Tuesday 16th April
Another early start, another bright and sunny day. Trains and buses are quick and efficient, but a less familiar option. This morning our focus was on getting to our destination quickly and with a minimum of fuss and effort, so taxis it was.
Sensei Pryce had said to get there for 8.30am, as it was there was less traffic than expected, so we were early. We arrived at the Butokuden. The morning sunshine gave us a chance to get better photographs of the outside than we had on Sunday. The building was magnificent, the oldest Budo training hall in Japan, built in 1899. The outside was impressive, but when Sensei Pryce arrived and opened it for us and we stepped inside, the inside was awe inspiring.
A dark and cool interior, dark polished wood floor, heavy wooden beams, they spoke of a place of solemnity, of serious practise and focus. No samurai ever stepped foot in this place, it was built after the samurai class had been abolished, but the feel of the room invoked a sense of connection to that aspect of Japan’s history. We were here to practise our Aikido, a martial art only a few generations removed from the samurai using their arts on the battle field.
Putting the mats down was a lot easier and quicker than it had been on Sunday, and we were soon kneeling on the mat, ready to begin. With the doors on both sides open, a gentle breeze blew through the Butokuden, and our kiai could be heard outside.
Training was, as always, vigorous, focused and good spirited. Exercises were taken by Sensei Tyler, classes were taught by Sensei Derrick, Sensei Pryce and Riley Shihan. There were a few instances of individuals having to leave the mat to apply a sticking plaster or two, and to clean up the blood they’d left on the mat. Injuries were nothing more than very minor nicks and grazes, but the White Rose definitely left its mark on Japan.
As with all good things, training was over far too quickly. After the formal end of the session Sensei Riley announced that Clive and Clive had distinguished themselves on the mat and he awarded them each their second kyu grades. Sensei Riley invited Shaun Fairweather to take examination in November for his sandan, and then awarded Simon Barrand his sandan on the mat.
No session would be complete without photographs and there were many to take, both formal and informal. Eventually we had to leave, and groups made their way back to their hotels by taxi and by bus to get ready for the afternoon’s venture.
As if the morning hadn’t been significant enough the afternoon would take us up through the ten thousand gates of the shrines on Mount Inari. The path up the mountain wound its way through woods and bamboo groves, passed tall trees and the remains of trees bent and devastated by recent typhoons.
Where the path divided, one path took a gentle route to the shrine at the top, and the other path took the steeper more direct route. No prizes for guessing which route we took. Our path was quieter, fewer tourists, but the views were better and the journey all the more rewarding for being more demanding.
The path got steeper and more rugged, and become more of a mountain trail, but we did reach the top – inlcluding 70 year old Sensei Derrick, what an effort!
At the café half way down, Sensei Riley bought a round of beers and expressed his heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the students who have supported the White Rose and those who have accompanied him to Japan. We raised our glasses (cans, actually) in a toast to the White Rose and a personal toast from Sensei.
From there we headed back down the steps towards the streets at the bottom. Having had a beer, our thoughts turned to food and the street vendors lining the routes. Shaun found a shop selling sparrows on sticks, deep fried sparrows. Shaun and Sensei Derrick tried a couple, the rest of us managed to resist the temptation.
After travelling back to our base in Shijo Omiya we headed out for a final drink of the evening, and of course headed back to “Sensei’s secret bar”. The owner asked if we would wait outside for a moment, and as we looked through the window we could see he was moving the band out of their seating area at the back of the bar, to make room for us.
We squeezed into the arm chairs and easy chairs in the back of the bar, and Liz surprised us all by strumming a tune on the ukulele which she found lying around. We wiled away the last couple of hours of the day with drinks, stories, reminiscing, and laughing, always laughing.
