Kendo Diary 剣道日記, Q&A

<12.8> Japanese univ. student visited Miami.
Dear Willy and Jason,
How are you? Long time no see. First of all, I apprecite your kindness and friendship that you supported the Japanese young man, Taichi.
He visited our web before visiting Florida and e-mailed me about visiting you. I have never met him but I am very glad to hear that he has a good memory in Miami. When you have time, please visit his web as below.
www.geocities.jp/ganritsu/dekeiko.html
Thank you again for your friendship. Please say hello to Carlos.

<7.21> Why did I start kendo? 　

When I was born, my father wanted me to be a kendo player, so he named me after the famous Samurai. When I was 8 years old, he got the information that Matsuo Sensei started the kendo club for children at the gym near my house and made me to enter the club without telling me the reason. Why did I start kendo? That was my father's decision like my destiny since I was born. However, I do not regret starting kendo according to my father's advice. Moreover, I appreciate his decision to make me practice kendo.

<6.24> <Dear Friends, Shidogakuin Miami> 志藤学院マイアミの皆さんへ
Dear Friends,
I was not able to believe that the kendo player hit the body outside of the bogu on purpose while I was in Miami. Though I did not show any emotional attitude against his behaviors at the dojo, I can imagine how you got angry when you received the unfair attack.
One more thing I was surprised to hear the sad news is that why the parent did violence against players at the dojo. I want some SEUSKF members think about this problem and how PTA activity should be there more sincerely.
From your friend in Japan

There has been animosity between some members of kendo clubs. This has now accelerated to a level that has no place in Kendo and will not be tolerated in the SEUSKF. These type acts will stop immediately.
Should any further verbal and/or physical altercations/incidents occur, the individual(s) and possibly the dojo/club(s) involved may be subject to administrative removal from the Southeastern US Kendo Federation.
Any personnel outside the Southeastern US Kendo Federation who elects or is elicited to become involved in any similar act, attempts to instigate any further action, and/or take retaliatory action will immediately be reported to their regional president and to the president of the All US Kendo Federation.
James E. Parker
President, SEUSKF

<5.27> Response from CJ for custom-made ＣＪからの反応
ＣＪ：　It would be so nice that you can have custom made Bogu. Specially Men-Gane. When I was practicing with Ito san, I tried to look at his eye, but I could not see his eye, because his Men-gane was hiding his eye. It confused me a lot. So... Please tell Ito san to buy New Men.
Ａｎｓ：　Sure, I let him know how to order. Incidentally, I had the same problem as him. That is th reason I ordered custom-made men. As CJ knows, there are two famous bogu shops in my town, Nagasaki. They are Eibudo and Hakata-ya. If you want a custom-made bogu, I will be happy to introduce you those shops.

<5.24> Custom-made bogu 　オーダーメイドの防具
I ordered custom-made men and kote at Eibudo, Nagasaki yesterday. The cost is $2,100.00 including tax for both of them. My head and thumbs are bigger than normal person, so I need bogu to fit my body. The clerks measured my face and hands and asked me how to create them. I told them to reduce the number of metals of men in order to look at the opponents through men very well and the length of men-futon to cover my head. The kote, Ｎｙｏｋｏ is excellent and soft like my hands. It looks like a snail. I am looking forward to receiving them next month.
Eibudo 永武堂　members2.jcom.home.ne.jp/eibudo/html/e-eibudo.html

<5.14> LASIK surgery for myopia 　近視矯正手術
I underwent LASIK surgery at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami on July, 2004. Pre-treatment visual acuity was -4.0＋ 0.75x112 OD and -4.25＋1.0x55 OS. I have 20/40 OD and 20/25 OS now. The slight residual myopia in the right eye will help me with my near vision in the future. I should wear sunglasses to protect eyes from sunlight. When I drove on highway at night, light was duzzling for 2 or 3 months after LASIK. I have done well postoperatively. Thanks to LASIK, I can watch the eye of the opponent clearly through men now.

