More Than One Way to Learn

Erica here!

One of the lovely things about the Shiramizu dojo is the variety of instruction available. The diversity of the Sensei in terms of experience and instruction style insures that I receive a variety of perspectives on my progress as I train. At this point, I've interacted with some Sensei more than others, but I'll just use this blog to talk about my experiences with a few of them.

There are two female instructors who I mentioned before, Yoshihara Sensei and Yamazaki Sensei. These ladies motivate me so much for a variety of reasons.When I first began this journey and everything was new, they really came to my aid in a very basic way: by telling their stories how they both started Karate in their 40s, how they have gotten good enough to teach at Arakawa Sensei's dojo, and how they have done well in various competitions.

On the one hand, it's awesome to know that I'm training under the umbrella of Arakawa Sensei, someone who is internationally recognized for his talent, and who has a room full of medals and awards that signify his exceptional martial arts ability. Learning under someone who is so throughly accomplished makes me feel that I am in good hands as every time I train at Shiramizu.

However, it can be intimidating and difficult to relate to someone who's been immersed in Karate for longer that I've been alive! Therefore, it's easier for me to see Yoshihara Sensei and Yamazaki Sensei as more immediate role models because of their background. Through training everyday, they developed a love and passion for karate, along with great skill. Even though they haven't practiced Karate for decades, they have a spirit of learning, and continual improvement that is thoroughly transparent and contagious, and I'm always energized by their presence and instruction.

On Sunday, we had a special "girl's only" practice and both Sensei made the experience great for everyone.

Female only Practice! The Dojo certainly smelled different that day :)

Uehara Sensei has also been a great help to me. He is very gentle, but stern in his instruction, and he has really helped me to break down many of the different Kihon. I can repeat a move over and over with him and he will continue to help me correct my mistakes until I gain confidence.

I've also recently begun training with Peter and Richard. While Peter isn't a dojo Sensei of course, I feel I really benefit from the occasional private practices we do together, not only because he speaks English, but he's also incredibly funny when he explains things, which helps me not to take things so seriously. While of course the internship is serious business, I'm also a beginner and he helps me to remember that that's not a bad thing, rather, it is something everyone has to experience to move to the next level. He is definitely encouraging as well, and because he was the former intern, I know that we have some shared experiences which helps me put things into perspective.

Training with Richard is great not only because of his own long and impressive martial arts background but also, due to the fact that I see him once a week, he is able to evaluate the changes in my ability differently than the other Sensei who see me every other day or so. When I train with him, he also gives me great insight into the reasoning behind moves and he helps me to understand what I should be thinking about and what others will be looking for when evaluating my Kihon and Kata.

All this instruction will soon culminate into my first belt test, which will be on July 9th! Last week, there is no formal Karate instruction at Shiramizu, so my preparation will be mostly self-training. I'm still nervous, but hopefully a few solo trips to the dojo will help give me the confidence I need for the weekend!

(Editor's note: Erica's belt test report & results will be the next post up later this week!)

Being a beginner in a Japanese dojo...

Erica here!

Among the many things I'm getting used to during my year here is the dojo culture. Although I've been told every dojo has it's own culture based on the style of karate and the desires of the dojo's Sensei/instructors, Shiramizu is the only dojo I've ever spent a significant amount of time in. Therefore, my observations are based on that, plus the fact that I'm a beginner.

Thus, for other beginners like myself, this blog in no way should be considered universally representative of all karate dojos, all dojos in Japan, or even Shiramizu, as I am approaching it from a beginner's and a foreigner's standpoint. I am simply trying to relay my experience and, should another Karate beginner choose to apply for the internship, they can get a sense of Shiramizu.

There are some things that even a month later I am still trying to make habitual. They are small things, but I feel that when I miss them, it's another way, on top of everything else, that I can be seen as being a beginner and a bit of an outsider. Some of these things include:

• When entering the dojo, everyone says "お願いします／Onegaishimasu" and takes off their shoes, and the other members will respond in kind by saying "お願いします/Onegaishmasu". I will sometimes forget this greeting both when I enter and when others enter the dojo.

• While stretching together, whenever the stretch or warm up changes (for example, changing from running to skipping, or stretching the right leg to the left) everyone says "Hai!" but I often forget to do it until about halfway into the warm up.

• During sparring people say "Fighto!" and other expressions as a way to encourage everyone. I'm still trying to pick up on all of them.

• When drinking water during a break, you are supposed to sit down. I didn't know this until Peter told me. As a former long distance runner, I'm definitely used to standing up and drinking quickly so I've made this mistake often.
(Richard here - I've never thought about sitting down on water breaks, but for eating something substantial, sitting down is culturally correct).

• There are various times (such as the beginning and end of practice, as well as getting ready to practice kihon) that we line up accruing to belt color/experience. Even now, I am never quite sure when I should line up and I looked to one of the Sensei's for confirmation.

• Another interesting thing that I've noticed and struggled with is the notion of making a face of confusion. In America, with every sport that I've ever done, when something was difficult or confusing the participants would usually make some kind of pained expression to nonverbal signal to the instructor our lack of understanding so that they would come and help us out. Of course, come performance time or a competition, you would hide that the best you could. I could be wrong, but it seems that in the dojo, simply doing things incorrectly is enough of a signal in and of itself, as the instructors pay very close attention to the students.

Here, it seems better to look serious and thoughtful even during times of difficulty. Of course, the amount of times when everyone else is confused as opposed to myself is so uneven that maybe I haven't had enough experience to speak to that as of yet.

However, the one thing I can do without a hitch is cleaning! :)
We vacuum, sweep and wipe down the dojo after we finish practicing.

One non-cultural difficulty about being a beginner is that I am usually regulated to practicing with one of the Sensei. This is great in the sense that they are the best resources available to help me improve my kihon, and I also know they are experienced enough that my clumsiness doesn't inadvertently harm them. On the other hand, I rarely have any interaction with other members of the dojo, so it's hard for me to socialize despite having conversational Japanese ability. However, maybe in a few months time I'll be able to join the others occasionally.

There are a host of other small things that I could speak to, but the blog would get much too long. Soon I will finish my first full month here, so hopefully I will feel more comfortable. Until then, I will continue to observe and do the best I can.

Erica's June update!

Erica practicing kata on the side of the dojo.
Picture from Arakawa Sensei's blog.

Erica here,

Well, after a few disjointed weeks in Japan, I'm slowly getting acclimated to my new life. It's been a real adjustment trying to get used to such a non-traditional schedule, but hopefully things will become second-nature soon.

As someone who's been to Japan before, I haven't had to contend with much culture shock. That's a good thing because learning Karate for the first time is enough of a challenge for me!

