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Okinawa Trip Diary April 2009

One of my daughter’s favorite movies has a line in where the character says “a person is a person no matter how small.” Substitute the word vacation for people and you get a summative evaluation of this trip to Okinawa. Considering that I arrived on a Sunday evening and left three and a half days later, any time on Okinawa with my teacher and my friends is wonderful. When you are apart from true friends, there is always a hole that exists in the pit of your stomach. It is that little finger of sadness that always taps you when you look at pictures of significant events together or casual time spent at a restaurant or a home. After a strenuous year, it was nice to get away and meet with Gibu Sensei and my sempai concerning the events of this coming summer’s gasshuku and embutaikai.

Saturday April 4 Lorie dropped me off at Richmond Airport and after we boarded the plane sat at the terminal for about 20 minutes before taking off. (Not good since my flight to Japan is not going to wait if I am late to Chicago) We arrived 23 minutes late and after my best attempt at long distance sprinting, I arrived at the gate as they just started boarding. This is why we leave for Chicago the night before so there are no problems with making the flight to Japan.

Sunday April 5 I arrived in Narita after one of the worst flights I have ever been on. Thinking that I was very clever to select the aisle seat in my upgrade to Economy Plus, I chuckled to myself how nice of a flight this was going to be in that I didn’t have to crawl over anyone every time I needed to get up. What could go wrong? I was on the aisle, I was not next to a bathroom, I was near the stewardess area in case I needed anything-great right?	Horrible. Let me apologize for the next comment but if the airline is not going to have a minimum health screening and prerequisite for personal fitness levels, than they need to build planes with wider aisles. I spent 12 hours on a plane in a full-contact bout with each stewardess’ hip and backside as they rammed into my arm and elbow on every pass down the aisle. Did they apologize or say excuse me? Did they turn sideways or 45 degrees on the next pass? Absolutely not. Not only did they engage me and others in this battering but after closing all of the windows so people could sleep after the movie, they talked so loudly to one another that no tequila coma on earth could have helped you. Okay, I sound like I am whining a bit and I am, but 12 hours, terrible airline food, and no sleep, I was a little upset.

But I digress. Narita was beautiful with cool Spring weather and after the standard exchange of dollars to yen, change of clothes and quick bite to eat, I headed down to the terminal to find my second flight of the trip was delayed also. I took advantage to hopping in a great massage chair to get the blood moving and downed 4 bottles of Pocari Sweat (a popular drink similar to Gatorade). After finally taking off from Narita, you could have heard a pin drop on the plane. Many of the passengers were our brave men and women in the armed forces who looked like they were in need a nice rest after a long trip from various locations.


We arrived in Okinawa about an hour late but since this was a “carry-on only” trip for me, I didn’t have to deal with baggage claim and went right to arrivals where Gibu Sensei was waiting with Tamaki Tsuyoshi Sensei, Gibu Makoto Sensei, Izumi Hisashi Sensei, Sunagawa Sumino Sensei and two of Hanshi Gibu’s grandchildren, Hiroshi and Ryoko. After a quick picture and discussion of the upcoming schedule, we left the airport for Koza. Izumi Sensei and caught up in the car on each of our families and dojo happenings.

I arrived at the Deigo Hotel and found that I had a nice single room that was perfect for this trip. Izumi Sensei and I ran over for the traditional first meal at Lemon Grass. Always the prankster, Izumi did not tell the Kyans that I was coming and had me fling open the door and start speaking in Okinawan (uchina guchi) to them while he sat outside and laughed through the window. It was nice to see them and catch up and it looked like the customers had really enjoyed the Texas Pete supply that I send to them every couple of months. To my surprise, they had put our group’s picture up in their restaurant and said that we were regulars now. Kyan san worked in typical omikase fashion and his wife told me that she was making me some things to help with jet lag.

