Shodan shinsa - black belt test!

Erica receiving her black belt from Arakawa Sensei in the Shiramizu dojo several days after the shodan test. (check out the pink Japanese tabi socks...!)

Also, click here Erica's short bilingual video message on the first night of wearing her new black belt! (From Sensei's blog!)

Erica here.

Last Monday, the 22nd of March, about 15 Shiramizu members and myself attended the shodan test (Wadokai Kanto Area Dan Examination, or in Japanese, Wadokai Kanto-chiku Shodan Shinsa, 和道会 関東地区 昇段審査) in Chiba. Because the Shiramizu tournament was on the same day, we participated in the opening ceremony that morning first before rushing off to the exam.

Kikuchi Sensei accompanied us that day and we arrived just in time for the pre-test seminar. There were about 90 people in total I would guess. About 70 were there to try for their shodan (1st degree) and most of them were kids and teens along with a few university students. I think I may have been the oldest person in the shodan category =_=' The other 20 were candidates for nidan and sandan (2nd and 3rd degree) and most of them were adults.

We were all seated on the gym floor and called up 5 at a time to do standing kihon and ido kihon. After a short break we were called up again to do 1 kata (for the shodan candidates) or 2 (for the nidan and sandan candidates). After another break, we were asked to do kihon kumite and free kumite right after that. Now all this may not sound very difficult and in essence it shouldn't be because we should have trained so much that it comes to us naturally when we are up there. The thing that got me the most that day were my nerves. I couldn't even think about what I was doing because I just blanked out. Fortunately, my muscle memory kicked in and carried me through.

It took about 4 hours to get through everyone and in reality we only spent about 5 or 6 minutes in total up there in front of the examiners and everyone else. At the very end, results were announced. Most shodan candidates passed, but only a few of the nidan and sandan candidates passed. Of course, all the Shiramizu members received a pass! It was a happy day for all, except for the fact that we had to miss the Shiramizu tournament to be at the exam =(

Sorry, I was too distracted to take pictures..so there are none for this post. Gomenasai!

(Editor's note: We're of course very happy Erica passed her shodan in Japan! This is exactly what we're hoping for from all the interns each year, to try hard continuously to the point they have developed to the next level in their Karate, and then they can formally realize that improvement by passing a milestone event here like achieving their next dan rank! Just aiming to pass the next dan test only is not the goal, but more a recognition that the efforts they put into their daily training are paying off.)

Imperfect Japanese and Japenglish

Louise here,

Living in a non-English speaking country is certainly an eye-opener. I never before fully appreciated complete communication with other people. I studied Japanese at high school for some years before coming to Japan, and that certainly gave me a base to work from, but it is entirely different from the relatively sterile classroom to being surrounded by a language every day.

At the moment, I'd say I understand maybe 10-20% of what people say, depending on the subject and the speed that they talk, and then I guess the rest. I've got into the bad habit of nodding and agreeing with people, even if I have no idea what they're saying. But then, who wants to seem ignorant?

In some ways it's good not understanding, because I'm insulated from any social gaffes I commit, but then, being a nosy sort of person, I find it incredibly frustrating at times. When Fred Jarbro sensei came to Shiramizu from Sweden (see Erica's earlier blog), he taught some classes in English. I'd forgotten how nice it is being able to understand everything the teacher is saying, down to small nuances. Most of the time in class with Arakawa sensei or one of the other Shiramizu teachers, I'm getting most instruction from their body language and demonstrations, which leaves room for error.

Then trying to frame questions when I've forgotten key pieces of vocabulary can be both hilarious and embarrassing. When I went travelling in the New Year break, there were a few times when I was reduced to pointing and making inarticulate sounds. Luckily Japanese are generally polite and patient, so refrain (most of the time) from laughing openly at struggling foreigners. Erica, I think, has it harder, having less Japanese and looking like a Japanese person, so people expect her to understand when they talk to her. At least I look foreign so any Japanese ability I display is a pleasant surprise.

On the other hand is the joy of Japanese-style English. For some reason, the Japanese seem to think English is cool, so there are examples of English everywhere, from shop and road signs, to food packaging and clothes. For a native English speaker, some Japenglish is truly inspired. To finish this rather contemplative blog, I'd like to share with you some of the Japenglish I've come across.

Maybe they mean 'Burger Queen'?

I find this one especially amusing because in New Zealand some years back there was a big hooha about a Toyota television advertisement (see it on YouTube here), which used the word 'bugger': some people thought it was inappropriate to show an ad on prime-time TV that uses a swearword, while most people didn't actually care.

Well, it's certainly an exciting colour.

The Hiroshima Grand Intelligent Hotel. Can only clever people stay here, or does the hotel itself have a high IQ?

An information desk at Shinjuku station. They question you if you don't have the answer.

Introducing (drum roll please) ... Pete Williams!

Louise here,

First of all, I'd like to make a huge apology to Pete Williams, the world and any web-surfing aliens. I actually interviewed Pete back in February, but it's taken me this long to post it. He's going to be taking over from Erica and me in June, so let's hear it from Pete.

