Winding Down

Looked at my calendar today and realized that I only have a couple weeks left in Fukushima. As usual, I have just started to get used to things and it's time to leave. While I am looking forward to going back to Kyushu, I think I am leaving behind some really great iaido teachers. I hope that I can return to Fukushima in the future.

The Fukushima Iaido group I've been training with. Tanaka Sensei is in the center.

Mr. Kimura gave me a DVD with about 6 hours of iaido videos on it. I don't know how that's possible; perhaps it's using some kind of compression. Anyhow, it's got video of tons of different people, like Yamamoto Harusuke, Kono Hyakuren, Iwata Norikazu, Tanno Sutekatsu, and Kaneda Kazuhisa. The last two are quite remarkable. Tanno Sensei is here in Fukushima and I am wishing that I could spend more time with him and "sponge" some more instruction from him. He's damn good! And of course, Kaneda Sensei is incredible. When you see him do iai, you might not like his style (some people might think it's too robotic) but it's hard to imagine anyone doing iaido with more control, grace, and precision. And his cuts are awesome. When you see people who are this good, it's a bit depressing because you think, "I've been doing iai for 15 years and I'm not even one-third as good as they are. And I probably won't live another 45 years..."

But even if I am leaving behind some great teachers, I am hoping that I will be close enough to Fukuoka to get back into jodo, and possibly Niten, too. Speaking of jodo, here's a picture I took a while back but haven't posted until now. (I haven't posted this already, have I?) Cops in train stations and other public places often stand guard with Jos (that doesn't look right ... Jo's?) in their hands, like this chap at Nagoya station.

Take it easy, everyone.