Being active has been something I've enjoyed for a while, so luckily, I am in pretty good shape. Kickboxing is the closest activity I've ever done to karate, but that was in college, and I'd say the focus there was primarily on fitness, enjoyment and effort. However, learning karate here, I've found much of the focus to be on technique. While my level of Japanese understanding allows me to understand the basic idea of most conversations, much of what's discussed in the dojo is about refining basic moves, and when things get that specific, it can be hard for me to understand, and most of all remember when everything else is new for me. Even remembering to keep my fist properly locked can be difficult to do when I'm worrying about if if my shoulders are relaxed or my feet are properly positioned, etc.

Because I'm forced to think about these things so often now, I feel that at the end of this year, I should be a lot more in tune with my body. I received Shingo Ogami Sensei's "Introduction to Karate" from the last intern, Peter, which is an English language book that helps explain some of the specifics. I think it will be helpful as I encounter more moves in the future.

As a beginner, it's hard not to be self-conscious when I'm essentially the only white belt in a room that's usually full of black belts. Whenever I've learned something new, it's usually been the case that I'm with others of the same level. However, at practice there is a mix of different belt levels, which I found surprising. Sometimes, it's a little lonely being the sole beginner, especially when many people I practice with seem to be younger than me. However, even though I'm just starting out, my teachers are very supportive which is quite a relief. And two of the teachers began in their 40s which makes me feel a little better!

My main focus right now is learning the Kata, which is basically a set of prearranged moves I have to remember. Yesterday I finally learned all of the "Pinan Nidan" kata, so now I have something I can do for self-practice. I have a terrible memory sometimes, so after a bit of searching I found a helpful video on youtube.

Here's Wadokai's Hakoishi Sensei performing Pinan Nidan.

Here's WadoRenmei's Suzuki Sensei performing Pinan Nidan.

And here's to another week.

Erica

Quiet on Set: Watching the Shiramizu DVD

Peter Here;

One of the very exciting new projects Shiramizu has for 2011 is a new DVD! This will cover the Wadokai syllabus including Kihon Kumite, Pinan Kata (including bunkai), Kihon, Idori, Tanto Dori and Kumite Training. This was recorded on Sunday 23rd at Studio Dorup (スタジオ　ドールップ - I can't tell what the 'katakana'd' second word is!) in Nakano, close to Shinjuku. I went along to see the footage being shot.



Richard and I arrived at the Studio at 12:30pm, Arakawa Sensei had been there filming since 8 in the morning and had only just taken a break! We then watched as he worked through the Pinan Kata. This was recorded 4 times (one slow explanation, then normal speed from the front, side and rear), which taking into consideration Arakawa Sensei's perfectionism for kata meant he had to repeat each kata at least 6 times, under intense lighting. It just goes to show how much skill and stamina he has!



Also on set were the recording crew and the President of Champ, the sponsers and producers of both this DVD and JKFan Magazine.

Shiramizu Instructors Kikuchi Sensei, Suzuki Sensei, Uehara Sensei, Iwasaki Sensei, Yoshihara Sensei and Yamazaki Sensei were all present too, and took part in the video shoot, being the attacker for kata bunkai, kihon kumite or other sections. Richard was involved in this too, and seemed to enjoy his time on the set!


Other guest appearances were Shriamizu Student and JKF national team member Rie Hirai, and Fujimoto Sensei.

I had to leave at 7pm to prepare for work the next day, but at this time they were still filming! In fact, they were filming until gone 10:30pm, meaning Arakawa sensei had put in staggering 14 and a half hours of karate into one day. Awe inspiring!

Arakawa Sensei, still smiling and genki after 10 hours of karate. Incredible.

The DVD is due for release in March, and will come in both English and Japanese flavours, as Richard is expertly translating the dialogue. I am hoping that this will have a large take up in England!

Fear in the place of Form

Peter Here;

Last week I was kicked hard in the mouth during training, and it split my lips open. the force wasn't intended, and the risk is part of the chances you take when you practise a contact sport or budo art like Karate. In fact, I am actually quite happy it happened, and I'll explain why.

The simple thing is, I have been afraid of getting hit and it tends to show in my form whenever I feel I am facing a stronger opponent. Arakawa Sensei notes that my weight is on my back foot and I turn my head far too much (he even penalises me in training because of it), and the fear ruins my kamae and speed.

But what is it about being hit that I am afraid of? Part of it is that I am afraid of the damage it could cause. I have been injured heavily a couple of times before but then I have to accept that this can happen to anyone who does this kind of sport. But the main reason is just the fear of how much it could hurt at the time of impact.

The problem with fear is that it makes a wonderful magnifying glass, taking any worry or concern and then multiplying it many times until it becomes irrational. One hit could really hurt a lot, my fear told me.

Particularly with lower grades and members who 'cross train' in popular full-contact sports in the UK, people are more likely to hit harder than karate students in Japan. This could be due to physiological reasons (they are generally bigger people), lack of controlled contact training, or just the belief that other students can 'take the hits' and that it is character building (this kind of 'Kibishi' or 'hard training' has it's place, but there must always be control, particularly in WKF Sport Karate- it is not MMA or Kyokushinkai)

So, when I was hit in the mouth, although it hurt a lot it didn't hurt as much as I was worried it could. The magnifying glass was, if not broken, at least a little chipped.

Now I can focus more on my form for the next tournament!

Jishuren: personal training

Peter Here,

The Shiramizu Karate ethic is always that of hard work in practices, and then self practice to perfect what you've been told in class. In some UK clubs certainly students learn at class, go home and then come back to the next class and learn some more, without any practice at home.

If you did this with a musical instrument, imagine how long it would take you to be any good at it! Why is karate any different?

So, especially for higher grades, I think it is very important to not just go to scheduled lessons (of which there a few), but also train on my own as well. Particularly since the big tournaments have past the intense kumite/cardio workouts are less, so I tend to go for a run and exercise in the apartment to keep the stamina up and then use the dojo between classes on a Monday, with lessons Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. I do feel guilty that I should train on my own there more though! Judging by my last two tournament results, I definitely need it...

Friendly Fight: Tobu Friendship Taikai, 3rd November 2010

Peter Here,

November 3rd was the Tobu Friendship Taikai. While still a 'local' tournament, this was a much bigger event than the Sugito Taikai last month. Held at the Satte City Gymnasium, the competition was open to more styles, including Yamaguchi-Ha Goju Ryu. It was great to see familiar faces as well as meet new ones!



