8th dan

[kendokamax]

"Kendokamax, you already flood the forums with virtual verbal diarrhoea. Desist already. Some of us are trying to get important information"

whaat? where is that from?


hum I wonder if Miyazaki will get 8th dan the youngest.

[James]

Originally posted by AlexM
The youngest person to get 8th dan was Matsubara Teruyuki ...... Keep in mind I got this from an old text I'm translating to English from French (French which I have to correct and "interpret" because it was originaly translated from Japanese). It's a fairly interesting piece about the importance of solitary practice and other things.

Alex that does sound interesting, if you ever do get it translated in written form (not sure if you are translating it and writing it down or just trying to read it) I would be interested in reading it.
If there is any possiblility of mailing it or putting it up somewhere let me know.

cheers,
James

[GMason]

I would be interested in a copy as well if possible.

[AlexM]

James,

The translation will be in written form. It should be eventually posted on the McGill Kendo website (God knows when). I don't want to promise anything because this translation stuff is tough work so I don't know when it'll be done. I've already completed work on another shorter one by a 7th dan (Abe Tetsushi) on the "goal" or "point" of kendo (it's a shorter 3-4 pages, easy read). That one should be posted very soon. If you want, I'll try to remember to send you a PM once that's been done.

Our sensei gave some of us short pieces (translated from Japanese to French, French which must be corrected and interpreted because it's an almost literal translation from Japanese) to read, correct and translate, some related to our own kendo, others just interesting texts. They're being translated into English and French. They should all be on the website eventually (although everybody's busy doing other things so don't hold your breath). And yes, I use a spell checker and a dictionnary when doing this so mistakes shoud be minimal (unlike my posts).

And if you think this is a ploy to get people to visit our website. . . yes, yes it is.

[Neil Gendzwill]

I think Nishikawa-sensei is one of the youngest if not the youngest. He passed this year on his first try, I believe he's 46.

[kendokamax]

there is already one text in the french section:

LA CONCEPTION DU " MEN UCHI " DE NARAZAKI SENSEI PAR KENJI TOKITSU

[stinkyKote]

I could be wrong, but I could've sworn last year a 9th dan sensei from japan came to visit our dojo ... he was pretty old, in his 80s-
I'll see if I can find someone that remembers his name-

[Confound]

I won't repeat myself, or make excuses for the history lesson, but it was one some people sorely needed. Please stop romanticizing Japan's history! It was just as nasty and brutish as the feudal periods of every other country!

As for the potential for science and scientific thinking, I honestly believe that Japan would not have gotten very far without the introduction of the scientific method during the Meiji. However, that isn't something you Japan-worshippers wish to hear. By all means, be my guests.

"Japan is God's own country." Happy? Good. That's what the Japanese think too. If this is God's country, then Anselm was certainly wrong about God. He is definately not 'greater than that which can be conceived", he's more like a snivelling little tag along.

c

[Will]

Originally posted by AlexM
The youngest person to get 8th dan was Matsubara Teruyuki at the age of 48 in 1984 (I think it was his first try too...but I might be wrong).

Um...I think a sensei named Hiroyuki Tsukamoto sensei got his 8th dan at 46, the youngest age allowable.

I read it at an interview here (below)

http://www.midwestkendo.com/tsuka.htm

[Will]

This will probably be the only time i'll agree with Confound...

Originally posted by Confound
Please stop romanticizing Japan's history!

I've made long speeches about this when chillin' with a couple guys from my dojo, but i'm keeping this short....

Every cultures have there ups and down. I get a little sick of hearing the nobility of the samurai and the Japanese people from the high school samurai freaks at my dojo. These guys do everything to learn about Japanese culture and romanticize it, which is ok i guess. But respect your own culture. Time in time again people come thinking Japan is the greatest culture in the planet and totally jock their own, but Japan's not. Every culture is great, every culture has had it's ups and its down, no one culture is better than another. Yes, the Japanese culture is great, but so is your own. Instead of learning about some other culture and glorifying it, go home and learn about your own, where you came from, what your ancestors had to do. I know a lot of people are in touch with their culture and might be offended to what i'm saying, but i'm not speaking to you. I'm speaking to the people who glorify a culture that isn't theirs but want it to be theirs. I know the response, "I do know my own culture," but then why are you glorifying another culture so much?