Please tell the readers a little about yourself……

My elbow; that’s quite small. Wait, that’s not what you meant, was it?

Hello! I’m Pete, 27 years old (28 in April), I have lived practically all my life in the southwest of England, having grown up, passed university, and been employed there. I graduated in 2005 with a degree in Illustration, after originally starting a degree in German and Italian. It turned out to be a smart move as I’ve been the Graphic Designer and Copywriter for an international motorcycle import company for four years now; however they’ve also got me translating websites into German as well!

I love Karate (of course), reading, travel, languages, art and drawing, music, animation and games. I’m a massive Ghibli fan and partial to the odd anime series (Cowboy Bebop being a particular favourite). Coming from the South-West means that I’m naturally a bit of a hill-walker and beach-goer too!

Pete being silly 1

When did you first start karate and what grade are you currently at?

I would say that I properly started when I was 13 - I did a little when I was between seven and nine, but didn’t take it as seriously, silly boy that I was! My first style was Bujinkai Karate, founded by shihan John Smith. It’s a combination of Wado and Goju principles with Kickboxing and other styles incorporated too. I became shodan in this style August 2000.

I first came across Wado Ryu at university - of all the styles practiced at Exeter this looked by far the most comprehensive, friendly and down-to-earth. The instructor was Paul Hammond sensei, and I’ve studied with him up to this day - he’s a really great teacher and a good friend. Today I’m shodan under the British Wadokai Federation, headed by Gary Swift kyoshi, who is a warm and inspiring teacher too. I count myself very lucky to have met the people that I have throughout my Karate studies.

Pete at 15 years old

Why did you start karate in the first place and why did you stick with it?

Because it’s cool! Seriously though it was just after the wave of everyone starting Karate and then giving up (‘The Karate Kid’ had been released in the UK a few years before - funnily enough I didn’t even see that film until I was 15!). There was a Karate class in my primary (elementary) school and I wanted to see what was going on; it was taught by Bob Etherington sensei, who had a lot of patience and a great sense of humour! I went twice a week for two years, and then gave up when I couldn’t get into a tournament. But for the four years I wasn’t involved I always felt that there was something missing, and I was constantly kicking air (and sometimes siblings) and practising what Kata and Ippon Kumite I knew at the time. Then my parents, sensible folks that they are, suggested, seeing as I was doing it on my own, that I go back to classes, and I haven’t looked back since.

Karate became one of the most important things in my life. When taught correctly, it has an amazing ability to give you both confidence and humility, which has helped build me up to be the person I am today. Karate has also helped me through difficult times, and has introduced me to some great friends. I couldn’t imagine living without it now.

Pete being silly 2

What do you believe is your greatest achievement in karate and why?

Crikey, big question. My greatest personal achievement would possibly be coming second in the Bujinkai National Championships in 1999 - I was a blue belt and only 17, and won against some older and much more experienced competitors.

However I think the proudest I have ever been is at the University Karate Championships while acting as coach when my team-mate was on the mats. He was getting frustrated and losing the bout, but I could see that changing his tactics to a more circular pattern would expose his opponent’s fighting style. I managed to calm him down, and point out the weakness. He ended up winning the fight and I was really happy for him!

When did you first think of coming to Japan?

I’ve always wanted to go to the Far East, but what really whetted my appetite was reading ‘Angry White Pyjamas’ by Robert Twigger, which I read during my first year of university. It chronicles his year studying Aikido and training in the Tokyo riot police course, as well as exploring around the country. That book made it firm in my mind that not only did I need to visit Japan, I needed to train there too.

Pete being silly 3

Please describe your image of Japan.

I think it could be both the busiest and most peaceful place in the world; where inner cities bustle and buzz with neon electronica and modern technology, but lush hillsides wait in the country, drenched in fable and tradition. A bizarre and unique oxymoronic harmony between right now and timeless. The people are welcoming, well mannered and friendly, yet know how to have a party!

What do you hope to achieve in your year as intern?

I’d like to make new friends and feel like I’ve truly experienced Japan and dedicated myself to the internship programme. I hope to achieve a lot of personal development in my understanding of tournament karate as well as Wado Karate-do and have a long term relationship with the Shiramizu dojo, along with everyone I meet. I also hope that I can give something of myself to the internship, building upon it in my own personal way, and take back enough knowledge to set up my own dojo. A competition medal wouldn’t go amiss, either!

How do you think the karate training will differ from your own country?

I would think that the classes will be much bigger, and more dedicated. As Carl, intern V4 and a fellow Englishman, has mentioned previously, politics has played havoc with Karate in England, diminishing numbers, promoting apathy and sadly splitting associations. I’d like to think that we’re over the worst of it now and that we can now steadily start to rebuild, but I am very much looking forward to training in Japan.

Where do you hope to visit in Japan?

The Ghibli Museum!!!

Actually there are a lot of places on my list, from Mt. Fuji to Shinjuku, to lakeside onsen, to Nagano… let’s just say there’re a few red circles in my Lonely Planet guidebook.

