On Monday, I went off in search of the Japan Karate Federation to inquire about buying a new uniform, taking classes, and attending up-coming tournaments in Tokyo. They were incredibly helpful and contacted the Tokaido gi shop and JKA (Japan Karate Association) to let them know I was coming.
The next day, I went to the Tokaido gi shop and bought the most beautiful uniform I have ever seen. It is made of 100% Japanese cotton, has the official patch of the JKA, and is built to last a minimum of 10 years (gives me chills just thinking about it J). Afterwards, I made my way to Iidabashi to find the JKA headquarters.
Upon arriving at the JKA, I could immediately feel the energy in the air. There were trophies everywhere, pictures of legendary Sensei’s, and people bowing and saying “Oss” as they walked past (the customary term of respect in Shotokan Karate). I managed to get a very cute (but very deadly) young woman to assist me.
Unfortunately, she didn’t speak much English but was the only person capable of helping me. Although she didn’t understand my hand gestures and drawings I had made in a last ditch effort to communicate, she did understand when I told her I was an orange belt. She didn’t hesitate to share this information with the entire office causing the LOUDEST BURST OF LAUGHTER I EVER HEARD! I stayed humble of course (not that I had a choice with a building full of people trained in the art of combat), and after an hour of making a fool of myself, I managed to sign up successfully.
A few hours later I came back for class, got changed, and went upstairs to warm up. That’s when I realized that I was the only non-brown or black belt there! Well, I didn’t let that intimidate me. I kept up with the class and learned two advanced katas. That was only the first class of the evening though. I stayed for two more for a total of three hours of training. I’m not going to lie, I trained hard back in Brooklyn, but this was by far the hardest training I had ever experienced.
The next day was more of the same. However, I had the treat of a lifetime for my first class. Before the class began, a Sensei came over and asked me to follow him. He took me and another low-level belt to a separate training hall for a more personalized lesson. We went over stances, combinations, katas, and had a great workout. Afterwards, I went upstairs to get ready for the next class when one of the students asked me, “How was it training with Imamura Sensei?” I said, “It was fine, why do you ask?” He said, “You don’t know who he is do you? IMAMURA SENSEI IS A LEGEND!” So, as it turns out, I had just trained with one of the best karateka the world has ever known. SWEET! lol
After two more lessons, I was whooped! Many of the people acknowledged my skill and dedication and told me how much of a pleasure it was training with me. I made many friends at the dojo that evening and will surely take them up on their offers to train with them in their home countries. All in all, I couldn’t have asked for a better start on my journey of Karate in Japan!
-Sammy J
No comments:
Post a Comment