Sunday February 20th

Up at 4:40am!  Had a restless few hours sleep... Was nervous about possibly sleeping in and missing my arrangements for the tournament!  Internet still down this morning... Disaster!  Tried ringing home from a public phone booth as I was walking down to Nippori station but had no joy dialling through.  Got the Yamanote line train from Nippori to Shinjuku where I met Taka-san at 5.55am.  From there we travelled by train to meet the Sensei's near Teikyo University.  Kai Sensei was driving Inada Sensei's Landcruiser and we were joined by Makita Sensei and Matsue Sensei also.  I realised pretty quickly that today was going to be a great experience for me... travelling to a regional competition with these Sensei's who are respected so highly and are so famous within karate circles in Japan and as well as that I was representing the JKS Hombu Dojo!

When we arrived at the venue I helped out with getting the venue set up... some heaters and tables etc. had to be brought in.  I was more than happy to help out.  This tournament was a championships for the Kanto area of Japan.  I was the only westerner who was competing so I was probably the topic of a lot of conversation... I guess it's like having a Japanese competing in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship!!  It was a long day... Competition started at 9.30am and finished at 5pm.. three areas were in use and as a whole the competition was run very smoothly. 

I was nervous but I guess I did okay!  There were 10 people in my categories for senior kata and kumite.  The kata section was ran as a straight final... So we had to do a tokui (choice) kata.  Considering I only found out about the competition a few hours earlier I hadn't much time to get into the zone but I performed Gojushiho-sho as I had practiced this in the dojo last night.  I only felt that I did okay... felt a bit nervous and stiff in my shoulders and early on in the kata I felt that the hiki-ashi in my mae-geri was sluggish... Anyway, I was scored above average... 8.1's and 8.2's... Score of 8.5's won the category and I came 5th out of the ten competitors...  So this was good I guess but still I felt that I could have done it better.  In kumite, I was beaten in the first round (2 scores against 1) by the guy who came second.  Didn't feel comfortable really and if I'm honest I was conscious of not getting injured...  I didn't want to end up breaking a jaw or something and have to get on the next plane home to Ireland... Some of the competitors in this section were senior high school and Teikyo students...  The nearest things to "animals" with lots of missing teeth!  I really admire these people for their dedication to karate and they are so good because they train so much and so hard...  Karate in number 1 in their life... school and education comes is number 2.  This is just the way it is.

While the competition was taking place I met some of the family who Scott Sensei and I stayed with while we were on home stay at Yagi Sensei's.  Their son came second in his kumite section.  Yagi Sensei arrived a little late and he noticed me straight away and came over to me...  I made sure I bowed and I said "Oh-hi-sa-shi-buri-des Sensei!" which basically means "good to see you again Senei!"...  He shook my hand and said that he looks forward to seeing me in Akirano-shi and his dojo next weekend...  So this is a story I haven't wrote about... In 2009 when I first cam eto Japan I stayed with a host family in Akirano-shi which is where Yagi Sensei's dojo is.  This family have very kindly invited me to spend next Friday night with them and train at Yagi Sensei's dojo on Saturday.  Obviously they had told Yagi Sensei about this and that is why he mentioned it to me.  Yagi Sensei is a sempai (senior) of Kagawa Sensei and he was at the top table all day today.  It was great to see how Yamaguchi Sensei and all the other Sensei's treated him with so much respect. 

I received two certificates with my name in Kanji for competing on the day... This was very nice.  When I received my certificate for the kumite (later section) I noticed that my name was written with pencil, whereas my name on the kata certificate was written with ink, but I didn't take any notice.  As I was packing up my gear one of the Japanese ladies came over to me and explained that they would like to change the certificate so that my name was written in ink... So she took my certificate and said that they would post the proper on to the Hombu Dojo for me.  This just sums up the Japanese for me.... Such honest and generous people who like things done right always.

After the competition myself and Taka were invited to go along to a private party with all the Sensei's.  This was a very special occasion with lots of Japanese food and drink (alcohol!.... Asahai Beer and Sweet potatoe shochu!).  The Sensei's were very nice to me, making sure that I had plenty to eat and drink at all times and they were always asking me questions about myself..  I'm trying to think of the Sensei who is the chief instructor for that area... he's a very nice and generous man... "Mira" Sensei I think maybe... I must find out!  Also Sato Sensei was there and other Sensei's from the region.  It was just a great evening and something special for me to be invited into this company and to be treated so well. 

On the way back to Tokyo, the Sensei's asked myself and Tako if we would like to go for more drinks and food with them but we politely declined... it was a long day and I was looking forward to getting to bed!  So we listened to Inada Sensei's Eric Clapton album for the rest of the journey and said goodbye at Teikyo university area.  When the  Sensei's were driving away I made sure that I said goodbye by standing beside the jeep and bowing a few times as they left..  Was glad to get back to the apartment, find out that the internet was working again and I was able to reconnect with my family and friends in the Western world!  A great day!