My Last Week in Japan--minus two days

My last week in Japan was extremely full; I wish there had been opportunity to post on here as things happened, but there truly wasn't.  My last week of classes was freeing and vaguely wistful as I realized these were the last times I would get to do some of the classes that I really enjoyed.

It was also strange physically--I was in the rhythm of life there long enough that practice was no longer a physical workout even though I had made it back to full ukemi for all intents and purposes despite my knee injury.  I would sweat, sure, but I never really got exhausted--even when working with partners who were pushing the pace hard.  It's true that I never did get back to doing kneeling technique again while I was still in Japan (my knee hadn't healed enough for that kind of strain or for high breakfalls, though I didn't end up having any of those come up so I never had to take alternate ukemi the last week), but actually doing standing technique as a substitute was more of a workout than kneeling technique; the kneeling technique was often an opportunity to slow down and catch your breath with pinning techniques or kokyudosa, but I had a couple partners who chose never to do kneeling technique because of the damage it tends to do to your knees.  The most common partner among them that I had was kind of a speedster.  He liked doing maximum speed high repetition workouts, and I actually enjoyed working with him, so it was nice.  It did make both of us sweatier than everyone around us, but it was fun.

I found out on Wednesday that there would be a 'sushi party' on Thursday evening for me and O-san, who was leaving 2 days after me (along with a surprise birthday party for Sachie, Shun-yi's wife).  We also took some photos after classes on Wednesday for O-san, the other uchideshi, and me (since we were soon leaving). 

As one last bit of uchideshi work, I was also given two Spanish uchideshi essays to translate to English, so Kasahara Sensei could translate those to Japanese.  (In my free time, I had to write my essay, of course).

Thursday ended up being quite good and full--besides the other usual classes, tea times, etc., I did greatly enjoy my last women's class with Kobayashi Shihan--it was fun as usual with some great varieties of techniques.  I also traveled out and finished shopping for presents for the different dojo I trained in, the Sensei and their families, and friends/family back home.  During that time I alleviated a mild point of curiosity on my way back and had lunch at McDonalds.  I'd avoided chain restaurants like the plague while in Japan, but years ago I'd had McDonalds in China and had found the food to be much better quality (and different) than McDonalds in the US.  I'd also had Chinese food at the German McDonalds years ago.  I wanted to compare--it was better than ours with some strangely local flavors (my burger was a Japanese hamburger with an egg on it), but overall I still strongly preferred the local food.

I also got a photo of my friend, Shiro-neko-sama (so I named him).  He was a VERY old cat who I frequently met walking the small shortcut back to Tokorozawa Dojo.  I was glad to be able to capture a picture of him to show my wife.

The party that night was exceptionally good--there was quite a bit of beer, sake, and harder liquor in addition to a plethora of sushi and some birthday cake.  Everyone had a great time talking, laughing, and saying goodbye (or Happy Birthday, pending).

Friday was a mostly typical morning, except that after the office work (and translating for a bit), Hiroaki Sensei took us uchideshi out to go to a local flower viewing.  His wife was in a flower club that was showing their art to the public, and we all got to go.  In addition to viewing an old, historic house, we also each got a small tray with a homemade mochi dessert and some beautiful flowers and tea.  Afterwards, we headed to a nearby Thai restaurant and had a spicy lunch.

At the lunch (and after on the walk to the car), I had a good chat with Hiroaki Sensei about visiting Japan in future and how to pay mat fees in the Kobayashi network.  I also asked him about how they do seminars overseas (cost, logistics, etc.), and other questions that might be pertinent in the future.  It was nice to be able to talk with him in a different way--I could feel my uchideshi-hood lifting and that I was returning (but not yet back to being) my usual self (Dojo Cho of a small but vibrant community that I greatly love).  This was not so much an internal change and was more of a change in how the other Sensei and people there were interacting with me.  The instructors and members there that treat uchideshi well the whole time didn't really change much, but those that treat uchideshi more firmly (usually for the growth of the uchideshi and not to be malicious, though that is probably not always be the case) changed the way they interacted with me a great deal.  I also felt the change in Hiroaki Sensei, but it was more that my role was beginning to change and would soon be very different, and this was the only time he had to talk to me.  He was always nice or neutral to me from the start, so the change had nothing to do with that spectrum--it was just a positional change.

After lunch, O-san and I had to hurry to get our uniforms around to attend the afternoon class at Higashi Murayama with Yamanoake Sensei.  This was my first (and last) time to make his class; I had generally had conflicts on Fridays, but I wanted to make it once before I left.  The walk was fairly straightforward, and the Dojo itself was nice.  The ceilings were super low, but we didn't do weapons that class so it didn't matter.  

Overall, the class there was nice--it was quite different from almost every other class I attended in that it was almost always groups doing the techniques instead of partners.  In virtually every other class it is partner technique always.  The only exception is if there is an odd number.

In this class I had an interesting interaction with a student there whom I'd never met before, and I want to share about that in detail.  However, I will wait and put it into an upcoming post about 'What is Aikido?'  It relates to the idea that we can communicate a tremendous amount non-verbally through our Aikido in very little time.  In a real sense we can have a discussion through our technique, and we can greatly interact with and have an affect on others in short order.