The unfortunate part of the day was that I had been stuck down with cold, so I wasn't performing at my best at all (it's a good excuse, honest!). My group was only four people, and I had beaten the opponent I was drawn with in the Saitama Wadokai taikai in July, I should've done better than I did. However, my timing was off and I was kicking too high, meaning that I missed some vital 3 point shots and he pulled of a convincing win using little more than gyakuzuki. So, more basics training required for me. I also need to look at how I'm training on my own to see if there's any way of increasing speed and reflexes as I'm feeling slow.



The better part of the day came from watching the rest of the tournament. Shiramizu did well as always, Arakawa Sensei's son Masatoshi, Rikuto and Uchida-san being notable winners in their category. There were even a fair few all-Shiramizu finals!




The event was very well put together, with ample support as always from the families making a very enthusiastic atmosphere. At the end of the tournament there was a raffle draw for prizes using serial numbers on the back of the event programs (a very good idea I thought), with a few happy people leaving the event with a Ceramic heater, Adidas sports bag and a bicycle!

Back to the Work Routine

Pete here,

September was the beginning of the Autumn term for schools, and a welcome return to my routine after the often chaotic pace of the Summer 'Holiday'. The return to the Lolipop Kindergarten on Friday in particular was punctuated by being immediately set upon by the kids, who must've missed their walking-climbing frame during the break. Touching!

My weekly schedule has an essential structure, with some extra lessons/days in school happening periodically.

MONDAY
Morning: Shirayuri Kindergarten
I go with the bus to greet the kids in English as they board, then in school I do three 15-20 minute lessons for the different classes. Usually this is singing, basic words and actions (head/shoulders/knees/toes etc.), however up until the middle of October I will be helping them prepare for their Sports Festival (by dancing and marching like a lunatic, mostly)

Afternoon: Shiramizu English Class
I teach one hour at the Shiramizu English Club, in the hut next to the dojo. Most of the kids at the club have had at least one previous Intern teach them, so their English is much more advanced than at the kindergarten, or with other kids their age. The songs are more complicated, and they get to use more constructed sentences, and even ask questions!

Evening: Shiramizu English Class
I teach Setsuko, our adult English Student and #1 Intern supporter throughout the years. Recently I have also taught her some German!

TUESDAY
Morning: Shirayuri Kindergarten
This is the same as Monday. Sometimes Arakawa Sensei also comes to the school and teaches the kids 30 minutes of Karate per class, and I act as assistant- very very fun!

Afternoon: Shiramizu English Classes
Tuesdays I teach 3 classes, each with different age and abilities. It certainly keeps your brain active trying to come up with ways to teach! These classes run right up until Karate training in the evening.

Evening: Training
The first Adult training session of the week.

WEDNESDAY
Morning: Training
Training starts at 10:30 so there's plenty of time to get up and ready for the day. This session is usually slower paced than the evening sessions and more care is taken to explain the techniques. This of course changes when a tournament is approaching, or if the kids are on holiday. This training is almost always followed by lunch together; a very important part of the social calendar!

Afternoon: Shiramizu English Class
This one hour class is quite late in the afternoon, so I get a few hours after lunch to prepare and plan for the rest of the day.

Evening: Adult Conversation Class
This is a new one for the Autumn- a weekly hour-long session with over 20 adults! This was quite scary at first, but now after the third lesson I'm getting into the swing of it, with some 'genki' banter as well! this is only for ten weeks, so the course will finish in November.

THURSDAY:
All Day: I.C.E, Nerima
I.C.E. is a private School that provides, amongst other things, english conversation classes. I teach 5 lessons to kids between 6 and 12 and one Adult. This is a great job as the location means i can catch a bit of the Tokyo atmosphere during lunch, and after work. I often spend just a little longer than usual getting home as I stop in a noodle bar for some food and check out Ikebukuro or Shibuya.

FRIDAY:
Morning-early Afternoon: Lollipop Kindergarten
Possibly my favourite job! I get picked up by the School Bus at Himemiya Train Station and essentially get to play with the kids until lunchtime, then afterwards take 15-20 minute lessons. These days are almost always fun, and the kids are adorable here. Sometimes they have special activities arranged, like painting and the teachers and I hang them outside to dry, making a beautiful marquee.



Afternoon: Shirayuri English Club
For two hours I teach kids from 3 to 6 years old. This is mainly things that I cover in the lessons earlier in the week, but in more detail. Sometimes the very young kids get really tired so it can be a little tricky to get them motivated, but usually a game or song wakes them up a little! The older kids are amazingly switched on though, so it's great to teach them.

Evening: Karate, support and Training
After Shirayuri I get an hour or so to eat and unwind, then I help Arakawa sensei with his evening elementary class. This involves correcting stances, footwork and explaining things when I can!! After this class is the junior High School class and I train with them, they're certainly good enough to put me to shame so I get what I can from them.

WEEKEND:
I only have one commitment, and that's Adult training on Saturday evenings. Usually though, I do find that I've agreed to be part of some event or other, so I'm never kicking my heels and it's great to feel like I'm really part of something. However, I do use some of this time to do the more mundane tasks like shopping and washing. Some things never change no matter where in the world you are!

Saitama Prefecture Taikai - 11th July

Peter Here!

Over 350 karateka and many more supporters filled the arenas for the Saitama Prefecture Wadokai Taikai on Sunday, July 11th. Being the Shiramizu Intern, naturally I was one of them.

The program says '5th Annual Wadokai, Saitama Prefecture Karate Tournament'

400 competitors!!!

Smaller by comparison to other tournaments in Japan, the people were queuing outside the arena from 8:00am to get inside, change and register. Having got a lift with Arakawa Sensei to the venue, I was surprised to see that there were people there even earlier than us!

At 9:30 all entrants were changed and ready for the opening ceremony. Arakawa Sensei, dressed in shirt and tie for the first time since I met him, led the proceedings and although much of the speeches was lost on me I managed to pick out the odd words of encouragement and decorum.

Kata was first on the agenda, with the kids on first, then working up through age and rank. Pinan Shodan was the required Kata; because of this it was really quite insightful to see where the differences were between people and schools, and how the timings differed- even if just slightly.

I was put in a category of 6, and was not suprised to be knocked out in the first round; Kata is not my strong point and I haven't competed in it since 2001, so a definite room for improvement there.

At later stages of the Kata rounds any Wado Kata was allowed, which is where the Shiramizu big guns really started firing. Chinto and Wanshu were the favourites (in contrast to Chinto and Seishan in the competitions I've been to in the UK), and the ranked places came flooding in for the Dojo. I only wish I had gotten photos :(.

(editors note - see a full report and pictures on Arakawa Sensei's Japanese blog)

After the lunch interval were the Kumite events, again with the lower ages and levels going first. It was refreshingly surprising to see even the lower grades compete in a clean and clear way - a far shout from 'pee-wee' fights in the west (though they are encouraging in their own way).


