"budo". As I mentioned in my last post, there are budo universities sprinkled around Japan. Budo essentially translates as the "way of the samurai". It encompasses nearly all facets of martial arts.
And so budo is not only the physical part of martial arts, it's the mental and spiritual side as well. So everything from why your stance should be a certain length or how to generate the most power out of a technique to the rules of a dojo and, probably most important, the way to act around and treat other dojo members.
Takagi Sensei mentioned to me that anyone can train martial arts for a year (I think he was referring to me), but "budo is life". And it more or less is. The ideas and ideals that you learn as applicable to all aspects of life and, unfortunately, it's something you don't see much of or very often the further the martial art travels from Japan. I know of some martial artists who train and compete and have no sense of budo. And that's sad because then you're just a brawler looking for fights........
Speaking of budo, I did finally meet Dr. Takagi (he's a dentist) on saturday. I went with Arakawa Sensei to go to dinner with with Takagi Sensei and another important person, Tania. She's a very nice, very high energy lady from Serbia who was crowned champion at the World's Best Female Martial Artist Challenge. It's a bit overwhelming to be sat next to people of such high calibre but hey, the entire reason why I'm here is to be exposed to these kinds of experiences.
More interestingly is that one of Tania's Serbian friends thought I was Japanese. He travels back and forth from Japan and has decent Japanese so he was a bit shocked when he asked me something and I had no idea what he said. I guess all us asians look alike haha..........
Anyway, this week is "Obon" in Japan. You get a week off and most people travel back to their home towns to be with their family. I, having no family in Japan (nor home town, for that matter), am going to tour Tokyo with Richard Sensei on thursdays. After that, we're going to a party at the Canadian Embassy. I have no idea what am Embassy party is like, but apparently shorts and t-shirts are a-ok.
I suppose if it's real Canadian land I'm on, then the west-coast style still applies heh..........
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7 comments:
canadian party? sounds fun!
sounds like you've been training like mad. you'll be soooooo fit when you come back!!!
Yes i've started school. I have my second quiz tomorrow. And we got to go into clinic today, spraying water in each other's mouths and suctioning it back out hahaha.
Garrick and Jenn will be visiting me this weekend.
garrick lives close to you?
Geoffrey
2 hour drive away.
do you have to show your canadian passport to go to the party? you should dress up in red and white!! and put tattoos on your face and stuff.
Nope. Richard has a personal friend who works in the embassy so we just got put on the list. To be honest, it was rather Canadian in that we just walked in, found some seats, and just started to chat with people haha........
Seemed like anyone was welcome since there were no guest list checks or anything haha...
The Embassy is really nice though.
Just wanted to clarify a few things in regards to Lawrence's posts;
Cdn embassy - Yes, there was a guest list and our names were checked off. An embassy staff member was waiting at the door for us (Lawrence, that is when you met my friend). The embassy is careful whom it lets past the lobby.
International Budo Univeristy - there is only one budo university in Japan, located in Chiba prefecture just west of Tokyo. It is a regular comprehensive university with an extra program for budo arts hence the name. Arakawa Sensei graduated from it as a PE teacher. There is a master's program offered on the academic study of budo for 2 years as well, in Japanese of course.
Nippon Budokan Training Center - this is a facility near the Budo University that has several training halls for different budo arts, plus an attached dormitory & cafeteria. This training centre's design is strictly for budo arts, but there are many of these types of training centres all over Japan, many attached to universities. Also there are many Japanese style inns with big halls used for budo groups having a training camp, especially in the mountains or rural areas.
Budo - according to Maja, a German national enrolled in the 2 year budo master's course, none of the leading Japanese budo academics can agree on what budo actually is. Budo is not bujitsu, because it has been tamed for a peaceful society.
Oh yeah, it's still hot like a steam sauna today too!
budo said with a bit no emphasis whatsoever can also mean "grape".
crazy huh? Omg you're having parties at the Canadian Embassy!? rock on. i'm so jealous.
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