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Friday July 4
Independence Day! We all slept in and then went down for a late breakfast. Takamiyagi came to the hotel to check on Wes and the Shin Dojo group. After calling home, we went back upstairs for some rest and to talk about planning for the 2009 gasshuku. Joe, Felix and I left to go have lunch at Awase again and then stopped to get gas for the van.
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| We left for the Hombu dojo and got in a little traffic due to an accident near the exit ramp, which is one of the first fender benders that I have seen on Okinawa. We arrived about 5 minutes late to the Hombu and began on kata. Gibu Sensei took Eric, Anna and Wendy and personally checked their kata.
It was very nice of him and took a great deal of time fixing little things about their positions, stances and movement. It was an honor for them to receive such one on one instruction and suggestions. Sensei said that was very pleased with everyone's empty-hand and kobudo kata.
We next worked on Kubo no Kun, nunchaku and Kama no Kata and talked about the differences between kihon count(ichi, ni, san) and counts that include application.
The elementary and junior high students worked on their kata next and Sensei looked at those who were going to compete at the Urasoe tournament on Sunday.
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We finished up with the advanced kata, bowed out and returned to the hotel to welcome Rob Rivers Sensei who finally made it to Okinawa.
He left to meet Taira Sensei and Takamiyagi Sensei and train at their dojo. We went to the roof for a little while and then called it a night, at 3 a.m. Hey, you are in Okinawa for only a short time.
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Saturday July 5
Ouch, did I say we went to bed at 3 a.m.? Well we pulled ourselves out of bed and had a quick breakfast since Tamaki Sensei and Sunagawa Sensei were picking us up at 7:30 to take us to the Churaumi Aquarium and then on to Kouri Island.
We drove to the “Up Kitty” to give everyone a look at Kadena Air Base and to take pictures. We started up 58 to Nago so that everyone could take in the beautiful views and then finally reached the aquarium. Everyone had a great time and it is a breathtaking experience to see the huge Whale Sharks and Mantas in the large observatory room. Sunagawa Sensei and Tamaki Sensei had bought food and drinks for everyone and so some people their bento lunches before we set off for Kouri Jima.
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Kadena Air Force Base
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| We reached Kouri Jima and set up tents and folding chairs that Tamaki Sensei had brought in his van. The island’s waters were beautiful and we immediately dove in and headed for the support structures of the island’s bridge to see what critters we might find. This is really an intelligent move since at home in Virginia this is where we see sharks when we fish around these for bluefish and other pier dwellers. Oh well, we wanted to see some fish!
We chased around some pufferfish and saw plenty of fingerlings, creville jacks and huge sea urchins. We came back in to eat and have some refreshments with Tamaki Sensei and Sunagawa Sensei. We had a wonderful afternoon in the sun and enjoyed the Okinawan scenery and hospitality. We were running a little late and needed to head back to Koza since we had to be in Urasoe at 7:00 for our Kangeikai (welcome party).
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Joe with Tamaki Sensei and Sunagawa Sensei
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After a record breaking shower by all, we were all in the lobby and in the bus for Urasoe. We arrived at the live house next to the Hombu to find Sensei and Makoto Gibu waiting to greet us. We got settled in and the Butokukai members soon joined us for dinner and drinks. After a while, it didn’t take long for the microphone to come out and the karaoke to begin.
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| Our group was not lacking shy people and the Williamsburg group were soon up singing for the crowd. Felix and Carol Sue danced the tango(and a number of other dances for the crowd.) Everyone took their turn on the microphone and we had a wonderful time with our Okinawan seniors and friends. It was one of the most fun evenings I can remember on Okinawa. |
Hanshi doing the Jitterbug with Carol Sue
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Taisei Shimabukuro
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With the band on Johnny B Goode
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Proud Grandad
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| I was surprised at the end when Sensei and the Butokukan members presented me with a gift of a very expensive samisen. When I was asked to say something, I was without words (a rare occurrence for me). It was a wonderful evening for all and it was unfortunate that it had to end. |
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Sunday July 6
Joe took the group to Himeyuri and the Peace Park for the day.This is a trip that no karateka or visitor should fail to make. The museum is one of the hardest experiences but teaches us all a lesson on the casulties of war.