Pete being silly 4

Is there anything specifically Japanese that you would like to learn while in Japan? i.e origami

I would definitely like to learn some Japanese cuisine, like sushi. I think origami is too delicate an art for my sausage-fingers, but musically I’m very interested in learning the shamisen. If learning the Japanese language is Japanese-y enough for this question, then I’d like to learn that too!

What do you think you will miss the most while you are here in Japan?

People mostly, family, friends, colleagues. And to some extent I'll miss the work I do, but I'm wanting to help out with some Karate-related graphics and web stuff over there. I'll definitely miss my piano, though. Hopefully I'll be so involved with what I'm doing at the internship that I won't have time to think about the things I miss. If you spend most of your time thinking about what you haven't got then you're not really looking at what you have in front of you.

Sensei Swift's group in Plymouth (Pete is 3rd from right)

Is there anything else that you would like to say…………………..

Dear goodness poor readers, I've written an essay already!

I'll leave you by saying ta ta for now, I can't wait to see you all there, and a sage bit of advice that's kept me going through the years:
"If at first you don't succeed, avoid skydiving".

Women and Budo

Louise here,

At the International Seminar of Budo Culture, (see Erica's previous blog), one of the general discussions was about “Women and Budo.” The coordinator was Kaori Yamaguchi sensei (from Judo), and there were five women on the panel: Jyunko Oishi sensei (Kendo), Harumi Watanabe sensei (Kyudo), Rie Tsuihiji sensei (Sumo), Miyuki Kumazawa sensei (Aikido) and Yasuko Kimura sensei (Naginata).

One of the things that they discussed was the difficulties women face learning budo, which in Japan has traditionally been a man's occupation. For example, Tsuihiji sensei was one of the first women to do sumo, and even now there are less than 300 women sumo players in Japan. Some of the difficulties she faces even now range from basics like no separate changing facilities (so has to put up with the men baring all) to a lack of women training partners. Watanabe sensei started kyudo at university, and had to endure a lot of bullying from her male seniors. Kumazawa sensei found that her mainly male aikido training partners were reluctant to train with a girl, but she dealt with that by just going and claiming someone to help her train.

My personal experience is a bit different to what the Japanese women were talking about. I began training karate in New Zealand at classes that were run by Robert Smith sensei at my girls' high school, so gender wasn't an issue, us all being girls. When I joined Robbie sensei's main dojo however, I still don't remember any difference between boys and girls. We all trained together and fought together. Granted, in karate a lot of training is individual, and when we did train with partners we had a tendency to want to go with our close friends of the same gender, but when we changed partners we'd end up working with everybody in the end. In the last year or two before I came to Japan, there were few women seniors training at my club, so I'd almost always train with the men. Thus, I don't think I've ever made a distinction in my mind about women vs men.

I found a contrast when I came to Japan. Not all the time, but often, the girls have to partner with other girls. I sometimes get irritated when this happens, because it limits the experience we get. Men generally have more physical strength than women, so use their bodies and techniques in slightly different ways. I think both men and women need experience dealing with these differences.

This is without a doubt a huge topic: women's place and experiences in budo. I think it also extends beyond just 'women and budo' to 'women and men's respective experiences in the world.' How far do basic biological differences between the genders and the weight of history and customs create differences in our place in the world? What really do we mean by equality between the sexes? Because it is certain that women today in the Western world are filling roles that have traditionally been held by men and are demanding the same freedoms and responsibilities as men. Do men also fill roles that women have traditionally held? Do we share the same roles equally? I suspect there are as many answers to these questions as there are people in the world. In Japan I feel that society is also slowly moving the same way as the Western world, though of course I've only been here for ten months, so I'm no expert.

第22回国際武道文化セミナー

Erica here!

Last weekend, Louise and I attended the 22nd International Budo Culture Seminar in Katsuura, Chiba. This is an annual event for foreigners who reside in Japan and study a budo art. The 9 modern budo arts are kendo, judo, karatedo, sumo, aikido, shorinji kempo, kyudo, jukendo and naginata.

At this 4 day seminar, we attended lectures at the International Budo University (where Arakawa Sensei attended) on different aspects of budo during the day and trained in our own style as well as trying a new budo art in the afternoon and evenings. Over the course of these 4 days, we were given the opportunity to try 3 different budo arts. I tried judo, kyudo and shorinji kempo and Louise tried naginata, kyudo and shorinji kempo. Each art is different but there are similarities as well.

I would definitely recommend this event for any foreigner who will be in Japan for the seminar next year. Not only do you get the chance to train with top instructors in each respective style but it is also a very good place to meet new friends. There were 102 participants representing 33 different countries. Out of the 102 participants, only 18 were women. Interestingly enough, there was a lecture on "Women in Budo". Louise will be writing a post on that lecture.

The 4 days at the seminar was like being at University again. I never lived in dormitories so it was very fun for me to have roommates, share 3 meals a day in the cafeteria with everyone, relax and get to know people at the end of the day. This has most definitely been a highlight of my time here =)

Group picture!

Maeda Sensei (Director of JKF) and I after a hard hour of karate

Some of the few girls and I fooling around after training =p