White Crane Snow Tiger News Jan 2011
Greetings Fellow Martial Artistes! Hope everyone enjoyed the holidays. Now it’s a new year and it’s back to training hard again! In 2010 I got to start the year off as usual at Alan Goldberg’s Action Martial Arts Hall of Honors in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This is always a great event with many martial art celebrities, seminars, awards banquet and trade show, etc. (www.ActionMagStore.com). During the year we had many folks come and stay at the honbu dojo and train. In May Sensei Todd Anderson organized a very well attended seminar in Madison, Wisconsin. We covered all the bases including karate, jujitsu and kendo. There was quite a turn out along with sensei Sanguinetti of Los Angeles who taught Matayoshi kobudo.
In March Sensei Joche Zapata hosted a superb martial arts weekend in Puerto Rico. It was held at a Zen monastery in the mountains. What a fantastic setting! It looked and felt just like Okinawa. The event began with a lecture on Zen by the head priest and a meditation period. Seminars included karate basics and kata, white crane pressure point techniques, kumite and jujitsu.
2010 was another year of great success for our International Martial Arts Summer Camp. It was truly awesome with seminars in many martial arts including karate, jujitsu, kendo, iaido and MMA. We can’t forget to mention the World Water Mellon Kumite Championships (which were brutal this year) and an outrageous dojo sake party as well as white water rafting. Glad there weren’t any witnesses to our sake party. We will have this event again August 5th, 6th & 7th, 2011. If you are intent on attending this please sign up now as folks have already reserved their spots on the dojo floor. We are limited to forty people only.
September was a time of rest and a getaway to the Florida Keys for some scuba diving and eating lots of fish.
In October we had our annual seminar in Dobbs Ferry, New York (just outside Manhattan) at Kyoshi Jose Guzman and Sensei Chris Tortu’s dojo. Yes! It was a great weekend all around. Lots of great training and a lot of laughs as well as good camaraderie. Hope Ben Dewalt’s ‘s neck is Ok. I think he was whacked a little hard in the pressure point class. But only one pressure point was activated instead of two. So it wasn’t the full effect. Opps! Hope Rotas’s wrists are alright! He’s a bit of a gumby [has very flexible wrists]. During the karate class we touched on the concept of maintaining the concept of not changing kata. That they [kata] are somehow etched in stone and can never be changed. I like to quote Zubin Mehta of the New York Philharmonic with regard to this topic. He is a master of Mozart’s compositions and when asked a similar question responds by saying, “We are bound by tradition but we are not slaves to it.” This sounds like the essence of the Japanese concept of Shu Ha Ri–Learning from tradition, Breaking the chains of tradition and ultimately Transcendence. More on this later. Sensei Chris talked me into doing a kendo class this year. Everyone did very well including Rachel Maloney who was really excited about kendo. When you can hit a man over the head with a stick as hard as you can and it’s perfectly alright to do so it’s empowering. They will be starting a kendo club there soon.
I got to meet Sensei John McDonald who attended the pressure point seminar. He is an excellent karateka and an actor as well. Later in Manhattan I got to be a tourist and visited the American Museum of Finance on Wall Street. Thought that might be a bit boring but it was actually fascinating. They have a whole section on Bernie Madoff, a giant video screen that explains how the stock market works and a room dedicated to Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury and the organizer of the stock market. Too bad Aaron Burr killed him in a duel at 49 years old. Hamilton didn’t embrace the concept of “primacy of attack!” Far from it! (See Japan’s Warrior Nation The Samurai in the Twentieth Century).”
Also got to train with my private student in New York City. He wishes to remain anonymous. You remember he’s the one with the Lamborghini and Bentley and the private security force. Not now Kato!! Had a great time in New York but it was good to be back in the mountains at the honbu dojo and in my hot tub!
The last two months of the year I dedicated to finishing Japan’s Warrior Nation. This is a book I’ve been working on for ten years. It’s about the samurai mentality and bushido and how it affected Japan in the twentieth century and more specifically World War II. It’s not a martial arts book per se. So far good reviews. Finally, a new book we are completing now is, “Essential Kendo The Way of the Sword.” This should be released by March. Although it is primarily a technique book and a how to book it does contain some history and personal narrative. Included below is an excerpt from the text—Training with a Master. Hope I didn’t leave anybody out of this newsletter. If I did it was not intentional. Please see photo Gallery below.
