Training in Japan

[Musha]

I thought I wanted to write about what it is like to train in Japan for the people in England who don't know. I took some photos today but I don't think they were too good.

I went to Japan for a home stay two years ago and my host family introduced me to a dojyo in there town. I went back to England and practiced at two dojyos around Manchester for about two years and learned Kihon.

My dojyo in Japan is mainly made up of Lower school and middle schoolers and afew lower ranking men and about 10 senseis men and afew women from about 4 dan- 7th dan. One seisei always leads the class and the other sensei give help to any one who needs it on the way.

Today we went to the town budokan which has about three sections, a kyudo (archery) dojyo, a tatami dojyo (sports tatami floor for jyudo, aikido and karate) and a wooden floor for kendo. Today when I arrived it was being used for a ping-pong game and a badminton game.

After donning my gi and tare, do in the changing rooms I went to the (wood floor) number 2 dojyo where some sensei were busy practicing kendo kata between them selfs.

Later all the kids got ready for the clearning of the floor. Done in Japanese style of course, if you have ever seen 'Spirited away' you might know what I mean but if you don't, It involves taking a cloth, placing your two hands on it and running forward across the floor like a weel barrow race without the guy holing your legs :d.

Later was warm up, this was quite usual, ICHI, NI, SAN, YON, GO, ROKU, SHICHI, HACHI, KYU, JYU! finger spreading, wrist twisting, leg streching etc. Then we made a small train made up of three people to a carriages, kind of like an army running group and headed around the dojyo showting ICHI, NI, SAN, SHI and some thing in reply. I say Sore! but I guess they are saying some thing else . BTW All this was lead by the chugaku sei female senpai.

We then split into Sho gaku sei (Lower school) and Chu gaku sei (middle school) students. I was in the Chu gaku sei section . We then ran to the end of the dojyo shouting AAAAHHHH!! with the sensei saying, "Whats that!, louder, faster", "How are you going to be a kendoka with that slow foot work!". The shogaku sei beat us Chu gaku sei for loudness even with me on the chu gaku sei side .

Then it was Suburi using bokuto and shinai if you feel like it or don't have a bokuto. The leading sensei giving info on the way and pulling people up for bad foot work. One Chugaku sei was brought to the middle to show his choyaku suburi (Jumping suburi) "Do you think this is good? Your back foot is too slow" he shouted. "Show us your choyaku suburi" he said to a shogaku sei girl about 4 1/2 feet 8 year old. She did it quite well! Better than me I guess :d.

Then we started the class with seza "Shomei ni rei!" "Kami za ni rei!", "Sensei ni rei!" "#Onegaishimasu!#", "Otagai ni rei" "#onegaishimasu!#" "Uchi o toshi!" "Mokuso" the young chugakusei senpai said.

Then waza eiko (form practice). Mostly the same things, Kirikaeshi, men uchi, kotomen, kote men men, kirikaeshi (2x) combined with men uchi yohon (4x), men, kote men, kote men men, men taiatari hiki men.

I felt like I would die by the time it was kakari geiko time but I sneeked a few minutes brake and did it. Finaly it was jigeiko time but I ended up practicing more semei and men cuts with the sensei.
Lastly we had a jigeiko session for the big people and sensei only.

Shiritsu (Line up) time again and the head sensei gave his last thoughts on things to work on, kendo in general, grading passes and upcoming event notice.

Well hope some one will read this and tell my what they though . I'll try make some more post on budo related things another time.

[Light Samurai]

Woah, that sounds like fun. I wanna go

[Kaoru]

Hi Musha-san,

That was very informative and really interesting to hear how a practice is run in a dojo in Japan. Thank you for sharing it! How long are your practices and how many days do you get to practice? Oh, and out of curiosity, what are you doing in Japan? School? Glad you are having a good time!

Kaoru

[Musha]

I'm glad you ejoyed reading it. I didn't want it to sound like I was bosting about going to Japan or just a list of things we did so I'm glad. I'm wondering if I could add some pictures I took without a scanner ..

The practices are twice a week, Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. About two hours each. Sunday seems the main day when things happen, recently there have been events like races for the kids and later practices so I haven't been able to attend on Sundays .

I'm in Japan trying to teach English but because it is a new company only about 2 a week .

[Musha]

By the way I posted this twice. Some one asked what is the difference between kendo in Japan and England. I just remembered that there don't seem to be any beginners I have seen some young children that seem to be beginners but I can't remember seeing them in practice. I think you join the club watch for afew weeks, go throught afew things then get stuck in with practice. I've got to ask how beginners are tought .

[Richmond-san]

If you do not mind me asking, how is it that you are teaching english in Japan at the age of 19? Also I hope to train in Japan myself when I go on school exchange in a year.

Richmond-san