Gasshuku in Japan
17th to 21st May, 2006
From 17th to 21st of May, there was the Shinto Muso ryu gasshuku with Nishioka sensei held in Shiseikan dojo, Yoyogi park (Meiji Jingu), Tokyo. About 20 - 25 students from Japan, Europe and Australia attended the gasshuku. Except the direct students of Nishioka sensei there were also 3 students from Pascal Krieger - Michel Ducret, Yukari Nakamura and myself. From my side I would like to write just a few words and remarks from that meeting. Maybe Michel and Yukari will add something.
For me it was absolutely the first visit to Japan during the 14 years I had been training the martial arts. One of my dreams came true. I wanted to learn as much as possible, what could I be able to learn within such short period and in doing so not to be considered for a dumb Gaijin. I wanted to impress in a good sense if possible, and to show that we practise here in Europe also. Not to put my teachers and myself into a shame. Next to the seminar I was the following week in Tokyo (12 days in total). I passed through few trainings with the Seiryukai students trying to absorb the maximum of the Jodo atmosphere and information.
The training sessions of the seminar in Shiseikan, Bunbukan and also in Yotsuya were a little different to those I know from Europe to say the truth. The structure or composition of the training sessions used to be different. The training always started with some form of uchikomi (or ken suburi) which took much more time and space here than the whole "set" of kihon. I think that we practised the tandoku and sotai dosa only once or twice but four uchikomi techniques were practised everytime. Then the kata followed immediately.
Maybe also the approach of the advanced students was different. They used to explain things differently. At most I was surprised how much of the advanced students were explaining things during the training. I think that here in Europe just one teacher teaches and only during the big gatherings, when the class is separated into several groups, some other person is responsible for another group. But the advices given were a contribution, for me personally. My usual mistakes in te-no-uchi, shisei, kakudo and kime were not accepted here. At some kata I did mistakes which I know I was doing from my very beginning, but forget them. Here they were not accepted. Other corrections were new for me.
The thing which surprised me mostly was the big influence of seiteigata and that they practise the seitei jo in Seiryukai from the very beginning. That was new for me. I was amazed about the small number of regular training sessions which were only a few times per week (2 or 3). I have also seen the Seiryukai exams and the foreign students. Interesting comparison. I hope that they will also come to see some exams in Europe or want to meet some non-Japanese jodokas.
Sensei was the same, with the same attitude and approach as he is here in Europe. He was helpful and friendly. To each question he had a long answer and showed me everything. He is incredibly vital. It is good to see it and the only thing we can do is to wish him a good health.
It is also good to know that we had a good name in Japan thanks to Pascal Krieger and his level of practising. It is good to be his student. It could be seen in Japan on myself and on the others. Out of the trainings I saw a bit of Tokyo, we were in Kamakura - Yukari took us there. We spent a lot of time with Michel and discussed the experience from dojo and other things. We have seen the Kashima shin ryu kenjutsu presentation of Mr. Inaba. Have bought some small things for practising, seen shops with quality shinkens and "budo" souvenirs. I was also alone on the kenjutsu dojo visit, where I could see the Tennen Rishin ryu and met with my Czech friends, kendokas and aikidokas who live in Japan. These were hard and busy two weeks.
Patrik Orth, from the Czech Republic (translation to English Michal Kolisek)
P.S. Thanks to all friends in Japan for the help and corrections and thank to you all at home, I could not go there without your support.
Fédération Européenne de Jodo / European Jodo Federation