お正月 in 熊本

Before I get back to the previous theme of the health benefits of Karate Do practice let me first wish everyone reading this blog a very Happy New Year! I don't know about you, but 2014 was a very busy and productive year for me. It was a year full of personal successes on many levels from personal to professional. Reflecting on all that happened in 2014, I am very excited about 2015! According to the Chinese calendar 2014 was the year of the Horse. I was born in 1978 making me a horse. One of the most important things for me, that occurred last year, was the healthy birth of my first Son (a Horse, too. Now at 4 and a half Months he is built like a horse, too. He is almost 10 kilograms!)

(The Author with his Son, 賢志 Kenshi, December 31st, 2014)

Introduction

In this post I would like to share with you how I usually start my year here in Kumamoto, Japan. Every year for New Year's お正月 O Shou Gatsu many people in Japan return to their hometowns to spend quality time with their family and close friends. Depending on work schedules the time spent can be very short, but everyone tries to make the most of it by catching up and starting the New Year fresh. Many Dojo and households are cleaned お掃除 O Souji before the new year so that the family can begin the New Year fresh in a clean house. For those of you who follow my Facebook page you will remember that I posted some photos of the O Souji at the Buntoku Dojo late last year.

 

(Buntoku Dojo Cleaning, December, 2014)

There are many traditions surrounding Japanese O Shou Gatsu and each family spends this special time doing many similar things however, each family is unique and therefore, there are many subtle differences. Therefore, in this blog I am only sharing the traditions that my family performs regularly each year. Think of this like a kind of case study of one Japanese family's New Year's traditions where I present the highlights to you in hopes that you can benefit from this snap shot of Japanese Culture in the context based on the customs that my Japanese family have shared with me.

Let me start by sharing my usual End of the Year 忘年 Bou Nen and New Year 新年 Shin Nen schedule before I go into detail of the individual customs and traditions.

Every year my family and I go to my wife's family's home in Oguni on either the 30th or 31st of December. My wife takes the children first and I usually follow after in separate cars because our schedules in the first few days of the New Year are quite different due to my involvement with Chito-Ryu and Koutairen Karate Do. We spend the first few days together before I return to Kumamoto on the 2nd of January. On the 3rd is the 養成館道場滝行  Youseikan Dojo Taki Gyou, The Annual Waterfall Training of the Yoseikan Dojo.

(Youseikan Dojo Takigyou, 2015)

For the past 7 years I have also been fortunate enough to take part in the 桃太郎杯 Momotarou Hai, A 3 day invitational Karate Do competition and practice tournament for Senior High School athletes held in Okayama. This year 1500 athletes competed in this National level invitational championship.

Officially, work usually begins at Buntoku on either the 6th or 7th of January, but this week is always followed by a 3 day long weekend. During this long weekend is the Chito-Ryu Karate Do 新年講習会 Shin Nen Koushyu Kai, New Year's Training and 代表者会議 Daihyousha Kaigi, the National meeting of representatives for Chito-Ryu in Japan (a kind of Annual General Meeting).

Health Benefits of Karate Do Training

Something that we all know and that I should have written about long before this post is the benefits that practicing Karate Do has on our lives. The benefits are not limited to the body. Of course there are physical benefits but on a deeper level, more than anything else that I have ever been involved in, Karate Do has the potential to completely change one's life.

Karate Do is so much more than just kicking and punching. The philosophies and practices of Karate Do offer us a ‘map’; an outline to healthy living physically, mentally and spiritually.

In the next few blog posts I would like to discuss some of the benefits in these three areas: Physical Health, Mental Health, and Spiritual Health.

 

A Christmas Miracle!

It first glance this post may appear to be off topic but, as you read you will see that it is connected to the on going theme of courtesy in Japan and the some of the common areas to which this level of courtesy extends to. I would like to tell you about something that just happened to me last weekend that I have iterpreted as a kind of Christmas Miracle and made me want to shout from the highest mountain top "日本最高!" Nihon Saikou! Japan it the Best! "日本大好き!" Nihon Daisuki! I love Japan!" and "ありがとう!" Arigatou! Thank you!

