Japan Cultural Exchange 2006

After months of preparation and excitement we finally began our trip to Japan, the first of what will hopefully be many exchanges between the two countries. After our airport goodbyes we started our 30 hour flight with much commentary from Ryan Esau to keep us entertained...

Sangubashi

Upon our arrival we were met by the Japanese delegation led by Saiko Shihan and Mrs Yamaguchi and from there made our way via bus straight to the Olympic Centre in Sangubashi. This was also our first introduction to Aina Kobinata, who kept us on a tight Japanese schedule during our stay. Apparently our Capetonian time-keeping skills had come to her attention.

olympic centre

The Olympic Centre buzzed with people all day and night. Sporting teams from around Asia, school children, businessmen and women flowed through continuously. Most of us suffered a bit of a culture shock on the first morning at breakfast… when prepared for a bowl of corn flakes only to find rice, fish and broccoli.

We trained with Sensei Frank and Sensei Craig in preparation for the grading and were visited by Ski Sensei who took us through some basic fitness and co-ordination movements that made us look a little less than graceful, much to his amusement.

While in Sangubashi some of us managed to visit the world famous Meiji Jinju Shrine situated in the lush gardens behind the Olympic Centre.

Goodwill Tournament

The day of the competition against the Japanese students arrived and what previously had not seemed like a big event, considering the magnitude of the upcoming grading, suddenly became the focus of all involved.

For many of our students it would be the rekindling of bitter sweet battles from the 2005 World Championships. We arrived at the competition arena and the prestige of the event could be felt by all as you glanced over the main table to see The President of Goju Kai and the President of Africa Goju Kai, Shihan Peter alongside one another and the rest of the table was made up of Vice Presidents and top Japanese instructors whom had all come out to see the South African students in action.

The individual events got underway with many of our students winning in various categories,but it was the team event that everyone was holding their breath for.

At the start of the team event the atmosphere was at it`s peak and the pressure was on our team to achieve the almost impossible by beating the Japanese on home ground under there rules wearing head masks for the first time. It was then that Sensei Frank and I looked at each other and it was like turning back the clock to when we lived in Japan and were fighting for the three man Goju Kai team against Shotokan in the finals of the interstyle team event. Kikuchi Shihan simply walked over to us before the fight and said in the most direct and calm tone I have ever heard in my life” Goju Kia Must Win” We knew the pressure our Boys were under.

All the months of training in preparation for the grading were not in vain for this day as our boys showed what warriors they had become. South Africa won the team event but the real triumph of the day was sitting back at the celebration party the hosts put on afterwards and watching the students from two completely different cultures interacting together.

meiji shrine

Sensei Frank and Sensei Craig introduced us to the rather confusing train system and took us to Shinjuku. While there we visited Masatoshi Shihan who generously sent us on a tour of the Shinjuku Botanical Gardens.

Our hosts had arranged a friendly competition just before we left for our next stop. It was extremely well organised a good chance for us to compare teaching styles and competition techniques. Both sides faired well with South Africa taking the cup for the team event. In the evening we were invited to a sayonara party where the all the children had a moment to exchange gifts with one another.

Kashima Jinboden

Up early and ready for our bus trip to Kashima City where we would be completing our grading. The trip through was a scenic drive from urban into rural Japan. Just outside the city borders we were surrounded by rivers and rice paddies. The hills are covered in dense green vegetation. Throughout most of our stay we experienced the humid, drizzly, Japanese weather which could only compare to Durban.

We arrived in Kashima and were greeted by Saiko Shihan who showed us to our rooms and gave us some background to Kashima Jinboden and explained Kaiso Gogen Yamaguchi’s strong ties to this place. Saiko Shihan had arranged for a few guests to visit us and our first training session was with a biokineticist, who took us through various exercises to improve communication with your training partner through movement. We managed to knot ourselves together with ease but the undoing proved to be more of a trick.

kashima shrine

In the afternoon Saiko Shihan took us to the Kashima Shrine and dojo which lies in the forest behind Kashima Jinboden. Peter Shihan shared stories of his training there years before under the guidance of Kaiso Gogen Yamaguchi. The area is adorned with artefacts and shrines shrouded in the trees and bamboo that tower over the area. The preservation of Japanese history is a theme that played through our trip.

Masatoshi Shihan arrived on our second day in Kashima, to assist with the grading. With one day to go the nerves were alive and the appetites fading fast. Grading day kicked off with Saiko Shihan and Masatoshi Shihan running through the grading syllabus.

Kikuchi Shihan arrived in the afternoon to complete the grading panel. It was a nerve-wrecking, intense and tiring grading but definitely worth the trip to Japan. The relief after was incredible and with everyone so wired it took a while before sleep kicked in.

The next morning we were up early to pack and have our last breakfast in Kashima Jinboden before heading off to Tokyo Disneyland.

Aina joined us for a day of rides, American trinkets and many, many Mickey ice-creams. We then hopped back on our bus and headed off to the final leg of our Japanese adventure.

Shizuoka

Shizuoka is a small seaside village, on the south coast of Japan. Here we met the local arm of Gojukai Japan and our hosts had graciously offered to take in the children for the three day home stay. As we stood facing the host parents, I’m not sure who was more frightened; our boys, who were unsure where they were going and seriously worried about their diets or the Shizuoka parents staring back at these extremely large teenagers...

On our second day we had some free time to wonder through Shizuoka and take in a few tourist moments. And after an extensive day of shopping we joined our Japanese hosts for a combined training session which once again tested our co-ordination skills. The boys seemed relieved to know we hadn’t abandoned them after all. That evening we were shown the sights of the city and bumped into a couple of familiar faces along the way...

four boys

Our penultimate day in Japan; Time had flown by and we were nearing the end of our stay. But before this we were off to see the majestic Mount Fuji. We loaded everyone on the bus and began our 3 hour bus trip to this wonder of nature. As the bus winded around the base of the mountain fighting gale force winds, fleeting rain and dodging the occasional branch, we realised we were in the midst of a Japanese Typhoon, making our way up to a mountain we would not be able to see. After a short sideways run through the storm into the souvenir shop we did what came naturally in times like these, and shopped.

On our way down the mountain we stopped to see the Shiraito-no-taki (White Thread) Waterfalls which are fed by Mount Fuji. The walls around us ran with glistening strings of water trickling down into natural pools.

waterfalls

In the evening Saiko Shihan held a graduation ceremony for those who has successfully completed their grading. It was here that Sensei Glenn Fookwe was certified as an internationally recognised instructor. After a final training session with our hosts the younger students held a demo with the Japanese focusing on kata and our students giving a very good Juo Kumite demonstration.

On our final morning in the Land of the Rising Sun, we awoke to the sunniest day of the trip; blue skies and not a drop of rain. We stopped to collect all the children on our way to the airport and to say our final farewells to our Japanese hosts. With all the host families gathered round and our boys loading up the many gifts they received, I asked three little girls what it was like to spend so much time with the South Africans and when they gave the thumbs up and said "Lekker!" I realised our work here was done...!