Chidokan's Japan diary

[chidokan]

Hi all,
I'm off to Japan on May 28th for my iaido training, so for those who havent been before I thought I'd do a combination diary/photo/questions and answers page on my website.... if anyone would like to ask anything about the trip, what to do, how to go yourself etc, post here on this thread....

[Light Samurai]

Hi Chidokan-san,
Will you be able to get though airport security with a iaito? And will i be able to take my iaito wth me, if I wanted to go as well?
Thanks.

[chidokan]

Staff are a little wary, but I use a telescopic ski case with a lock. This fits in bokken, shinai and iaito quite easily, (I reckon I could get about nine shinai in one if I tried) and also my camera stand, a fishing rod, etc...
If you intend to travel with iaito, remove the tsuba and replace it with a thick piece of leather the same size as the koiguchi. This prevents damage in transit.
You will also need your MA association membership cards as proof that you do use a sword for the right reasons. It then goes through the secure baggage area and you pick it up when you arrive, same as your other cases.
If they still insist you cant take it (I've never had that problem,) leave it and borrow one while youre there. Or even buy a new one! :smiley:

[webjunkie401]

Mr. Hamilton,

Are you going to be staying mainly around Kyoto, or will your trip bring you up to Tokyo as well?

[chidokan]

unfortunately just Kyoto this time, Ive not managed to wangle a trip up north for 'work'. :down: I will be off down south to Ozu for about a week after a some time in Kyoto.

[chidokan]

just got my itinerary... posted on my site, but to put you in the picture real quick, four different dojos for the first four days. First dojo visit, I walk off the plane, get a bus for an hour to Nishinomiya, then a short car ride, then two hours training. Whether or not I'll be awake for it is another matter... :smiley:

[chidokan]

got my cash today, lost out a bit as the yen fell to 190 from 197 over the last week or so, and heres me hoping for 200 to the £...oh well.... :rolleyes:
Anyone interested in popping over to any of the dojos I am visiting so I can put a face to your name would be welcome to join in!

[megumi_chan]

OT: hello tim!:) how was the birthday bash in the Philippines?:)

[megumi_chan]

OT: hello tim!:) how was the birthday bash in the Philippines?:)

hello! sorry chidokan! mistook you for someone i know! i'm really truly sorry for the mistake!:)

[chidokan]

I'm old enough without having any extra birthdays forced on me! :smiley:

[chidokan]

after a long flight I made it through customs fairly quickly, starigt onto a train for an hours ride to Kyoto centre and then on to Himeji dojo to watch around thirty 7th dans get trained up for the Hyogo taikai as judges....then on to the first dojo for a couple of hours training, a welcome party til 2:30 am, by which time I had been on the go for around 48 hours...
next day shopping for iaido related items got me some cheap kimono for my female students, and a bagful of obi and a juban. Swords were good quality but expensive at Meirin, so i have ordered and already got a nice light iaito from Gifu prefecture instead. I will post the address when I get back...
then training at Taniyama senseis dojo in the evening followed by another party til 2am..
next a trip to Himeji castle and the local museum saw me in full oyoroi armour, much to my friend Yabe senseis amusement, (I think I was set up for this one) sitting on a stuffed horse. Next back to Nishimoto senseis dojo for more training. last day in kyoto was a visit to sanjusangendo and Kyoto museum, where I just missed an exhibition of arms and armour from east Japan... just my luck..and finally kiyomisudera temple before another different dojo with Nishimoto sensei.
Have just finished my first days training after being delayed yesterday when travelling down from Kyoto to Matsuyama. Iwata sensei turned up much to my pleasure and surprise and has given us a really interesting back to basics day, analysing the four different levels of experience for iaidoka. off to a meeting for question time now....update tomorrow.

[ZealUK]

Hi Tim!

Japan sounds very tiring so far! Can you check your hotmail? I sent you an email.

[chidokan]

just made it back today...after being ripped off by JAL for excess baggage, thieving !"£$%....trip was pretty good, apart from when I went to Kansai to pick up my two friends to go to Ozu.. the train was stopped due to an acident and we had to change 7 times to get back en route.... delayed by 5 hours and a days training missed. in the meantime a tour of kyoto, five dojo visits and several 'welcome to japan' parties prior to mark and steve's arrival kept me busy. The best dojo visit was to taniyama senseis dojo on a street corner in Kyoto...it was roasting hot, so all the doors were open, (a bit like standing in a shop window) and the look on passersby faces was fun as they first did a double take on the swords practise then the realisation there was a westerner there as well...I am sure a few went back for a camera...
What may be useful to you all was a visit to the main shopping centre in Kyoto, which has a lot of second hand kimono shops in a certain area. Obi started around the $15 mark and kimono that converted easily into gi around the same price! I got some great stuff that contributed a lot to my excess baggage costs... but worth it!
While at Himeji I got a nice guide for the tour, (perfect english) and as she was a good friend of Yabe sensei went to the local museum where I got to try on a full set of o-yoroi. See my website for shots of a large englishman in the biggest armour they had...needless to say it was a tight squeeze and the shoes didnt fit.... my return visit to Himeji next time will include a trip to the 'last samurai' locations, where Yabe sensei was one of the extras!
Training was something else again... while at Ozu I was made to realise my muscle structure is totally wrong for iaido at a high level, so have a load of exercises to do to fix it. So....back to basics.....
Iwata sensei turned up for the first few days at Ozu, which was a real bonus and surprise. To see him still practising aged 93 is great, especially when he gives his 7th and 8th dan students a hammering when they dont do what he says... it wasnt just me who got an education....It was really interesting to see what he teaches at their level, beyond my capability but within my understanding though.....so at least I saw what I have to aim for. Got a good lecture on iaido philosophy and some good stuff on muscle structure and movement also, so trip well worth it this time.

[chidokan]

started to put photos on web site....you may like the armoured version of me... gave me a laugh anyway! :smiley:

[goh]

Training was something else again... while at Ozu I was made to realise my muscle structure is totally wrong for iaido at a high level, so have a load of exercises to do to fix it. So....back to basics.....


can you explain what do you mean by that?what muscle group do you need to work on and how?

your trip sounds great.so much training,a dream come true.

[chidokan]

I have an underdeveloped group in my lower back at both sides. Compared to Makino sensei who has something the thickness of my fingers and about the width of three fingers, mine is miniscule. Its down to the typical western style of cutting, all upper body and very little abdominal cutting, so the muscles around my lower spine need 'powering up'. Same with the area around and below the 'sixpack', more effort needed! :smiley: I started working on these two years ago but it got to a point where I couldnt even sit down, the pain in my lower back was intense, so I decided I was doing it wrong and stopped before I injured myself.... apparently I am wrong and need to go through the pain for around a year before these muscles are strong enough to do what I want!