Some kids were feeling more than up to it!


Some adults were too!

The junior high school level was the one category I really wanted to watch (not least because I received a thrashing from one of them the weekend before in training), and I was not disappointed. My god, they're quick. The Shiramizu entrants again made their mark, with both finalists from the dojo.


My Kumite category held 8, and I won't lie- I was convinced I was going out. A bag of nerves, I tried to retain everything from the last month's drilling and training. But, against all odds and my expectations, I won 2 rounds, 5-2 and 4-1!

I had made the Final!! Not only that, I had all the little kids from the dojo and english classes in Shirayuri Kindergarten cheering for me!

The finals for senior grade Kumite events were held at the end of the day, on a central mat- my fight was to be the last one, and I was against Mori-san, a fellow black belt at Shiramizu (and who had been a gentleman in helping me out most of the day with events and warming up). He had overwhelmed his opposition, and from training with him I knew he was a great fighter.

Being last, all eyes were on us- every event finished, apart from ours. The kids were screaming support for both me and Mori-san, but the fact they were cheering me at all made me happy just to be here.

We lined up, shared a kindred grin, bowed- then set off. BANG. His right hand met my head at some velocity. Too much velocity, in fact, and he was penalised for contact. Off again, he came in, 'blitzing'- then scored with a gyaku. Ippon. Restart, and another blitz- instinct kicked in sadly and I back pedalled beyond the area. Warning to me, and on the restart i tried to use my range, he came flying in.. and met my knee with some force. Thankfully, he was able to carry on, and despite my getting one more point he emerged victorious, before crumpling over to the medical bench for treatment. I learned later that I might've broken his rib :(

After that, the closing speeches and awards took place for Kumite. The Shiramizu club had numerous honours from the lower age groups upwards.



Then it was my turn, to collect, with Mori-san.

It was a proud moment, a very happy moment- but the best part of the day? Had to be hearing the little voices cheering me on, wanting me to do well. I hope I did well enough for them!

Happy New Year! It's 2010!

Richard here, just wanted to share Shiramizu's New Year's postcard (nengajo - see Erica's post for details).

It lists the major happenings of 2009 - all of which are have been written up in our internship blog.

January

- dojo walk to the shrine

- dojo participation in the Kagami Biraki at the Nippon Budokan.

February

- 10th Annual Shiramizu inter-club tournament & participation at the Wing Cup.

March

- Kanto Wadokai Regional Tournament

April

- New Members! (most new members join in April at the start of the Japanese school year, as most new members are elementary first graders who move up from one of the five kindergartens that Shiramizu teaches at).

May

- JKF Saitama Tournament, where the Shiramizu Junior High Boy's Kumite Team took first place

June

- Arakawa Sensei's trip to Germany

- intern's Carl and Amy graduation

- new interns Louise & Erika's arrival

July

- Shiramizu gasshuku - summer camp - at Nikko.

August

- 2 members took part in the JKF National Youth Championships

- some members were part of the Sakae High School's 3rd Boy's Team Kumite place finish in National High School Interhigh Championships

- JKF Wadokai National Championships at the Nippon Budokan

- JKF National Junior High School Championships Boy's Kumite Team 5th place, as part of the Kita Kyushu City team (I suspect they from the Shiramizu dojo in Kyushu run by Arakawa Sensei's father and old brother)

September

- Arakawa took 2nd place at the JKF Master's tournament in the 40-44 year old Kumite division

October

- Sugito City Karate Championships

- Kanto Region JKF Junior High School Championships

November

- Tobu City Championships

December

- member Rie Hirai took part in the JKF National Championships as part of the Tochigi Prefectural Team.

- 1000 punches at the year-end training session

A few final notes about Rie Hirai making the JKF All-Styles National Team, other high school student's success, the reasonable cost of the Shiramizu Summer Camp in Nikko, and the 2500 athletes who compete in the Wadokai Nationals where this year the club wants to get some friendly revenge with better results.

Welcome, Hans

Louise here,

On Tuesday night, we had a visitor to the Shiramizu dojo. Hans Haering is from Germany, and while visiting Japan he wanted to do some training. Hans is a shodan, and has been learning Wado karate for ten years. Now he trains at Karate PSV Dresden e.V. in Dresden, under Frank Heinze sensei.

When Hans is not training, he is a project engineer for the company Sigmar Mothes Hochdrucktechnik GmbH in Berlin, and a PhD student at the Technical University of Dresden, studying chemical engineering. He was in Japan for a conference at the Tohoku University in Sendai and afterwards spent ten days sightseeing in Kyoto, Hiroshima and Tokyo, fitting in training with Michio Sato sensei at the Sendai Miyagi-ken Budokan, and with Shiramizu.

Hans said that Japan is very easy to travel around, due to the efficiency of the public transport system. He was also impressed by the hospitality of the Japanese people, with many going out of their way to help. Training at Shiramizu however was the highlight of his trip, he said.

After training. (Kneeling l-r: Toshi Okano, Hiroyuki Uehara sensei, Hans Haering, Takamasa Arakawa sensei, Hitoshi Kikuchi sensei)

Saitama-ken Junior JKF Taikai...

Hello, Amy here!

I thought I would just tell you all about the Saitama-Ken Junior JKF Taikai (or… the Saitama prefecture JKF Junior Championships) that was held on the 22nd and 23rd of May in Ageo city.

Unfortunately due to certain rules (not being juniors) we, (Carl and I) were not allowed to enter. We decided that we would go regardless and lend our support to the Shiramizu Team. Who would be entered under their town names, rather than dojo - as this was a regional qualifier for the ‘All-style Nationals’ later in the year.

On the 22nd Carl was busy at work, so I had to brave this unknown region to find the Ageo Budokan. For this mission Carl had armed me with a printed map and a very rough idea of where to find the competition. It was basically to be found on a very large green splodge on the map…..somewhere….

{Carl here… the map was courtesy of Google Earth, and it’s never let me down yet – some people simply can’t read maps :-) }

I found myself at Ageo train station and flipped a coin to decide in which direction to go in. I wandered through the streets following my map, passing further and further away from civilisation. It was a bit disconcerting when the ‘7- 11’ convenience store failed to materialize as this was my landmark on the map. But I continued on regardless and found the green splodge which happened to me an immense park with many sports buildings held within it and a huge deserted amusement park. I must admit however that the park did have many huge 3D maps in which to check your location……unfortunately there all were in Japanese. So again with the coin I decided in which direction to start my search. After walking and seemingly not moving for a long time I arrived at a car park the size of a small town. With my eagle eyes I soon found a sign to show that all my efforts were not in vain………….a group of youths with really stylish hair in karate bottoms…’YATTA’ I did it!!