Why can't we all just get along? Let's stop talking about whose fault is what, let's just reflect on the past and remember it and cherish it, not analyse it.

Oh, and the people who reply angrily to this are usually the ones who don't know about their culture and are going to lie about knowing about it

[AlexM]

Thanks for the info on age gentlemen. This confirms my suspicions about the piece I'm translating:

a) It may be slightly out of date (only with regards to that kind of trivia, all the other stuff in it is still pertinent). I think it was written in the late 80's/early 90's.
b) My interpretation of the original translator's French leaves much to be desired (you have no idea how tough this is).

I'll try to figure all this out once I speak with the translator (that may take a while). Maybe I can get more out of the original Japanese text (not bloody likely) if I can get my hands on it.

[kendokamax]

I agree with Will,

It makes me wonder too when people are being too much japanese when they are actually not. I think it's a bit direspectful towards your own culture a little.


To love his/her country and society,
To contribute to the development of culture
And to promote peace and prosperity among all peoples


does that ring a bell samurai boy and girl?


hey
AlexM, the "translator" will be at the grading this weekend so..bring your textes!!!!

[KhawMengLee]

First off well start on your level, Confound I found 6 spelling errors in your post. This is the worst rant, I have ever read. What exactly is your point?

well, dude...for a guy that has a quote that says, "the ppinciple of stratagy is to have one thing and know a thousand things -musashi", every time he posts, I wouldn't go harping on spelling, eh?

You write about there inability to create original things, well think, maybe if they hadn’t always had to deal with other pushy countries (china America GB) they might have.

China? pushy? how so?

The point I was trying to make was that Perry parking his ass on the beach saying “open up or be destroyed” was at best: arrogant assumption. No one knows what would have happened, had that not happened. But it wasn’t his call to make.

Coming from an ex-colonial nation, Malaysia, I would say that nobody likes to be colonized. But unlike many colonists the British weren't so bad. They, unlike the French(Indo-china), let the locals run administration and trade. So when they left the country could still stand on its own. Though one can still see the aftermath in the social status of the three main race groups. Malays in Government and Administration. Chinese in commerce and mining. Indians in labour.

Bad colonists...look at indonesia, vietnam, etc...vietnam is particularly a good example of bad colonialism. The French didn't allow any locals into trade and administration, only labour. Not surprising the country fell apart when they left.

Colonialism sucks but where would we be without it? China would probably be under one of the Dowager's mutant inbred decendants and we would still think we are the middle kingdom.

Just think back to the Monty Python movie "The Life of Brian",

"What have the Romans ever done for us, eh?"

PEACE
MENG

[Kenshi]

Hey,

I was told this by an IKF Director (I am paraphrasing)- the IKF does not stipulate grading rules, but all tend to follow the ZNKR. Thus, any association could create rules for awarding their own hachidan etc. In fact, I was told that Germany has approached the IKF/ZNKR about awarding their own shogo (renshi/kyoshi/hanshi) grades ..... I think because they are practically impossible to get under the new guidlines (unless your nihongo is excellent).

Howell sensei told me that he attempted hachidan so that it would encourage other Europeans etc. to give it a go. It seems most are reticent due to reasons given prior in the thread.

If one assocation starts awarding its own grades (esp. shogo), I bet the rest will follow.

Havent there been home-grown [nisei japanese] hachidans in the states?

Cheers,

[James]

Originally posted by AlexM
James,

The translation will be in written form...... I don't want to promise anything because this translation stuff is tough work so I don't know when it'll be done.

Good news,
appreciate you are doing this in your own time, I look forward to reading it when it's done. Maybe you should submit it to KW too.
James