Sakura Viewing, College Chants, and Fuchu
Monday morning after cleaning I had an excellent chat with my wife on the phone. After that, it was time to head out--Hiroaki Sensei and his family took us all to the Kokukoen park to sit under the Sakura Trees and have a picnic (complete with badminton and ice cream after). I greatly enjoy the day because I got to see a kinder, more relaxed side of Hiroaki Sensei that often only shows up when he's teaching kids or beginners. He was pretty relaxed, had fun playing badminton with his daughter, and he even chatted some in English! Overall it was quite an excellent morning outing, and I was grateful for the time with everyone.
Afterwards, we had time for maybe 40 minutes of napping and then it was time for the uchideshi to pack and head out to meet Soshihan at Meiji University for his trip to teach the club there. At the station near Meiji, we were greeted by the captain of the club and the vice captain, along with some other students. (I love the uniforms that the colleges have their students wear--very snappy).
Soshihan showed up, and we all headed out to the campus. It was a very pretty campus--high tech looking while still containing Japanese-style gardens. It also had a very gymnasium feel as we headed into where the Aikido would be occurring. After several winding internal corridors (through which a host of university students escorted Soshihan and guided us), we ended up popping into the Judo/Aikido training space. One, it was huge, and two, there were maybe fifty to seventy students suited up and sitting seiza who greeted us all. There were no instructions given, and I could see the more senior uchideshi were also confused, so we took Soshihan's things to a changing area and then quickly suited up ourselves. Once we were all out in the gym, everyone was confused as the group lined up, got instructions from Soshihan or the captain, changed configuration, and did it all over again a couple times. Eventually, things got sorted out and we all bowed in. (Photos on the way into Meiji).
The class itself started out with the strangest thing--I WISH I could have recorded it, but there was no good way to run back to grab a camera. The warm-ups were some sort of call and response thing in which the captain would call out a loud, repeated phrase, and then the ENTIRE club would sing back a response (it sounded like a song from the deep South in the U.S.'s distant past with call and response; it's fairly hard to describe). I got the biggest kick out of it, and then we began falls. I decided to try (very briefly) seiza and front rolls, and I'm happy to say I could (gingerly) do both without pain in my knees.
The class itself was interesting--Soshihan would have students demo, and then he would correct and throw. In this type of environment, he seemed more intimidating than usual as some students couldn't answer his questions or demo the techniques he requested. He still smiled and had his usual joy, but he also seemed to expect more of these students.
It was also interesting being an uchideshi--in the club setting, that meant that people were overly respectful and honorable to you and that you had many willing uke (people to throw). It was a bit like being a rock-star, though nowhere near as extreme (Soshihan was clearly the rock star--we were setup crew or something). I did greatly enjoy most of the uke I was paired with--they were above average overall compared to what I expect in general around here. Some were too compliant as uke, but almost all were connected and did reasonable technique (though a few needed pointers). It did seem like whatever they normally practice is a bit removed from what Soshihan teaches based on the difficulty some had doing his versions.
Afterwards, it was super-hustle after bowing out to change and meet Soshihan. He's very fast anyway, and he has the benefit of someone else folding his gi and hakama (and not needing to stuff them into bags--it seems the club keeps a full uniform stocked just for him). I was barely able to make it in time--and I kept up with him ahead of the other uchideshi who got left behind at a few spots, like putting on shoes on the way out (except Lin-san; she's quite used to his speed so was at an even pace with me). Pulling a typical Kobayashi Sensei, he stopped under a cherry-blossom tree to toast the tree and enjoy the beautiful evening while we sat down and joined him (and seven college officers hovered awkwardly around looking at him--I invited one to join me on the bench, and he did).
After he finished his juice, we all headed on to a restaurant and ate a bit and chatted with the officers. Once done there, we did the typical hurry on out and made it up the train station (this time I did stick with him alone as both Lin-san and O-san stopped to help Anya, who hadn't gotten enough money on her train card). However, pulling another typical Kobayashi Sensei, Soshihan stopped at a different train station and headed out into some alleys, telling Lin-san he was taking us to a crazy place (while the others were wondering out loud where we were going; I said I trusted Kobayashi Sensei and that it would certainly be good). It was. We got more food and drinks at a nifty hidden restaurant (we'd really only had appetizers with the college officers) and enjoyed some good chatting. I got a kick out of the fact that my yakisoba tasted remarkably like the yakisoba that Toyoda Sensei makes every year in Chicago.
