Any Gaijin in Osaka?

[Benegizer]

Hi all, I just joined this forum. I have been living in Japan for about three years now. I live in Osaka and teach English at a junior high school in Nara. I have been able to join the Kenbo-bu after school, and my students teach me kendo. It great because it's totally free (I just started so probably won't be buying any of the gear till much later, but when I buy it through the school I get a 20% discount) and they gave me a new shinai to practive with. My main teacher is a san-nensei (third year student, 8th-9th grade US, 15 years old) He is very patient with me. Of course the lessons are all in Japanese (those of you who expect most Japanese students or people to speak English are wrong) I can speak Japanese pretty well, but still pretty tough at times. One of the girl students speaks English pretty well (lived in the US for a year)but only has been doing kendo for a year, so out side of translating can't help that much. But the enviroment is very friendly because I teach all these kids English during the day. I am new to kendo so I have a few questions...

Learning at the junior high level, are there things that I might be missing out on? The main Kendo sensei told me that they don't teach neck stabing at the junior high level. I also heard that the shinai might be alittle shorter. What is the standard length for a shinai?
How often do most of you guys train or go to class? I usually go everyday, but my body is starting to get tired (I also work out during the week) and I might cut back to three times a week.
If I was to continue at a steady pace, how far could I progress in a year? (After this school year finishes I don't know how much longer I will stay in Japan)
and lastly, any other gaijin living out here in Kansai that studies kendo? Be interested to meet another gaijing out here that studies kendo.

Any other questions or comments would be welcome.


Ben

[Benegizer]

......thanks for the warm welcome guys.....

[Andoru]

Welcome to the KW forums! :D Sorry I'm not in Osaka right now.

[AkuSokuZan]

Hi all, I just joined this forum. I have been living in Japan for about three years now. I live in Osaka and teach English at a junior high school in Nara. I have been able to join the Kenbo-bu after school, and my students teach me kendo. It great because it's totally free (I just started so probably won't be buying any of the gear till much later, but when I buy it through the school I get a 20% discount) and they gave me a new shinai to practive with. My main teacher is a san-nensei (third year student, 8th-9th grade US, 15 years old) He is very patient with me. Of course the lessons are all in Japanese (those of you who expect most Japanese students or people to speak English are wrong) I can speak Japanese pretty well, but still pretty tough at times. One of the girl students speaks English pretty well (lived in the US for a year)but only has been doing kendo for a year, so out side of translating can't help that much. But the enviroment is very friendly because I teach all these kids English during the day. I am new to kendo so I have a few questions...

Learning at the junior high level, are there things that I might be missing out on? The main Kendo sensei told me that they don't teach neck stabing at the junior high level. I also heard that the shinai might be alittle shorter. What is the standard length for a shinai?
How often do most of you guys train or go to class? I usually go everyday, but my body is starting to get tired (I also work out during the week) and I might cut back to three times a week.
If I was to continue at a steady pace, how far could I progress in a year? (After this school year finishes I don't know how much longer I will stay in Japan)
and lastly, any other gaijin living out here in Kansai that studies kendo? Be interested to meet another gaijing out here that studies kendo.

Any other questions or comments would be welcome.


Ben

Sorry Ben, not many people check this area of the forums...

Also, Welcome to KW!!!!!!!

The main thing you have to realise, being junior myself, is that during the junior level, you are not old and/or qualified enough to be able to practice some waza, such as Tsuki, like you mentioned (neck stabbing). Tsukki is a waza that takes a lot of practice, patience and isn't something you can learn in the period of several classes, like men-uchi, so don't worry about it. Even a lot of professionals don't really use it in shiai, though they do practice it.

Training with the juniors might actually be a good thing for a beginner. You won't have to take a sempai or sensei away from practice to help you, and you will be able to catch up to a slightly lower level at a good pace. The most important thing for you is to catch up and best the junior level before you can continue. (The standard adult length shinai for a 6 foot tall male is a size 39 at about 550 grams.)

If you want to develop kendo a lot, try to work out less, and do Kendo more. You do not want unnecesary muscle weight for kendo. It puts unnecesary pressure on your ankles, and knees, and also, may slow you down. Speed is very important.

