Holidays = budo!

It is the school holidays in NZ. For two weeks classes stop before the next term begins. As a school teacher, my time is more flexible (I still have work to do even though students are not attending) and my focus falls upon my training. I have started the school holidays with training three days in a row. TSYR training on Monday, teaching Aikido on Tuesday and then more TSYR training on Wednesday. Today I spent time on washing keikogi and sword maintenance.

Sword maintenance.

My focus on my training recently has been on keeping my shoulders rolled back and down. Also to keep my middle strong. Last night was one of those training sessions where I felt I have so much more to learn. It feels like the kata are getting harder and harder.

In my down time I am reading Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa. I know, I know, I am a practitioner of Japanese martial arts and have never read this book. I tried once before but just couldn't get into it. The second time around I am finding it a better tale. I think going to Japan has helped me understand the book more and I can relate to it better. I have read Shogun by James Clavell years ago and enjoyed that immensely. However, that book was written by a British author with a Westerner's mindset. Musashi is written by a Japanese author with an Eastern mindset. This sets up a very different style of story telling.

I have also been listening to the Samurai Archives pod casts while driving to and from work. I highly recommend them for anyone wanting to know more about medieval Japan. The hosts are graduate students at the University of Hawaii and specialise in different aspects of Japanese history such as the Sengoku period, Edo period and so on.

Just for entertainment I have been watching episodes of Samurai Champloo as well. So you can say I am immersing myself in Japanese medieval culture these holidays.

Happy training!