She first gave Izumi Sensei and I a zensai (appetizer) of uncut scallions in a type of spicy kimchi sauce and a small bowl of spinach in a light sauce, both of which were wonderful. Next came Kyan san’s freshly caught umi-mono as sashimi (clam, squid, tuna, and other types of local fish). We continued to talk about the events of the upcoming summer in Williamsburg as well as events that were going on around Koza. I met one of the regulars who was an “ex-pat” from Kanegawa, now living in Okinawa and was very nice. Izumi Sensei and I finished off with our Tebichi /Chu ma guu and since he had a long day at work in the morning, I wrapped things up and headed back to the hotel.


I was greeted by the same elderly gentleman that works the night shift at the front desk and asked him if he had a electric fan that I can use.(I can’t sleep without one) He went in the back and came out with one and a look that could only mean that he thought I was crazy since Okinawa was so “cold” right now.(65 degrees) The thing that struck me was what catches my attention every trip. Tom Cruise, in the movie “The Last Samurai” said that he had never seen such dedication and that the people of Japan spent every minute from the time they woke up to the time they went to bed at the perfection of what they did. Okinawa is the same, in their own way and their dedication is always to do their best for someone else. I watched the gentleman go in the back and clean the fan before he would give it to me and I knew not to stop him to say I would do it because he would have refused. This is what I try to get my students to see about Okinawa.	Coming here has very little to do with karate. The people of Okinawa have much to teach us and what is missing in our lives, no matter how complete we feel. It is about always going the extra mile for someone else, always think of yourself last and look at each moment as special. Every moment in Okinawa is a life-changing experience-maybe not in such dramatic changes but more in a healing or uplifting sense. It recharges your batteries for life and reminds us how you should conduct yourself even when others around you conduct themselves otherwise.

Monday April 6 I woke up around 5:30 and decided to hit the Ofuro on the top floor. This traditional Japanese spa-bath is very nice has a second pool next to it that is filled with cold water that you can jump into after spending time in the hot bath or the steam sauna. After breakfast, I drove the hotel van down to Shureido to pick up a few things. The demand for their products must increase every year because every time that I visit, they are cleaned out of many items. I bought a new gi for Emily and than a very nice chishi that they started making last year that is made of marble and has a tapered handle. I bought one for Izumi Sensei last summer and promised myself that I would get one for our dojo as well. After having coffee with some of the employees, I headed back to Koza.

Izumi Sensei was very busy with photo appointments today so I set out around Gate 2 street to look at guitars in the pawn shops. I stopped at Ippon-Do which is a martial arts/tourist shop and had a nice conversation with the owners and their children that work with them. On one of the display cases were the business cards of many American karate instructors that had obviously visited there. I had just missed Eddie Bethea, Kyoshi/7^th dan, Shorin-Ryu Shorinkan by one day evidently which was a shame. Bethea Sensei is a very senior teacher and one of the nicest individuals you will meet. I had lunch at Mickey’s which is on Chuo Park Avenue and a great place to eat in Koza. They accept American dollars and yen for their wonderful lunches.
*Why Koza?* I get this question a lot from karateka who from time to time come to Okinawa for training. One, there are no decent hotels in Urasoe where the Hombu Dojo is located, at least any affordable hotels. Second, Koza is located in the center of the island which makes going to a variety of places around the island easy. Third, Koza has a lot to do if you are going to bring students and family members over. You do have to stay clear of the seedy areas of Gate 2 street during certain hours but that is your only worry. These questionable places have nothing to do with the Okinawan people, but more with certain military individuals whose actions unfortunately give Americans a bad reputation on the island. As I heard on the military radio station driving today “It only takes one bad apple.”


I came back to the hotel to get ready for my meeting with Gibu Sensei and Makoto Gibu in the hotel. After finishing laundry, I headed down to the lobby for our meeting and meet Gibu Sensei and Makoto Gibu at the entrance. We sat in the hotel’s restaurant and Sensei presented me with a bag of mikan (oranges) as well as some gifts for Lorie, Madison and Emily and a packet for the Seikai Taikai(2009 Okinawa World Tournament). We spent about 2 hours going over the details of this summer’s embutaikai and gasshuku. He was very pleased with the schedule and we discussed the class topics for the gasshuku. They both had to return to work so we said goodbye and said we would see each other later at the Hombu dojo.

