Don't push...

I was told this by a saruriman oji-san on the train this evening. I guess it was OK for him to pig headedly refuse to move a bit so I didn't HAVE to push/lean on him, but not for me to give him a "hint" as to which direction he should move. I guess his need to read his newspaper was more important than everyone else's right to get on the train. I told him to take a step forward (and he would have had more room), but the turd wouldn't budge. So I just leaned the full weight of my left arm/side on his right shoulder. A four inch slide forward with his right leg would have alleviated the need for me to be up his ass, nevermind the fact that when I first got in the spot there was room because the prick wasn't reading the paper. When he started reading he leaned back into me to compensate for the "weight" of those oh-so-heavy sheets of paper. When he wouldn't step forward, I said to him, "Oh..I see...you're stupid, right?" I guess he didn't read my post about "Courtesy". He showed none to those around him that were trying to deal with the overcrowded train.

Birthday...

Mine was on Saturday...and is the best I have had in quite some time. I spent quality time with a lovely lady, a RARE Japanese lass that actually APPRECIATES and has an active interest in the great aspects of traditional Japanese culture! Japanese people of the Gen-X generation that know Japanese culture...what will they think of next?!?

My friends M and J hooked a brotha' up with their greatly appreciated gifts, a good cigar and a manly-man lighter to fire it up with! Thanks Gents!

誠 - Sincerity

I watched a video on Youtube (=PKLPplI5xo4) of a supposed test for Shodan for the style of Karate I trained in when I was in High School/early 20's. Having been in Japan for over 10 years and having access to legitimate masters, I was shocked, amused, and disgusted all at the same time from watching the video. What I thought was "the real deal" uber-traditional school is so far off the mark that it is laughable. It is not only that they don't know, they don't know that they don't know. Probably 95% of American martial arts studios might as well be dance studios, because they are teaching the moves without teaching the culture/thinking that gave birth to the moves. They are teaching brain surgery without teaching their students basic first aid first. The basic fundamental I see lacking is sincerity.

There are some serious, dedicated warriors in America, but the bread and butter students that pay for the "dojo's" strip-mall rent lack the level of sincerity that a typical Japanese person has. Part of this is of course cultural. Being raised in the same culture that produced the art you want to train in naturally helps one understand the core philosophies that are the real lesson of any art; courtesy, respect for others, justice, etc. However, most American "Sensei" have none of this background of understanding, which results in crap in, crap out.

Specific examples of this lack of sincerity in training/teaching include:
- The lack of precise focused techniques.
- The lack of the combat mindset in the techniques being taught, and the way the students perform them. Suzy Soccermom is basically doing martial-esque dancing 2/3 times a week thinking it is going to enable her to stop a rapist. When I started with this particular chain of studios, we were REQUIRED to choke someone out and BE CHOKED OUT for 1st(?) Brown Belt. Now, I have heard from my brother that they don't even do light contact sparring anymore, which means they are training in a striking art, but they don't actually strike anyone. I sincerely hope this works out on the street...
- The lack of the cultural customs and courtesies that even non-martial artists know, i.e. don't sit on your ass when talking to you instructor

I could go on and on, but the point is this: The true benefit of traditional martial arts ARE the TRADITIONS that they were developed in/with. Without a sincere attempt to learn, understand, and teach these, the martial arts become no more than teaching a hairless monkey how to kick and punch...insincerfe teaching and training leads to insincere people, and the world certainly has enough of those already...

礼 - Courtesy; how to win by losing

"Samurai have no reason to be cruel. They do not need to prove their strength. A Samurai is courteous even to his enemies...A Samurai is not only respected for his strength in battle, but also by his dealing with other men." **

I saw two guys arguing on the platform as I got off at my stop on Wednesday. More correctly, one guy was yelling at the other guy about whatever wrong, real or imagined, that he had suffered, while the older of the two basically looked at him, with a "You are such a dumbass..." look on his face.

It instantly reminded me of a maxim that is commonly quoted in realation to all martial arts in Japan, "武道は礼に始まり礼に終る" = "The martial arts begin and end with courtesy". In riding the trains here in Japan, I see it on a daily basis. The customs and courtesies of Japan are disappearing, and the presence of Western-style egos and an undeserved sense of self-importance are rising, which has led to more and more displays like I saw on Wednesday. Something that I have learned from living here is that, no matter if they are absolutely 100% right, the louder person is always seen as the asshole. Getting angry/pissed off earns you contempt, not respect, no matter how "right/righteous" you may be...isn't that right Christian Bale?

This concept is something I sorely wish the rest of the world would learn, and I hope Japan doesn't forget. Anger and ego never help in a conflict, politeness does. The guy on the platform could have "won" his argument by being calm and rational, instead of the loudmouthed dick he looked like to me. If he had let the other guy run his mouth, he would have won by letting people think, as I did, that the other guy screaming and yelling was in the wrong.

Win by "losing"...by losing your ego, by losing your need to prove your point/your righteousness, by losing your anger...

But of course this does not change the fact that some people just need a good ass kicking to 'enlighten' them... >:-)

** from The Last Samurai DVD

Focus...

極め ('kime'; pronounced "key-meh"), is a Japanese word that is often used in Japanese martial arts, and in which context it is usually translated as "focus"; ie the exact spot a particular punch/kick/attack is focused. However, the verb it comes from, 極める (kimeru), has a MUCH broader meaning: --> http://eow.alc.co.jp/%e6%a5%b5%e3%82%81%e3%82%8b/UTF-8/?ref=sa
It can mean "to master" "to assess" "to achieve" "to surpass" "to exceed" "to go far beyond"...

With the latter meanings in mind, I intend to both "focus" and "go beyond" what I have been doing up to now with this blog. Lack of focus/purpose results in lack of action, which can be seen in my sporadic posting. But after recently finding various blogs being written by non-Japanese living in Japan, most of which have a fairly specific focus, I realize I want to do likewise So, the main focus of this blog will be about training in modern Japan in ancient arts of combat, and how the old ways are still relevant to the new ways/society of today. 頑張ります！

Grandmother's Valentines day advice...

"Just love' em and leave 'em...!" - My 90 year old grandmother >:-)

Even MORE pics!!!

Shinken (real) top; mugito (alumi/zinc) bottom

Closeup of mekugi (pin), fuchi (collar behind the -->), tsuba (guard)

Gold Dragon menuki