Monday August 3rd
I picked up our guests at 8:30 this morning to take them to a special meeting with Williamsburg's Mayor Jeanne Zeidler at the Municipal Building. When we arrived, executive assistant Gerry Walton took us and Mayor Zeidler up to the large conference room on the third floor where we sat down for introductions and a nice talk. I translated for both sides and Mayor Zeidler warmly welcomed all of our guests to Williamsburg and asked about their impressions so far. She also thanks Gibu Sensei for not only naming the Williamsburg dojo his USA Headquarters but also for graciously allowing us to travel to Okinawa each summer for training but also to learn about their history and culture.

Mayor Zeidler had graciously made gift bags not only for Gibu Sensei but also for Makoto Gibu Sensei and Izumi Sensei. Along with some nice items from Williamsburg, she had even packed them each an Williamsburg umbrella since we had a few spots of rain so far this trip. She presented Gibu Sensei also with a beautiful book on the history of Williamsburg and it's 300 year anniversary. She also had drafted a proclamation that would be read and presented at our embutaikai on Wednesday. Gibu Sensei then presented her with a beautiful Tsuikin laquerware plate that had been engraved on the back with a sentiment from him and signed.

We knew that she was very busy and said our sincere thank yous and goodbyes with a reminder that we would see each other again at the embutaikai. Gibu Sensei was very excited afterwards as we took pictures in front of the building and said that this was a very special meeting.

RECOGNITION OF SOKUICHI GIBU

AND

THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SHORIN-RYU KARATE SCHOOL

WHEREAS, the Shorin-Ryu Karate School, Williamsburg’s premier training center for traditional karate, will be celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2009; and

WHEREAS, the Williamsburg Shorin-Ryu Karate School is the US headquarters for Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karate Butokukan Association in Okinawa, Japan under grandmaster Sokuichi Gibu; and

WHEREAS, John Spence, chief instructor at the Shorin-Ryu Karate School, studied under Sokuichi Gibu, who is the highest ranked black belt in one of the modern forms of Okinawan martial arts and considered one of the greatest martial artists and teachers of his generation; and

WHEREAS, at Sokuichi Gibu’s gracious invitation, John and many of his adult and youth karate students travel yearly to Okinawa to train in karate as an international training program; and

WHEREAS, Sokuichi Gibu, accompanied by his son Makoto Gibu and friend Hisashi Izumi, are in Williamsburg to celebrate the ten year existence of the Shorin-Ryu Karate School, and to participate in a training camp at James Blair School where people from all over the United States, Argentina, South Africa and Canada will train together under their expert instruction.

NOW, THEREFORE I, Mayor Jeanne Zeidler, Mayor of the City of Williamsburg, Virginia, do hereby congratulate the Shorin-Ryu Karate School on its tenth anniversary, and welcome Sokuichi Gibu, his son Makoto Gibu and associate Hisashi Izumi to our wonderful city.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City of Williamsburg, Virginia, to be affixed, this seventeenth day of July, Two Thousand and Nine.

__________________________________________

Jeanne Zeidler, Mayor
After returning to the hotel, I gave them some downtime before returning to pick them up to do some shopping at Target and some of the Williamsburg Outlet stores. Lorie brought Carel and Carlos along and we all went to Chili's for lunch. Jet lag was definately hitting our honored guests and by the end of lunch, I could see it taking it's toll. We quickly darted in the Williamsburg General Store next door so they could buy some local items and then I took them back to the hotel to rest before training at the dojo.
Gibu Sensei had told me that for tonight's keiko, he only wanted to watch and evaluate the students(and my teaching). We arrived about an hour before the Little Dragons class arrived and everyone took pictures and walked around the dojo.

The little ones came in one by one and we worked on basic waza, bag work and then ended with the "kime game."
The youth class came in next and we started from the ground up with basics, kata and kobudo. Makoto Gibu Sensei lined up in the back with the white belts and humbly worked out with the group. What an inspiration for these beginning students to have him training right next to them.We ended class with Kakie and Gibu Sensei came out to help a few youngsters with the correct hand positions.
I made formal introductions for each of our honored guests and Sensei gave a great speech to the kids and told them that although he had reached the rank of 10th dan, he had a long way to go and still had to practice everyday. He also told them to listen to their parents and learn from their experience and most of all, to be obedient and helpful to them. It was a great experience for the kids and the great man that they have heard so many stories about and whose picture they saw at the shomen every practice was now finally before them.
The adults trained next and after warming up, we performed all of the empty hand kata and all of the kobudo kata. We were all happy to see Vince had made the trip from NYC and it was wonderful to have him on the floor again.
After training, we took our guests out to The Corner Pocket for dinner and Dominic Peri, who was a our fundraiser top-seller, got to sit next to Gibu Sensei. It was great to catch up with Vince and Izumi Sensei and Makoto Gibu Sensei asked them a number of questions about his acting career.Vince couldn't stay the rest of the week because he had an audition for an off Broadway play later in the week but anytime with him is a gift.

We had a great meal and then Izumi Sensei took off in the convertable Jeep with Joe Wilson and we followed them through a brief nighttime tour of downtown Williamsburg.

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