Following that, we hurried back for evening classes.  Anya and I had to prepare Kodaira Dojo by ourselves as O-san and Lin-san were both off to a class elsewhere.  The class itself was good overall, and I said goodbye to some people I wouldn't see again.

Saturday was my last morning class with Soshihan (and Barbara Sensei), which was a bummer.  Since it was my last Saturday class, they gave me an uchideshi certificate and a few small gifts.  I also said a farewell speech in Japanese (which I'd been saying at the end of most classes for almost a week now--that's also part of the uchideshi experience).  To my pleasant surprise, Okumura-san asked to take a photo with me.  As he was one of my favorite partners, I considered it an honor and was glad to sit with him and one of his friends.  Several students I wouldn't see again and I had some great chats afterwards, and Barbara Sensei was generous enough to give me a shoto piece/idea that she's been working on for some time.

(Okumura-san is on the right).  I had to really hurry to get ready for the afternoon class at Tokorozawa as all of this did take up some time, but in my mind it was VERY worth it.  That evening, I had to prepare the dojo by myself as O-san and Lin-san were both off to a wedding.  Inoue-san taught, and since he knew it was my last class he pulled out some truly delightful varieties of techniques that I had often not seen in the Kobayashi Dojo network (from what he said in Japanese, I gather that these were some of the more unique versions Soshihan had taught over the years).  It was an honor and a pleasure to be able to work those with him.  He was one of the instructors that I liked pretty well but couldn't communicate much with due to my lack of Japanese language skills.

Sunday morning I had a nice chat with a student whom I call Kobayashi Shihan's smoking friend about the flowers around Kodaira (Kobayashi Shihan also holds rank in flower arranging).  She is actually a pretty cool person, but I get a kick out of the fact that she always snags Kobayashi Shihan's hidden ash tray and sets it out on the mats during tea time so she and he can smoke.  In general he doesn't ever smoke outside of that time as he's not supposed to for his health, but she always pulls the ashtray in, and they seem to have a good time together.

After I'd entered the Dojo and started cleaning, I was surprised to see an American friend whom I knew show up for class.  Mark Szczepanski, who is currently coordinating the West Coast region of the Aikido Association of America, appeared at the window with his wife and daughter (who is named Anya, much to Anya the Russian uchideshi's delight).  He was in Japan for vacation with his family and likes to swing by for at least one class when he can.  It was a little challenging chatting with him while also doing my uchideshi duties (which take a lot of attention), but I was able to go back and forth well enough that I think it ended up fine.  

After that class, I headed to Tokorozawa and had a final class with Mikio Sensei.  He showed up fairly early, which was a surprise, but he also had bought some bread (with tasty filling) for me and the other uchideshi.  I made him a tea and shared some food with him, then we had a nice class.  Afterwards, he wanted to take a photo to say goodbye.  The photo on his camera was normal, but on mine I accidentally slipped it to stop-motion video, so I hope you'll get a kick out of the funny video it created (I found it quite funny myself).  

That evening I worked on translation and other things, and I prepared to get to sleep as Monday morning (going to Hombu Dojo) would come early.

The trip to Hombu was fine--it was Anya and O-san's first time, so they were a bit nervous but excited.  I ended up being able to work with Mihi, who is a fairly energetic uke/nage with quite a bit of skill, so that turned out quite excellent.  Doshu also stopped by our group to chat--I told him I was Toyoda Sensei's student and finishing out my uchideshi period at Kobayashi Dojo when he asked.  I also was pleased to be able to get thrown by him in a couple kotagaeshi throws.  As expected, his Aikido is quite excellent.  I really liked the way it felt, though; it's hard to describe, but it's a continuous and accelerating connection without using whippy force or causing pain or damage, though it ends up moving as fast as someone who forcefully accelerates and does cause pain or damage sometimes.  Lin-san had also asked if we could get a photo with him, so all of us lined up after class and took one.

Unfortunately, all of the seiza had caused my knee to reach its limit (unlike in Kobayashi Dojo, there isn't a polite way that I'm aware of to request standing technique or to sit cross-legged, though I could be wrong there), so I couldn't do the second class.  As I was waiting outside, I did get this fun video of what I assume is a martial arts school across the street and over (only fun if your sound is on).

After that, it was off to some shopping near Seibu-Shinjuku (the last of my souvenirs for others and quite a bit of things for the other uchideshi). 

I did get a kick out of the fact that one of the main places was called 'MyLord' Shinjuku.  It was a strange name for what was a mall/shopping center.

After shopping, we were supposed to meet some of Lin-san and O-san's friends to go shopping some more (though I was going to bounce out early to possibly swing by Ueno Park and catch some cherry-blossom photos for my wife and then to get some work done).  During lunch at a diner with a drink-bar in that area (drink-bar is a big deal over there--it's unlimited drinks from a variety of drink machines), I mentioned Ueno Park, and Lin-san changed plans so that we'd meet her friends and go to Ueno Park together.  I'll save those pictures and some final stories from Japan for my next post though--thanks for being patient as I get these up, and I hope you keep reading!  ;)