Saturday July 17

We met Gibu Makoto Sensei and his family at the hombu dojo as well as our exchange student Rio and her friend Mamoko. Mrs. Gibu came out to see Lorie and showed us her garden with some beautiful goya flowers in full bloom.

We all followed Makoto Sensei down to Chinen and got set up at a pavilion at Manza San San Beach. Everyone took to the water and we had a great time playing “500” with a football and some Okinawan kids. We rented a volleyball and had a great time playing with Rio and the adults.  Makoto Sensei and his family began cooking a wonderful barbecue with yakitori, steak and Okinawan hot dog links and vegetables. 

We were joined for lunch by Rio’s parents and her sister as I translated for Lorie as she told them about Williamsburg and Rio’s new home for the upcoming year. Her father is originally from Kume-jima and they both work in education in the Naha area.

After wonderful day at the beach, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for the kankeigai and to pick our pictures from the White River Studio.

Izumi Sensei piled us all in the hotel bus and we arrived at the Pizza House in Urasoe just shy of start time of the kangeikai/shobetsukai. Sunagawa Sensei surprised my daughters each with a yukata, obi and traditional sandals and whisked them away to the bathroom to help them put them on for the party. Everyone was in attendance and it was very special to see those that we had not had a chance to train with prior in the week. Makoto Sensei , as always, was an excellent MC, led instructions and then invited everyone to start on the wonderful buffet.  Gibu Sensei had ordered a wonderful offering of pork, sushi, fried shrimp, and other wonderful Okinawan food.

Karaoke began and our kids had no hesitation about jumping right to the microphone. Everyone had a blast with different songs and Gibu Sensei gave a wonderful  performance. The best part was that he kept looking at Madison and Emily and would dance for them and twirl his microphone to get them to laugh. 

Daigo Sensei gave his normal crowd raising performance of Bon Jovi and we had a couple of performances of air guitar. On a karaoke of Michael Jackson, we attempted a little international rendition of "Thriller" and then Lorie got the whole party to do the electric slide during the next MJ song and there was not a body sitting down.  This was the most fun we have ever had at a kangeikai before-ever.

Joe and I both had the same "pinch me" moment when we sat back and looked at all of our Okinawan seniors and friends and could not believe that things had developed into something this special. Perhaps it doesn't register with all of my students back at the dojo, especially for new ones, but for those of us that have trained for a long time, this was a moment that we had to step back and realize how our place in the family of the Butokukan is truly special and unique.