March has started. February was an unforgettable month for me.

日本語

March has arrived.

The cherry blossoms will be blooming later this month and I cannot wait to enjoy the cherry blossom viewing (and drinking) after my training.

February was a very productive month for me.

Firstly, I took part in ‘Bo(stick)’ training for the first time in a long time.

I have had several opportunities to attend seminars by Okinawan masters over the past few years, but my schedule has kept me away from ‘Bo’ practice in my own dojo.

The ‘Bo’ we use in our Bo-jutsu is six feet (180 cm) long.

It is made of heavy, hard oak wood, so even a light hit can cause damage.

In order to control the ‘Bo’ at will, kata practice is extremely important.

In Okinawa, it is said that ‘Karate and Kobujutsu(Bo etc.) are two wheels of a cart’.

I often understand this when practising with the ‘Bo’, for example in the movement of the torso.

It has been a long time for me to receive a lecture on ‘Shushi no Kon Sho’ from my Sensei, and I want to continue practising it frequently so that I do not forget it.

Furthermore, I also participated in a Judo training session at the Kodokan.

The Senseis from my dojo and the Kodokan organised it, and I spent valuable time with other training friends from the dojo.

Karate is now recognised in the world as a respectable Japanese martial art, through the efforts of Sensei Jigoro Kano.

Many aspects of Karate, such as etiquette, the Dan grading system and Karate uniforms, seem to have been researched and adopted with reference to Judo.

That was about 100 years ago.

This time, we were able to hear directly from the Kodokan instructors about the philosophy and ideology of judo, as well as being taught the techniques.

It was a truly wonderful and luxurious experience.

I will enjoy and work hard to see how I can apply these experiences to my own training.