Note the easily recognisable Shiramizu Banner on the right hand side!

Once inside it was easy to find the Shiramizu camp, just look for the huge flag. I was just in time to watch Masatoshi perform in Kata. Round after round Masatoshi won with a great example of Kushanku.

Masatoshi (Arakawa Sensei' younger son, Grade 3 Elementary) in action

As this was a large event there was a wait between watching the Shiramizu Competitors. But this was not a hindrance as it gave me time to watch the other competitors from different styles, especially the Kata which was preformed picture perfect almost every time!

Masatoshi enjoying a break after winning his Kata division (sitting on Yuki's knee)

(After a few hours I was looking forward to Carl trying to find the Ageo Budokan. I was sure that he would become completely lost. However I was in for a disappointment, as he managed to get a lift to the front door of the Budokan from his workplace…..DOH!!)

Kana mid-Chinto

Carl was just in time to witness Kana perform Chinto. She preformed amazingly and got through many rounds, unfortunately she was beaten by a kata from a different style, which was also performed with expert precision. Misaki was also performing Chinto (perfectly) and made it into the semi-fimals of the next day.

We also had the chance to watch some of the Shiramizu Instructors compete. Arakawa Sensei won his kumite category with ease.

Suzuki Sensei in action, with a rather questionable use of his lead leg... hmmm!

Suzuki Sensei had some trouble in his kumite but did well in his kata. Yamazaki Sensei competed in kata only and won her first round. In her second round unfortunately it went to three flags to two in her opponents favour.

All the Shiramizu students did amazing, but a special mention has to go to the high school boys kumite team.

Rikuto (left) recoiling from a reverse punch...

Which was the highlight of the entire competition. They fought amazingly with a good range of techniques. They showed great team spirit. It was definitely the amount of training and effort that these young lads put in that secured their victory.

It was a good way to spend the weekend. But Shiramizu weren’t the only ones competing that day, across the other side of the world Hartlepool Wadokai (our dojo) team was competing in the Aiwakai Nationals, our association’s national club championships. The team of 18 competitors (including both of Carl’s parents – in the Veteran Kata division) competed in both kumite and kata and brought home 20 medals. Well Done Everyone!!!!

Amy's Half Year Interview...

Carl here,

I thought it was well past time that Amy and I interviewed each other. We’re nine months into our one year in Japan, so this is a great chance to see what we’ve thought so far, what we’ve learned and what we’re planning for the next three months.

So Amy, why don’t you tell us all a bit about yourself?

Hello, I’m Amy. I am now 26 years old, (after having my birthday recently in Japan) and I love karate!!! I have a 1st class honours degree in photography and I have a passion for art. I have many hobbies they include kayaking ,rock climbing, scuba diving, running and going to the gym. I was working for the police in England as a PCSO before I came here and that’s about all………

When & where did you start Karate?

I started karate on the 29th of April 2003 to be exact!! I started at a brand sparkling new club in England in my home town of Hartlepool that had at the time six different sensei’s. The funniest part of this story is the reason I started karate in the first place. It was New Years Eve and I was celebrating with some friends as many stories begin. One of my best friends was talking to a friend of ours who had just came back to England after living in Jersey and was about to open a Dojo. She decided that the best way to get fit and lose a few pounds was to join karate and of course she couldn’t go alone………so I was dragged into it. I did not mind as I had previously done a bit of kick boxing and I had really enjoyed it.

Why did you stay in Karate?

As most stories like this goes my friend left after becoming a yellow belt as life always seems to get in the way. But I stuck at it. Karate helps keep me relaxed and fresh. It motivates both my body and mind. Also being an Aries I am incredibly stubborn, once I have set my mind to something I achieve my goals no matter what. As I am not a natural at karate I had decided that I wanted to be the best I could possibly be at karate! Which as you can expect will take me the rest of my life, so I can’t quit yet!!

Also my friend was right. Karate does keep you fit and toned in all the right places!! I also believe that it keeps you looking younger too.

When did you start teaching Karate?

I started teaching karate at the end of 2005. I was a purple belt and I had just started training with the Wadokai England squad on their kumite team. I found this an amazing experience and the best way to truly understand karate, because all your juniors expect you to have all the answers, be able to do all techniques and partner drills perfectly. Karate becomes a very steep learning curve at this point!

When did you first think of coming to Japan?

I have wanted to come to Japan from about the age of 16. But I must admit that this had nothing to do with karate!!! I wanted to visit the place where all the amazing wood block prints and other traditional Japanese painting had come from. Japanese imagery had always been a big factor in my art work and continued to be all the way through my degree in photography.

What was your image of Japan before you first came here?

I had an image of ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ and ‘The Last Samurai’ in my head. I knew it was a thriving industrial and business country with huge cities and tower blocks, but to be honest that had no place in my mind as I wanted to see a traditional and artistic Japan.

You were ‘seconded’ to the Internship half way through the year, how do you find the internship program?

To be honest the intern program did not really affect me. I was lucky that it did provide me with somewhere to live and train in karate but really I forced my way in, after all Carl was not having an adventure without me!!!! I found it very easy to find jobs in Japan and that was without speaking any Japanese. I have a very independent nature and I am used to doing my own thing.

What were your first impressions of Japan?

After a full day travelling the first memories are all a haze. I remember the pure heat and some very nasty tasting drinks that we got at the airport while we waited to be picked up. Then arriving in the dojo thinking oooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhh this looks nice. Also on the first day we had the pleasure of watching some kyu grades. Some tiny children all about half my height taking a different level of brown belt. I was left thinking wow these kids are amazing, and then to my pure amazement Arakawa Sensei then failed them all.

As for Japan in general it is a pure blend of old and new.

Any strange first non-karate experiences?

I have to agree with Carl on this point the strangest thing has got to be the trains!!! I admit that I love the way they are on time, unless someone has committed suicide (which they always do on my train line). But for the amount of people they fit into a train has got to be against human rights. The worst train I have to catch is at 10pm from Omiya and it is so full you can hardly breathe. I am lucky to have such broad shoulders because they keep a lot of people at bay.

What was your first impressions of Shiramizu and Arakawa Sensei?

I loved the place from the very beginning. It was filled with people like me. People who are dedicated to their training and work hard to improve at all levels. Arakawa fills the dojo with his enthusiasm. But this feeling is also help by his many instructors, who are all so kind and caring. And all who are willing to help you with any problem big or small whether it is related to karate or not!!

What’s your relationship with Arakawa Sensei now?

