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NumeroUno
1st August 2002, 21:56
For those of you who have gone to Japan to train in martial arts:

What would such an action require besides the obvious travel-and-train stuff?

I have heard that Japanese dojo's are heavy on social prerequisites (specifically, I have heard rumors have been that one needs an intro to even show up, and that various unspoken protocols are of great importance and that this stuff counts even more so if one is not previously affiliated with the art in question).

What would one have to watch out for, and what would one do to get any instruction at all?

Thanks,

Rahul Bhattacharya

NumeroUno
4th August 2002, 15:42
I do not like to "bump" threads and am aware of the breach of netiquette it involves, but I would suspect that a topic like this would be considered relevant to the topics discussed on this board...

Does anyone here have any experience to share?

5th August 2002, 11:29
I am afraid they days of needing introductions are long gone. Anymore you go in take a look and sign up if you like. Dojo in Japan are just as commercial as anywhere else..........maybe more so.

If you happen to know someone that is from that school it might not hurt to have an introduction but only if your friend was a member in good standing. You don't want to throw someone's name around in Japan if they were not of good character.................that is the best way to be "black balled" from various things.

Best way to get along in the dojo is do what everyone else does, don't stick out and don't complain. IF you don't know something ask...............and NEVER ask for rank.

5th August 2002, 12:19
Who are you addressing?

NumeroUno
5th August 2002, 23:15
Mr. Jacobs:
Where in Japan will vary with where the dojo's are. I have made no plans yet--this is entirely preliminary stuff to figure out if the idea's even worth it.

I was thinking of taijutsu.

Mr. Rousselot:
Thanks for the info--this is why I ask these sorts of questions (so the rumors I end up believing doesn't get perpetuated and so I don't act on it!). I won't be asking for any ranks though, so that'll be all cool.

6th August 2002, 02:12
Originally posted by Kenzo
I asked because if it is Okinawa you will be better off with a intro letter.


Not really.

Okinawans are very used to foreigners and don't normally have a problem with accepting them as "walk in" students.


The whole "letter of introduction" thing is long gone and anymore basically is the stuff "chop sockey" movies.
The "letter of introduction" practice is actually part of Japanese culture and not Okinawan.

6th August 2002, 03:55
Care to share with us which dojos these might be?

Jody Holeton
6th August 2002, 04:50
No instruction eh?

I have been to a few here in Utsunomiya who just seem to leave thier students hanging...

Nothing like an 7th degree blackbelt hanging in his office while his students just go through the motions in the main hall..

6th August 2002, 07:46
Rahul,

If you are going to Okinawa for "full time" training as a beginner (i.e. stay there a couple of years) then you needn't have a letter of introduction. Okinawas are pretty easy going people and I have never heard of any of them being such an a**hole as to "require" a letter off introduction to train from a beginner.
Just go in have a look make sure it is what you want and ask if you can train there. 99 times out of a 100 you should have no problem. I know some teachers that don't like foreigners so much and are a little cautious but I doubt you will get that type of response.



However, if you are just going to train for a couple of days or weeks like so many foreigners do as a "Budo Tourist" at the Honbu of your style you may want to get some letter from your teacher, if you are already studying, explaining who you are and how long you will be there.
Actually you may want to write them in advance and let them know you are coming and ASK politely if it is OK to train with them for such a short time.
This way they may recognize your rank and show you a bit more than they normally would since your are only there for a short time. Then again they may not.
This could also be a bit of a stickler if your teacher claims to be from that style but actually has no connection to that dojo.

6th August 2002, 07:48
Originally posted by Jody Holeton
No instruction eh?

I have been to a few here in Utsunomiya who just seem to leave thier students hanging...

Nothing like an 7th degree blackbelt hanging in his office while his students just go through the motions in the main hall..


That's kind of a bummer.
Do you study at that dojo now?

Jody Holeton
6th August 2002, 08:49
Big bummer!

My "school" had a couple of meetings about me (all of course with me not knowing about them).
They just wanted to gossip I suppose.

Even the karate schools I visited started making phone calls to other instructors in town about me.


I will lie low, look at jobs in Tokyo or look into going back to Michigan so I can go train with Coach Tripp again.

6th August 2002, 09:52
Well hell if you move to Tokyo swing on by my place.
You can work out with us..........I prommise I won't be sitting on my fat candy ass in some office.

6th August 2002, 10:01
Originally posted by Jody Holeton
Big bummer!

My "school" had a couple of meetings about me (all of course with me not knowing about them).
They just wanted to gossip I suppose.

Even the karate schools I visited started making phone calls to other instructors in town about me.


Your school?? You mean the school your teach at? or your dojo?

If it is the school you teach at then it's no big surprise.
Schools love to gossip about the gaijin. Basically in Japan if you fart in bed your school will know about it.

Amir
6th August 2002, 12:27
Hey, I liked that expression

Well, when I and my brother decided to go to Japan in order to train, it was a month long tour. We asked our teacher to call our styles Hombu and sent a fax + carried a copy with us as well as a copy of our ranks certificates (which were granted to us by the Hombu).

Even before we started training we had a meeting with our organization president, very formal ...
On the other hand, we were surprised since when we gave him a small present, he in turn gave us presents (a Bokken for each) and a present for our teacher back home (a Gi). Not only were we accepted and taught for that month, but we were given private lessons from one of the teachers.
Oh yes, and they didn't charge us a penny (Naturally we gave all our teachers presents at the end, but that isn't money).


However, I have no idea if this is a common practice, the art I am learning (Korindo Aikido) is very small and has only three branches abroad (Hong-Kong, Germany & Israel). So it could be that we got such special treatment because of visitors’ rarity.

Hope this gives some information

Amir

6th August 2002, 12:36
Originally posted by Amir
Hey, I liked that expression

Well, when I and my brother decided to go to Japan in order to train, it was a month long tour. We asked our teacher to call our styles Hombu and sent a fax + carried a copy with us as well as a copy of our ranks certificates (which were granted to us by the Hombu).

That was wise.
Since you weren't "day 1" beginners in the style it was good that you phoned and faxed ahead and asked. Showing up on the door step with Gi in hand is not really a good idea since Japanese don't like surprise guests that much. They like time to prepare (gifts and what not).

Michael Bland
1st October 2002, 08:39
When I looked around at dojo on the main island of Japan (in Ibaraki and Tokyo) I was welcomed at every dojo I walked into or phoned. All seemed pretty foreigner-friendly.

However, when my buddy and I played Budo tourist in OKinawa on vacation and just wanted to work out once during our stay, I called every dojo in the phone book except the Kyokushin ones... and they all refused us except one. All of them suggested if we were gaijin (foreigners) that we should train in Kyokushin instead of OKinawan Karate.

And I speak fluent Japanese by the way... so there was no miscommunication.

Maybe they just didn't want to be bothered by a 1-time visit foreigner, but would have been more receptive to a full-time student living in Okinawa. *shrug* Who knows.

-michael