段を取りました

(The title says: dan o torimashita. Literally: I took [dan] rank.)

I know it's been a long time since I blogged. Trying to change that. I've been living the good life in Japan, trying to get healthy, and many other things.

I did manage to have the opportunity to test for first degree black belt (shodan;初段) at my Aikido dojo (Fukaya Aikikai;深谷合気会).

My dojo members. The three of us to the right of sensei in the front row (me in the center) tested for shodan.

Most of the action shots from the test were too blurry, but this video turned out well. (Also on my YouTube account.)

The test was shorter and easier than my ikkyu test, but I did learn a lot about how the Japanese do their testing. Not my favorite, but it's what they wanted. My dedication to bushido should be fine though.

My rank certificate and yudansha booklet.

These cost me quite a bit, and I can begin to see why some of my sensei's didn't want to subscribe to certain aspects of Aikido politics. I had to register for the national Aikido federation (about 8000円/$80) and pay for the shodan test itself (about 10000円). Further dan ranks increase by another 10000円 each level. Luckily they paid for the belt/obi itself (which I'll have to take a picture of), which also has my name and Fukaya Aikikai on it (in kanji of course).

Me and my new hakama in front of our dojo's shomen.

And then I had to buy my hakama (25000円). I did splurge on that and got the traditional indigo dyed cotton style (#6000 thread count) with extra long straps to tie it traditional style on my big hips. It was a serious pain to wash by hand (five times in the tub), but it looks pretty bad ass.

And kanji-fied my name on it as well. It's not perfect, but it'll do.

心 Shin (Heart) 道 Dou (Path) 羅 Ra (-)

So, Schindler, in this choice of kanji (of which there were many), means The Way of the Heart. The 'ra' is a phonetic place holder for words that need it, and often doesn't show up much in Japanese (save, Rashōmon, etc.; so far as I know--please tell me otherwise).

Now I get to wear a rather hot dress while I do my Aikido. Huzzah.

合気道

Well, that was an interesting thing scratched off the list I didn't expect.



第45回全日本合気道演武大会の案内
45th All Japan Aikido Demonstration
(in the Tokyo Budokan no less)



Our small little dojo in Fukaya was on one of the five huge Aikido-tatami mats inside for a one-minute-thirty-seconds Aikido demonstration broadcast on NHK television (maybe...). If the cameras saw us at all that is. But, Aikido we did. And then watched another 4 hours or so (click on the program). Had to fight off sleep a little bit, but
it was interesting to see all sorts of styles of apparently sanctioned Aikido going on in the world. Some decent looking weapons work at some too. My dojo mates decided to head back around 4 pm (got there around 11am) and drink beer, but I stayed a bit longer. Hung in the park for about an hour while the longer programs of various dojos did their thing, and relaxed under the trees. Then went back and saw the last shihan and doshu do their thing. Movies to post soon hopefully, though YouTubing them would probably work better as my camera is not great. Impressive to see Aikido nice and alive still.

Afterwards, did some shopping in Jimbocho and found a good selection of RPG books here in Tokyo; spendy but good to know. Then met a ladyfriend of mine in Tokyo for some okonomiyaki and shaved ice.

And then Sunday, high seas gaming adventure with the homemade D&D game. A nice weekend indeed. We were rocking pirates indeed! Took down our first boat with no casualties, and our captain unconscious the whole time! I need long range psionics.

I'll try to write up a more recent collection of activities, but I've been having trouble getting to writing. Soon if all goes well.