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Meanwhile, I left the hotel to meet Izumi Sensei at his house at 8:30 so that we could leave with his students to go to the Urasoe City Kata Tournament. The school that the tournament was held in was huge. It had a wonderful outside area showing off many of the classroom botany projects and vegetable gardens. The detached gym was already filled with hundreds of people and various students of shorin-ryu, goju-ryu and uechi ryu. The Butokukan was represented by many students from the Hombu, Koza and Ginowan dojo and everyone was warming up. Gibu Sensei and other senior instructors were at the guest table and made speeches at the commencement of the tournament.
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| The adults went first followed by elementary school students and then moving through the different grade levels. The Butokukan students swept most of the divisions in kata and I was proud to see our association do so well. All of Izumi Sensei’s students won 1st and 2nd place in their division and he was exasperated (in a cute way) since he told his students that anyone that won today would be taken out for all you can eat at a yaki niku restaurant! |
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| After watching the Butokukan adults sweep the senior kata division, we took pictures and Izumi Sensei and I headed home. We stopped by Futenma Shrine to get Ofuda to put inside our dojo’s new kamidana. I returned to the hotel and caught up on my journal and downloaded some pictures. |
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| Everyone returned and we went up on the roof to watch the beautiful Okinawan sunset. |
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We waited for Izumi Sensei to come to the room and then Felix, Joe, Eric and I left to treat Izumi Sensei and ourselves to a Kobe steak dinner.
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Felix, Joe and Eric are all chefs and in the restaurant business so it was very educational to hear them dissect the process of cooking a steak like this as well as marrying it with the best wines and side items. We started off with goat sashimi, mussels and escargot and Felix ordered a bottle of white wine to begin with the appetizers. (I began these things with coca cola since I was the driver).
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| Everyone either order the tenderloin or the serlion of Kobe beef and it was interesting to hear the guys discuss how these steaks had to be exactly prepared. The chef brought them out and we were amazed to look at the incredible marbalization of the steaks as they sat on the tray. Felix ordered 2 bottles of red wine to be consumed with this incredible meal and the steaks were cooked and served. Better than enjoying my own kobe steak was watching these four guys including Izumi Sensei. Here are people that work 12 hour days minimum, 7 days a week, and who have not seen a vacation in at least two years. To see their smiles as they ate their meals made the trip complete. |
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| We carried our full bellies back to the hotel and went up to the roof for a quick view, some music on the IPOD and a drink before heading to bed. |
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Monday July 7
On our final full day on Okinawa, we met in the lobby to make one more last run to Shureido and then onto Kokusai Dori for a day of shopping. This day ended up having two really neat moments.
First, while we were filling up the van and Izumi Sensei’s car with gas, he told me that Shimabukuro Zempo Sensei’s (10th dan, Shorin-Ryu Seibukan) office was two doors down from the gas station. As he saw my excited expression, he said “Oh, do you want to go see him?” The next thing I know, we were walking in his office and Shimabukuro Sensei had us all come in and sit down. I explained to our crew who exactly this great man was and what an incredible opportunity it was to be meeting him.
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| You could have heard a pin drop from our group as Izumi Sensei, Shimabukuro Sensei and I talked about traditional karate, competition and various events on Okinawa concerning karate. Shimabukuro Sensei speaks perfect English and the group was given a 20 minute experience with this great master.
I have met Shimabukuro Sensei on a several occasions on Okinawa and in the US and had a number of conversations with him when I was a head referee at the 2001 World Tournament in Atlanta. I remember one of our conversations about being very critical in our judging of kata that did not conform to traditional Okinawan standards or practices. (more than two kiai, Japanese karate based movement or stances, etc) Ifuku Bentoku Sensei of the Shorinkan and I were the two center referees for kata in the division that Shimabukuro Sensei’s son won in that tournament.