I will be at Alan Goldberg’s event in Atlantic City, NJ Jan 21st, 22nd & 23rd. Will be teaching kendo along with sensei Dana Abbot and Hakutsuru Kenpo karate. March 5th and 6th we will be in Rapid City, South Dakota.
The Summer Camp is August 5th, 6th & 7th. Contact me if you want to reserve your spot. It’s only $50.00 to reserve your spot. Call 1-888-299-YAMA (9262). We’ve already signed up some folks for this year. So don’t miss out! Plus you save $50.00 by registering before June 1st. Total cost is $399.95 if you register before June 1st. It’s $450 afterwards. Includes lodging, training, entertainment and meals. See attached registration form below photo gallery. We are also planning a trip to Okinawa in October. If you have interest in this please contact me.
Would also like to welcome two new members, OHKA member Kenneth Forsythe, 7th Dan Fort Collins, Colorado and New ISKKF member George Delaportas, Sandan in Montreal, Canada. D.R. MacGregor, 5th Dan received his Instructor’s certificate in Shorin Ryu Karate and was promoted to Shodan in Hakutsuru Kenpo. Sensei Todd Anderson was promoted to 5th Dan, Godan and Carol Seigler was promoted to 2nd Dan, Nidan. Jeff Locklayer was promoted to Sandan in karate and Shodan in jujitsu. Sensei Randy Randolph although injured completed a grueling test and fought 20 matches in a row. He was promoted to Sandan in Kendo. Sensei Dave Fivecoat was promoted to Shodan in Hakutsuru Kenpo. Sensei Ed Wojociechowski “Wojo” was promoted to Sandan in iaido. There were many others who were promoted but too numerous to mention here. But all were deserving of their new ranks. Finally, a special thank you goes to Jonathan, Shodan & Morgan, Green Belt Walker. Whose fame has spread far and wide due to their hard work and extreme effort in making the Summer Camp always a success.
All the best for the New Year!! Hope to see you at this year’s Summer Camp.
Sincerely,
George W. Alexander, Hanshi 10th Dan President
範士 十段 会長
Okinawa Hakutsuru Kenpo Association
International Shorin Ryu Karate Kobudo Federation
Shorinji Ryu Jujitsu Federation
World Budokan Kendo Federation
Yamazato International
180 Yellow Jacket Drive
Reliance, TN USA 37369
Tel. 423-338-4972
Toll Free 1-888-299-YAMA (9262)
Fax 423-338-5651
www.yamazato-videos.com
www.worldbudokan.com
www.whisperingridgecabins.com
alexyama@mindspring.com
Training with a Master
(Excerpted from Essential Kendo)
While touring Japan and training in numerous kendo dojo in the Tokyo and Kyoto areas I happened to be introduced to Sensei Hiromasa Takano. Sensei Takano, who is now deceased, was a 10th Dan Meijin and head of the Itto Ryu kenjutsu [Nakanishi Ha Itto Ryu] lineage. As previously noted Itto Ryu was instrumental in developing the bogu used in modern kendo. Therefore, the kenjutsu kata of Itto Ryu are practiced there as well as modern kendo. Sensei Takano’s dojo was located in Kamakura, Japan. After being invited to train there I traveled from Chiba Ken to Kamakura, which was a two-hour train ride from Mr. Kamagata’s house. Once I arrived at the dojo and greeted Takano sensei and was introduced to the various sensei I had a chance to look around the dojo. There were various pieces of memorabilia and photos hanging on the walls. On the kamiza was an arrow no doubt left over from a samurai battle fought long ago. Hanging up high on one of the walls was a large shadow box with a scroll in it that was a rank certificate. I noticed a large white ceramic chrysanthemum inside the box next to the certificate. The kanji on the certificate said, “This is to certify that Takano Hiromasa is awarded a 10th Dan Meijin.” Meijin is a teaching title but goes beyond the commonly granted titles such as renshi, kyoshi and hanshi. In fact Meijin means a great master or a master of masters and one who has achieved self-perfection in his field (See: Japanese Martial Arts Dictionary, Alexander & Jespersen, Yamazato Publications). I wondered, “Who could bestow such a title?” Who would have a high enough authority? I knew his father was a sword master but he would have been long dead by the time Takano sensei would be old enough to receive such an award. As I looked to the left side of the document for a signature, the kanji and the name jumped out at me—Hirohito Emperor of Japan!” That was certainly a high enough authority to grant such a title. Now the chrysanthemum made sense since it is the crest of the royal family of Japan. I then realized this was Takano sensei’s certificate naming him a national treasure of Japan. Later, I was to have many conversations with Takano sensei about this and other kendo subjects. But I now knew I was training with a great master.
