Japan - the beginnings
First of all let me jump back to Friday night. After training we returned to T. guesthouse, where K., S's girl welcomed us on the balcony all frightened by a crazy dying cicada (these are really huge monsters in Japan).
S. took all his bravery and entered their apartment, while James and me entered ours.
After the successful cicada-hunting (we guess) S. and K. were kind enough to invite poor starving us for dinner at their place.
As soon as we finished the dinner my long-awaited dream came true: S. and K. took us to a karaoke bar nearby. Well, K. has a really beautiful voice and S. has no reason to feel ashamed about his, either! I tried singing but I reeeaally sucked. James probably had some kind of self-knowledge so he did not even try :-).
After the one hour was over we went back home and hit the beds.
Aug 5. - Saturday
James kicked me out of the bed - it was about time for preparing and leaving for S's trainging in Toride. We met S. at the stairs and left for the train station quickly. Hit Strabucks for a quick breakfast (hey I really liked that place - too bad, they're not in Hungary) and then went for the sportscenter for training. I've been sweating like a horse there, it was soooo humid. But the training itself was great, kind of energizing. I managed to get some training with some Japanese guys too, and I could whop a bit JG's ass as well (well, it was rather a kind of mutual thing). I was surprised to see how quickly the training ended (2 hours).
Then we went for some lunch - finding the right place required an hour of marching - it seemed to me at least. S. meanwhile shot himself out for home to help K. preparing for the evening BBQ party, while we headed to Sh. sensei's training in Kasukabe.
That was a huge sports complex, with great tatami halls. Again - killer heat and humidity.
Anyway, Sh. sensei was waving to us with a huge smile from the other side of the hall, so we quickly changed to our (still sweaty) gi and joined them on the mat.
I liked his trainings very much.
He always started with some light "play around" as a warmup - kind of went through the last techniques shown by Soke. He always demonstrated diffferent nasty, err... sorry.. "sneaky" techniques :-) and tricks (like pinches, twsits, grabbing methods, small but significant movements to play with balance), and he graciously allowed each one of us to feel it on our own skin.
After the first half an hour training went more intensive. First some ukemi training. Lotsa-lotsa ukemi :) I really like his ukemi - it is so continuous, like a flow, and the whole body is under control even during the roll. First just slowly, from a static position, then from moving. I loved it. There was one guy (Duke) whose ukemi I especially liked - he did it very well I think.
After the ukemi part was over we skipped through to the stuff we did last night with Soke. Some throws.
Interesting... I remember rather the feeling than the techniques we did. It was all about softness and balance, if I was not mistaken.
In the middle of the training there was a "tea & cookie" break (this time without tea). Sh. sensei brought a lot of strange cookies: one side was salty, while the other one was sweet, but it was nice. Then some training again and after cleaning up the tatami we went to change back. I was so grateful to fate for being able to have a nice shower afterwards - it was better than ever before.
After leaving the sportscenter our group of about 8-10 aimed Abiko to attend the BBQ party, where S. so irresponsibily invited us to.
Arriving to Abiko we split up to two groups, and I took 2 Finnish and 2 Japanese guys with me to help shopping as a contribution to the party.
After we got back to the apartment I took over S's kitchen and made Goulash Soup (Gulyás Leves) for 25 guests. I think it turned out very well and by the time the party-mood reached its top, the soup was ready and served - needless to say it was a great success :-) I am afraid I drunk a bit too much as I remember receiving some evil smiles from the guys.
After the last guests left after 22 pm and I got somewhat sober again, the "S&K Duo", one Finnish guy, JG, 2 Japanese guys, Saar and me decided to go for karaoke. We found a cool place at the other end of Abiko and spent there nearly 5 hours or more. Saar left pretty early as he did not really like karaoke, at least not the way JG and the Fins did it :-) Well, he's a real artist, with a very sensitive hearing I think :))) At the end we stumbled home around 6.30 am, which along with my terrible hangover made it impossible for me to attend the Sunday classes.
I can't remember ever having such a crazy party-night before :-)
Soooo... as you see I was not bored on the first few days.
The upcoming days will not be described in such detailes, probably cos I went back to "normal" and those were more balanced times with heaps of trainings and conversations with other buyus every day.