When I practiced kendo at a steady pace, twice a week for a year, I already had my bogu on and was sometimes joining the senior-ish practice (mainly practice with sensei and "kakari-geiko" with sensei). At your pace (the japanese school club pace) and if you practice hard, I believe you may be able to have your bogu on in the time period of 5-8 months.

I have a question as well, for the after school clubs, do they wear their do-gi, or just their sports jumpsuits??

Funny story: At Todaiji in Nara, I fell down, droped my camera, and scraped my elbow running backwards from the deer to take a picture.. Heh heh heh that was fun....

[kumaken]

Hi!
I'm in Kumamoto, nowhere near Osaka but I was just there on the weekend visiting the Prefectural University. Great town, lots of great kendo. Whereabouts do you live? I might know some people in your area. Drop a line!
Here in Kumamoto, I join in the JHS class (my wife's the coach *) for extra practice. Like previous poster said, it is a good level to "catch up" and learn "physical" kendo.
You can probably get 1Kyu w/in a year.
I also suggest reducing your workouts (weights) for a while. Let your muscles learn how to hold and swing the shinai easily, after you can gradually build up to increase strenght as necessary.

Hope this helps,
Kumaken

[Benegizer]

Thanks for the kind words guys. Yeah, I figured it would be a great place and way to start, because I could start at a really basic level. The students are really good teachers, like I may have said some have been studying for about 5 to 6 years. Most of them own their own Bogu, except for me and the other first year students who started around the same time.

Soon I'm going to start going three times a week. Though now I still go everyday.I would still like to continue to work out. I mean I can already preform more suburi (with good form) that than other students during the warm up (mainly because I was already active and have a pretty high level of endurance and upper body and arm strength) But my arms get sore with my students constatly wanting to arm wrestle me. I'm not that tall (about 5'8.5", 173 cm) so some of the students are as tall as me, or taller :disapp:

I only wish I had started this sooner.

Ohh, and I live in Tengachaya, south of Namba.

[Kansai Ronin]

Hi there I' have also just joined this forum.
As far as Kendo is concerned I'm not sure but if you are interested in Iaido I can help you out. I'm a member of a Dojo here in Osaka so if you are interested please send me a message.

Cheers

[hannya78]

I am going to live in Osaka for one year..departure will be next month. I am so happy to start practicing in Japan, I will go to the Shudokan. Does anyone know it? I am also new to this forum so, hajime mashite!!

[Kansai Ronin]

Hi , I replied to your message in the Iaido section, just wanted to ket you know that I know a place that you can start training at if you need one, just send me a message

cheers

[Osakajinyan]

I moved to Osaka about one month ago and used to train in Germany. I just recently found a dojo in Yokogawa-ku, but I guess I will pay a visit to the Shudokan aswell for it offers saturday training also.

This is my first time on this board!
「よろしくお願いしまぁぁぁぁす」

[Kenshi]

Yokogawa-ku? Dont you mean Yodogawa-ku? This is where I live.

Shudokan only practises on a saturday once a month. Unless you are at least 3 or 4dan I wouldnt bother going.

Please PM me directly and we can meet or I can help you find a dojo that will suit you.

[Osakajinyan]

Hello neibour! yes, ofcourse I meant Yodogawa-ku. I will send you PM straight away. best wishes. I will in 木川 right in the middle between 新大阪駅 and 十三駅.
cheers

[Osakajinyan]

Oh, another forum that does not allow editing the posts. Before there will be another misunderstanding: My flat (or better my room) is in Kikawa. (cross out will, put live) cheers

[Aaramis]

I'm in the Tennoji / Abeno area of Osaka. PM me if I can help with anything.

Welcome to the boards :)

[David]

I have a question for all of the gaijin kendo-ka who are living in Japan right now. Did you guys move to Japan to study kendo, or is it something that you picked up while you were there for other reasons (i.e. work, school, etc.)?

[Kenshi]

I have a question for all of the gaijin kendo-ka who are living in Japan right now. Did you guys move to Japan to study kendo, or is it something that you picked up while you were there for other reasons (i.e. work, school, etc.)?

