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Epilogue From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1415 days old)
I suffered a bit of reverse culture shock having returned from Japan. I got off the plane at my transfer in Copenhagen and, upon entering the airport, my first thoughts were how tall everyone looked a… more
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Reflections From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1415 days old)
During my last few days in Japan, I wrote a piece for the Kobayashi Dojos Newsletter to try and sum up my experiences as an Uchideshi (included this below). There is so much I could have written and s… more
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Leaving Tokyo From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1415 days old)
On my last day, I rose at 5am and Hiroaki sensei drove me and my baggage to Tokorozawa station, where I took the 6:10am bus to Narita airport. Here is a photo of my last view of the rising sun in… more
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From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1415 days old)
My last day: My last Tuesday night was to be my farewell party, but unfortunately a migraine struck, before my last class (but after we’d finished cleaning curiously), and I spent the whole evening s… more
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Gloves on wall From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1415 days old)
During my final days, I saw this, which exemplified Japan for me. Someone has found a lost glove and not ignored it, binned it, kicked it around, nicked it, or even placed it on a nearby wall, but pla… more
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Last language class From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1415 days old)
I took Japanese lessons once a week during my stay in Japan. These were in Higashi Murayama at a class with volunteer teaching staff. We had one on one tutoring for two hours, with a 20 min break for … more
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Itabashi return on the train From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1415 days old)
On my last Monday, I visited Itabashi Dojo and went for Dinner with Ed Yoshioka, Kasahara and Takako. Here are a few photos from the train ride back. This is obviously a very common injury in Jap… more
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From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1415 days old)
Soka bonen kai On my last Sunday, I went to Soka Dojo (one of Masuda Senseis dojos) with Kobayashi Sensei for a seminar and Bonen kai (New year party). All the dojos like to hold a Bonen kai, with a … more
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Kodaira dojo - The offending tree From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1415 days old)
Both the Kodaira and Tokorozawa Dojos are on streets largely free of trees apart from the ones outside the dojos. Sweeping up the leaves is a practically endless task on a windy autumn day. Jeff, this… more
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Saturday language school demo From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1415 days old)
On my last Saturday, I went with Hafid and Takako to Shin Tokorozawa (15 mins walk) to do an Aikido demonstration for Hafids Japanese language class New Year Party. There were other people from the gr… more
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My Last Saturday Morning From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1415 days old)
My last Saturday morning class … more
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My last Friday morning practice & breakfast From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1415 days old)
Friday morning is the time when the Kobayashi Dojo instructors have their weekly meeting. The Uchideshi’s privilege is to make breakfast for all the Sensei’s after the morning practice. There is a bud… more
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My Kurobe Visit From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1415 days old)
During my three months as an Uchideshi in Kobayashi Dojos, I left Tokorozawa to spend four days in Kurobe with Hirobe Sensei. In the week before leaving, every time Kurobe was mentioned, Kobayashi Sen… more
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From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1415 days old)
Plastic Food A lot of the restaurants in Japan provide menus complete with pictures, so that ordering is mostly a case of pointing to one of these and two of those. If you’re really lucky, you can al… more
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Shinjuku city From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1415 days old)
Wednesday was a bank holiday, so I met up with Ed Yoshioka in Shinjuku for some lunch. We went up one of the city government buildings, from which you get a good view out over Tokyo. The building itse… more
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Closing Stages Update From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1449 days old)
So, below I've added some of my activities over the last few weeks. Time flies when you're having fun, I can't believe I only have another couple of weeks. Tonight I will take the overnight bus to … more
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Engrish From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1449 days old)
A small section just for those amusingly named foodstuffs etc… It’s official!! The Police, Whitesnake and Bon Jovi are in the AOR section!! … more
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Jazz From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1449 days old)
After the Hombu Gradings and after party, we went on to the after after party at a Whisky bar in Tokorozawa to see Ken play Jazz percussion, with another American guy playing a traditional Japanese wi… more
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Hombu Dojo Gradings From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1449 days old)
On Sunday 20th November, Kobayashi dojos held gradings at the Hombu dojo in Shinjuku. Justin & Jeff both took tests. Post graduation exhiliration for Justin & Jeff, in the 3rd floor d… more
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Fuchu Dojo - Road Trip and Meal From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1449 days old)
On Saturday evening (19th November), Jeff, myself and visiting New Yorker (aikidoka and Jazz percussionist) Ken Yamizake visited Fuchu dojo, about an hour away, with Hiroaki Sensei. We went for food a… more
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Road Tripping – Jeff & Justins big day out From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1449 days old)
On the 13th Nov we accompanied Kobayashi Sensei and Kasahara to some dojos on the edge of Tokyo. The second practice was followed by some parties,.. starting at a sushi restaurant…… Kasahara, wh… more
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Sleep!!! From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1449 days old)
Sleep and/or lack of it seems to be core to the Japanese way of life….. Uchi deshis mid afternoon on a long day! Ukai taking the opportunity to help combat his cold.. I am particularly … more
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Jeffs visit in brief: From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1449 days old)
Welcome Jeff, how’s the jetlag? Jeff, how are you coping with the Suwari waza, Kodaira dojo mats and new and interesting muscle strains?? A week in Jeff, how’s the jetlag? Or has it just… more
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Jeff arrives and Swedes visit Tokorozawa From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1449 days old)
Jeff Mills from ‘Igris no Bristol’ (doko desu ka?) arrived on the 7th for 2 weeks, and the Swedish ex-uchideshis, Mikael & Stefan, came to practice on the 8th, so there was an after practice party… more
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Mushashi Murayama - Grand Day Out From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1449 days old)
On the 6th November, Ukai and I went with Kobayashi Sensei and Uchino San to do a demonstration at Mushashi Murayama. Uchino drove us there, I slept most of the way. The demo was the usual state of af… more
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Saitama University - Grand Day Out From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1449 days old)
On Saturday the 5th November, I went to do a demonstration at Saitama University. The demo was part of a day of events, with the University central boulevard full of market stalls selling internationa… more
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Chichibu National Park - Grand Day Out From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1449 days old)
The 3rd November was a public holiday so Dojos were closed and I went to Chichibu National park for the day. Chichibu is about an hour and a half by train, to the North West of Tokyo. There are some n… more
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Toilets in Japan.... From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1465 days old)
Japan has an impressive variety of toilets. Traditionally, the French style hole in the ground is quite popular, often providing something of an IQ test in terms of how to approach it,… at least witho… more
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Ueno Koen From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1465 days old)
Last Monday (31st October) I took myself off into Tokyo to Akihabara and Ueno. It felt like the first time in two months that I’d actually stepped outside the Uchi deshi life. Away from the dojo and o… more
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Sleep Cycles and Body Reparation From
jqmarchant
in Justin in Japan
(1465 days old)
I figure that I have averaged around 5 hours sleep a night over the course of the last few weeks. Most of the time I am busy and feel pretty good on this, although I can quite happily fall asleep with… more