I had a little time to relax, exercise with my new chiishi, stretch and then head out for the expressway. It took about 15-20 minutes to get to the Hombu and I had a chance to ask Sensei technical questions for about 40 minutes. Makoto San came and the two of us worked on bo kata while Sensei checked our techniques. Makoto san is competing in the senior division at the World Tournament for bo and was working on Kubo no Kun. Among many topics, Gibu Sensei took a great deal of time meticulously demonstrating toe kick conditioning and applications as well as ude conditioning and their applications. It was quite frightening when I did basic kotekitai with him and felt some of his “favorite” nuances of ude tanren.

There are two classes every evening however the kids class is the only one with a set time schedule. The adults slowly come in at different times depending on work and will start to warm up by jumping in on the kids class. Sensei bows out the kids at 8:30 and then the adult class starts rolling. The kids started to trickle in and Sensei led us in stretching and exercises. Next was daitai tsuki/keri which is the standard kihon waza done as a class and used to push everyone’s endurance and spirit. Sensei took us through all of the kata as the adults began to come and join us. He was very giving in his discussion of applications as well as certain specifics of the kata movements.



After class, the adults went to the first floor to the restaurant where Sensei treated everyone to a wonderful dinner. It was nice to catch up to the members of the Butokukai including Daigo Shimabukuro and Mamoko Shimabukuro. The food and company was wonderful. Around 11 p.m., Makoto San called the gathering to a close and asked me to make a speech to the group. It was a great time and I returned to the hotel and went right to bed.


Tuesday April 6 I woke up today around 6:30(an hour longer than the day before) and started to organize things here in the room, and use my new chishi. After emailing back and forth with home, I went to the lobby where I was picked up by Tamaki Sensei and Sunagawa Sensei. It was nice to catch up with both of them and they always take time away from their busy schedules to show me special things about the Okinawa that are “off the beaten path” and have a lot to do with Okinawan culture. We first stopped off in Chatan at an area where you could look over Mihama and lower Chatan. We went on to Ginowan where we stopped at a wonderful restaurant that was “all you can eat” but had sushi and Okinawan specialty dishes. Tamaki Sensei was in complete heaven and loved the opportunity to enjoy one his favorite foods. This was a very dangerous place in that it was all you could eat for an hour as well as all drinks were also unlimited, which included beer and wine. We had a big day ahead of us so no beer or wine but a very nice mango juice and hot tea.

view from Chatan

a look at Mihama	Tori at Ginowan ocean park






	After the meal, we drove to Sunset Beach where they said we were having “relax time” and there was a public onsen of sorts where sea water was pumped from the ocean and then heated. People can sit and enjoy soaking their feet while having the beautiful ocean breezes ease you into a state of bliss. We walked around the main hotel and looked at some of their attractions including animals







	The next stop was an exciting meeting with Eiko Miyazato Sensei who is a very famous karateka and entertainer on Okinawa as well as all around the Pacific Rim. Tamaki Sensei and Miyazato Sensei are very good friends and have known each other for a long time. On our way there, we drove past Daigo Sensei’s dojo and parked at the newly purchased lot that will be the site of Daigo Sensei’s new house and dojo, which is right around the corner from Miyazato Sensei’s house and dojo.

	As we walked down the street towards his home, it was easy to see which one was his. Anyone who has had the pleasure to see his performances at embutaikai or at his old club in Azato, know that he is a very charismatic performer and his shows are filled with beautiful props and colors. His house was purple, his favorite color. His wife answered the door but told us that Miyazato Sensei unexpectedly had been called away but that she told us that she wanted to show us the dojo and have us come in for food and a visit. She took us to the okujo(rooftop) where the dojo was added and it was filled with memorabilia from Miyazato’s performances as well as many kobudo items. She told me that he did his own calligraphy for his kanban(entrance sign) as well as some other works in his dojo. Miyazato Sensei and his wife also make their own costumes and props for their performances. We adjourned to their beautiful home and had some pizza and cola while Tamaki Sensei and Miyazato’s wife caught up with each other.





