Catch Up (Edited)
Keeping everything up to date on here is very challenging! The little bit of down time that we have is usually pretty invested in things here, so I apologize for the delay. In brief, Friday afternoon was a good time with Hiromi-san and Kevin-san eating a delicious meal at a local restaurant followed by the best cheesecake I’ve ever eaten. Classes kind of all blur so I don’t recall anything of note except that one: my body is finally adapting to the routine here so I have less pain and more physical energy, though I tend to fall asleep whenever I’m comfortably sitting (especially on the heated subways-I drowsed past my stop Monday afternoon when I intended to shop in Shinjuku) and two: several quiet people here have good, quality Aikido. What I mean is that, as I would define uke and nage (thrower and faller), several people here have really neutral or maybe even not very good Aikido. There are also a few gems, though, who I’m starting to discover. Once they work with you, if you’re reasonably decent, they’ll work with you again, and they are the type who help ones Aikido improve most. Don’t get me wrong-stiff, disconnected, forceful uke or nage are also good to work with from time to time-they present their own unique challenges one can learn from-but working with smooth, connected, calm and effective uke and nage helps push me to the next level.
Besides classes, I did have fun visiting an onsen (Japanese hot springs-male and female separated due to complete nudity everywhere) with Kevin-san. The hot water was great on my aching knees, and it was picturesque, traditional, and interesting (one sauna had salt you rub on yourself to sweat more, one hot spring was built so you could nap while it ran down your back). No pictures, of course, but here’s a park on our way back.
I also did the body work stretching sequence, for those of you who know what that is. It was like taking a sledgehammer to my body (I did each for 2 minutes 30 seconds), but it broke loose some chunks of bricked up muscle and, combined with the hot springs and a bit more sleep started my body recovery.
Other events included drinking with Kevin-san, an Australian friend, and Kako (main Tokorozawa kids class assistant) at a nearby park and talking after class, getting Kevin-san his first taste of KFC (they have one in Kodaira and he was really curious-it’s way better here, but more expensive),
getting supper as an uchideshi group with Sayo-san (he ordered a ton of food and alcohol for us and insisted on paying),
talking with Hiromi-san and Kevin-san in the park and doing some ukemi on the bricks, and getting in two more classes at hombu Dojo (while again being offered a massage on the way past the red light district: I think they’re vampires though-they are always gone when it’s daylight on my way back from hombu). These hombu classes went much better as I had normal partners (Ilian from Israel during Waka Sensei’s (next Doshu-very energetic) class and an amazing uke (Meiji University student) during Kanaza Sensei’s class. Here's the amazingly nondescript road to hombu (and the picture with the flags is where you turn left to get on hombu road).
I also missed Hoya (Barbara Sensei’s Dojo-optional to attend on Mondays) due to taking the wrong train. As I have been invited to teach there next week, I need to get that figured out before then!
I also have something lengthier to share about my excellent experience at Fuchu Dojo with Koyinagi Sensei and what I presume Igarashi Sensei’s school is like (unfortunately as he is no longer with Kobayashi Dojo I was denied permission to practice there during my free time). Then there’s a lengthy reflection on uchideshi, one on Aikido, and I'm going to start adding one-shot photos of Japanese ingenuity. ;) Unfortunately I need to head back towards the Dojo. I’m posting this from my iPhone at Starbucks, about a 15 minute walk from the Dojo. Hiroaki Sensei only wants a couple helpers so I’m often here during kids class as it has free WiFi. However I need to be back right at the end to clean for adult class. This time I’m swinging by Don Quixote on the way back to buy food for Kevin-san and to scout ingredients for the breakfast I need to cook Friday. As kids classes are optional for me as a traditional uchideshi I’ve decided to stop helping at Kodaira’s altogether. I understand cultural differences (and acknowledge this kid may have had bad behavior before or may be a troublemaker), but watching the instructor there kneel to eye level with a frightened five year old and yell in his face while popping him with a harmless but scary blue bat for about three to four minutes as the boy cried and snotted down his gi was quite enough for me (the offense that warranted adult yelling from point blank range was not saying thank you out loudly enough/not saying it at the end of class). There’s a point where, no matter the culture, you’ve crossed the line with how you’re treating another human, at least if you claim to be teaching an art of peace. It is inappropriate for me to step in and stop the fourth degree black belt from teaching his class in this fashion, but since I don’t have to be a part of it (I confirmed the ability to not attend with Hiroaki Sensei so I can do work from back home), I won’t. I hope the kid is ok and maybe starts practicing at Tokorozawa or elsewhere where the instructors are firm but less harsh. Anyway, I’m late and have to go-sorry for getting fired up about that-it bothered me quite a bit, but I didn’t have the language skills or understanding at the time to do anything.