Takano sensei began his kendo training when he was four years old. His father was also an Itto Ryu kendo master. At the time of my visit to Takano sensei’s dojo he was 86 years old and had been training in kendo for 82 years. One of his top students told me that when he was younger [in his 70s] he could crush both wrists of an opponent using a bokken with a sequence of two lightening fast strikes before the opponent could even react.
The training in his dojo lasted from about 10:00 a.m. until late in the evening. Takano sensei scrutinized my training and watched me all day. The evening of the first day I recall he called me over to the dais section of the dojo for some tea. It was June and very hot and humid. I sweated profusely all day but we drank hot green tea anyway as is the Japanese custom. Then Takano sensei said, “George San, you have a great talent for kendo.” I was quite flattered by the compliment and responded by saying, “Domo arigato sensei.” Takano sensei then added, “Maybe you’ll be good in fifty years!” With that Takano sensei broke out in a roar of laughter. He had a wonderful a sense of humor. But I believe he was quite serious about the fifty years.
Another time at Takano sensei’s dojo I was invited to sit on the dais. This was apparently an honor in the dojo as I noticed none of the other [Japanese] students were ever invited there. Since I was the only foreigner and non-Japanese in the dojo I felt special. This was the part where I got to inadvertently play the ill-mannered gaijin or worse yabanjin (savage). A yabanjin is a person in Japan who has no culture or manners whatsoever. While sitting on the dais after training I had a conversation with Takano sensei and his senior instructors about kendo techniques and history. Eventually Takano sensei excused himself and left the room for a few minutes. I continued my conversations with his instructors in his absence. Not thinking, I grabbed a pillow that had been vacated by Takano sensei and sat on it. Immediately the instructors all became stiff as boards and their countenance dramatically changed. They sat there with horrified looks on their faces. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong! Apparently this was Takano sensei’s pillow and the only one there and no one else sat on it. Later they told me that I was the only person to ever sit on this pillow other than Takano sensei himself! I don’t know that Takano sensei ever knew about it but I don’t think that he would have been that upset about it but his instructors sure were. It was a simple mistake any good yabanjin could make.
At another embukai or training session at Takano sensei’s dojo I was invited [after the dramatic pillow incident] again up onto the dais after training. One has to remember that in Japan after training in most any martial art especially kendo one has to go out and “have a drink with the boys” afterwards. This is in effect a defacto part of the training. One evening in particular I trained late at the Edogawa Dai dojo in Chiba Ken and had quite a few beers with my dojo mates. All a required part of the training I hasten to add. The next morning I left to train at Takano sensei’s dojo. As usual it was hot and we trained all day taking a break in the afternoon. After consuming so many beers the night before along with the hot weather I soon began sweating like a pig. Sweat ran down my arms and onto the glass top table where we were sitting, drinking hot tea of course! I noticed this appalled the instructors. Once again they had disgusted looks on their faces. Keep in mind Japanese people don’t sweat very much certainly not like me, the victim of European genetics. They then instructed two young Japanese boys to take me outside and wash me down. They took me out behind the dojo where there was an old fashioned pump with a handle on it to pump water out of the ground. They stuck my head under it and pumped away washing off my head and neck with cold water. At first I was a bit insulted by this but it felt so refreshing that I soon dismissed any perceived insult. It cooled me down which is exactly what I needed and we soon resumed training, yelling out Men, Kote and Do, but now with my instructors with happier looks on their faces.
One of Takano sensei’s dai sempai was one of the fastest kendoka I trained with in Japan. He had absolute lighting speed in every technique. It was literally like pulling a trigger on a gun when he fired off his kote or men strikes. Additionally, he was a disciplinarian in his teaching and borderline arrogant. He could perhaps be described as a modern day Sasaki Kojiro. He was quite strict with the kid’s class and lectured them about their history and tradition. I also got to work on the Itto Ryu two-man kata as well. There are numerous generic techniques in the various Itto Ryu kata practiced by other styles such as ukenagashi (sweeping block) and others but it became obvious that this system favored kiri otoshi (cutting drop) the signature technique of the system and the invention of Ito Ittosai the founder of the Ryu.
Photo Gallery: 2010 The Year in Review!