	Handbrushed by Miyazato Eiko Sensei




We left the Miyazato home and I had some time at the hotel for a quick nap before leaving for the hombu dojo. I arrived early and Gibu Sensei was meeting with Chinen Sensei(Goju-Ryu) who is the head of the referee council for the World Tournament. Makoto Gibu came soon after and he and I talked about teaching techniques for the dojo.
Tonight was kumite night and Makoto Sensei and I paired up for bag work. Makoto Sensei’s punches and kicks were so powerful that if he connected with all of his power in a self-defense situation, it would be devastating. In all of my years of training, I have never felt someone hit as hard as he did. It was truly awe-inspiring and frightening. His mechanics with each technique were amazing and some of his shita tsuki set me back on my heels. He consistantly folded the thick Muay Thai pad in half and into my body. He is a master technician who has blinding speed coupled with perfect shimai made. We worked on other techniques such as kintiki geri and hiding movements instead of using momentum or other body muscles to aid with the kick. The kids had a number of strong bouts with full contact kicks to the legs and knees. Musashi kun who is in his last year of junior high school is a protégée of Naka Sensei and his kumite is amazing to watch. His kata is equally strong and he has won the All Okinawan Chugakkosei tournament three times now for kata. He is also a kumite champion who follows Naka Sensei’s every word and suggestion.


After kumite, we were visited by Miguel Da Luz who is the editor of “The Okinawan” magazine as well as the Okinawan Karate News that is available at Shureido and on-line. The magazine is an amazing publication that focuses on Okinawa dento bunkai(traditional culture) and although highlights karate as a cultural asset, does not promote one particular teacher or style, which is the way it should be. Da Luz san has lived on Okinawa for 15 years after coming from France and is a student of Morio Higaonna Sensei. We talked about the upcoming gasshuku in Williamsburg and he asked questions about the Butokukan and the Williamsburg dojo. We returned to the floor and worked on kobudo kata including sai, bo and tonfa. We took a group picture afterwards and then Hanshi took us around the corner for a nice meal.	*Subscribe to Miguel Da Luz great publications at these links:* www.theokinawan.com http://okinawakaratenews.com






Da Luz san spent time talking with all the members and his Japanese was so perfect that you would not have known that he was France or any other country. He is a model for all visitors to follow in how he has become one of the Okinawan people and is ever concerned about the education of the world about their culture and history. The dreaded jet lag bloating was killing me this trip and as badly as I wanted to eat all of the food that was continuously put in front of it, my stomach had another idea. Lots of hot green tea and vitamin B needed! Makoto Sensei ordered me a huge bowl of pigs feet and vegetables and Gibu Sensei , ever the father figure, told me that I could not get up from the table until I finished the whole bowl. He also said “you have to finish your vegetables, not just the pigs feet!” Just like home. We left the izakaiya and left for Koza. I followed Izumi Sensei through the back areas of Futema which are like a rollercoaster. Izumi Sensei and I stayed up talking for about 2 hours before it was time for both of us to get sleep for the morning visit to Chatan-cho and the kindergarden classes in Koza.

Wednesday April 7 I met Izumi Sensei in the lobby around 8 a.m. and we headed to Chatan-cho to look at some hotels for our Okinawa Trip next summer. One of his karate student’s parents is the owner of the hotels in Chatan and Sunabe and was willing to help us find a place for the group to stay next summer. We saw a variety of places and then drove down Sunabe sea wall drive before leaving for Koza. We arrived at the first kindergarden class in Koza and the children had made a special 10 year anniversary congratulations present for me. They were very cute and some of the children had drawn pictures and it had a picture of them doing karate at the undokai in Koza. The next kindergarden was very familiar as we have helped teach class there on every trip to Okinawa. The kids are very cute and eager to learn karate. They too had made a cute present made of colored paper and they had drawn an anatomically correct picture of me(hairline) that had Izumi Sensei almost in tears. He was still laughing when we left.






