Black Belt Instructors Gasshuku 2007, Naha, Okinawa

Recently Steve Riley returned from 3 weeks training with Sensei Higaonna in Naha, Okinawa. The following is his account of the trip...

Arriving 2 weeks prior to the Gasshuku to take advantage of the smaller class (6-8 students) was a good idea as it gave you a real feel of what normal class is like in Sensei’s dojo.

I hadn’t realised when planning this trip that Reena Prasad of Auckland was also going, so it was a good surprise when she turned up to have another Kiwi there. Seemingly the temperature was quite cool for the time of year around 22-24 degrees day and night with the Okinawan’s wearing jackets and hats and saying how cold it was. I found it very humid and wore shorts and t-shirts.

Reena Prasad and myself with Sensei Higaonna

My accommodation was really good. Both Reena and I were staying at the same place which was Hotel Tamaki and which was very clean and only about 3 minutes walk to the dojo. It was also only about 50 metres from a monorail station and there was a supermarket across the road.

Training was morning and evening 6 days a week. The morning class was training at the dojo by yourself doing hojo undo and kata and as the Gasshuku got closer more people turned up but still only about 6 people turned up for the morning class. Sensei Higaonna took the evening class and these trainings were very hard and intense with many, many and many repetitions of basics, kata and conditioning. With such small classes there was no chance to slack with the whole class training to their limit and Sensei Higaonna leading the way by example. His power, agility and the intensity in his training was so inspiring and just amazing, too hard to explain except it made you feel proud to be his student.

Morning class, own hojo undo practice

The last week was the Gasshuku which was held at the Budokan in the mornings as there were about 40+ blackbelts from around the world and the Budokan has plenty of room. The evening class was back at Sensei’s dojo so there wasn’t much room or oxygen. The Gasshuku training consisted of kata, sanchin, hojo undo, kumite and a highlight was Sensei Aragaki coming to give a lecture and then sit in and observe training. There was a very friendly atmosphere amongst all the different countries and a good chance to meet others with the same interests and goals.

Gasshuku group photo with Sensei Aragaki

Aussie team with Sensei Higaonna

Overall it was an awesome trip and not knowing the language was not a problem, the monorail made it simple to get around, the people were friendly and went out of their way to help, the food was good and the beer was also good (filled with essential vitamins and minerals).

Sensei Higaonna made you very welcome as did his students with Sensei Kuramoto taking us sightseeing and out for dinner.

Reena and myself with Sensei Kuramoto and other local students including fellow kiwi Whiti who now lives in Okinawa