Back in time

[jeffbeish]

"It had changed a little, but still appeared the same except for the color of the tatami covering floor. I remember them just being a straw colored. Also, I could not find the workout and testing room where I tested for shodan, but it was probably right in my path and being an old fart I just couldn't see it."

When I wrote the above it did not occur to me that the Kodokan had changed so much. No wonder I did not recognize much of anything but the stature of Kano out front of the old side. Here is why things looked so different to me:

Kodokan when I was there in 1959

Recent photo of Kodokan

Notice that the section on the left is only three floors and the recent photo the left section is many more floors! Something has changed! Because it has been so many years I cannot remember if the main dojo floor was on the 7th or down at street level. At any rate were had several dojo rooms where specialized training would take place and batsugan would be occasionally done for promotions.

Jeff

 

[arnisador]

How much of that building is given over to Judo nowadays?

 

[jeffbeish]

From what I saw a lot of it is administrative, sleeping quarters, and a museum. The top floor, 8th, is a balcony that over looks the main mat floor. Not sure what is on the other floors, but they have at least two restaurants below street level.

It was smaller when I was there 40+ years ago and did not have a museum. A small sushi restaurant was in the basement but the sleeping area was very small. Several of us would sleep there on occasion but in a small room on futons. The rooms where we had lessons were scattered thoughout the old section. Too long ago to remember now, but it is a nice place now.

 

[arnisador]

A Judo museum, you mean?

 

[jeffbeish]

Talk about a museum! A living museum nearly 40 years. The last image was almost 10 years ago!!! :idunno:

 

[Kirbo]

jeffbeish-thanks for the great posts. i lived in japan in 1987-1988, was on the U.S. High School Team and got to train at the Kodokan. your stories brought back many good memories for me. I moved to Japan in 1998 and stayed for 3 years...teaching English and training in judo. I've been home for 3 years and miss it very much...teach judo now, but students give up too easy.

Judo has changed my life and brought me the greatest friends...I owe it dearly.

 

[jeffbeish]

My wife and I flew over there in March 2002 to visit with our son and his family. He is a Navy Lieutenant that was stationed at Atsugi NAF for three years. Anyway, after what seemed a week of riding trains we found the Kodokan and sat and watched them workout on the main floor. I met the museum curator who remembered when I was the 40 plus years ago, not me personally but the sensei who taught Judo then, and had a great time taking. Also, visited my son’s Judo class near the base.

We didn’t workout very much at the Kodokan but at nearby dojos. The Kodokan was a little too formal for us younger types then

 

[jeffbeish]

Found this photo of our Austin Police Judo class while at Bergstrom AFB, Texas in 1965. The guy standing to the left is/was a detective with the Austin Vice and Narcotics and I am standing close to center under the net. The guy on the left and on the mat just in front the standing cop was Billy Speed -- who was shot to death by Chapman on the Texas Tower. This was at the beginning of the class and by the next year we had many more students from the Police department. The Police also had a special turnaments and would train at our club.

 

[arnisador]

Talk about a museum! A living museum nearly 40 years. The last image was almost 10 years ago!!!

Bring back the beard!

 

[jeffbeish]

Even my cat hates me!

 

[jeffbeish]

Solong, too many trolls and phony paper tiger bad people on this group. Something changSo long, too many trolls and phony paper tiger bad people on this group. Someone mentioned that it had changed and it seems ugly Marxist politicians slivered from underneith the rocks and now populate this group -- not my cup of tea.

 

[arnisador]

I'm sorry to hear that. I still hope you'll write a book about your Judo experiences!