My profile states that I like to meet, greet and cross shinai with Kenshi all around the world. It’s about time that I share some of these experiences.
Lately I have been doing a lot of traveling for work. The common and accepted thing to do in your off duty time is to exploit the night life and other attractions of the cities where one stays. Since I’m not so much of an explorer but rather boring, I always try to find a dojo where I can join for keiko. There was here an article where the contributor wrote about feeling at home in a strange land. I would like to add that visiting another dojo for me is like coming home away from home. I always meet people who share the same passion for Kendo which makes it very easy to make friendships and contact.
My business travels this year brought me to Latin America. My first stop was in Brasilia the capital of Brazil. Brasilia is located more or less in the heart of Brazil. It’s a city that’s been developed and build from scratch in the middle of nowhere. Urban planning has started in 1956 and the city was inaugurated in 1960. It was not really finished by that time. The city plan resembles an airplane. In the cockpit are the various Ministries and at the front end of the cockpit is the residential palace of the President. In the rest of the body are other Governmental buildings. In both the wings are all the buildings grouped together by their functions. All the hotels in one neighborhood and all the sporting clubs and such together.
When it was built in the fifties there were only construction workers and architects living there. They were working on the then state of the art buildings. There were also some indigenous people living there but when they were approached they fled into the jungle. The city landscape reminded me off the buildings from the 60’s TV series “the Thunderbirds”.
After some e-mail contact before I left for my trip with the sempai of the dojo I was settled for practice on Wednesday evening. The dojo is called “Miyako” as in Capital. The head instructor is Masuda Sensei. He has represented Brazil in the 5th Kendo World Championships in 1982. (The young and eager Masuda san is here in the 12th photo)
Masuda Sensei
The dojo is conveniently located on the shore of the (artificial) lake on the grounds of the Japanese Brazilian Club. When you practice you can get a nice view of the lake. Keiko was tropically hot and I was glad that I soaked my tenegui with water before practice. I think I would have died if I didn’t. (I left the Netherlands under arctic conditions).
Practice was tough and very Japanese but that was to be expected because there were many students of Japanese descent. At the end the Sensei asked me if I had any words for the students. I could only say that they were very tough under tough conditions and that it isn’t any wonder that Brazil has reached the 3rd place at the last WKC. He also told the class that if someone from Holland could find the time to come to practice that some of them should also take the effort to come regularly to practice. Apparently a few of them had an irregular attendance rate and showed up just to clobber me over the head. Never thought that I would be a role model in any way.
Afterwards we went for drinks at the bar of the club where we exchanged stories . The latest WKC in Sao Paolo of course was the main object of many discussions. I was only able to practice one evening and I hoped to practice one more time on Saturday morning. My flight to Montevideo left too early for this to be possible. It’s a pity because it would be nice to practice during the day with a clear view over the lake.
Second dojo
I would like to advise anyone who’s in the neighborhood to drop by and visit Miyako Kendo Kai. An experience with tough tropical Brazilian/Japanese practice awaits you.
My sincere thanks to Carlos da Cruz Cunha and Masuda Sensei for making me feel at home and welcome. Muito Obrigado.
Ps. The dojo floor is marble so your fumi komi should be done with the full sole of your foot. (As it should be)
Hey Alphons,
you gained weight since the last time I saw you in real life. Besides that I also enjoy 武者修行 and 交剣知愛, when on business trips. I only wish my company would let me fly business class.
Hi!
Thank you Alphons, I am happy that we made a good impression to you.
For everybody else, please be welcome.
Hey Jan,
I am the one on the right just to be sure. What does flying business class have to do with practice abroad. Hope you’re doing fine.
Take care.
Hey Great! You remember me, I am happy and flattered. Sorry about the gaining weight comment, but in my memory you were the image of youth and vigour.
Well, when I do fly quite frequenty to Japan these years, because it is only 90 minutes to Osaka from here. Most Airlines only have 20 kilo free check-in luggage starting this year. If I get at least one business class flight and not always the cheapest of the cheapest enocomy fare I could be frequent-flyer and take more luggage. I have a second bogu but that one is in Frankfurt for when I go to Germany.
Another problem is that I often have to tour from city to city and also get picked up from the client. Not all are very tolerant towards combining hobby with business trips.
Well, all this whining aside, I did do Mushashugou to Taipei, Hongkong, Shenzhen and Osaka in the last year. As a matter of fact one teacher in Hongkong is Brazilian, but I think that doesn’t count as being in Brazil.
So far, my working contract here will expire next year and so it seems we will eventuelly run infront of each other’s shinai in Mainz again.
Tot siens and good luck to the dutch team at the EKC.