Okinawa 2015 – Day 1 and 2

We are on Okinawa – once again residing in the meanwhile familiar blue Minshuku near Naha Port.

Day 1: Tuesday, 07^th of April:

Having taken a quick shower after the 19 hours journey from Hanover to Naha, we are ready for the obligatory first day Shureido visit. Everyone has a list of items to order to take home to Germany for other dojo members. Our group of 5 people is enough to make the small shop feel crowded and it takes the whole afternoon to arrange everything. Thankfully, we receive our pre-ordered Bo so that we are now prepared for the next 8 days of training.
In the evening, we all have dinner together with Nakayama San who has already helped our three drivers renting cars while we were shopping at Shureido’s. He will also translate for us during the Kobudo training as he had already done at the New Year’s seminar at Hombo-Dojo. We have enjoyed this seminar very much and are happy to meet Yamashiro Sensei and Nakayama San again.

Culinary Highlight of the Day: Sugar Cane Juice, after so many weeks of looking forward to it, I finally found a seller in Heiwa Dori on the way back from Shureido.

 

 

 

Day 2: Wednesday, 08^th of April:

We start the day with a training in Naha Budokan. Most group members engage in Iai Do practice on the first floor while we occupy the whole third floor with only two people. This year the Budokan generally appears to be emptier than I remember from previous visits.
In the afternoon, we drive to Itoman to start our Kobudo training with Yamashiro Sensei. He has organized a community centre room which we will use for this and most following trainings. Having warmed up with 600 Jodan Uchi, Yamashiro Sensei teaches Tokumine No Kun.
Afterwards we are invited to watch the training at Sakumoto Sensei’s Dojo in Naha. Yamashiro Sensei has arranged this contact for us and also accompanies us. We first see a children’s lesson and finally an adult’s lesson lead by Sakumoto Sensei himself. Among the students are several members of Japan’s national Kata team. It is very impressive to see the whole group move so precisely and synchronously at Sakumoto Sensei’s command.

Culinary Highlight of the Day: Okinawa Soba, at our favourite Soba shop.