I'm an igirisujin kendoka if that qualifies me to comment.

I would say you have to be pretty stupid to move to japan to study kendo. If you have just finished uni and you want 2 years of fun and kendo whilst earning some money to pay of your uni-debts or what not then, yeah, come to Japan. But if you seriously want to live here and want a future then basing that on some dream of becoming a Kendo Master or other such stuff is setting yourself up for a very, very, bleak future.

As for people who start out here - I have been living here for pretty much 3 years now and except for a couple of guys in the kendo-world team and a couple of other guys on the KW Forums ive never met anyone with even nidan. I lived in Hiroshima for 2 years, not the biggest city in Japan (actually, the 10th with a population of 1 million) and I never saw any other non-Japanese people at any shiai or shinsa save for 1 or 2 guys that were rank beginners. Ive been in Osaka for a year now (the 2nd biggest city in Japan with god knows how many millions of people) and - although ive not been as active in the kendo community here as yet - ive only seen a couple of non-japanese guys sitting there ikkyus or shodans or something here. I seen no-one at any big shiai.

I am taking part in the Osaka City Mayors Cup (市長杯) next weekend and I fully expect to be the only non-Japanese competitor. If I see anyone else I'm gonna speak to them!!!!!

I suspect tokyo is a much, much, much better place to find experienced and inexperience non-Japanese kendoka. Probably loads of ya!!

Im kind of used to it now, so I dont care. But it was quite lonely for the first 2 years. Thats why I do my best to help out any non-Japanese kendo people I meet and befriend.

I hope I kind of answered at least part of your question!!!!　Its partly therapy for me though... :ogre:

[nodachi]

"I suspect tokyo is a much, much, much better place to find experienced and inexperience non-Japanese kendoka. Probably loads of ya!!"

I'd say it's pretty rare out here too. There may be a lot of us, but when you spread us out over all the dojos then that still translates to 1 gaijin per every few clubs.

I think the temporary nature of people's stays here contribute to few people attending shiai or gradings. They don't stay long enough to really get the chance to participate. There is also the situation where your club or group may not mention any of these events. Where I train, no one talks about shiai at all. It's not really on their list of priorities. Other clubs may focus on it, but some may not mention these events to gaijin unless you actively ask about it yourself.

[Kenshi]

Yeah, thats a good point. Hiroshima kendo renmei doesnt have a website, so information was/is pretty scarce. Some people are 'in the know' and others are just hobbyists. Osaka has a website and I know the right people, so Its much easier to find out whats on and where.

I was selected for the shiai I am participating in next week, which is good. In Hiroshima it was the same - selection.

2 years ago this time during Golden Week Alex and the KW-Boys had a keiko at Kyoto University... loads of non-Japanese... it was fun. I would like to have done that again this year... maybe next year I will organise a keiko in Osaka for people who are here during GW.... in fact, I will!!!!!!

[Benegizer]

I started over a year ago after being here for over three years. I wish I would have started earlier, but starting kendo in Japan is not like joining a gym. It can be a bit intimidating to just walk into a dojo and be like "I wanna start kendo", especially since most serious people start really young.

George is a helpful and good guy to know in Osaka. We became friends, and he has really helped my kendo, as well as keeping me informed of stuff happening in the Kendo community in Osaka.

[Cool Cat]

There is usually more people around the clubs in Tokyo as some of you have mentioned. I lived in Tokyo for 4 years and have just returned for another 2 years for work. There are a few of us Australians here in Tokyo.

When I first arrived in Japan I was 2nd Kyu and finding a local club was a bit difficult just outside Tokyo. However I did and I just walk in and asked if I could watch and after the class when I was still there the Sensei asked if I wanted to start learning. He was surprised when I turned up with Bogu..... I'm now 3rd dan and getting back into training at another club in Tokyo.

I didn't come to Japan for the purpose of kendo but work and kendo is great.

Regards

Carl

[Super Kodachi]

I was selected for the shiai I am participating in next week, which is good. In Hiroshima it was the same - selection.


