winjerd/IMTFE_2.htm

b

Thanks for this like Ben, it makes some quite startiling reading. Its gonna take me some time to go through it, but I will.

It says all the death sentences were commuted because the Allies (ie Americans) mood changed due to the Korean War. Japan was an enemy-turned-ally.

[xvikingx]

Definitely say HAI out loud to head for the Tabe/ Nomi-houdai restaurant and drain their Asahi stock dry!!
Most of these places have now put some fine print (in Japanese of course) on their menus to save them from the beer guzzling gaijin hoards, and enkai drink-a-thons. It usually comes in the form of 90 minute time limit, which is easily remedied by ordering 2,3,or4 big boys per person at a time! 2 or 3 heavy hitters in a group of 7 to 10 is usually enough to put the squeeze on them. Also remember that they start taking their sweet time to bring you beers, so make sure you order well before you're done.
I'm an enkai 8-dan:D


Felt so cheated that I'd never had eki-bento again!!
Bento for the most isn't that good no matter where you buy it, especially if it has fried food in it. When bento is suggested I usually say "get bento".

[Danny Boy]

Training at Fukuoka University of Education must have been the best time of my kendo life (did a month in there during august this year).

Enjoy the training, listen to Sumi sensei (he is a good guy _unless_ you fcuk things up), do lots of kendo with the students (and have a chotto ippai once in a while with them as well).

[Koban]

woo! bob the accupunture worked on my foot! yeah sumi is an unimaginable sensei! we were very lucky for this opportunity! and gaining titles is allthe more fun! (irish delegation will know)

[bobdonny]

THe DVD of our exploits is now available from Kendo Na h-Eireann for Euro25. It covers 12 days from dublin to japan, and full access to the WKC.

:) :)

[Koban]

it is?!! where?! although i do have the master copy! haha is it edited?!?! i dunno if pops has done it yet!

Koban

[bobdonny]

Nah Dude, for that i'd have to see it first ;)

But if the quality is as good as implied i reckon why not.... along the lines of kendoka DVD.

I dont need to get a cut of the dosh its enough to know im a world famous star/scar ;)