 

Last Friday, December 12th, was a normal Friday like many others. I went to work that morning and taught my English communications classes. After school I trained with the students in our Dojo, but there were a couple of things about this particular Friday that made it unique for me. Let me tall you about them.

(Buntoku SHS Karate Dojo, Kumamoto, Japan, 2014)

 

The next day all of the members of the Karate Do Team would be travelling by micro-bus to the neighbouring Prefecture of Saga for a practice tournament and Officials Seminar. This in itself was also nothing too far out of the ordinary except for one thing. On this particular Friday night the Head Coach, Murata Sensei had plans and trusted me with the training session and the key to the bus. I would see to it that the students packed what they could that night and load it onto the bus so that we could leave smoothly, early the following day. I should point out that this was a first, I had been entrusted to perform various duties in the past but to hold onto the key of the bus over night meant that if, for any reason I couldn't make it the next morning no one would be able to go anywhere. This was a responsibility that Murata Sensei usually assumes himself.

 

I was happy to help and told him that I would take care of everything and I did. We ended a great training session on time and everyone was feeling good, we talked about how we could best use the following day's practice tournament to our best advantage leading up to the competition on the 21st in Miyazaki Prefecture. Then we packed the equipment and loaded the bus double checking that nothing was forgotten. Everyone got changed and went home excited about the next day.

 

On my way home I stopped into the supermarket to do a little shopping. My Mother in Law was visiting and since I was leaving for Saga early the next day, I wanted to get some thing that I could take with me for breakfast so that I would not disturb anyone so early in the morning.
 

(On the bus with, 2014)

As I said earlier, Murata Sensei gave me the key to the bus because he had plans that night and this was a first! On recent excursions I have arrived earlier than him and I always make it a point to buy him and I a hot coffee. We drink the coffee as he drives the bus and have great conversations about a wide range of topics. We have learned a lot about each other during these drives all across Kyushu and other parts of the country while the students are sleeping in the back. I really appreciate this time and the coffee is just a small gesture of my appreciation. This year the weather has been a little strange and so I try to time the buying of the coffee with our departure time so that it is still hot when he drinks it. (this is just a little background information and foreshadowing to what is coming soon)


(Murata Sensei driving the bus, 2014)

Traditional Karate Do Dojo Layout (Part 2)

ICKF Sohonbu Dojo simplified floor plan

 

As mentioned earlier, the front wall is the 正面 Shou Men and the Western wall is the下席 Shimo Seki. The Eastern wall is called the 上席 Jyou Seki, and is considered the place of Seniority sometimes referred to as the 上座 Kami Za, the Upper Seat. The most senior students sit closest to this wall facing the Shoumen when lining up formally. The Shimoseki or lower place is where the least senior students line up. The Southern wall is also designated as the  lower seat 下座 Shimo Za. Therefore, the lowest ranking students or practitioners should stand closest to the South West wall when lining up for formal bowing before and after the training sessions.

 

(Chito-Ryu Sohonbu Dojo Shoumen Kumamoto, Japan, 2012)

In keeping with the on going theme of respect and courtesy, it should be mentioned that when visiting a dojo it would make a very good impression to perform a formal bow at the entrance to the training hall (Not at the 玄関 Gen Kan, the main entrance to the building, but after changing into your 道着 Do Gi before entering the training hall) then move to the South Western area of the dojo to begin warming up silently. If you are called to a different area by the someone of authority in that Dojo, of course, it is OK to move to the place designated, but not before. In my experience, guests are usually called upon before or during the formal bow in and introduced to the other students where you will be expected to give a short 自己紹介 Jiko Shou Kai, a brief Self Introduction. (I will explain the process of the self introduction in a future post).

Traditional Karate Do Dojo Layout (Part 1)

(Chito-Ryu Sohonbu Dojo Kumamoto, Japan, 2010)

 

A number of Karate Do Sensei I know are beginning to ask interesting questions and requesting that I include the information in this blog. Recently, I was asked about the layout of the dojo, more specifically where the 神棚 Kamidanai, a Family Alter that is commonly found in traditional Japanese dojo (see photo below), and where photos should be hung. I discuss this in detail in the book that I am working on, but I have decided to include some of this information in this post. Hope the information provided will help you as well.