<5.9> 7 Dan players 　７段の先生方
I practiced with many 7 Dan players at Nagayo on Monday.　They show beautiful kendo keeping back straight and politeness even to me. This is true Japanese kendo, isn't it? I feel I am in Japan and thank my parents as I was born here as a Japanese.

＜５．５＞　Strong in the rain　雨ニモマケズ　宮沢賢治
Ito-san　reminded me the poem, strong in the rain, so I put it into the poems in this blog. I like it very much because it reflects the ideal Japanese style of life and the traditional spirits of Japanese.

<5.4> 軟剣　 Nanken
Q: I think I might of taken the exreme side of that idea and am now almost doing nanken kendo. My instructor told me nanken is characterized by a very weak kamae and very bouncy. That describes I believe perfectly what i'm doing now. I do not think this is the best kamae.
A: Nanken means very soft grip and your shinai goes all over the place, doen't it? If so, nanken with keeping the midline must be the best posture.
Q: During the renshu yesterday Sensei told me that my kamae needs to be more straight.
A: They wanted to say that you must keep the center even though your opponent scares you, didn't they?
Q: Sensei warned me about what i'm doing saying that, "I dont expect you to play real adult kendo yet because of your age , but, you can't do what your doing for to long becuase it will screw up your kendo". I think he's right as well.
A: I think every generation has his own style of kendo. When I was 18 years old, I did not care my centerline too much. I cared how to strike fast men, de-kote or kote-men. I taught the university students at my town keeping the center is so important that you should keep it in mind last week. However, it is difficult for young players to understand. I hope you will be able to know what your kendo should be day by day.

<4.27> 小手後の残心　Zanshin after kote
Ｑ：　 I"ve been trying more dekote and kote uchi like we have been talking
about. One subject about Kote that my Sensei dont fully agree on ,
is, "How to show Zanshin from a kote, or what is zanshin after you hit kote? I believe there are several ways to show Zanshin. What do you think would be the best way to show Zanshin after you hit kote?
Ａ：　I always try to keep my back straight and makes the tip of shinai on the same line as the opponent's eye after striking kote. Of course, we should get the posture of tsuba-zuriai and show zanshin with Chudan after separatiing from the opponent.

<4.22> 出小手　De-kote
Q: I"ve been trying to work on kote recently. Last night at practice I fought k-san and most of the time when he would try for him I would try dekote. The way I was trying dekote was to hit the kote as he came for men and turn my head out of the way so he wouldnt hit my men but also let my body go towards his left. I saw this kote in the picture at the Sarasota tournament but i'm not trying to jump like he was. Where I saw this kote that I really liked was a sample clip thats on www.gulfcoastkendo.com of korean matches. I think it was a beautiful kote. I"m wondering, if i'm trying to hit dekote and get out of the way, is it better to move my head and turn or just try to hit straight dekote and let him hit my men?

A: Regarding de-kote,I have mastered it when I was a high school student. First of all, you must not change the position of your head in any cases. You do not have to worry about receiving men when you go for de-kote. Seconed, you have to step forward with your right foot on the same line as the opponent's right foot crossing the centerline. You have to put enough pressure from the centerline and push the opponent's shinai downward or from center to the left a little bit to make your opponent come for your men. You had better fake the opponent showing your target is men to induce his men against you. That is my trick to make the opponent to raise his kensen upward. I hope it will be helpful to practice de-kote.

<4.10> Last day of Shidogakuin Miami for me 志道学院マイアミ剣道での最後の日
Today's lesson was the last day for myself. My last message from me to our members is that the purpose of our kendo is the health maintenace. It is the second for us to win at the tournament or to pass the promotion test. Please take enough time for warm-up, suburi and the training of foot work before wearing men to prevent injury. If you are smoker, I advise you to quit smoking soon because smoking contravenes the pupose of our kendo. That is it. God bless our kendo club!