Cool, well done George thats great. Did you have to fight in a shiai league for the selection or was it just decided off court so to speak? By the way have you seen our DVD from the UNi Taikai? ITs Fantastic Adrian made a brilliant one with interactive menus and everything! I can burn you a copy and post it to you if you dont have one already. Maybe Gibbo sent you one?

I'm off to the Zurich Cup at the end of the month. We're taking two teams from UCL and Brian Hayes is joining us as well. I'll try and get some pictures.


2 years ago this time during Golden Week Alex and the KW-Boys had a keiko at Kyoto University... loads of non-Japanese... it was fun. I would like to have done that again this year... maybe next year I will organise a keiko in Osaka for people who are here during GW.... in fact, I will!!!

Can I come? lol

By the way is Michio still in Nara?

[Chris R]

Hi.....So this is a pretty good thread.If you guys dont mind,I'll add my two yen worth.First of all George gave some pretty good info so I will follow up a little bit with my story.
I have been doing kendo for just over five years now and passed my san-dan test two months ago. I started kendo in Japan,because I never heard of it until I moved to Japan and my wife introduced me to it.
My dojo is just behind my house and it is a very traditional dojo. My wife and I showed up to practice to observe since I didnt speak any Japanese. I walked in the dojo and my eyes became very wide,because their were no other non-japanese people their.The dojo was filled with about 40 JHS and SHS kendoka and maybe a couple of Adults.
I was very intimidated,but as soon as the sensei saw me.He came up and introduced himself in English......Cool I thought,but come to find out that was the only english he spoke.He asked if I was interested in kendo and I replied yes so he got two chairs for my wife and I and asked us to watch practice.
Afterwards he asked if I wanted to join and learn and I said sure that was the beginning of my kendo journey five years ago. At first I started learning my footwork with another sensei who is 80 years old and a nana-dan. It was one on one with him for about two months three times a week......After that the dojo gave me a bogu set to use that belonged to a kyu-dan......Wow what pressure to put me under,Anyway this is when the fun started.
My first practice with bogu was interesting.......that is if you can say how many times can I hit the foriegner. My dojo is 60 years old and I'm the very first non-japanese to be a member and still the only non-japanese there.
Little by little these kids parents at the dojo became interested in the gaijin so they came and watched and little by little these parents joined the dojo....so now we have several Adults in our dojo.....About two years after I joined another japanese fellow joined who had been living in London the past three years and could speak excellent english. He was a member of Hizen dojo and London City club dojo and was a san-dan.
Well lets fast forward a bit after about one year I tested for 1kyu and my sensei asked if I wanted to take part in the area taikai and I jumped at this WOWWWWWWWWW my first match, but the best part is when I got to the taikai I was the only non-japanese and there are around a couple of thousand people fighting in this taikai. I got beat down so bad it wasnt even funny and I entered several more with the same result, but two years ago at this same taikai,I won my first match,then I won the next one and the next and the next and at the end I won thrid place in my area and this was at 40 years old.
After one year and three months I got sho-dan and then one year after that ni-dan. I had done kendo for around three years,but just in Japan and I was interested in meeting other people doing kendo, so I when to a taikai in Brussels and then a taikai in Sweden, one in US and two months ago just after earning my san-dan I participated in the French Open and had a blast.
What I love about kendo is the world is a very small place when you go around to taikai's. I have met several good friends though kendo.
My dojo is great after being their for five years this people are my family,We have done so much together. I dread the day I have to move back to the states.
Don't me wrong their is alot that I left out, but to be accepted you have to stay around for a period of time and be deicated no matter how bad it is. When I first joined the fee was 2,000 yen a month(20 dollars) Insurance 1500 yen per year and membership fee for ZNKR/NKR. After I made ni-dan I didnt have to pay monthly fee's anymore only insurance and ZNKR membership.
I make the fee's up by teaching the new kendoka. I feel very proud that my sensei trusts me to teach the new people.
As far as i know you have to be a member of your local kendo renmei and zen nihon kendo federation to take tests, but any grade you make in Japan under these guidelines will be accepted and recognized anywhere in the world.
If you have any questions. Feel free to ask and by the way I started kendo at the young age of 38 and I now 43.
Their is a link to my dojo on my signature. If your ever here or anyone wanting to visit Japan .let me know and you are welcome at my dojo.We are in Tokyo near Ikebukuro.
Chris

