JAPAN TRAINING 2013 - JULY, 20, 2013 - OMAGARI

It was really a needed day off -- the mid-point of our training here at Hombu Dojo.  I think everyone was happy to have a body rest.  However, a day 'off' in Japan is not a day without obligations.
At 9:30 a.m. two busses pulled up to the ryokan and sixty or so of us crammed in (tightly!) For an hour and a half ride into the mountains for our 'waterfall training'.  The country in Akita Prefecture is nothing short of spectacular:  rivers, mountains, green forests.  Everything orderly.  Orchards, rice fields.  After a few wrong turns and backing the busses around, we made our destination.  On one side was a beautiful, swiftly flowing river and on the other side were steep mountains.  We changed into our gis and made for an 80 foot waterfall that fell out of the mountains into a pool of icy water.  The area has apparently had an abundance of rain this year and the pool was chest deep and the falling water plentiful.

I was initially not too keen on going, but once we saw the waterfall, we became a gang of excited school children - everyone making for the falls as quickly as possible.  I was only wearing my gi pants and obi as I didn't want to trash a gi jacket also. The force of the water pounding down on us was breathtaking and VERY cold.  The pool had a jumbled rock bottom so the footing was treacherous.  The force of the water crated a huge wind and the mist was swirling about as the water beat hell out of you while you attempted to perform Sanchin or Tensho and act like it really was no big deal that you were being beat like a drum by very cold water.  Maybe the ionization was really charged up, but we were all happy as kids -- 60 karateka from a plethora of countries frollicing in a waterfall in rural Japan.

Afterward we changed into dry clothes and sat about basking in the sun, feeling pretty proud of ourselves.

On the way back to Omagari, we stopped at a shopping area for lunch that had several eating areas -- yakatories, ramen shops, etc.  It must have been very interesting to the locals when two busloads of gaijin pulled up and we descended on the place like locusts -- none of us with a clue about how or what to order.  But we are quick learners, so everyone was satisfied.

We arrived back at the ryokan with just enough time to bathe and soak and dress for the annual Seiwakai dinner party.  There was a lot of scrumptious food and many rounds of drinks, photos, and camaraderie.  After some speeches and a few KOMPAI!, out came the karaoke mics and video screen so we could all enjoy the Japanese national past time.  We really sucked, but they actually practice (it's a long winter here) and made us look like the amateurs we were.  I was looking through the song index -- which is about as big as a major city telephone directory -- with 15 year-old Naomi Comacho Martinez, who is Sensei Cyntia Martinez' (Mexico Seiwakai) daughter.  She was too shy to go up by herself, but because of our generational gap, it took us so long to find a song we both knew it was time to let the Japanese close it out  and we lost our chance.  Maybe that was a good thing actually.  Shihan Des Tuck made us all proud as he can actually sing!

Back to training tomorrow.  It is a national election day and the Budokan has been pressed into service for a polling place, so we are meeting at the Omagari station at 9 a.m.to take the train to Sensei Takahashi's dojo in a neighboring town.  He is one of Shihan's senior students. I'm hoping to have Sensei Rod Martin from Brisbane, Australia give me an acupuncture treatment in the morning to try and take the pain out of my hip flexors.  They need an overhaul...

I wish I had photos to share right now, but they are in my camera, which I can't download because I haven't found the proper cable and there was no way I was going to take my new tablet to a water event. I will try to load them to the cloud and then attach some, but don't hold your breath.  I am prehistoric when it comes to certain computing things.  When I arrive back I will have probably 800 photos to sort through and upload to the karate blog.  Until then, take my word that it was a splendid day here and I wish you the opportunity to experience the training.

I am currently sitting on the tatamis in my room with my back against the wall (physically, not literally)

My roommate is Sensei Kevin Moskie from Staten Island, NY and I have no idea where he is.  Probably playing pachinko.  It is 11:25 here in Omagari, and 9:25 a.m. in A-Town.  I hope you are all well and getting in some training.  I miss you all.