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Thread: Travelling to Japan for practice? What would you like to know?

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    Default Travelling to Japan for practice? What would you like to know?

    Hi guys!

    Some questions: If you were to go to Japan for budo practice, what would you like to know before you leave?

    What type of information would you like to have access to and what do you think is the most challenging aspect of going to Japan for this purpose?

    Some people have the network in place to get the information, ie teachers or other students who have already been to Japan. Others just want to go to the source to practice, but don't have a clue on where to start or what to expect.

    Would love to hear your thoughts on this.
    Yours friendly,

    K. Sandven


    Blog: My Life In Budo

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    Question

    Just how rhetorical is your question, Kristoffer? Are you planning to travel to Japan yourself, or someone else? Which budo style(s) will be studied? Our answers are likely to depend on yours.

    My wife & I have family in Japan, & also are able to coordinate through senseis on both sides of the Pacific who come & train in our Hawaii dojo. And MJER dojos are a lot more prevalent in Japan than other, less-practiced ryuha.

    So I'm not sure that a general question like yours can really be addressed without more detailed info.
    Ken Goldstein
    --------------------------------
    Judo Kodansha/MJER Iaido Kodansha/Jodo Oku-iri
    Fencing Master/NRA Instructor

    "A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it'll annoy enough people to be worth the effort."

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    Hi there Ken, and thanks for your reply.

    It's quite simple, really. I want to write some about this subject and would like input from other people on it.

    I've been to Japan myself and have some experience, but I'd love to hear what people would like to know, what they expect from a trip and so on.

    As I said, many people don't have the slightest idea on where to start, whereas others might have the networks of contacts in place to get all information they need before leaving.

    So, the question is not for those having the answers already, but for the ones seeking them. Get me?
    Yours friendly,

    K. Sandven


    Blog: My Life In Budo

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    Quote Originally Posted by kongoshin View Post
    Hi guys!

    Some questions: If you were to go to Japan for budo practice, what would you like to know before you leave?

    What type of information would you like to have access to and what do you think is the most challenging aspect of going to Japan for this purpose?

    Some people have the network in place to get the information, ie teachers or other students who have already been to Japan. Others just want to go to the source to practice, but don't have a clue on where to start or what to expect.

    Would love to hear your thoughts on this.
    How about starting by mastering Google-jutsu?

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    I wouldn't recommend going blind and hope to wander into a dojo as soon as you step off the plane... and neither is expecting to be able to just turn up at a random time and expect to be training with a hachidan as you walk through the door.
    Most of the time I have visited, all my iai friends are keen to see a plan of my trip, ie how I intend to spend my time and on what...
    Tim Hamilton

    Why are you reading this instead of being out training? No excuses accepted...

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    Cool

    Quote Originally Posted by kongoshin View Post
    Hi guys!

    Some questions: If you were to go to Japan for budo practice, what would you like to know before you leave?

    What type of information would you like to have access to and what do you think is the most challenging aspect of going to Japan for this purpose
    Questions I ask folks who email me asking if they can come train in Japan:
    1. Do you speak/read/write Japanese? Not necessary, but certainly hugely helpful ,and everything is more difficult without Japanese.
    2. You can usually get a 3-month tourist visa. If you plan on staying longer than that, you need a visa to stay in Japan legally. How will you get one?
    3. Japan is host to two of the most expensive cities in the world (Tokyo and Osaka) -- depending on your answer to #2, how much money do you have and how do you plan on spending/making it in order to stay alive?

    Regards,

    r e n

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    Quote Originally Posted by kongoshin View Post

    I've been to Japan myself and have some experience, but I'd love to hear what people would like to know, what they expect from a trip and so on.

    As I said, many people don't have the slightest idea on where to start, whereas others might have the networks of contacts in place to get all information they need before leaving.

    So, the question is not for those having the answers already, but for the ones seeking them. Get me?
    For starters, I am going to assume you are talking about Koryu Dojo since you posted here. And swords schools in particular right?