Lunch at Urasoe Pizza House	I returned to the hotel and took at taxi to the Hombu dojo to have lunch with Gibu Sensei and Makoto san. They took me to the Urasoe Pizza House which is on 58 and is misleading by the name. It is really and upscale restaurant that specializes in steak and lobster. We had a wonderful lunch and talked a great deal about karate, the upcoming trip and our families. After lunch, Makoto Sensei took me back to the hotel and we had some time to catch up and talk about our families. He had many questions about the upcoming trip to Virginia and wanted to learn as much as he could about American manners and customs.
After returning to the hotel, I ran down to the Koza Seidokan to pay my respects to Taira Sensei and Takamiyagi Sensei and then returned to hotel to begin packing. At 5:30, I met with my close friend Miyazato san in the room and we caught up with each other and talked briefly about the gasshuku this summer. He presented me with gifts for Lorie and the girls as well as a beautiful Eisa(ay-sa) drum . He thought it would be a nice idea to have someone in the dojo beat it for the count for kata so that we always have Okinawa culture in the dojo. He and I both left for the Koza Dojo where Izumi asked me to teach his kids class. The kids started trickling in since today was the celebration all over Okinawa where kids move up to the next grade and there were many parties at family homes. Shun Yonehara is one of Izumi Sensei’s most promising students and he began the junbi undo for the group. Afterwards I taught kata and applications for Naihanchi nidan and Pinan sandan and the kids loved throwing each other around. After class, we took a group picture and the Dojo PTA presented me with a beautiful awamore bottle for our dojo’s 10 year anniversary. I met with the PTA for about an hour answering questions about hotels, sightseeing and our schedule.	Pictures to come soon.

My good friend Joe Botulinski came to the dojo and it was great to see him again. Izumi Sensei had not seen him in a while and it was great to hear the two of them catch up. We all left for Lemon Grass where Kyan sama had painstakingly prepared for me a beautiful sobetsukai meal with traditional Okinawan cuisine. The two main courses were stewed tuna eyeballs and squid ink soup. The tuna eyes were huge but were very tasty with a similar taste to steamed clams. The squid ink soup contained pieces of squid, pork and vegetables and Izumi Sensei told me that it is not only good for you but used for medicinal purposes and that people eat it when they are ill. With jet lag taking it’s usual 3^rd day pinnacle of fatique, we called the sobetsukai to a close and went back to the hotel, packed and passed out.


*Thursday April 8* Izumi Sensei picked me up at the airport and took me to airport where we were met by Gibu Sensei, Makoto Gibu Sensei and Tamaki Sensei. The international connection line was ridiculous. They only had one x-ray machine and more people trying to catch their flights more than any other passenger. This is the case on every flight from Naha and I hope in the future they will make better efforts to get families and others through the lines more efficiently. Makoto Sensei presented me with the flight schedule for this summer’s gasshuku and a cd and then we all said goodbye as they had to go to work and I had to catch my flight. The flight from Okinawa to Narita was amazing as I was in row 10 with a window, reclining chair with footrest and leg room to spare. In the words of the great ambassador Borat-VEEEERREEEE NIIIICE! Things just came together perfectly at the end of this trip with me arriving 18 minutes before boarding-enough time to have hopped up to the sushi bar and have a final treat of Toro and uni that was bought that morning and defies all description of it’s delicious taste as an attempt would insult the two piece of sushi. Amazing. Second stroke of luck-no one next to me in my upgraded Economy Plus seat. VEEEERREEEE NIIIICE!	Travel notes/reminders: -Remember to get a seat in the front of the plane from Okinawa to Narita so that you can negotiate immigration quickly. The last two times going through Narita, there has been about 25 minutes before boarding the next flight and you have to really hoof it to the gate. -Drink plenty of hot green tea and vitamin b for jet lag and it's effects. -bring snacks on plane. -never an aisle seat again -Naha airport international departure lines are horrible so get to the airport early.