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We have lots of events each year from seminars, gradings, training camps, kids competitions and social/fundraising events. If we get good photos we will post them on the website. To check out the 2010 Okinawa photos click on the Miyajima gate photo below or on home page.....Hang on we haven't gone yet!
Thursday - 9am Rasso Airport Hotel Naha. Arrived last night and trained at the Budokan in sweltering heat. Dan Boswell performed two kata to finalise the requirements for his 2nd Dan...well done Dan. Afterwards went out for a meal of edge of chicken gizzard and chicken butts. Jim opted for the Pork with tons of fertilizer!! Just waiting for Albie and Jim with the hire car to go to Hokama Senseis dojo. Bye for Now Hello...its Thursday again I think and this is the first chance to use a PC. On Okinawa we spent 5 x 3 hour sessions training with Hokama Sensei one of which was his evening class...every student was friendly and helpful as usual. Returned to some of our previous restaurants one of which was serving beer at 55Yen - about 40p so we ordered 16 pints in one go (that was after the evening session which was quite hot and sticky). Food in Okinawa was great most people had meat on a rock which made a change from Chicken butts. Went sightseeing to Shuri Castle and the Peace Memorial on the South of the Island and Kume Village so that people could play in the waterfall. We had a Police escort to Kume Village and so got in free!! Apart from training Albie and Jim spent much time touring the island in the hire car looking for a bank or ATm that would accept his cards etc. Flew out to Kobe on Tuesday - hotel is great with a fantastic viewof the harbour - Hotel Meriken Park. So far we have been to Hiroshima and Miyajima on the bullet, plus a regular train plus a cable car/streetcar. Today we have all been sightseeing in different places me and Albie went to the red light district of Kobe! Den and Dean went up a cable car and somewhere probably Osaka castle, Dan went shopping, Jim and Julie climbed a mountain. Jeff (Jims student) went to Osaka castle Tomorow we are off to Kyoto as it is a day of festivals. Havent got any more training arranged until Sunday. Bye for now just off for dinner Sayonara! The day after tomorrow we leave for Tokyo - hope to get some pictures here soon if I can get hold of Dennis' attachment or Jims for that matter.! Hello, it is Monday and we are in Tokyo. Arrive Saturday and settled into Hotel. Spent yesterday training with Sensei Joe Swift at his dojo in Omori. Training was good bo and karate. After that we had some lunch with Kanna Sensei and went to his house where he makes his own kobudo weapons. Today and tomorrow hope to do some sightseeing bvefore flying home on Wednesday. Bye for now
Japan/Okinawa 2008
OK we are here now. Today is 6th Nov Thursday 2008. So far we have sampled local cuisine and trained at the Hyogo Univesity. We are staying in Kobe near the harbour which is lovely. Went to a Jinja shrine today! did 3 hours of training at the Uni then saw a demonstration by Sensei Wingrove and the English karate team (1 of them) at the Regatta and Athletics Club of Osaka which is 150 or so years old. Just going to test the local drinks before an early trip to Hirsohima tomorrow. We have taken some photos and we are just working out how to put them ON when we get a moment. Jill started a security alert in the public toilets when she pressed the emergency alarm instead of the flush. A security guard responded at the trot (excuse the pun)会は見真島は暇まま
Today is the 13th and we are at Naha airport waiting to fly to Tokyo. Sensei Albie, Dean and Dennis are in a noodle bar having some coffee. We arrived in Okinawa on the 9th and stayed in Naha where we trained in the Okinawan Budokan. On the 10th we went straight to Hokama Senseis dojo and trained from 9.30 to 12 alongside some Australians who were there. At 12 we checked into our self catering apartments a short walk away and then returned for training from 2-4pm. Training included bo, tonfa, sai and having our little fingers and toes pulled off, and our feet crushed - all very enjoyable. In the evening we had some beers and nice food. The next day was training from 10-12 am and then from 6.30 ish we watched the kids class then we trained with Hokama Sensei students from 7.30 - 930. and then had a ｆａｒｅｗｅｌｌ／ｗｅｌｃｏｍｅ ｐａｒｔｙ ｆｏｒ ｕｓ ａｎｄ ｔｈｅ Australians in the dojo. Yesterday we trained from 10-12 then 1-3.30 and then went to the Shuri castle for sightseeing. Had nice meal when we returned of meat on a stone - you cook the meat yourself on a hot stone on the table.and some beers. Today left Nishihara where Hokama Sensei lives and arrived back in Naha. We trained at the Budokan again and then toured the Kume village and then visited the Sureido shop before heading for the airport. It has been quite tiring so perhaps we can have a nap on the tiring so perhaps we can have a nap on the plane. Taken lots of pictuers to amuse you/bore you. lots of pictures to amuse you/bore you. Bye for now ...apologies for bad grammer etc but its hard to find comma etc on this keyboard and PC and then repeats sentences of its own free will.