Afterwards, we headed our separate ways (the gals to Kodaira and us to Tokorozawa).
This morning, plans changed again and only Lin-san went up a mountain with Soshihan. The rest of us were supposed to train at Fuchu. Unfortunately, Anya's train was late and she didn't meet up with us, so it was just me and O-san. We went a different way and enjoyed the beauty of a Shinto shrine on the way in.
As always, I greatly enjoy the crew and the training at Fuchu. I was able to definitively do front rolls, which was also a plus. Once done there, O-san and I headed home and got some food at a nearby restaurant. Then it was brief work (I still have to do some card order and other things for back home), and off to Starbucks to update you all.
Now, I just have to get a bit more typing done and it's off to my last Tuesday evening class at Tokorozawa (I still have a large number of classes there, but next Tuesday after Fuchu I head to the airport). It is kind of wistful as I prepare for one last pass through the sleepless, heavy-class-load phase of the week. On one side, I am ready to see my wife and ready to get some actual sleep for my mental and, especially, physical well-being. The last two nights I got some reasonable sleep, and I feel on an entirely different level today than I have for quite some time. I realized again today that the sleep-deprivation state this program puts you in does have a more deleterious effect than is obvious (especially since, once you are used to operating sleep-deprived, you don't think you are that sleep deprived--which is disproven by the fact that you constantly fall asleep anywhere remotely comfortable if you sit down for a few minutes). On the other side, I have enjoyed many things here, and I think that the knowledge that he painful parts of this will soon be over will give me the last bit of strength to push through and enjoy each experience--even the rough wake-ups at 4:30AM for the next four days. Each class is unique, and this will be my last chance to enjoy the good parts of each one (and to say farewell to the less-good parts). I am excited for this evening and this last week here. Thanks for your support and prayers as I journey!
--Brandon
Japanese Innovation # whatever (I think it's 5) The toilets
So I know I published how epic the toilets were in a previous post, but I feel they deserve their own innovation spot. At Fuchu they have a typical toilet for the higher-end areas here (no pun intended), and I am still left speechless by the many options. They not only have a variety of ways you can wash your undercarriage, but they also have varying pressures, varying flush levels, heated, weight-sensitive seats that auto-flush if you are up too long, and even 'sound' generators so you can put music or other sounds on and up their levels to avoid embarrassing yourself with loud flatulence or other noises as you use the facilities. It fascinating, culturally relevant to the people here, and hands-down (even though it's other parts you put down) superior to what we have in the U.S. Hats off (well, maybe a different part of clothing) to what they have developed here in Japan!
Afterwards, we had time for maybe 40 minutes of napping and then it was time for the uchideshi to pack and head out to meet Soshihan at Meiji University for his trip to teach the club there. At the station near Meiji, we were greeted by the captain of the club and the vice captain, along with some other students. (I love the uniforms that the colleges have their students wear--very snappy).
Soshihan showed up, and we all headed out to the campus. It was a very pretty campus--high tech looking while still containing Japanese-style gardens. It also had a very gymnasium feel as we headed into where the Aikido would be occurring. After several winding internal corridors (through which a host of university students escorted Soshihan and guided us), we ended up popping into the Judo/Aikido training space. One, it was huge, and two, there were maybe fifty to seventy students suited up and sitting seiza who greeted us all. There were no instructions given, and I could see the more senior uchideshi were also confused, so we took Soshihan's things to a changing area and then quickly suited up ourselves. Once we were all out in the gym, everyone was confused as the group lined up, got instructions from Soshihan or the captain, changed configuration, and did it all over again a couple times. Eventually, things got sorted out and we all bowed in. (Photos on the way into Meiji).
The class itself started out with the strangest thing--I WISH I could have recorded it, but there was no good way to run back to grab a camera. The warm-ups were some sort of call and response thing in which the captain would call out a loud, repeated phrase, and then the ENTIRE club would sing back a response (it sounded like a song from the deep South in the U.S.'s distant past with call and response; it's fairly hard to describe). I got the biggest kick out of it, and then we began falls. I decided to try (very briefly) seiza and front rolls, and I'm happy to say I could (gingerly) do both without pain in my knees.
The class itself was interesting--Soshihan would have students demo, and then he would correct and throw. In this type of environment, he seemed more intimidating than usual as some students couldn't answer his questions or demo the techniques he requested. He still smiled and had his usual joy, but he also seemed to expect more of these students.
