Akasaka Kicks!

Review of my training experience in Japan – By Andrew G. Ogleby (aka Doug)

7^th October 2023

Having originally planned to travel to Japan in 2020, a trip subsequently cancelled due to the pandemic, I finally got to go in October, 2023. Since the original date, I had taken up Karate training again, this time in Shidokan, having first begun back in 1984, mainly at the Black Sun Wado Ryu Karate Club in Coventry, with Sensei Andy Margrett.

I now had the possibility to train at the ancestral home of Karate. One of the London members, Kanako-san used to train at the Akasaka dojo, run by Sato-Shihan and kindly provided their details, saying they even provided a Gi if you contacted them in advance. This all sounded perfect.

I travelled over there with my Japanese wife and we would first be staying with her family in Hiroshima for a week, before flying up to Tokyo to also visit her friends. Initial contact was made with the Karate club, but it appeared that training had been cancelled for the following week, when I was intending to visit. However, we tried again once in Tokyo and this time it seemed training would be on and I would also be able to hire a Gi from them. Nevertheless, it was with a slight hint of trepidation that we set out, coincidently on a Tuesday night, to try and locate the club. As we were staying in Mejiro it didn’t take us too long to get to Akasaka and not much longer to eventually find the Next Gym, housing the Shidokan Dojo.

Entering the gym, my wife was able to explain that we had contacted them about my training there. And I was then given forms to fill out before being handed a pristinely washed, ironed and folded Gi for the evening. Whilst doing so, Sato-Shihan appeared and it was explained to him that I had come from London, wanting to train with them. There appeared some initial confusion until Sato-Shihan suddenly exclaimed “JJ!” to which I replied “Hai!” in my best, but limited, Japanese. After which, with many “Osus” being exchanged, I was then invited into the Dojo and shown where to change. Once completed, I was introduced to Kane-san who used to live in London and was able to explain to me what the training procedure was. Similarly, Miki-san who also spoke English, was also later able to kindly assist in translating what was being said by Sato-Shihan.

In fact, after lining up the whole class I was then called up to stand next to Sato-Shihan, who no doubt was explaining who I was and what I was doing there. This was very humbling to receive such a warm welcome and again many “Osus” were exchanged with everyone following the introduction. Next Sato-Shihan, called up someone else who was holding a large golden cup and it was explained to me by Miki-san that the cup had been won during a recent kumite tournament, along with the club also receiving runners up in the kata competition. Claps were then resoundingly given following the completion of Sato-Shihan’s talk and photos taken, by someone who would be taking snaps throughout the whole evening. The results of which, would later be kindly sent onto me by Kane-san.

So, after seiza and the Dojokun, it was finally on with the training! This started off with on-the-spot warm up exercises, followed by a series of stretches. Then onto sets of drills of punches, blocks and kicks. Ten slow. Ten fast. Repeat. Ten slow. Ten fast. Repeat… At about this point in proceedings, I began to feel the effects of having spent much of the previous week indulging in the delights of Japanese hospitality, and could feel myself turning the brightest colour of shrimp, which had contributed to a large portion of the culinary delights experienced. After a while, I was then relieved to be told they were going to be taking a short break before proceeding with the next section. After taking onboard some fluid and towelling myself down a bit, I was then ready to continue training.

The next section, involved carrying out many of the same techniques practised previously, although this time as sets of combinations and whilst moving up and down the Dojo. Not being used to training on the softer mats, I found this required more concentration to keep balance whilst performing the techniques. But being familiar with most of them already, I was in general, able to keep up with the speed, although with a few stumbles along the way. It also helped that I was able to follow students in front whenever some of the combinations became a little too complicated.

Again, this section ended with a short break, before moving onto kata. The kata section involved running from the lower-level katas right up to the more advanced ones. And even though I hadn’t specifically trained in all of the Shidokan katas, there were a lot of similarities with katas I had previously learnt in Wado Ryu and so, along with the use of some muscle memory, I was just about able to get through them to the end.

The final section of the evening would be kumite sparring with pads. As I didn’t have any pads, I was shown where I could borrow some from and also given a pair of lining gloves to be worn inside the actual sparring glove itself, as a means of hygiene protection. There then followed a set of about 5 rounds of sparring, each with a different student, all fairly light and good natured.

The class was brought to a close with everyone lining back up, taking seiza and performing the Dojokun before thanking each other individually with a low double fist salute and an “Osu”, although without the additional handshake I’m more used to in London. Then it was; disinfecting the sparring pads, taking final photos, including having the honour of being asked to the front row of a group shot, before changing, saying my final goodbye “Osus’ to everyone and returning the Gi (folded not quite as neatly as before).

Overall, this had been an incredible experience and such a great privilege to have trained in Japan with such a fantastic club and with Sato-Shihan, where I was made to feel so warmly welcomed as a part of the global Shidokan family. All that was now left to do was get back to the hotel, go to the restaurant and reflect upon the whole evening, whilst enjoying more of that fabulous Japanese cuisine, as I was by then extremely hungry. And after ordering at the table, relaxing back and letting it all begin to sink in, my refreshments were duly served to me by a very friendly and efficient robot. Only in Japan…

OSU

By Andrew G. Ogleby (aka Doug)