<4.7> 無心の仏教用語 Posted by CJ Yamaguchi
The word Mushin is from buddism word. Zen thinking was arleady exist in India from Buddha.
After the Buddha, it is Bodhidharma who was most significant in giving Zen its distinctive character. Bodhidharma was an Indian monk and meditation master who came to China in 520CE. The essence of Zen is captured perhaps in the following lines which have been attributed to him: After that it went to Japan. China went to social communist, So Buddhism does not exist in China. However, Japanese Zen Buddism also developed itself to become nowdays Zen thinking. Most of Zen you hear nowday is Japanese Zen thinking. Historcally, there are question about Mushin thinking was developed in China or Japan. I am not sure about it. But Kendo Mushin thinking is develop Japanese Samurai thinking + Japanese Zen thinking. This is sure about it.
The diffenition of Mushin is following.
無心の仏教用語では(3)〔仏〕 一切の妄念から解放された心。又　1)心にわだかまりのないこと。雑念や欲心のないこと。また、そのさま。
「―の勝利」「―に遊ぶ子供」 in Japanese
In English. A state of mind that free from worldly Passions and Desires. Worldly Passions and Desires lead to wrong thinking and not obedient mind. It should be concentration from pure clear mind.
So it is from Pure mind. I hope no Politice in Kendo. Because Politics power game is from people's worldly passions and desires.

<4.6> 「無」の入り口
A Japanese 8 Dan player said to me, "Practice kendo hard as much as possible till you get exhausted, and you might be able to strike without thinking too much. Yes, you will be at the gate of Mu-shin". I want to add my comments on it. Think deeply and practice hard at a regular lesson, or you will not be able to get Mu-shin at the real match.

<4.5> 無心　No mind at the Last Samurai
Mu-shin does not equal no mind but I remember the phrase in the movie, Last Samurai. The son of the last Samurai told Tom Cruise no mind during his practice. Tom got too many minds including his bad memory at the Civil War, so it was a good advice for him. To say no mind is easy but difficult to do. If you want no mind at the real match, you should struggle to find many ways to get Ippon before the match. No mind does not mean you must not think of anything at the practice.

<4.4> 中心 を取る How to get the center
Theoretically, true sashi-men is very difficult to do for us. I beleive most of players should swing small and sharply just before striking men to make it strong. I struggle to find my own way to get the canter and change the position of shinai from right or left, up and down with stepping forward, right and left. Once I get the center, I try to go for men and kote from the center after showing pressure(=seme)on the center and getting nearer toward the opponent. I admit it is very difficult to get it and may not be able to master when I am 80.

<4.3> 切り返し　What is the merit of kirikaeshi, where we practice striking/blocking while moving forward and backwards?
Kirikaeshi was established as a basic exercise around the end of the Meiji era(1868-1912). It teaches a number of important principles including proper distance and timing, accuracy, rhythm, and smoothness. cf. www.isu.edu/~jon/kendo/
For me, kirikaeshi is a barometer of my health condition on the day of practice. If I feel pain in my back, achilles, shoulder or back then, I would not practice too much in an attempt to prevent injury. Considering my health maintenance, I focus on enough warm-up including the stretch before the keiko to loosen my tendons and ligaments, and get blood flowing to my muscles.

<4.2> 面 The last strategy is Men.
I always keep in mind that my last strategy should be men especially toward high ranked players because men is everything in kendo. I admit I am a kote player but just show my de-kote to scare the opponent at the beginning to go for men at last. If I receive de-kote or do from the opponent, I must review my seme :an attack, the offensive, assault, or siege after the match. 1. Ma-ai(the distance between the opponent and me) was far? 2. Seme was incomplete before my men? 3. I was not able to get the centerline before men?

<4.1>褌の効用　The merit of fundoshi
The merit of fundoshi is not only drying and security but also making comfortable to blow air through it . I understand the quality of Under Armor but I wonder it might keep warm in it. As you know, testicles are the hottest organ in the human body to produce a lot of sperms. In kendo we wear tare over the hakama, so you can imagine very wet and hot environment under them. Once you wear fundoshi, you will be able to know the difference between Under Armor and fundoshi. I believe the wisdom of Samurai in their era. It is not a diapor but an underwear for Samurai who wears hakama all day long.

