[I’ll add more photos soon]
Back in Kyoto the agenda for the day was to look around and then make our way to Kyoto University for Judo in the afternoon.
It was a day where everyone went their separate ways. Some had bikes, others grovelled. Dennis was off with Yumiko buying a Kimono. Khan and Kong got culture but quickly became templed out. Sooner rather than later they found themselves in a noodle house, talking shit and discussing the similarities and differences between striking arts and Judo, soap land, and Japanese sword making.
As luck would have it, later in the day, a contingent of AKL uni club met up with Sensei Rick outside a sword shop not far from the Kyoto Budokan. After a short adventure in the tourist shop, talking to a mute who made jewellery and buying the best pair of jandals yen can buy, team AKL Uni went to the Budokan.
At the Budokan we saw a retiree’s ping-pong tournament in one building. In the other were two Americans having what appeared to be a private Aikido lesson. One American came up to us, bowed four times (improperly) as he was making his way over, and told us that it was a closed session. Sensei Rick was aghast. He started muttering… something about “hundreds of fights there”…. something about…”no one can own the Budokan”… The gravity of his response was lost on the younger masters (who simply laughed it off) until Sensei suggested that we should have told the guy to fuck off. Sensei Rick then went into a monologue about brain-washed Westerners – apparently not an uncommon phenomenon in Japan in martial arts circles. In retrospect we probably should have just punched the guy and got into a fight. Judo vs Aikido – could have been interesting.
Eventually we rode up to the University. As we approached the Uni there were brass musicians – trumpet, saxophone, etc… -- practising everywhere around the campus. Soon we were getting changed in one of the strong-holds of Kosen Judo. Here we found out that it might have been a good idea to hang our gi’s out to dry from the night before. We also got a taste of the strength of the Kosen tradition.
The kosen Judo of the Kyoto Uni club was very different from everything we had encountered in Japan before. There was a different style of warm-up with lots of new exercises specifically for ground work players. Needless to say the encounter took everyone by surprise. There were lots of tomoenage’s (that bordered on a drag-downs) going down. And, when you tried to avoid the tomoenage, there was no shortage of “conventional” big forward throws. And on the ground… they were superb.
Towards the end of training we got talking to a Texan who was studying and playing Judo at the Uni. It was interesting to watch him play. He had been there for a while and was trying very hard to ensure that the fight stayed off the ground. He was reasonably successful. More interesting than his Judo, however, was what he had to say about 25 French foreign exchange students. Apparently an entire swarm of nubile French co-eds were going to Sam and Daves Club the following night. Kong was intrigued, especially after seeing one earlier at K’s looking every bit of what a dangerous mind would imagine a nubile French co-ed to look like and some.
It was the end of a tour. Every one was wasted. We left politely. I think everyone wished they had saved more energy for this encounter.
Next: Last days – K’s backpackers and getting thrown out of Kyoto’s night clubs.
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