Training in Japan, a few tips!

[Don Roley]

I can imagine people that live here for as little as a few months taking off part of Sunday. Many Japanese work on Saturday as well as the rest of the week and Sunday is a big day for dates. When Hatsumi was teaching from 9-11 on Sunday, leaving right after could mean that you were able to make a lunch date.

But the people that came for only a few weeks and then would take off right after class boggles my mind. I used to have the opposite problem. From where I come from it was hard to make it to class by 9 and so a few times I showed up only for Nagato's class. It blew my mind to see all the gaijin walking in the other direction as I got close to the dojo.

In case anyone is confused by the above, don't be. I am the one that was confused. Hatsumi's classes have always been from 11-1. But Nagato's classes used to go from 2-4. So going to training with both pretty much blew all of Sunday. That can be harsh on a relationship since Sunday is the one day a lot of Japanese have off. Now Nagato starts at 9 and sometimes the Quest guys show up after Hatsumi's class for some filming.

Sorry if this confused people.

 

[Bigshadow]

I am bummed, I was supposed to be in Japan this week and next, but I couldn't make it. However, my instructor is there! Lucky guy! Don if you see Gary Mitchell throw him around a little. He will probably be there with Rob R.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

I am bummed, I was supposed to be in Japan this week and next, but I couldn't make it. However, my instructor is there! Lucky guy! Don if you see Gary Mitchell throw him around a little. He will probably be there with Rob R.

Hey Dave,

That is to bad. I was supposed to be there last summer and had to watch everyone else go.

That was tough. Hopefully I will be getting over to Japan soon if everything works out right.

 

[Bigshadow]

Hey Dave,

That is to bad. I was supposed to be there last summer and had to watch everyone else go.

That was tough. Hopefully I will be getting over to Japan soon if everything works out right.

So far, looks like summer of 2007 for me. I am bringing my son along.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

So far, looks like summer of 2007 for me. I am bringing my son along.

If things work on summer 2007 might be the time I am going as well. By the way it is a good time to go as it is hot in Japan and in the past there were less people there. (though still crowded in comparison to what you are used to)

 

[Bigshadow]

If things work on summer 2007 might be the time I am going as well. By the way it is a good time to go as it is hot in Japan and in the past there were less people there. (though still crowded in comparison to what you are used to)

I haven't been yet, that will be first time. I have been fortunate to have instructors that go regularly. One actually moved there.

When I go, I hope to meet a few folks I have chatted with on here and Kutaki.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Dave when you do get over there it will be a blast!

 

[Grey Eyed Bandit]

My aim is to be there next year in time to witness Hayes's visit to Hombu.:ultracool

 

[Bigshadow]

My aim is to be there next year in time to witness Hayes's visit to Hombu.:ultracool

And get your picture taken with him?

 

[Don Roley]

I am bummed, I was supposed to be in Japan this week and next, but I couldn't make it. However, my instructor is there! Lucky guy! Don if you see Gary Mitchell throw him around a little. He will probably be there with Rob R.

Probably won't be able to see him. I just got home a little while ago to find out that my entire family is down with mumps. My wife didn't try to coantact me or I would have come home sooner. I cleaned up, fed them and took care of things. Now I am winding down as they all sleep. But I don't think I will be going anywhere for the next few days. Next time.

 

[Bigshadow]

Probably won't be able to see him. I just got home a little while ago to find out that my entire family is down with mumps. My wife didn't try to coantact me or I would have come home sooner. I cleaned up, fed them and took care of things. Now I am winding down as they all sleep. But I don't think I will be going anywhere for the next few days. Next time.

Oooh, sorry to hear about that! That sucks! Best wishes to the family and get well soon!

 

[bydand]

Probably won't be able to see him. I just got home a little while ago to find out that my entire family is down with mumps. My wife didn't try to coantact me or I would have come home sooner. I cleaned up, fed them and took care of things. Now I am winding down as they all sleep. But I don't think I will be going anywhere for the next few days. Next time.

Hope everybody gets better fast! Thoughts and prayers to you.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Get everyone well Don.

 

[Grey Eyed Bandit]

And get your picture taken with him?

No, to light myself on fire so that he won't have to freeze.