<3.29>女性用褌？Is Fundoshi needed for women?
Q) I tried a few times without underwear, and personnally it doesn't seem to make a big difference. When I wear underwear, I try to change it after class because I do sweat a lot and it's not confortable nor hygienic to keep underwear full of sweat all day long. There are of course a few days in the month I cannot not wear underwear. Now here is my question about the hygiene part: is there really a big difference in the hygiene between the times I don't wear and the times that I simply change at the end of class? I wish we had showers...
A) It is estimated that 15% of women develop at least one UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) during their lives due to the brevity of the female urethra. In respect of preventing UTI, changing underwear frequently when getting wet after the practice is very important for women.

<3.27> お願いしますOnegai Shimasu: please let me train with you, teach me what I need to learn, give me a lesson. I like Onegaishi-masu the best of all the Japanese kendo vocabularies because it reflects good concepts of kendo. Yes, respecting the opponent is the most important in kendo.

<3.26> 禁煙 Can you quit smoking for the sake of your health? I often felt sad when I saw some kendo players smoked during the tournament out of the gym. How do young children see those smoking? I know some men and women tried to quit smoking with a nicotin patch and bupropion, but had to somke again because of some stress at work. They might have numerous failed attempts to quit smoking. I believe smoking contravenes the position of health maintenance in kendo because most of us do kendo to maintain our good health. I will try to contribute myself to help them stop smoking as a MD in any cases even though they are high ranked sensei.

<3.24.2005> 体当たり Tai-atari=throw yourself against the opponent
I have had a discussion with my friend about Tai-atari as below. (O:me, E: my friend)
(O) Regarding Taiatari, I have never taught it to our members. Ten years ago, I often did Taiatari training in my lessons when practicing Kiri-kaeshi and Men-hiki-men. There are two types of Kiri-kaeshi. One is Taiatari and the other is that we must stop when we contact the opponent and swing right to left, left to right. I hesitate to teach hard contact to beginners because they tend to push each other even at the tsuba-zuriai position. I want them learn clean kendo with spirits of Samurai without pushing the opponent.
(E) Some of my guys want to hit men, then stop just short of actually coming into contact with anything. They understand that contact must be made. We must come to Tsubazirai. That is the end of the waza and a new waza should start. If you hit then immediately go into hiki-waza then you have accomplished nothing. You have to make the distinction between the two. Can't change direction in mid stream. Now what your talking about is your not changing direction but shifting the body. Energy is still being directed in the same direction that you started. But the body turns to face your opponent. I still feel that to do the tequnique correct you have to make the energy go in the direction directly behind the opponent and keep it there.
cf. Don't do that kind of Tai-atari. pya.cc/pyaimg/pimg.php?imgid=12359

<3.25> 褌 Fundoshi Do you wear brief or trunks under your hakama?
(American 1) Sure, I can not believe no pants under hakama. The direct contact with hakama makes it unclean.
(Japanese 1) No, I have never worn anything under hakama because I want to prevent a ringworm infection around the loin :lol: .
(Japanese 2) Yes, I wear a fundoshi, a loincloth which is an old Japanese men's underwear made of a long, narrow cloth rolled around the loin. Fundoshi could protect testicles from the shinai injury and makes me more comfortable than western underwears. I have seen this type of injury that Shinai stuck in testicles many times in Japan :oops: .
(Oni) I have never worn anything since I was 15 yo boy. However, I want one more child, so I will buy a fundoshi when I return to Japan and try to wear it . FYI, Japan Kendo Federation now recommends us wear something due to hygiene and safety. www.asahi-jc.com/fundoshi.htm

＜3.23.2005＞冴え　Sae
Last weekend, Maeda Sensei from Tennessee(7 Dan) visited us and gave many good advices to us.
1. We should strike men with sharpness known as sae in kendo.
He stressed dropping your shoulders as a means of relaxation to get Sae.
2. Mental preparation for kendo : We should always keep in mind that our kendo should be more dynamic not to care too much for receiving the opponent's waza. We must not change our posture keeping back straight even after striking. Yes, big and beautiful kendo!
3. Kakari-geiko: not only for making stamina but also being skilled at continuous waza and up the speed.