[Chris R]

Sorry everyone about the bad writing above. Believe it or not.....I'm in a hurry to leave the office,but I wanted to respond to this before I left.
Chris

[Osakajinyan]

Very interesting and I do envy you a little. I started Kendo in Autumn 2000 in Germany and am doing Kendo for nearly 6 years now (which is not a lot comapared to others). Anyway, I Germany you HAVE to go through 6 kyu examination and between those you need to have at least half a year of break. For nikkyu-test you have to have already 3 examiners with at least nidan and licencs and one of them at least yondan and licence! It depends more on how well you area is developend in means of examiners than on your skill how fast you can rise up the grades.

I was told in Japan that my basics are very good and that I could pass Shodan or Nidan without much problem. However, because I am nikkyu in Germany, a shodan I make in Japan will not be recognised by the German kendo association. It would be diffrent, if I would have started with Kendo here. Even if I do Ikkyu test here, which I have to announce (and pay) weeks before to the German association and I would even have to wait one year untill I can take part in shodan examination which will be recognised in Germany (and which I would have to announce and pay at least three weeks before).

Anyway I do not want to complain, since I believe it is a great chance I have here to advance in more than one aspect. I always enjoyed learning the hard way. It was not coincidence that I found the Dojo. I was looking for one and found one. My reason to come to Japan was basicly job and gf, who is still living 3 hours away with Shinkansen. Anyway I believe I can consider myself as lucky.

[kumaken]

[QUOTE=2 years ago this time during Golden Week Alex and the KW-Boys had a keiko at Kyoto University... loads of non-Japanese... it was fun. I would like to have done that again this year... maybe next year I will organise a keiko in Osaka for people who are here during GW.... in fact, I will!!!!!![/QUOTE]

I've been trying/thinking to get something together down here in Kyushu. Last year, I had an event planned for non-Japanese where Kamei-sensei (8D Kyoshi, Kumamoto police) was set to give a special seminar with godo-geiko. Unfortunately, plans fell through since no one showed up :(

My wife's 実家 is in Hyogo, so we go back for holidays. Count me in for a Kansai meeting!

[Kenshi]

Chris R - nice story!! i will be sure to get in touch with you if i hit tokyo anytime soon. i dont like earthquakes though!!! Send me a PM if you hit Osaka.

kumaken - great! just send me a PM the next time you are in the area... if we cant make keiko then beers can be had.

super kodachi - you are invited. i was selected. didnt see your dvd. mich is back home!

Osakajinyan - almost any adult will pass shodan and nidan in japan, and probably sandan too. go to a grading and check it out... the pass rates are incredible. they suddenly drop to 20% (or below) at the 4dan mark.

in fact, i could probably set up a training session any sunday morning in osaka... if i have enough people i will def do so. i would get some locals to take part as well.

[JSchmidt]

I was told in Japan that my basics are very good and that I could pass Shodan or Nidan without much problem. However, because I am nikkyu in Germany, a shodan I make in Japan will not be recognised by the German kendo association. It would be diffrent, if I would have started with Kendo here. Even if I do Ikkyu test here, which I have to announce (and pay) weeks before to the German association and I would even have to wait one year untill I can take part in shodan examination which will be recognised in Germany (and which I would have to announce and pay at least three weeks before).


If you try to grade as a member of the German Kendo association, then you will have to go through all those hoops, but if you join your local kendo renmei, apply for grading through there, you should be sorted.
As long as you are following local procedures and are a paid up member of your local renmei, they will have to acknowledge your menjo.

Jakob

[Kenshi]

If you try to grade as a member of the German Kendo association, then you will have to go through all those hoops, but if you join your local kendo renmei, apply for grading through there, you should be sorted.
As long as you are following local procedures and are a paid up member of your local renmei, they will have to acknowledge your menjo.