 

[kouryuu]

Hey Don, here`s wishing you and your family the best, i hope they`re all better soon.

 

[Don Roley]

Oooh, sorry to hear about that! That sucks! Best wishes to the family and get well soon!

Hope everybody gets better fast! Thoughts and prayers to you.

Get everyone well Don.

Hey Don, here`s wishing you and your family the best, i hope they`re all better soon.

Thanks guys. Between cooking, cleaning and such I still have a lot fo free time. I just can't go anywhere. So I am catching up on my reading and ranting on the internet as my kids watch TV and my wife rests in bed. I should be back in a few days.

 

[Don Roley]

Some advice for people coming to Japan.

When you are not in training, don't wear anything that IDs you as a Bujinkan member.

I just read on another forum that is looks like some people will try to pretend they are also Bujinkan members at a certain pub in an attempt to bamboozle some free drinks. Unless you want to get stuck with a tab, don't give them the chance. There are probably other ways that people can take advantage of you if you give them some information. It is just good OPSEC to not give away any information you don't have to by wearing a BBT t-shirt.

And speaking as a person that has to live here, if you absolutely have to act like a drunken, perverted idiot I prefer it if you don't call attention to the fact that you are in the Bujinkan.

 

[bencole]

You know there is a story behind that warning. It was not a pre-emptive strike. And you know it is not a case of someone who has a little beer on his breath but otherwise acts normal.

As someone who has been there, I also think that Soke expects those training with him to have the balls enough to tell people to *LEAVE* if they are drunk, idiotic, and so on.

I think it is the responsibility of the dojo members to care for the sanctity of the dojo and the safety of others. If Soke were not there, I would approach these individuals and tell them that they could not train. If Soke were there, I would inform him that these individuals were drunk and that I was going to ask them to leave.

I think there are too many people who are too afraid to stand up to others who are being blatant idiots or dangerous to others. And I think part of our art is knowing when to step up and make the right call....

-ben

 

[Shicomm]

I'd like to reply to some of the posts on the subject of maximizing your training while you're there.
Off course ; you can fill any day with at least one training and quite a few times you'll have the chance to get even more sessions.
But is it really a "must do" to rush out and get all training there is?

As i'm a beginner and confused most of the time about what is happening i tried to get 'the feeling' from a number of shihan and then stick to those wich felt the best.
It was very consufing in the beginning but as soon as i've 'cut down' my selection a bit , i felt much better and relaxed about my training.
My point: getting as much training as there's available might work for some , but not for everybody.

---

A little tip also
Try to write some stuff down that you noticed during class, even if you normally don't take notes!
At first i tried to get everything on paper but i soon found out that it was very hard to 'get it all' ...
Just short keywords or things that got your attention are very good to write down.
Even after a year i still got some very nice ideas and insights from the little blocks of keywords that i wrote down every day.

 

[Don Roley]

As someone who has been there, I also think that Soke expects those training with him to have the balls enough to tell people to *LEAVE* if they are drunk, idiotic, and so on.

I do not know if that is wise. If I know the people, I would take them aside and point out what a huge problem their actions would cause. But to take in on yourself to speak for Hatsumi seems a bit presumptious. It is his place, and unless I got specificly charged by him to do so, I would let he or those he has in positions of authority decide how to deal with the matter.

I think it is the responsibility of the dojo members to care for the sanctity of the dojo and the safety of others. If Soke were not there, I would approach these individuals and tell them that they could not train. If Soke were there, I would inform him that these individuals were drunk and that I was going to ask them to leave.

The second part sounds very reasonable. The first would give me pause. But then again, unlike you I have not published a book with him. Maybe your relationship with him is a factor that does not apply to most of us in this situation.

I think there are too many people who are too afraid to stand up to others who are being blatant idiots or dangerous to others. And I think part of our art is knowing when to step up and make the right call....

I can agree. But the problem is that aside from stating our opinion there is little we can do. Every situation I can think of where someone decided to be the spokesperson for Hatsumi's will, it turned out they were running their own game. As a result, it seems that Hatsumi is not really willing to let anyone do anything in his name. Once burned and all that. So there is really nothing we can do to stop all the many, many idiots we complain about in threads like this.