Participating in Kobudo Seminar Japan 2018 from Philippines

Ryukyu Kobudo Kongo-ryu Seminar in Japan, 2018

Hello Everybody!

As a representative of Ryukyu Kobudo Kongo-ryu Philippines branch, I went to the Kongo-ryu headquarters in Japan to participate in “Ryukyu Kobudo International Seminar 2018,” and I had 3 days’ excessive training with Swedish, Australian and Japanese black belt members. It was great honor and pleasure to experience a hard work and effort by Shuseki Shihan Sadaaki Sakagami. Many thanks to him.

On October 6th, 7th and 8th, we practiced “Hamahiga no Tonfa,” “Tawada no Sai, “Tsukenshitahaku no Sai,” “Shushi no Kon Sho,” “Ryusei no Kon,” “Shushi no Kon Dai,” “Kongo no Nunchaku Sho,” “Kongo no Nicho-gama” and “Maezato no Tekko.” The seminar was very interesting and the application of katas was incredibly useful. I highly appreciate it!

At the honbu dojo (headquarters,) I also practiced karate. We focused on practicing “Rohai Shodan” and “Matsumora Rohai” under the instruction of Soke Sakagami. I also visited a branch dojo in Mitaka city, Tokyo, “Sho Karatedo Club International,” run by Shihan Tsunehisa Kitaoka. We practiced “Kihon,” “Pinan,” “Gekisai-Ichi,” “Shiho Kusanku” and “Unshu.”

It was a big surprising for me that Sensei Ai Kitaoka and Ayumu Oda from Sho Karatedo Club International took Sensei Göran, Sensei Per (Sweden), Sensei Howard (Australia) and me to “Hottarakashi Onsen Hotspring” in Yamanashi prefecture. We were able to see the sunrise from the hot spring bath on the top of the mountain. I also had a chance to visit the top floor of Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Senso-ji temple, Sky Tree Tower, Sapporo Beer Company in Asakusa, Nippon Budokan (Japan Martial Arts Stadium) which is supposed to hold Karate division of 2020 Olympic Games, and Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo.

Thanks to all Itosu-ryu members and officials. I highly appreciate to all your kind words and effort - Sempai Ikeda (Hodogaya Banch), Sensei Sato (Fukushima Branch), Sensei Helen Iwata (Headquarters), Sensei Yokoyama (Fukushima Branch), Sensei Nakajima (Kawasaki Branch), Sensei Goran (Sweden), Sensei Per (Sweden), Sensei Nakamura (Fukushim Branch), Sensei Obayashi (Koyasu Branch), Sensei Howard (Australia), Shihan Suzuki (Hiyoshi Branch), Shihan Kusuhara (Hodogaya Branch). Shihan Tsunehisa Kitaoka, Sensei Ai Kitaoka and Sensei Ken Kitaoka (Sho Karatedo Club), Shihan Nagoya (Nakano Branch). My sincere thanks as well to Soke Sakagami for all the support and guidance. You all have inspired me again to train harder and achieve my goals in Itosu-ryu Karatedo.

Hope to see you all once again in near future!

Yours sincerely,

Rheinan B. Manzo