Actually Jacob, it can be more complex. Take the BKA for for example: i am being forced to keep my BKA membership up every year IN CASE i go back to live in the U.K. at some point. If i turn up with a nanadan menjo but have a lapse in membership they can deny my gradings and reduce me to nothing again, despite having the menjo.

I think its really aimed as something to stop people only becoming members when they are about to grade (i.e. keep the funds coming in and also - more importantly - ensure people in bka dojos are actually insured properly etc).

when i apply for gradings i also need to submit a letter from the BKA saying i am who i said I am, and graded when i said i did. This is a stipulation by the ZNKR in japan, and not the BKA. If you started in japan you dont have to do this. I am not sure WHY or HOW this actually works...... so Osakajinyan is right to be wary.

In my case - as an ex-pat kenshi - i pay my money (thats 150quid thus far) and get zero benefits. I still pay local dues and local insurance as well.

For the BKAs case, the rule about 'denying gradings' should be scrapped for people living outside the U.K., immedietly.

[don don]

Actually Jacob, it can be more complex. Take the BKA for for example: i am being forced to keep my BKA membership up every year IN CASE i go back to live in the U.K. at some point. If i turn up with a nanadan menjo but have a lapse in membership they can deny my gradings and reduce me to nothing again, despite having the menjo. .

Is that correct? If so I'll be in the same position. I wonder if it's right, we'd better be sure. I took ikkyu, shodan and nidan in Japan and had no problem having them recognised by the BKA. Surely as part of the international Kendo family, they have to be recognised, right? Similarly, I have no problem having my sandan (passed in the UK) recognised here. On returning to the UK I don't think I could be "busted" back to zero at all. To enter shinsa in UK you must have sustained continual membership of the BKA for the required time, of course. But I think I recall a phrase something like "or show a good reason why you haven't sustained membership." Surely being a full member of a ZNKR club in Japan for the time period would be a GOOD REASON to have not sustained BKA membership? I believe it's at the president's discretion, and not living in the UK is very good reason for not paying the fees... I'm sure they would be reasonable about it... So my plan is to let my BKA membership lapse in the new year and re-join when I return, hoping that my time as a member of a ZNKR Dojo will indeed be recognised for grading "waiting time" requirements.
I will check with the BKA, but if anyone reading this is sure I'm wrong, I need to know, so please tell me!

[Chris R]

Thanks George I will do that. IMHO I think that the BKA membership deal is for gradings if you take them though the BKA.If the BKA is a member of the IKF they have to recognise your grade if it was obtained though any other kendo federation that is a member of the IKF.
If they are not doing this and don't recognise your grade that was obtained though another IKF fedration then you can make a complaint at the IKF level.
It sounds to me a little like blackmail to keep you paying dues.

[Kenshi]

i had a lapse in my membership when i lived in NYC.. i left the BKA an ikkyu and came back nidan. no problems. but i do feel like i am being blackmailed a bit this time. their argument is non-sensical, but they do have this 'discretion' which, i feel, they should not have. recently with the changes in gradings to take into accout for shinpan experience can also lead to problems if, say, you return the the UK and want to take your godan or something. be careful.

if you find out anything please let me know.

[Osakajinyan]

Thank you for the posts. It is very interested how you handle it in the UK.

In Germany we do have a written regulation, although it is not 100% applicable in my case, as I told I am only nikkyu in Germany and the regulation is only for dan-examinations.
Auslandsrichtlinien DKenB (http://www.dkenb.de/infothek/download/pruefung/INF_DAN_AUSL.PDF)
Here is the link since I believe some here will be able to read a little bit of German. Anyway I will translate a little bit for you.
"wir würden uns freuen wenn ihr alle im DKenB eure Danprüfungen ablegen würdet." - 'we would be happy, if everyone of you would do dangrading in the DKenB'
"Wenn alle Voraussetzungen erfüllt sind, wird die Permission ausgestellt und vom Präsidenten des DKenB an den Prüfling
geschickt." - 'If all premisses are fullfilled the permission is send from the president of the DKenB to the examinee.'