    Let’s say a guy already belongs to a Koryu Ryu-ha, and then he will already have legitimate means to accessing training in Japan through his teacher right.

    If a guy doesn’t belong to a Ryu-ha, then going to Japan for a visit and just wants to try some Koryu then he is pretty much going to be disappointed. There might be some, but I don’t know of any Koryu Dojo that has drop in training. I lived there for a decade and never came across this kind of dojo except the local city dojo and they usually do Gendai arts. But…

    If a guy is interested and has the right expectations, then a visit would have a lot of benefits.

    I would start with a listing of the major public embu and the dates so a visit could be coordinated to see one or more of these.

    I would list the Budo week at IBU, where there are some opportunities for some hands on training in mostly gendai arts but some koryu perhaps as well.

    I would discuss the advantages of a JR Rail Pass, Hotels, Youth Hostels, Ryokan, jyuhachikippu (you have to buy these in Japan) and other such travel issues.

    How to make a reservation. How to buy a train ticket and then get back on the train. If you have ever been to Shibuya Station in Tokyo you know some 3 million people (or more) pass through there each day; get lost in there and you might not be seen again for a week. Come out the wrong exit and you will never find the place you are looking for.

    Where to get good food, and what/where to avoid in terms of budget. What medicine to take when the food you did eat makes you feel yucky.

    Some references to good Japanese phrase books if the traveler has zero language skills. But then , how can a guy ask a question or understand the instruction if the teacher and the traveler don't speak a common language? This is a bigger problem if said traveler has a week or a day or anything less than several years available to train.

    How to ask to train. How to make an introduction. How to say thank you. What gift to bring. How to act once you are there. How to watch correctly and or how to train correctly. Assuming one gets the chance to do any of these things.

    Major English speaking resources in major cities; such as certain coffee shops, information centers, other well known hang outs.

    Passports? Visa- if you need one depending on the country the traveler is from.

    How to use a Japanese style toilet, both old school squat and hang on to the plumbing type and the modern one with the control panel that looks like a starship dashboard.

    The majority of the traveler’s time is going to be spent doing other things than Koryu. There are a ton of great museums to see, castles, and other relevant cultural activities that relate to koryu. The culture would be a better and more meaningful way to spend a trip to Japan than waiting outside some door hoping to get a chance to just ask to train.

    At the dojo where I trained (outside of Shibuya in Tokyo) visiters off the street were asked to come back another time. Once or twice we had them, but they had introductions in place before they came, and they sat for two hours. Expectations of what is really going to happen would be a good topic as well.

    The logistics of traveling to Japan, depending on the person, can be daunting. Heck, just getting a phone card to work in a payphone can be a hassle when you are tired and stressed out. Ordering food, getting a room, clean clothing… all these things that are easy here in the States can be huge problems in a another culture. How about getting medical treatment if you get hurt or sick while you are there? Lots of thing to think about…

    Are you writing an essay or a book? I went off there a bit but for the most part, there is just a lot to think about... your topic is extreemly broad.

    For what it was worth… I hope that helped.

    Thomas James
    Thom James

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    Thumbs up Thanks!

    Hey Renfield and Thom!

    Great insights - and a lot to delve into.

    Hugely appreciated
    Yours friendly,

    K. Sandven


    Blog: My Life In Budo

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    Quote Originally Posted by renfield_kuroda View Post


    3. Japan is host to two of the most expensive cities in the world (Tokyo and Osaka) -- depending on your answer to #2, how much money do you have and how do you plan on spending/making it in order to stay alive?

    I can't believe I forgot about money... that must be because I don't have enough to think about...

    OK, the wife keeps my allowance on the short side.

    When I lived there a family size pizza was $$$ and about the size of a medium here in the States.

    You have to me a millYENaire to make in Japan for an extended stay.
    Thom James

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