I hope that Arakawa sees me as a grateful and hard working karate-ka. It has been unfortunate that Arakawa has had such a busy year and that my working hours have been conflicting, as I never really got to speak to him as much as I would have liked. He is such a hard working, nice gentleman.

The internship is supposed to allow the intern the chance to really experience Japan and karate deeply. What have you found to be the most important for you while being the intern?

I don’t believe I have scratched the surface of traditional Japan. As for modern Japan I currently work, breathe live and commute in it. The most important part for me has been the karate aspect. In England I would never have had the opportunity or time to commit as much as I have to my training.

How do you find the activities and atmosphere of the Shiramizu dojo?

The atmosphere in the Shiramizu dojo is infectious!! It’s a great place to be motivated and train. Shiramizu is always busy going somewhere or doing something!!

Do you notice a difference between who you are now and who you were when you first came to Japan?

I would not say I have changed in my opinions. I am now more willing to eat exotic foods, but that always happens when you travel to different countries. The biggest thing I would say is I have changed in my attitude towards training. I use to believe I was dedicated and trained hard, after viewing some of the students from Shiramizu on the run up towards the worlds in Canada I now know I can train harder and smarter.

You’re seen karate associations in the UK and now in Japan, so how do you find the political side of karate?

Mainly a mess. But I don’t get involved, all I want to do is train thank you.

What other dojo have you been to in Japan?

I have trained at Saitama Sakai High School and I have had the privilege of training at Yanagawa Sensei dojo in Ogikubo. I have also been to the Guseikai dojo. I have also trained at the Utsunomiya Bunsei girls high school and I must admit there are so many good fighters there it is just a shame that it is very far from where we live as I would really like to have trained their as often as possible.

How has karate changed over the years from your perspective?

I think karate, like fashion goes in cycles. The right way to do something today is the wrong way tomorrow and then it’s the right way again. The karate I have seen is Japan has mainly been competitive karate. I believed before I came here that karate in Japan would be traditional and heavily in depth, the true secrets of Karate…….everything changes.

What’s your own competitive success?

I have only been in 4 compititons since I have been in Japan. Which I was deeply disappointed in, as it takes me time to get my competitive fitness up. I have received Gold in the Satte Taikai, Silver in the Sugito Taikai, ‘best 8’ in kata in the Wadokai Kanto Taikai. The ‘best 8’ in kata was my biggest surprise, to me, Carl and Sensei Arakawa. It shows I have made some improvement in kata. My kumite in Japan has not been at its best. I find it difficult with all the extra protective equipment that the Japanese wear. The head gaurds are a nightmare because they fog up and you can not see techniques that are thrown and the body armor stops your movement.

What’s your belt rank success?

I took my Shodan in May 2008. I then did a pre Dan test with Arakawa Sensei for my Nidan in February which I failed as my kata was not strong enough. I feel honoured that Arakawa Sensei would pre test me after just under 9 months of being a Shodan. I completely agree with the feedback as I want to shine as a Nidan and not just scrape through.

What does it take run a successful dojo?

Personality, hard work, commitment, talent and above all else a team of people who are happy to help you achieve it!

What do you see in regards to your personal future in karate?

I will continue to gain as much knowledge as possible so I can become a worthy instructor. I am going to continue to compete in hopes of winning the European Championships and hopefully the Worlds in Japan in 2010! I am going to continue working on my kata. I also want to train and become a referee.

Any final words of advice for future interns?

RUNNNNNN…..only joking. Enjoy yourself here, give it your best and work hard. The Japan experience is everything you make it.

Uchida-san!

Carl here...



...for a quick write up on Uchida-San, one of the students from the Shiramizu dojo. He's had a busy two weeks, not only did he recently (15th March) achieve his shodan at the Chiba Dan Grading BUT he also won the over 40 years old Kumite division in the Wadokai Kanto Taikai on the 22nd March! Not bad for a guy pushing past 50 years old!

Wadokai Kanto Taikai

Carl here,

I’ve been looking forward to this competition for a while now; the last few competitions were only local events with relatively small categories, this one would be a real challenge. Also, this would be mine and Amy’s last competition during our internship in Japan. Naturally my ego wanted me to win my kumite division.

(editor's note: The Wadokai Kanto area Taikai has about 1600 Wadokai member only competitors from the 7 prefectures around and including Tokyo so it is one of the biggest tournaments of any style in the region.)




We all had an early start from Tobudobutsu-koen station to get to....



....The Komazawa Olympic Park sports arena near Shibuya for 8:30.

The venue had 13 area mats set up and most categories were big. My kumite category (none university student adult men only) had 54 people in but I was feeling confident. My category was one of the first to start, Arakawa Sensei came over to help me warm up and I was ready to go.



Kumite

I won my first fight 6-0 with three punches and a head kick. It was a straight forward fight.

I had a long wait for my next fight, but just as I was about to go on the mat, one of the officials came over to tell me that I was wearing the wrong colour so I had to change. After changing colour, I walked to the edge of the mat and the same guy came back over and said he’d made a mistake and I now had the wrong colour on. So, after changing my belt and gloves again, I walked to the edge of the mat.

The fight was terrible, I fumbled my way through to a 1-0 win but I wasn’t comfortable in the fight at all. I had obviously let the fussing about at the start throw my focus. What made it worse was that the area was directly in front of were Takagi Sensei and various other important Wadokai Sensei were sat, so they had a great view of my terrible performance.

My third and last fight was even worse than the last one. I was up against a big guy who came in immediately with an unanswered body kick to my back to get 2 points. He then proceeded to pound my face a couple of times to get another 2 points and a contact warning. I didn’t really answer any of it, I kept chasing but my reverse punches were nonexistent and my lead hand was moving in a very obvious circular movement rather than a straight line to the target. Without my hand techniques to open up the opponent, my leg techniques were all but useless. To add to this, my distancing was way off! All in all, probably one of the worse performances I’ve ever had in kumite. I lost the fight 4-0 finishing I believe in the ‘best 16’.

I walked away from the area to cool off and watch my fight which Amy had recorded. Once I’d watched it a few times, I was ready for human contact and I found Arakawa Sensei to apologise for fighting so badly. He laughed and we had a talk about the way I fought and what I did wrong, we both concluded that my ‘head’ just wasn’t in the fight!

I didn’t get to see Amy fight in her kumite division because I was called for kata, she didn’t make it through her first round which she wasn’t particularly happy about.

Team Guseikai



Arakawa Sensei taking a break from his warm up

Arakawa Sensei was fighting as part of Takagi Sensei’ Guseikai Kumite Team. I’ve never seen Sensei perform in a competition so naturally I stuck around to watch, with almost everyone else in the venue including the free officials!