I wrote some email to the person in charge of the exams in the DKenB (German Kendo Association). I can keep you updated, if I find out anything more.

cheers

[kumaken]

kumaken - great! just send me a PM the next time you are in the area... if we cant make keiko then beers can be had.

Will do.
Actually heading back in two weeks for brother-in-law's wedding-no time for keiko unfortunately.

[JSchmidt]

Actually Jacob, it can be more complex. Take the BKA for for example: i am being forced to keep my BKA membership up every year IN CASE i go back to live in the U.K. at some point. If i turn up with a nanadan menjo but have a lapse in membership they can deny my gradings and reduce me to nothing again, despite having the menjo.

No, because that rule only applies to current members of the BKA. If you are a member of an IKF approved organisation, the BKA will have have to acknowledge your grade given by that organisation. I would however, keep any membership docomentation, as they did ask me to prove that I had indeed been a member of the NZKF while I was NZ.

Osakajinyan:

The rules you quote, as I understand, apply if you as a member of DKenB want to grade abroad. If you join your local kendo renmei, you do not have to follow those rules, however, talking this over with DKenB is probably a good idea, to avoid any misunderstandings..

Jakob

[Osakajinyan]

Cheers Jacob! I believe you must have been right, because it makes sence and I got an email from the DKenB today. I have inofficial permission to grade for shodan.

[Kenshi]

i wont write more here on this matter... buts its probably better to take jakobs very logical advice. if problems do come up later you can argue it as he states here. i, unlike jakob, tread lightly!

[Budo Angel]

Good luck G-man out there, Jakob is quite right, quit the BKA membership, take up ZNKR, any IKF organisation should recognise your grades if you keep all the paperwork, and you abided by the rules the association you belong to (that includes Japan).

So come do come back a nana-dan to kick butt (as others will do) and BKA can't not recognise (or any other nation's assoc for that matter affliated to IKF) your ranks. Also belong to Japanese assoc, means you follow their rules, you shouldn't have to keep getting "permission" to grade.

The lapse is if you're in this country, membership lapses, you don't belong elsewhere. Not not belonging at all to anywhere...this was to stop people grading, not paying inbetween years, then turning up in the year of your next grade, to grade.

This was how it was put to me, and there are plenty of gaijin in Japan (Brits incl). If its misinterpretation, then what I might think is clearly not printable...

Rach x

ps. You got in touch with Ayuko yet ? who's also in Osaka ?

[Kenshi]

Since Rach has said it, it must be official.

As for Ayuko, I see her almost every week, in and out of the dojo.

[RemCo]

Thanks for the thread guys. I started kendo in England under the BKA, then trained in Japan for a year, went back to the UK and am now in my native Holland and member of the Dutch NKR. I was planning on working in Japan this year so it's getting all very complicated here:surprise:.
I was supposed to receive a "yellow book" from the EKF last year after I graded shodan but haven't got it yet. Guess it's time to sort it out before I'm in trouble. I'll take the advice that it will be ok as long as I'm a member somewhere....

Cheers guys!

[Budo Angel]

(sorry to G)

I see her almost every week, in and out of the dojo

Oh give her hugs !!! We had SUCH a laugh together, times that make me all warm inside...:tongue: I want to be back in Osaka/Kansai per se

On the matter - that yellow book (EKF) is crucial for EKF nations, so I was told. Get your sigs in that ahead of sorting out a menjo ! :normal:

[chidokan]

It's what you do in the dojo that counts... not some stupid bit of paper. If anyone will turn away someone just back from Japan...they deserve what they get, a loss to another club of a potentially very good member/teacher.

If they dont recognise Japanese gradings they shouldn't invite any Japanese over to teach then should they!:D It is to stop member payment avoidance more than penalise ex-pats though...

[Kansai Ronin]

Ah the smell of dojo politics in the morning!!!

[xvikingx]

Y2 years ago this time during Golden Week Alex and the KW-Boys had a keiko at Kyoto University... loads of non-Japanese... it was fun. I would like to have done that again this year... maybe next year I will organise a keiko in Osaka for people who are here during GW.... in fact, I will!!!!!!

This is an excellent idea, and I want in. There are alot of us out here and from the looks of this thread some people from other regions that also want in.
Are you really going to organize something like this or are you just blowing your bagpipes?