It was also interesting being an uchideshi--in the club setting, that meant that people were overly respectful and honorable to you and that you had many willing uke (people to throw). It was a bit like being a rock-star, though nowhere near as extreme (Soshihan was clearly the rock star--we were setup crew or something). I did greatly enjoy most of the uke I was paired with--they were above average overall compared to what I expect in general around here. Some were too compliant as uke, but almost all were connected and did reasonable technique (though a few needed pointers). It did seem like whatever they normally practice is a bit removed from what Soshihan teaches based on the difficulty some had doing his versions.
Afterwards, it was super-hustle after bowing out to change and meet Soshihan. He's very fast anyway, and he has the benefit of someone else folding his gi and hakama (and not needing to stuff them into bags--it seems the club keeps a full uniform stocked just for him). I was barely able to make it in time--and I kept up with him ahead of the other uchideshi who got left behind at a few spots, like putting on shoes on the way out (except Lin-san; she's quite used to his speed so was at an even pace with me). Pulling a typical Kobayashi Sensei, he stopped under a cherry-blossom tree to toast the tree and enjoy the beautiful evening while we sat down and joined him (and seven college officers hovered awkwardly around looking at him--I invited one to join me on the bench, and he did).
After he finished his juice, we all headed on to a restaurant and ate a bit and chatted with the officers. Once done there, we did the typical hurry on out and made it up the train station (this time I did stick with him alone as both Lin-san and O-san stopped to help Anya, who hadn't gotten enough money on her train card). However, pulling another typical Kobayashi Sensei, Soshihan stopped at a different train station and headed out into some alleys, telling Lin-san he was taking us to a crazy place (while the others were wondering out loud where we were going; I said I trusted Kobayashi Sensei and that it would certainly be good). It was. We got more food and drinks at a nifty hidden restaurant (we'd really only had appetizers with the college officers) and enjoyed some good chatting. I got a kick out of the fact that my yakisoba tasted remarkably like the yakisoba that Toyoda Sensei makes every year in Chicago.
Afterwards, we headed our separate ways (the gals to Kodaira and us to Tokorozawa).
This morning, plans changed again and only Lin-san went up a mountain with Soshihan. The rest of us were supposed to train at Fuchu. Unfortunately, Anya's train was late and she didn't meet up with us, so it was just me and O-san. We went a different way and enjoyed the beauty of a Shinto shrine on the way in.
As always, I greatly enjoy the crew and the training at Fuchu. I was able to definitively do front rolls, which was also a plus. Once done there, O-san and I headed home and got some food at a nearby restaurant. Then it was brief work (I still have to do some card order and other things for back home), and off to Starbucks to update you all.
Now, I just have to get a bit more typing done and it's off to my last Tuesday evening class at Tokorozawa (I still have a large number of classes there, but next Tuesday after Fuchu I head to the airport). It is kind of wistful as I prepare for one last pass through the sleepless, heavy-class-load phase of the week. On one side, I am ready to see my wife and ready to get some actual sleep for my mental and, especially, physical well-being. The last two nights I got some reasonable sleep, and I feel on an entirely different level today than I have for quite some time. I realized again today that the sleep-deprivation state this program puts you in does have a more deleterious effect than is obvious (especially since, once you are used to operating sleep-deprived, you don't think you are that sleep deprived--which is disproven by the fact that you constantly fall asleep anywhere remotely comfortable if you sit down for a few minutes). On the other side, I have enjoyed many things here, and I think that the knowledge that he painful parts of this will soon be over will give me the last bit of strength to push through and enjoy each experience--even the rough wake-ups at 4:30AM for the next four days. Each class is unique, and this will be my last chance to enjoy the good parts of each one (and to say farewell to the less-good parts). I am excited for this evening and this last week here. Thanks for your support and prayers as I journey!
--Brandon
Japanese Innovation # whatever (I think it's 5) The toilets
So I know I published how epic the toilets were in a previous post, but I feel they deserve their own innovation spot. At Fuchu they have a typical toilet for the higher-end areas here (no pun intended), and I am still left speechless by the many options. They not only have a variety of ways you can wash your undercarriage, but they also have varying pressures, varying flush levels, heated, weight-sensitive seats that auto-flush if you are up too long, and even 'sound' generators so you can put music or other sounds on and up their levels to avoid embarrassing yourself with loud flatulence or other noises as you use the facilities. It fascinating, culturally relevant to the people here, and hands-down (even though it's other parts you put down) superior to what we have in the U.S. Hats off (well, maybe a different part of clothing) to what they have developed here in Japan!
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