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Saturday August 1st

The days leading up to this historic week were very hectic indeed but thanks to my wife Lorie and the team of dojo PTA parents, everything was in place for the arrival of Gibu Sensei, Makoto Gibu Sensei and Hisashi Izumi Sensei. Carlos Magnavachi, 7th dan/ Kyoshi/ Argentina Shibu-cho, had arrived on Tuesday and although we had never met before, we instantly became friends and family. It had been 10 years since he had been to Okinawa and he was very excited to reunite with his teacher and friends. I woke up at 7. am. to get my driver’s license renewed at the DMV (I was turning 40 on Tuesday and my license was going to expire) and arrived early enough to be 5^th in line. I was in a panic since I had to pick Carel vd Westhuizen at the airport at 9 a.m. and our DMV is horrible considering that there is no parking. With that said, the ladies there were wonderful and not only opened the doors early but had me walking out the door at 7:58. I called Joe Wilson and the two of us left for Richmond to pick up Carel. Just as we were about to exit onto I64, Lorie called and told us that Carel had missed his flight due to the long line at customs. I came back and passed out for a couple of hours before Joe and I left again. After a slight delay, I found Carel and after getting his bags, we left for West Point to pick up the pig for the Okinawan’s Kangeikai (welcome party) on Sunday. I have shown Izumi Sensei many pictures of a traditional Southern Pig Picking and he was very excited to experience first hand.After getting Carel and “Wilber” back to our house, we had some time to catch up before heading to the dojo and meeting everyone for the ride to Richmond. Carel and I have been close friends since meeting as members of the Shorinkan and I was honored that he came so far to be with us.
My nerves had held up pretty well leading up to this big week for the dojo and as the hour was approaching to pick up our special guests, I certainly started to feel anxious. We all caravanned up to Richmond International where we met other dojo members who came up on their own. After a fairly short wait, we all began to gather outside the security gate and I caught the recognizable gait of my good friend Izumi Sensei as he made it through the “tunnel” from the plane. Then Gibu Sensei and Makato Gibu Sensei emerged and made their way up to us in the terminal lobby. With a huge applause, we greeted and welcomed them to the Commonwealth of Virginia with lots of handshakes and smiles. For me, it was extremely special for my children to finally meet the people that they have heard about so much, almost on a daily basis. In an example of his kind nature and heart, Sensei stopped me over to the side and asked me how to write both of their names in katakana before we moved on to pick up the luggage.






After getting their baggage, we walked out to the car with a beautiful sunset across the I-64 corridor and made our way towards Williamsburg. They were all very tired and I think a little alarmed at how fast all of the other cars were going. After checking them in, we went to Outback Steakhouse where they had their first decent meal in 17 hours and we all got a chance to catch up. Madison and Emily especially like sitting with Izumi Sensei as he took the time to give them a kanji writing lesson and joke with them both. I returned them to the hotel and Gibu Sensei had me look over the Dan certificates as well as the Gasshuku certificates before I let them all try to get some sleep for the night. Carel and I put the pig on the smoker around midnight and sat in the "man cave" and caught up on each other's lives. After 3:30 a.m., we stoked the coals one last time and then I headed upstairs to attempt to sleep although I had a combination of sympathy jet lag and unbridled excitement over our guests. There was an echoed sentiment throughout the week by some of the senior dojo members that never seem to disappear. It was hard to believe that Sensei was actually here. Not even to mention the fact that we still had to pinch ourselves that we are his students. I remember reading about him in Black Belt magazine when he was brought over for a camp in the 80's when I was a blue belt. I remember Vince Zangardi and I listening to Mr. Doug Perry of the Shorinkan at the 2002 Winter Camp for about 30 minutes tell us stories about Hanshi Gibu and his abilities as well as his kind soul. None of us would have thought in a million years that such a legend in his karate generation would have opened his arms to us. And now he was in our dojo, in my home, spending time with my wife and children and giving his knowledge freely to all.

Sunday August 2nd


After sleeping a total of 1 1/2 hours, I got up to check "Wilbur" before getting dressed for the day. I picked our guests up at the hotel and took them for a brief tour of the city of Williamsburg, We drove through the colonial area downtown and then stopped off at Merchant's Square to do some brief shopping and pick up lunch from The Cheese Shop.
	A morning visitor

We headed back to the house to relax, have lunch and let our guest relax before the kangeikai began later that afternoon. We spent time looking over the incredible gasshuku booklet that Wes Brown had helped me develop, played some samisen and relaxed. I ran Gibu Sensei and Makoto San back to the hotel to let them get an hour and 1/2 power nap while Izumi Sensei stayed behind to catch up with Magnavachi Sensei on the deck. Carel and I kept working on "Wilbur" to make sure that he would be ready on time.





There was one of those moments that I will never forget as long as I live. Sensei was relaxing after lunch on the couch when Emily brought over Shokyu Otsuka's book on Okinawa to show him and innocently ask questions about the pictures. I watched in silence as this great man took the time to look at over half the book with her and answer her questions about each picture. He was so gentle and kind as took the time to tell her "this island is near where I grew up" or "this place is very special." I will never forget the special kindness that he showed Emily as if she were his own grand-daughter.




	Looking over the gasshuku book



People started to arrive for the kangekai and everyone brought a Virginia cuisine side dish so our guests could experience a little about the state's food history. My good friends Alvin and Yuriko Lipson came and you could see the excitement on Yuriko Sama's face as she got to know the visitors from her country. Yuriko sama grew up in Yomitan and her nephew is a sensei in the Myobukan Shorin-Ryu association and her uncle was a high rank in Kobudo.

Izumi Sensei, Eric Garcia and Gibu Sensei	Sensei and poet Yuriko Lipson

Izumi Sensei helped Lorie in the kitchen with a traditional Japanese water heater that Joe Wilson had brought over for their tea and soup. Lorie got them both an apron and chose Izumi Sensei a hot pink one which he put on as a good sport. As I was laughing and taking pictures, he looked at me and said "Tuesday" which was my 40th birthday and only meant that my big brother had something in store for me and that I should just keep laughing while I had the chance.



Emily with Rocky, the dojo "mascot" owned by Dave Williams	Izumi Sensei's t-shirts with Chibana Sensei on the back


Magnavachi Sensei(Argentina) and Vd Westhuizen Sensei(South Africa)



We had a "ton" of barbecue left over and everyone helped in the clean up of the party. I took our honored guests back to the hotel early so that they could rest up for their special meeting with the mayor of Williamsburg in the morning.

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