[Kenshi]

are you stalking me? youve brought up some very old posts.

yeah, i could do it...... its next may we are looking at.

[xvikingx]

youve brought up some very old posts..

I'm the ghost of KWF past.

[Theprophet05]

Hello guys,
Im in the us military and i got some R&R comming up and i have always been interested in kendo, but due to circumstances beyond my control ive not been able to attain proper training...ive attempted to try myself but failed HOOOOORIBLE due to lack of guidance....man those books really dont help...T_T...but anyways im going to osaka for my R&R and imma have a whole lotta free time so i was wanting to try and start learning kendo, can i get some suggestions and tips? any info would help....thanks

matt

[Kenshi]

If you are only in Osaka for some R&R I dont think anybody can help you. Unless you are here for 6 months or so...

[Theprophet05]

Are you saying its a futile attempts?...that i should wait till i get out of the army and move to japan?...cause i would atleast like to try and start so i have some working knowlege...well even if i cant accually do practice is there a book or something you can reccomend...so im not walking in blind lol...

[Paikea]

Are you saying its a futile attempts?...that i should wait till i get out of the army and move to japan?...cause i would atleast like to try and start so i have some working knowlege...well even if i cant accually do practice is there a book or something you can reccomend...so im not walking in blind lol...You can certainly try to visit a dojo in Osaka and watch some practice, if you have some Japanese-speaking friends it would help. However, you will be able to accomplish very little in a few weeks time, and (IMHO) you won't learn enough to sucessfully continue to practice on your own. Keep your interest up, learn as much background information as you can and bide your time until you can settle in a place long enough (say, a few years) where you can develop a relationship with a dojo and sensei.

[xvikingx]

No one here is trying to discourage you. Please do not misunderstand.
Paikea is absolutely correct. Just to add to what he said, assuming that RR only lasts maybe 2 weeks (I don't know please tell us how long you will be here), you will not find practice everyday unless you join at the very least 2 dojo. Even then there is the money issue. Dojo have membership fees and additional fees that are to be paid monthly. Dojo are not for profit and the Japanese are very generous, but it would be awkward getting free lessons for a couple of weeks at more than one dojo. Not to say you wouldn't pay, because if you offer to compensate (this is a hypothetical situation; try and follow along people) it would embarrass them, because the Japanese are really queer with money.
First things last, tell us how long you will be here and where you will be staying. We'll work from there.

[Paikea]

...the Japanese are really queer with money.
Now, there's an understatement.

[xvikingx]

Now, there's an understatement.

Heh heh heh... Well it's hard to put into words.
If I pay with a 1-man-en bill (about $100) here at let's say a convenience store, they will ask someone to watch them as they count out the change to make sure they don't make a mistake, as opposed to back in Chicago where they give you attitude for making them count higher than ten and then proceed to scrutinize the bill to make sure it's not counterfeit.

[Huddo]

Any suggestions where visitors to Kyoto or Takayama can train ? I'll be there at the early April.

[xvikingx]

Try the Budokuden Kyoto or the Shudokan in Osaka

[Theprophet05]

okay as for location im aiming for osaka or kyoto...at the very least okinawa...but...but R&R is only 2 weeks =*( *sigh* spend a full year getting shot at and only get 2 weeks to chill out...ugghh....well it could be worse....they could not let me have R&R at all but ya those are the 3 locatons...but as for anyone who has been in the military "aint sh*t for sure till it happens"...ne ways im really aiming for osaka...

[Kenshi]

Honestly speaking mate if you are looking for R&R id go to Okinawa.

If you want to see lots of temples and stuff, then hit Kyoto (and Nara from there).

If you want to party then you might as well hit Tokyo. Why youd want to come to Osaka I still cant fathom. Maybe you like 漫才 (but I doubt it).

As for kendo, id forget it till you get yourself settled somewhere you have access to a dojo and a teacher.

Once you have picked a date and a location post again here and - if there happens to be any competition going on during that time - then maybe someone can help you out here. If you end up somewhere else than Osaka id start a new thread.