We arrived back in Tokyo on the 13th. On the 14th we trained with Tsuchiya Sensei and sensei Terry Wingrove. A very enjoyable and painful session. Next day we had a day off training which Dean and Dennis used to visit the Tokyo Dome to ride on the big wheel and see some koi. Spent some time wandering around in the afternoon looking for a martial arts shop which we found with the help of the friendly policeman (pictured). The next day Joe Swift very kindly took us to train with Kanna Sensei at his dojo. We had an excellent session and then were invited to Sensei's house where we saw his hand crafted kobudo weapons and some of his unique conditioning methods. We had one final day left which we used to visit Mount Fuji. Throughout our visit we were overwhelmed by the friendliness and helpfulness of the Japanese and Okinawan people. At each dojo we visited the students were of an excellent standard and regardless of age served as an inspiration and a fantastic example of lifelong passion for their chosen martial art.
If you would like to see the photos taken by Sensei Platt (there's loads of them) during the Japan trip click here Sayonara!
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This is us after training. Got lots of other photos of nice Places. Went to Miyajima which is where the gate pictured above is and the picture below and saw the Shrine etc. Also had a visit to Hiroshima and spoke to a bomb veteran at the museum, this was all on the 7th. Hope to go to Kyoto tomorrow on the Bullet which we also spent an hour or so on today. Got a good photo of a mantis holding a door open which we would like to share with you soon. It just takes a while to sort out the pictures as we have only got the net and no Word programmes to mess about with. Sayonnara A, J, D & D 
8th Nov. We went to Kyoto today and visited the Shoguns castle, a temple and the Geisha district. Tomorrow we are up at 5.30 am (its 11.20 pm now on Friday Night) to go to the airport for a flight to Okinawa. Apparently we will be doing a demonstration in Tokyo when we return on the 14th (actually flying back on the 13). For those of you who are jealous - the weather in Kobe is mainly overcast - hoping for better in Okinawa. The boys have been buying souvenir T-shirts and bags plus we all bought sweat shirts!!! By for now. 
Outside Okinawan Budokan
Inside the Budokan in Naha- just one of the beautiful dojo in this facility. This was just prior to a very sweaty session where we caught up with a bit of training of our own when we got off the plane. Next day we'd relocate to apartments nearer Hokama Sensei's dojo.
Outside Hokama Sensei's dojo waiting to start the afternoon session on the first day. We'd already done 2 and half hours in the morning before moving into our apartments so we were getting a bit peckish by this point.
Hokama Sensei's dojo. The kids session prior to the evening session on the second day. This is the only training picture we took as we were either training or not training with no time for photos during the sessions.
Our group with Hokama Sensei and Glen from Northern Ireland. We were able to spend 3 days training with Hokama Sensei studying both karate and Kobudo. Hokama Sensei and his students showed us great hospitality with a welcome party for us and farewell party for the departing Australians being held in the dojo after the evening training session.
Wise Monkeys? Outside the Shuri Castle Okinawa
With Tsuchiya Sensei and his assistant.
With Kanna Sensei
Some members of Kanna Sensei's Sunday morning kobudo class. 
Some of Kanna Sensei's students who were extremely impressive with ages ranging from young children and teens up to 60/70 years old . The lad in the black jacket had recently won a kobudo kata competition with sai and bo. There was also a very impressive lad in his late teens (not in the photo) and everyone trained extremely diligently and thoroughly in the heat to perfect their moves. 
With Kanna Sensei (right), Uehara Sensei (left), Joe Swift Sensei (centre). 
Helpful Policeman at Sunshine Dori Policestation
Mount Fuji peeping through the cloud
