Taking advantage of the long-awaited Summer sunshine, we took a trip to the Miller’s Arms this lunchtime for a bit of a treat in the shape of beer and the MA’s excellent nachos. 
Very pleasant. You really can’t beat a beer and nibbles on a Sunday lunchtime. I wonder if we will get the opportunity to have this kind of relaxed afternoon in Japan. I hope so.
Jeff’s blog Tales of a Budo Bum has a post about a new martial arts book
There’s been a bit of discussion about this book and its author on the various kendo forums. I can’t really comment on either – not having read the book or being conversant with its author. However based on what I’ve learned through other commentators, there are a few points that I think are worth making: Firstly, it’s clear this guy is no classically trained swordsman. He has no interest in history, culture or koryu, only the effectiveness of the nihonto in cutting people down. In true NRA style, this morbid fascination appears to be justified by the well-worn “self-defence” argument. This is a hair’s breadth away from the mentality of the gutter thug and completely counter to the path of the martial artist.
Secondly, books such as these play straight into the hands of paranoid legislators who would like nothing more than to ban all forms of martial arts. In the UK, “samurai swords” are now banned. Martial artists are – for the moment – exempt but there are already rumours of a total blanket ban on the horizon. If and when it does happen, it will be books such as this that will be held aloft as justification.
Lastly, in the light of the recent tragic events in Akihabara, the Japanese government is now looking seriously at introducing legislation restricting the sale of edged weapons. Once again, it’s not hard to see how Mr. Elmore and his encouragement to use the nihonto to lethal effect could justify the argument that all sword art practitioners should be viewed as paranoid survivalists with an unhealthy interest in weaponry.
The study of the sword is not about killing; it is about becoming a better person, achieved through diligent and sincere training in a recognised school. Neither Jeff or anyone else on the Kendo forums seems willing to condemn this book, which I find quite surprising. I however have no such reserve and I feel it should be condemned: Encouraging people to own and use the nihonto purely for violent purposes – howsoever justified – is wrong.
Life is a journey. Some of the junctions and intersections we run across during that journey are kind of incidental; some are a bit more substantial. With our relocation to Japan fast approaching, I feel like we’ve reached the end of one part of our journey as a family, and the beginning of another. Now Little M has gone back, Big M and I have a bit more time to reflect [i.e. go to the pub!] on the last few years and ponder about what might be in store for the next part of our life together. There’s plenty of good times ahead, I feel sure. But at the moment we are savouring the last few weeks of our time in Merrie Old England. It’s been a remarkable adventure for the girls and an experience that has, I’m sure, changed them in ways that they don’t even realise yet. My adventure is yet to come. But as much as I feel certain I will miss England in the Summertime, I am looking forward to being able to share that experience with my dear family. I hope to be able to learn and grow as they have done.
New toys are great; free new toys are even better! I’ve just started using Microsoft’s Live Writer for blog posts and it’s great. And unbelievably, it’s also free!
The last few weeks have been very enjoyable from an iaido point of view. Twice a week I am trekking up the hill to the University to join in with their early morning sessions. This has given me the chance to experience teaching for the first time, and I am eternally grateful for the opportunity. I feel a little awkward because I do not feel in the slightest bit qualified to be telling anyone else how to do iaido, yet it is gratifying to be able to convey my modest knowledge of the basics to beginners. Even though I'm sure my technique looks appalling, my hope is that at least I might put them on the right path.
From my perspective, having to explain techniques is forcing me to examine my own understanding in greater detail, and this in turn has proven extremely beneficial in exposing weaknesses to be corrected.
In my own training, I have to be extremely careful not to become complacent. I read the memorable phrase "fur lined rut" somewhere, used to describe this phenomenon. I have been concentrating on omori ryu a lot recently. Sometimes it's looking ok, but other times I feel totally inadequate - particularly on ushiro. I just can't get the timing or balance right to make the technique work convincingly. Ah well がんばる！
Well, the househunting is finally over, and the missus is shortly to become the proud owner of a nice house on the Western side of Tokyo.
I was initially pretty worried by the seeming lack of information, but I think it's turned out ok in the end. The place seems quite large (by Japanese standards) and the area sounds quite fun - not far from Kichijoji and Inokashira Park.
So our life's about to enter a new phase. I'm excited but apprehensive at the same time. But inside I feel it's the right move - if only to avoid having to watch this country implode as the economy collapses.
The house-hunting in Japan appears to be nearing its conclusion, for better or worse. Communications with the missus have been extremely tense. She's obviously feeling the strain of making probably the biggest decision of her life, but in the process it has thrown the innermost workings of her mind in stark relief. I once attended a management training course - total waste of time, of course. But one thing I do remember was the guy telling us a story about a fire in the engine room of a merchant ship at sea.
Virtually every nationality under the sun was represented in the crew, and although they could all speak English, as the fire took hold and the panic set in, they all reverted to screaming instructions at each other in their native tongues. The phrase was, "the language of panic is your own." Very true. Under pressure, most people will revert to type and it is under these circumstances that the true character is revealed.
For my part, well I can't really comment objectively. In the past, when I've had difficult times at work I've just told the boss to stick it and walked out. But not always, and if I'm really committed to something I will always see it through to the end. For the missus, I think deep down she cannot trust anyone. When she's under pressure, she is extremely sensitive - bordering on paranoid - to any sign that she is going to be ripped off or let down. She can be vicious in her condemnations, and is nearly impossible to deal with. Such was the case this week.
I don't know what the future holds - will we pull it off and settle in Japan? It's impossible to say. I feel scared but also committed. I want the experience of living in a foreign country; I want to absorb more Japanese culture and learn from it. And of course, I want to be with the only girl I have ever truly loved, or will ever love. There is a Japanese proverb that says, "He who travels for love finds a thousand miles not longer than one". I hope that's true
A mild-mannered,if occasionally grumpy English middle-aged beer lover with a passion for Japan, martial arts, travel and a whole load of other things.
