I left the UK on Friday 9th September, arriving at Narita, Tokyo on the 10th. I am residing at Hiroaki Kobayashi Sensei’s dojo in Tokorozawa, Tokyo for the next 3 months, returning to the UK on the 8th December.

Welcome to my new home / life!!

TOKOROZAWA DOJO

Hiroaki Sensei and his family live above the dojo.

Hiroaki Sensei and his family live above the dojo.

On the ground floor is the Tokorozawa Dojo, and this is my home for the next 3 months.

On the ground floor is the Tokorozawa Dojo, and this is my home for the next 3 months.

We have all the vital necessities, including a western style toilet.

We have all the vital necessities, including a western style toilet.

Shower and changing room

Shower and changing room

and a kitchenette.

and a kitchenette.

I sleep on a futon on the tatami. I unpack and make this at night, then fold it all away into a cupboard again first thing in the morning.

I sleep on a futon on the tatami. I unpack and make this at night, then fold it all away into a cupboard again first thing in the morning.

I share the tatami with Shin Soo Cheol, a Korean Uchi Deshi

I share the tatami with Shin Soo Cheol, a Korean Uchi Deshi

He sleeps under the weapons racks and I sleep under the loft ladder so we have equal chances of survival in the event of a major earthquake.

We also share the dojo with Kasahara, a Japanese Uchi Deshi.

Shin speaks a bit of English (more than my Korean or Japanese) and Kasahara lived in the US for 5 years so speaks excellent English, so communication is not generally a problem.

KODAIRA DOJO

Some of the classes are at Tokorozawa, and some are at the Kodaira Dojo where Kobayashi sensei lives.

Kodaira dojo.

They have straw tatami here under the canvas, which are harder on the knees than modern rubber mats.

TRAVELLING BETWEEN DOJOS

We have company vehicles to get between the dojos.

Here is mine, but I do get to clean the BMW!

I have a company parking space as well

Otherwise I leave my bike at the park near the station. It’s good fun trying to find your own bike at 5:30 am on a busy day

For the rest of the journey between Tokorozawa and Kodaira I use the train.

The train is a great place to socialise and meet new people.

This is Koku Koen station, about 5 mins from the Tokorozawa dojo.

They have some shops here, like this one doing great trade in fashion clothing, accessories and huge furry mice (what is that?).

EATING

Sometimes we eat in.

Sometimes we eat out

CRIME

The crime rate is so low in Japan that even Jedi Knights have been reduced to menial tasks like the control of traffic and pedestrians

As a consequence, Japan has probably the lowest rate of illegal parking in the world.

INJURIES

Injuries have been mostly superficial mat scuffs and a temporary ‘tennis elbow’ from an enthusiastic game of dodgeball in the kids class. In my spare time I can play dot to dot with the mosquito bites. The mosquitos seem to like foreign food but avoid anything above ankle height!

DAYS OFF

This Monday was national ‘respect for the old people’ bank holiday. The young people celebrate and show respect by going down to the river to have barbeques and drink.

How much fun did we have putting up that tenty thing!

The day started off civilised, with a good spread of food.

And soon degenerated into water fights.