Yesterday marked the end of my spell of karate training in Japan. The JKA Honbu dojo is now closed for a two week period over Christmas and the New Year and will reopen at the start of January, by which point I will be in Nepal.
This has been the most intense period of karate training that I have ever experienced in 15 years of practising. For two and a half weeks, I ate, slept and breathed karate, attending the dojo everyday that it was open. That totals 14 days, during which I completed 27 training sessions under a whole host of skilled, renowned and inspirational karate sensei. 27 classes and every single one was exceptional.
To mark the end of 2010, the final class was taught by Sensei Ueki, the chief instructor of the JKA. This was an occasion I could not miss. Having trained under Sensei Ueki a few times when he has visited the UK, I knew first hand the quality of instruction that I could look forward to. The class was dynamic and exciting to be a part of. It was one of those classes where the time just seems to fly by because you're so engaged throughout. It involved all three aspects of karate: Kihon (basics), kata (forms) and kumite (sparring). The focus was on weight distribution while transitioning between stances and how maintaining good form is imperative for producing an effective technique in any stance. We also looked at using certain hip rotations and vibrations to generate power in movements that would otherwise be viewed as 'weaker' techniques. It provided a lot of insight into certain technical aspects of karate that are sometimes overlooked in everyday training. We practised the application of this through some partner exercises, where I did my usual trick of picking the most skilled looking person in the dojo to face.
All in all, it's been a very fulfilling two and a half weeks. I feel I barely managed to scratch the surface here but my intention was never to come away from Japan with some new exceptional outlook on karate and my karate training. I feel to do this, I would need to spend a period of months or years at the Honbu. My intention was to have a bitesized experience of the Honbu and take away the memories and priviledges that it would offer. I originally planned on training 3-4 times per week but soon decided that an opportunity like this needed to be greater seized so I decided I would train daily. Once I arrived in Japan and realised that they would be closing from December 23rd, I decided to up my training and attend a second session every other day. Pretty soon, this turned into training twice almost every day and on some days, three times.
I arrived in Japan off the back of almost 6 months without training but I was willing to pay for that and work hard to get my sharpness back. Sure, I spent many sessions being corrected by the sensei and being pushed to do things faster, stronger and with better form, but that's karate and anyone who understands karate will know that it's a life long process where we never stop learning. One memory I will never forget from my last training session at the Honbu: I was positioned at the front of the class, performing combination after combination as instructed by Sensei Ueki. On one occasion, Sensei Ueki was stood no more than 2 metres in front of me analysing my every movement. As I finished the final technique I looked at him and received a nod of approval! At least that's what I hope it was - It could have been an involuntary twitch for all I know! Karate instructors rarely give encouragement or positive feedback. They focus more on corrections and the things you do wrong. To finish the sequence and have that recognition from one of the most influential sensei in the world is something that I'll treasure.
So training is now finished. It's definitely a little depressing that something that I've built up and dreamed of for so many years has come to end so quickly. I have no regrets of the experience - so on to the next.
Today was a national holiday in celebration of the Emperor's birthday. In the true spirit of being a Tokyo tourist, I decided to go and visit the Imperial Palace. Today is one of only two days a year where the inner grounds of the palace are open to the public. I felt this was definitely something worth visiting and I had an enjoyable time wandering around the gardens and taking lots of photos. I had been told that the Emperor and his family would make regular appearances throughout the day. Unfortunately I must have missed this.
Over the next few days my plan is to rest and recover and enjoy all that Tokyo has to offer over the holidays. My guesthouse are hosting a traditional Christmas party so that's something I'll be looking forward to. Hazel then arrives on Sunday which is when I'll begin doing all the proper site seeing stuff.
Much love!
Sam
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