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| We apologized for staying so long and everyone went outside for a group picture with him. As everyone started to load into the van, we had a final conversation about competition and he encouraged me to rejoin AAU in the US and to have my students begin competing again. He stressed the importance of giving traditional Shorin-Ryu a voice and a position in national and international competition that is so dominated by Japanese styles. I promised him that I would consider it and feel the waters out when I return. We said goodbye to him and I was like a little kid when we took off in the van reflecting on the incredible meeting. |
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Shureido had some of the orders ready and were going to deliver the rest to the hotel in the afternoon. We bought Izumi Sensei a new design of chi shi that Shureido is making out of granite with pads on the bottom to prevent scratching wood floors. He had us sign it and was very happy to receive it. Shureido not only has these new chi shi but they also have some one piece ishi sashi that were quite nice.
We left for Kokusai and everyone split up to find what they needed to bring to loved ones back home. Joe,
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| Eric and I found various gifts for home and then headed for the Makishi market to sample some of the pig and seafood samples. We were able to try every part of the pig from the face to the tongue and the ears. It was all delicious and it was very interesting to see the various types of food available. We found directions to a knife store since Lorie had asked for a new knife and we located it just down from the market. As Eric was looking for knives, he found one that he liked and that would do well in his kitchen at Warner Hall.
Incredibly, after he chose the knife the lady told him that she was going to GIVE him two more after she serviced them and cleaned them up. She said that she could tell that they were going to someone that was going to use them well and for what they were intended for. Another great moment for the day!
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We joined up with everyone at the McDonalds and headed back to Okinawa City to prepare for our final keiko at the Hombu Dojo. Tonight, a representative from the Okinawa Karate/Kobudo Rengokai was coming to do an article about Gibu Sensei and our visit.
We arrived at the dojo and began warm up with the Naihanchi and Pinan kata. Gibu Sensei then asked me to choose a student and a kata for him to check personally. Each student got out on the floor with Gibu Sensei and got a personal review and correction of each of the kata that I selected for them.Afterwards, he said that he was very pleased and that everyone’s kata looked very good. The gentlemen from the Rengokai came in and Sensei asked me to introduce the group to him before we began keiko. The other senior students of the Butokukan came and we all began going through the Passai kata through Chinto and Gojushiho.
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Eku No Kata
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Meeting the Rengokai Representative
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Hanshi/Judan Certificate
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Gibu Sensei's Kobudo Shihan from Nakazato Sensei
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One of two Shihan licenses , this one is from Katsuya Miyahira, the other is from Shugoro Nakazato.
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Gibu Sensei is childhood friends with Hanshi Tadashi Yamashita and proudly displays his picture on his Shomen. They trained together in Nakazato Sensei's dojo and have remained close.
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Gibu Sensei's visit to California for "The Night of The Golden Masters."
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1989 Okinawa Full Contact Tournament.Grand Champion Winners Makoto Gibu and Hidemaitsu Naka.
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After practice, Gibu Sensei was interviewed for the newspaper and we left with Makoto Gibu to go out to a final buffet dinner with the senior students. Sensei eventually came in and everyone began to fill their plates with the delicious Okinawa and Western-style food. We had a great dinner and everyone got a wonderful meal before we had to say goodbye to everyone and head back to the hotel to pack for our flight in the morning.
We all did last minute laundry and had one last toast on the roof before crashing. Everyone was very quiet trying to come to terms with the end of another wonderful trip on Okinawa.
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Tuesday July 8
We all assembled in the lobby early to find Rob Rivers Sensei having a final meeting with Takamiyagi Sensei. He appointed them as representatives in the US for the Motobu Ryu/Udundi dojo in Koza and I was glad that they had such a great training experience as well as a start of a great friendship.
We all piled in the Hotel bus and Izumi Sensei headed out on the expressway to get us to the airport. After a number of traditional morning pep talks by Felix, we arrived at the airport to discover very small lines and we were checked in with no problem. Sensei and Makoto Gibu showed up to say goodbye to everyone and we talked about his upcoming trip in 2009. He bought everyone drinks and we said our goodbyes and thanked him for another incredible training experience.
As I told the members of this group, we are fortunate beyond words. We had high ranking seniors taking us on sightseeing trips, eating dinners with us, training alongside us and spending time out of their busy schedules to make sure we were having a wonderful trip. We had an incredible journey and I am very grateful for the time that we spent together.
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