Last thought as I leave-I’m glad I got in two classes at hombu instead of one. I saw some tourists stop in for one class taking many photos. In a way, this was me when I only attended one class. Because of my bad partner experience I was wary of survival, and two classes both helped me connect better with the Aikido at hombu (and be less of a tourist) and realize that it is just the same Aikido we practice anywhere and I don’t (generally) need to be worried about survival during those classes. More people than average are very good at it there, and the instructors seem quite good, but it’s the same Aikido I already know, thankfully. It’s the same you know, too, if you train. Enjoy your practice today if you get to train! Later!
Besides classes, I did have fun visiting an onsen (Japanese hot springs-male and female separated due to complete nudity everywhere) with Kevin-san. The hot water was great on my aching knees, and it was picturesque, traditional, and interesting (one sauna had salt you rub on yourself to sweat more, one hot spring was built so you could nap while it ran down your back). No pictures, of course, but here’s a park on our way back.
I also did the body work stretching sequence, for those of you who know what that is. It was like taking a sledgehammer to my body (I did each for 2 minutes 30 seconds), but it broke loose some chunks of bricked up muscle and, combined with the hot springs and a bit more sleep started my body recovery.
Other events included drinking with Kevin-san, an Australian friend, and Kako (main Tokorozawa kids class assistant) at a nearby park and talking after class, getting Kevin-san his first taste of KFC (they have one in Kodaira and he was really curious-it’s way better here, but more expensive),
getting supper as an uchideshi group with Sayo-san (he ordered a ton of food and alcohol for us and insisted on paying),
talking with Hiromi-san and Kevin-san in the park and doing some ukemi on the bricks, and getting in two more classes at hombu Dojo (while again being offered a massage on the way past the red light district: I think they’re vampires though-they are always gone when it’s daylight on my way back from hombu). These hombu classes went much better as I had normal partners (Ilian from Israel during Waka Sensei’s (next Doshu-very energetic) class and an amazing uke (Meiji University student) during Kanaza Sensei’s class. Here's the amazingly nondescript road to hombu (and the picture with the flags is where you turn left to get on hombu road).
I also missed Hoya (Barbara Sensei’s Dojo-optional to attend on Mondays) due to taking the wrong train. As I have been invited to teach there next week, I need to get that figured out before then!
I also have something lengthier to share about my excellent experience at Fuchu Dojo with Koyinagi Sensei and what I presume Igarashi Sensei’s school is like (unfortunately as he is no longer with Kobayashi Dojo I was denied permission to practice there during my free time). Then there’s a lengthy reflection on uchideshi, one on Aikido, and I'm going to start adding one-shot photos of Japanese ingenuity. ;) Unfortunately I need to head back towards the Dojo. I’m posting this from my iPhone at Starbucks, about a 15 minute walk from the Dojo. Hiroaki Sensei only wants a couple helpers so I’m often here during kids class as it has free WiFi. However I need to be back right at the end to clean for adult class. This time I’m swinging by Don Quixote on the way back to buy food for Kevin-san and to scout ingredients for the breakfast I need to cook Friday. As kids classes are optional for me as a traditional uchideshi I’ve decided to stop helping at Kodaira’s altogether. I understand cultural differences (and acknowledge this kid may have had bad behavior before or may be a troublemaker), but watching the instructor there kneel to eye level with a frightened five year old and yell in his face while popping him with a harmless but scary blue bat for about three to four minutes as the boy cried and snotted down his gi was quite enough for me (the offense that warranted adult yelling from point blank range was not saying thank you out loudly enough/not saying it at the end of class). There’s a point where, no matter the culture, you’ve crossed the line with how you’re treating another human, at least if you claim to be teaching an art of peace. It is inappropriate for me to step in and stop the fourth degree black belt from teaching his class in this fashion, but since I don’t have to be a part of it (I confirmed the ability to not attend with Hiroaki Sensei so I can do work from back home), I won’t. I hope the kid is ok and maybe starts practicing at Tokorozawa or elsewhere where the instructors are firm but less harsh. Anyway, I’m late and have to go-sorry for getting fired up about that-it bothered me quite a bit, but I didn’t have the language skills or understanding at the time to do anything.
Last thought as I leave-I’m glad I got in two classes at hombu instead of one. I saw some tourists stop in for one class taking many photos. In a way, this was me when I only attended one class. Because of my bad partner experience I was wary of survival, and two classes both helped me connect better with the Aikido at hombu (and be less of a tourist) and realize that it is just the same Aikido we practice anywhere and I don’t (generally) need to be worried about survival during those classes. More people than average are very good at it there, and the instructors seem quite good, but it’s the same Aikido I already know, thankfully. It’s the same you know, too, if you train. Enjoy your practice today if you get to train! Later!
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