So the next entry will be focused more on the "professional" experiences - but I found this social-life aspect also a very important part of being a member of the Boojie community.
Stay tuned!
S. took all his bravery and entered their apartment, while James and me entered ours.
After the successful cicada-hunting (we guess) S. and K. were kind enough to invite poor starving us for dinner at their place.
As soon as we finished the dinner my long-awaited dream came true: S. and K. took us to a karaoke bar nearby. Well, K. has a really beautiful voice and S. has no reason to feel ashamed about his, either! I tried singing but I reeeaally sucked. James probably had some kind of self-knowledge so he did not even try :-).
After the one hour was over we went back home and hit the beds.
Aug 5. - Saturday
James kicked me out of the bed - it was about time for preparing and leaving for S's trainging in Toride. We met S. at the stairs and left for the train station quickly. Hit Strabucks for a quick breakfast (hey I really liked that place - too bad, they're not in Hungary) and then went for the sportscenter for training. I've been sweating like a horse there, it was soooo humid. But the training itself was great, kind of energizing. I managed to get some training with some Japanese guys too, and I could whop a bit JG's ass as well (well, it was rather a kind of mutual thing). I was surprised to see how quickly the training ended (2 hours).
Then we went for some lunch - finding the right place required an hour of marching - it seemed to me at least. S. meanwhile shot himself out for home to help K. preparing for the evening BBQ party, while we headed to Sh. sensei's training in Kasukabe.
That was a huge sports complex, with great tatami halls. Again - killer heat and humidity.
Anyway, Sh. sensei was waving to us with a huge smile from the other side of the hall, so we quickly changed to our (still sweaty) gi and joined them on the mat.
I liked his trainings very much.
He always started with some light "play around" as a warmup - kind of went through the last techniques shown by Soke. He always demonstrated diffferent nasty, err... sorry.. "sneaky" techniques :-) and tricks (like pinches, twsits, grabbing methods, small but significant movements to play with balance), and he graciously allowed each one of us to feel it on our own skin.
After the first half an hour training went more intensive. First some ukemi training. Lotsa-lotsa ukemi :) I really like his ukemi - it is so continuous, like a flow, and the whole body is under control even during the roll. First just slowly, from a static position, then from moving. I loved it. There was one guy (Duke) whose ukemi I especially liked - he did it very well I think.
After the ukemi part was over we skipped through to the stuff we did last night with Soke. Some throws.
Interesting... I remember rather the feeling than the techniques we did. It was all about softness and balance, if I was not mistaken.
In the middle of the training there was a "tea & cookie" break (this time without tea). Sh. sensei brought a lot of strange cookies: one side was salty, while the other one was sweet, but it was nice. Then some training again and after cleaning up the tatami we went to change back. I was so grateful to fate for being able to have a nice shower afterwards - it was better than ever before.
After leaving the sportscenter our group of about 8-10 aimed Abiko to attend the BBQ party, where S. so irresponsibily invited us to.
Arriving to Abiko we split up to two groups, and I took 2 Finnish and 2 Japanese guys with me to help shopping as a contribution to the party.
After we got back to the apartment I took over S's kitchen and made Goulash Soup (Gulyás Leves) for 25 guests. I think it turned out very well and by the time the party-mood reached its top, the soup was ready and served - needless to say it was a great success :-) I am afraid I drunk a bit too much as I remember receiving some evil smiles from the guys.
After the last guests left after 22 pm and I got somewhat sober again, the "S&K Duo", one Finnish guy, JG, 2 Japanese guys, Saar and me decided to go for karaoke. We found a cool place at the other end of Abiko and spent there nearly 5 hours or more. Saar left pretty early as he did not really like karaoke, at least not the way JG and the Fins did it :-) Well, he's a real artist, with a very sensitive hearing I think :))) At the end we stumbled home around 6.30 am, which along with my terrible hangover made it impossible for me to attend the Sunday classes.
I can't remember ever having such a crazy party-night before :-)
Soooo... as you see I was not bored on the first few days.
The upcoming days will not be described in such detailes, probably cos I went back to "normal" and those were more balanced times with heaps of trainings and conversations with other buyus every day.
So the next entry will be focused more on the "professional" experiences - but I found this social-life aspect also a very important part of being a member of the Boojie community.
Stay tuned!
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