If I say I wasn't expecting much from Japan would be a huge lie. I've grown up back in Rio de Janeiro and since I can remember I am a martial arts and japanese culture fan, my dad is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practioner and also a Martial Arts fan, it was just the natural way.
The date planned for the trip was a getting close and I had not decided yet, but Rick Sensei told me that I should go so I bought the tickets, but my passport was with the New Zealand immigration, due to renew of my work visa, and I would still have to get Japanese visitor visa and Australia's transit visa, I've set my mind that I would go, so that was the only option. After two flight alterations, uncertainties and anxiety I've made it to Japan on the second day of Setember.
I went straight from the Narita Airport in Tokyo to Kyoto via Shinkansen (bullet train). The transport in Japan is an example of organization, thought the first time you look at the trains and subways maps it looks like chaos, it works on time and you can get anywhere just look up on the internet for timetables and different options. It's a little bit hard to locate yourself on paper maps, many small streets are not there but with a GPS on the cel phone life is easier.
I've met the boys (Chris, Stu and Henry) at the Kyoto train station and they took me to the hostel, K's House. The place was nice and clean, friendly staff and cool atmosphere, so is the Tokyo's one. Totally recommend it. During my time in Japan there were two days between Kyoto and Tokyo stays that I would have no accommodation so while I was trying to book it I've told one of our mates from Japan that stayed in New Zealand for a while and trained with us at Uni Judo Club, Takuya Yuzurihara, and he kindly invited me to stay at his place in Odawara, for two nights, what a great experience, I could see Japanese culture from closer and catch up with a good friend. Thank you very much one more time Taku-san.
We went to a few different places to train and each experience was so unique, the trainings in Japan mainly consists of quick warm ups and uchikomi then it's randori for one hour/one hour and a half, they assume that techniques were taught when you were younger so you train to refine them. Their Judo was loose, fast and precise, a LOT of grip fighting, I could see that I was evolving after each session, I guess the high level and the loose game that allows you to attack and counter more are big responsible for that . I am really glad that Rick Littlewood Sensei have such great network in Japan.We had the opportunity to train on beautiful clubs like Maronouchi, Daishin, the Kyoto Riot Police, universities like Doshisha, Ritsumeikan and Kyoto. We went to compete on the Osaka's castle grounds in a pavillon called Shudokan, what amazing feeling; three wins in a row, and Nage no kata demonstration are the required to get a Shodan, so I did it, so we did it, all five of us, we represented well our club showing good judo on the fights and nice kata executions, somehow I twisted my ankle on the last fight, I could only feel the pain afterwards. That made my two last weeks in Japan turn into only tourism, no more training for me, i was a bit disappointed but I decided that I would make the most of it.
Food is one of my passions and japanese food is at the top of the list so obviously every meal was a great experience, even the convenience store ones, they are all over with some quick options like rice balls, sushis, bento boxes and etc... if you are in a hurry in between your tour day it's highly recommended. On the first morning Stu invited me to try Natto, fermented soybeans, and it's a matter of hate of love, weird texture and strong flavour, I can say that almost every breakfast that I had for three weeks was accompanied by natto, on rice, toast, with raw eggs, with seaweed and so on. Sushi train was another highlight, you sit on a bar where a huge variety of sushi pass by on a track and you can pick any or ask for a different one that hasn't pass yet. Yakitoris were the pick for the nights that we wanted beers and nice variety of nibbles. Ramen places are abundant each with a speciality, the broth and noodle combination amazes me, so rich, every time i've asked for Kaidama (extra noodles) and left the restaurants full as. Before I left New Zealand I have done a list of cafés that I would like to visit. When Japanese people, in general, like something they go deep and study about it learn and do it precisely, passionly, when they are doing coffee is not different, I have visited cafés in Kyoto and Tokyo and love them, a lot of the cafés are filtered coffee only, the traditional way for them, so I tried to immerse so I have had filtered coffee most of the time; highlights were Rokuyosha in Kyoto and Café L'ambre in Kyoto.
The onsens, public baths, were another highlight, I tried to select the oldest ones from searches on the internet. What a pleasurable experience are those baths, I am not used to hot water, but once I started I couldn't stop and surely helped on my ankle healing process, the change between the really cold and extremely hot makes your blood pump for sure.
Kyoto is full of thousand years old temples and shrines, big, small, touristic, quiet, zen, shinto and so on, you just have to pick one to fit your mood and go, on average the admission fees are 500 Yen, on the other hand Tokyo's temple were not so good, but the museums were great.
One last thing: if you have a chance go to a Sumo championship!
Many thanks to Rick Sensei and Uni Judo Club for the opportunity
Igor Goulart
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