Guseikai did well in their first round, winning easily. Arakawa Sensei in particular was in total control of his fight. The next round wasn’t so great, they changed the fight order around and the first two guys lost and the next one after won. Arakawa Sensei was up next and despite fighting well, he ended up running out of time being one point down. The next Guseikai guy also lost, though barely.

Lunch Break


Kids in action
Photo from the blog of Arakawa Sensei

During the scheduled lunch break, all the kids were lined up and put through some basics and kata by Shiramizu’ Arakawa Sensei.


Chihiro from Shiramizu giving out presents

Then all the Shiramizu adults helped the other officials give a small present (Wadokai branded Chopsticks!) to every child competitor. Whilst this was happening there was a number of demonstrations held for the crowd.

Kata
Amy’s kata category was called up whilst I was fighting but I did see her first kata performance from across the hall. She did really well, getting all 5 flags in her first round. I didn’t get to see any of her other kata performances though. Amy ended up finishing in the top 8 of the category. This is a great result for her, especially considering her set back over the Dan grading! Also, the trophy she got is great, it’s probably one of the most stylish trophies either of us has ever won, and it was for an 8th place!

I’ll be honest, I didn’t have any hope in kata! I was fairly sure that I wasn’t going to get past the first round but I still had my objectives. The first time I competed in kata was 9 months ago and I was very nervous, my only objective for this competition was to perform with no tension and not be nervous. My Pinan Godan wasn’t perfect, but it was ok, I slipped slightly in the last move which I believe lost me the round (5 flags to 0!). I was still happy though because I wasn’t nervous during the performance and there was very little tension. Mission accomplished.

Lawrence gave a good performance of Pinan Godan but the decision went to the other guy. For the life of me I couldn’t see the difference between the two kata!


The Shiramizu squad!
Photo from the blog of Arakawa Sensei

Summary
This wasn’t the best result that Team Gaijin has achieved at a competition, but I’m really pleased for Amy and her kata placing. I don’t suppose ‘best 16’ in kumite is too bad, but it’s 15 places from where I wanted to be!

Shiramizu did well with the medal haul, I don’t have exact numbers but a large number of Shiramizu people were in the finals.

A special mention should go out to all the Shiramizu instructors, they were either helping at the competition as officials or they were competing. Iwasaki Sensei got 2nd Place in the over 40’s Kata, he smiled when he said he got zero flags for his Kushanku kata in the final. Also Yoshihara Sensei, who just so happens to be one of the nicest ladies you’ll ever meet, got two silver medals, one in Kumite and the other in Kata. I think Yamazaki Sensei would have placed in her Kata category but she was struggling with a back injury so her kata was pretty tense.

Even though I came away from the competition empty handed, I’ve still learned loads. Also, I got some great feedback from Hideo Takagi Sensei about my fighting which I very much appreciate! Also, it was great fun to hang out with friends who all love karate as much as me, make new friends, flirt with all the cute girls – the usual!

By my calculations, I have 22 weeks to train for the JKF-Wadokai Nationals in August which I’m planning to fly back to Japan for.

Chiba Dan test

Photo taken from www.flickr.com

Carl here,

Let me start with an apology to the readers, we don't have any cool pictures of the Dan grading because although we took the camera with us, we somehow forgot to take the camera battery!

A few weeks ago I made the somewhat innocent mistake of asking Arakawa Sensei what a new poster on the dojo wall said. He told me that it was an upcoming Dan Test in Chiba, as I was walking away he asked ’Carl, you trying?’ As I’m sure I’ve explained before, that translates into English as ‘Carl you are trying?’. So, that’s how I found myself lining up with maybe 20 other Dan grade candidates at the Shiramizu dojo, ready to take part in a ‘Pre-Dan Test’ for my Nidan (2nd Dan).

Shiramizu Pre-Dan Test
This pre-Dan test is a quality control for maintaining the very high standard of the Shiramizu black belts. Arakawa Sensei only lets the very best try for the next belt!

All candidates had to perform two Kata and then some free-fighting. I wasn’t concerned about the kumite, I know I can hold my own with most fighters; the Kata though, was a different matter!

I performed Chinto & Wanshu. I say ‘performed’; it was really an attempt at fumbling through the various movements. If I had performed them on my own, they would have probably been passable; however I had to follow all Shiramizu high school kids who are all great at kata. Anyway, the Shiramizu instructors were feeling particularly charitable and so Okayed me to try for Nidan.

Amy was also allowed to try for Nidan, despite only being a Shodan for 8 or 9 months. However, it was decided that her kata wasn’t strong enough yet by Shiramizu standards.

Chiba Dan Test
The Dan test was being held on Sunday 15th March near Disney Land Tokyo in Chiba, this is only maybe a 90 minute car ride from Sugito so we had a late start (10am-ish!) to get to the venue for the 12 o’clock start time. There were 13 students from Shiramizu attempting the next belt. Those of us who were travelling from the dojo lined up as we would at the start of class and bowed in, Uehara* Sensei wished us all luck, and asked us to try our best.

*Arakawa Sensei was teaching at a Wadokai Training Camp that he’d helped organise in Satte City during the same weekend as this Dan Test. So he couldn't be at the Dan Grading.


Photo taken from the blog of Arakawa Sensei

We had a few minutes to get changed, stretch off and register, and then everyone lined up. The hall was far too small for the 150+ people training. We were packed wall to wall. One of the instructors put us through a few basics. Then we were given 10 minutes to practise our Kihon Kumite drills and kata. We lined up once more for a standing bow and then the test began. 128 people were taking various tests from 1st Dan through to 5th Dan.


Photo taken from the blog of Arakawa Sensei

I was a little concerned that we would be tested 5 people at a time, in front of a grading panel of 10 high ranking Japanese Sensei! I was also aware that this test was going to take hours!

All grades went through the same program, with a few differences or additions as you go up the grades, everyone performed the same Ido-Kihon followed by two kata and then sat down. Once everyone had performed part 1 the day was getting late, the examiners decided to split the test in two 5 examiners for Shodan candidates and 5 for everyone else.


Photo taken from the blog of Arakawa Sensei

We were then marshalled into pairs to perform our chosen Kihon Kumite followed by free fighting. I was paired up with Lawrence, who was trying for Sandan. We’d only managed to train together a few times with Lawrence training at Shiramizu on Saturdays and I went to his high school (Seiritsu) in Akabane to train on a couple of mornings before I went to work in Nerima. Despite this, we had Kihon Kumite number 4 & 5 looking good.

Despite fumbling the take down on ‘number 5’ a little and planting a solid round house kick on Lawrence’ face during the free fighting, we got through the test unscathed.

We had a short wait to find out if we passed or failed, all but two people from Shiramizu passed including myself and Lawrence. I was a little disappointed with my performance, especially my kata, I actually wanted to give up my Dan grade and start again as a beginner! I’ve worked hard to ‘fix’ my kata over the last 9 months in Japan, but it’s still not where it needs to be. There’s nothing to be done but get back to training…

Oh, I can also honestly say that the test made me feel the most nervous I’ve ever felt in my life!


During the next Shiramizu adult class, the instructors were shaking my hand congratulating me and Uehara Sensei, who speaks great English, said that I’d done well. I denied it and said I’d performed terribly, he laughed and said ‘yes, but other people were more terrible!’. It made me laugh so I thought I’d share it with the blog readers!

Kita-Kasushika Area Karate Championships

Carl here...


The English intern tag-team!

Yesterday was the Kita-Kasushika Area Karate Championships held at the Asukaru Centre in Satte City. I thought this was going to be a small local competition, I was therefore pleasantly surprised to find out that there was over 500 entrants and a reasonable number of competitors in my own divisions.

Anyway, back to the story...

The competition was organised by Arakawa Sensei and Masuda Sensei from the local Shotokan dojo. Shiramizu therefore helped setup the competition on the Saturday night. Team Gaijin was taken away from 'set-up duties' by Okano-san, to talk us through our Karate acting debut in what would be part of the Shiramizu Taikai at the end of the month. I'm still not sure of the details but to give you a glimpse, here's a picture of some of those involved (from the blog of Arakawa Sensei).


Thankfully, Team Gaijin don't have to dress up in any Lycra costumes, we can get away with our karate gi and sunglasses!

After the setup was complete, Arakawa Sensei took Team Gaijin, that being Carl, Amy and Lawrence to a local chinese restaraunt, accompanied by Kikuchi Sensei and a few other Shiramizu students. The food was delicious and Lawrence enjoyed laughing at my fumbling with the chopsticks.

The Competition
I managed to miss the 'team warm up' because I took too long taping my competitor numbers on my back, but I got there in time for opening ceremony. In typical fashion, there was a number of speeches and the Roman salute (one student says a short formal speech to the main organizer of the tournament that all the athletes will do their best in a sportsperson like manner) and then the competition started across 8 mats. Shiramizu entered approximately 150 competitors into the competition, but only three seniors - those being Amy, Lawrence and myself aka - Team Gaijin, so there was plenty of expectation resting on our shoulders, and I'm pleased to say that we didn't disappoint!

Kata
In typical fashion, after my own brief warm up to loosen up my body, I found a corner to fall asleep in, iPod playing, oblivious to the world...

...until I was woken up by a kick to the shins of either Amy or Lawrence to tell me that our Kata division had been called.

Our kata category had 17 people in. I've been working on 'fixing' my Chinto kata since I came to Japan, and it was that kata which I chose to perform. Despite this I personally didn't think I'd get past the first round. My competition kata isn't particularly great and with it being an open competition, I thought a Shotokan or Goju exponent would get the better of me.

Anyway, by some random fluke of luck I got through the first round with a 'blink-and-you'll-miss-it' performance of Chinto, with no less than 5 flags! The next round I was not surprised to lose by 5 flags to the other guy. Lawrence was disappointed with not getting past the first round, but he lost to the guy who went onto the finals (finishing in 2nd) so we both ended up with a certificate for finishing in the 'best 8'.

Amy lost to a lady who went onto the finals of her division too, but there were only 8 people in her category so she didn't get a certificate for her placing.

Whilst we were waiting for our kumite divisions, I tried to steal myself away again and sleep but some of the little Shiramizu girls had different ideas. They thought it would be a good idea to use me as a warm up instrument, at one point I had a dozen trying to beat me up! I eventually managed to convince them to fight Lawrence and Amy instead so I could escape!

Kumite
Amy was up first from Team Gaijin...


...and she fought very well.


Amy 'high fiving' her opponent during a match!
Making her way comfortably to the finals to win her first ever individual Gold Medal, in Japan of all places!!!


Amy with her FIRST EVER individual Gold Medal!
Not wanting to be out done, Lawrence and I made our way to the area. There were 21 competitors in the division and both Lawrence and I had been seeded into the 2nd round. Our referee was the coach from Saitama Sakai high school, where I sometimes train on Sundays, so I was conscious not to mess up.


Lawrence in action...!
Lawrence was up against someone much taller, but he held his own for most of the fight scoring with some solid counter punching. His opponent managed to keep his lead until the end, winning 4-3.

For my first fight I was matched against a gentleman who at first glance appeared to be of 'aging years'. Any false notions I had that this would be an easy fight were wiped away with two lightening fast lunge punches that I barely saw coming and could do nothing about. As I walked back to the line the second time, I remember smiling at Lawrence and getting a knowing smile back, something like 'well, we didn't expect that!'.


Winning punch
After that, I found my stride but the match went onto sudden death were I took the win with a head punch.

The next round was a little easier, I settled straight into the fight, measured and scored with a head punch straight off my line. After a little bit of trading, scoring another point, I launched in with a solid hook kick to the head to get 3 points.


Carl mid-flight, a moment before the right leg connects to his opponents head
I felt comfortable going into the finals, my opponent shook my hand before hand and we lined up. We traded well, scoring a point, then losing a point. He wouldn't let my bring my legs fully into the game, I scored with a solid body kick that nearly split him in two...


...and a reverse punch that put him on the floor.


However, in the last few seconds, being one point down, I couldn't get through his guard to get the point, I landed a few techniques, but none good enough to get the score. My opponent took the win, 4 points to 3. I would have to settle for 2nd place!

After I'd bowed out of the match, I realised that our fight had been the last of the day. Most of the other areas had already been cleared away and everyone had been stood watching the fight. I was disappointed with the 2nd place, but it could well be the extra motivation I need get ready for the Wadokai Kanto Taikai in March!

Summary
The competition was very well organised, ran smoothly all day and finished on time. The volunteers were all great, and the whole day was fun! Though I don't yet have any exact figures, Shiramizu did very well with a lot of competitors taking gold. This competition has proved to be a great warm up for the Shiramizu club competition in two weeks time.

Team Gaijin brought home 4 awards from 3 competitors, so it was a good result for the foreigners!

For me, it's showed what areas I need to get to work on in time for my next competition. Meanwhile, I must get back to my junzuki...

Thanks...
I'd like to thank Chris Heinmiller, the lastest addition to 'Team Gaijin' for taking most of the photos during the competition, leaving us free to concentrate on our karate. Keep an eye on this blog for an exclusive interview with Chris coming soon, as he is a 2nd Dan Taekwondo student from Canada now training at Shiramizu.

Additional photo's from Lawrence...!