Saturday 20 October 2018

2018 Karate Service Awards

We were very lucky to be able to attend the 6th Service Awards Ceremony for Okinawan Karate and Traditional Martial Arts at the Loisir Hotel in Naha on the 19th October 2018. 

This recognition is presented to those who have contributed to preserving and developing Karate and Kobudo locally as well as internationally. 


The Awards Began in 1993 to mark the 100th year anniversary of the establishment of the Ryukyu Shimpo. This year was the 125th anniversary. 


They now present the award once every five years and to date, just 30 people (Including this years' winners) have been presented with one. 

The 2018 awards were presented to:


平良慶孝先生 (Taira Yoshitaka Sensei) of Matsubayashi Ryu. 
八木明達先生 (Yagi Meitatsu Sensei) of Goju Ryu.
久場良男先生 (Kuba Yoshio Sensei) of Goju Ryu.
佐久川政信先生 (Sakugawa Masanobu Sensei) of Shorinji Ryu. 
池宮城 政明先生 (Ikemiyagi Masaaki Sensei) of Goju Ryu. 



They are of course featured on the front of the Ryukyu Shinpo today (The 20th October):

What a wonderful recognition for some of the most influential karate Sensei of the current generation. 
Ryukyu Shimpo company president Taiyama Taishama said, "The winners have overcome various difficulties, contributed to the promotion and development of karate and old martial arts with a leaders role, I hope that they will continue to be active and encourage further progress in the future".



Lets have a look at the Sensei who have achieved this award since it was established in 1993:


1993 - First Ryukyu Shimpo Awards
長嶺 将真 - Nagamine Shoshin Sensei  
比嘉 佑直 - Higa Yuchoku Sensei 
八木 明徳 -  Yagi Meitoku Sensei 

1998- Second Ryukyu Shimpo Awards 
高嶺 朝睦 - Takamine Choboku Sensei
宮平 勝哉 - Miyahira Katsuya Sensei 
仲里 周五郎 - Nakazato Shugoro Sensei 
赤嶺 栄亮 - Akamine Eisuke Sensei 
上原 清吉 - Uehara Seikichi Sensei 

2003- 3rd Ryukyu Shimpo Awards 
仲村 良雄 - Nakamura Yoshio Sensei
石川 精徳 - Ishikawa Seitoku Sensei 
仲程 カ - Nakahodo Tsutomu Sensei 
仲本政博 - Nakamoto Masahiro Sensei
伊波光太郎 - Iha Kotaro Sensei

2008- 4th Ryukyu Shimpo Awards 
島 勇夫 - Shima Isao Sensei
島袋 善保 - Shimabukuro Zenpo Sensei
渡嘉敷唯賢 - Tokashiki Iken Sensei
上原 武信 - Uehara Takenobu Sensei
比知屋義夫 - Hichiya Yoshio Sensei 

2013- 5th Ryukyu Shimpo Awards
 喜友名朝孝 - Kyuna Choko Sensei 
比嘉  稔 - Higa Minoru Sensei 
宮城  驍 - Miyagi Takeshi Sensei
照屋 幸榮 - Teruya Koei Sensei
知念 正常 - Chinen Masatsune Sensei
与那嶺幸助 - Yonamine Kosuke Sensei
阿波根直信 - Ahagon Naonobu Sensei 










Tuesday 16 October 2018

Never stop getting up

Here's the situation.
I fractured my collarbone three weeks ago. I haven't worn proper shoes since we opened the dojo so my feet don't fit my vibrams anymore (which i didn't think would be a problem) and the weather Is awful - constant rain for the entire week before the race.

But we're committed, and we're gonna do it. 

So we go to Taiwan and spend two days exploring and doing some super cool stuff.
Going to Juifen - the 'spirited away' village, hunting down martial arts equipment and visiting recommended restaurants to try Taiwanese cuisine. 

Then, it's race day (and it's still raining).
It's 4am and we wake up to get on a bus from the main station to Maokong.
I didn't sleep much because I didn't want to be late but everyone is in good spirits and ready for the challenge that lies ahead.
This time I was insistent that we all run our own races so when the start horn went off James was gone. 
I lost Sonoda at the first rest stop 4km in because he went for the food and i wanted him to go and do his own race and let me do my own.
So then it was me, on my own journey and my own challenge and it got tough. 
The shoes had no grip- so I kept slipping over. 

Literally I counted 26 times I fell between the 4-8km mark of the race (and I was trying to be so careful!) 

I fell twice on my arm with my half healed collar bone which didn't sound or feel good.
I was getting frustrated that i couldn't get down the mountain without slipping every few steps. 
Maybe I was stupid to do the race...

I hit the second uphill at the 8km mark and had the steepest climb for the next 2km. As i got higher there was a couple of times i had to crawl up on my hands and knees to keep traction because there was nothing to hold on to or the ropes to pull up on were covered in mud and were super wet so pretty useless.
Up was better than down though because I didn't fall as much and made up some time.  
Even though it was cloudy there was still  an incredible view from the top of one of the mountains
- i could see the whole of Taipei City!
I went into this race with an attitude that I surprised myself with.
I wanted to do it on my own, for me. 
So we agreed to run our own times instead of sticking together as a group and that's exactly what we did. 
James did super well in coming in 50th of 218 people and I came 163rd. 

Where I came doesn't matter to me because every single time I fell over 'fall down seven times, get up eight' came into my head. Even on the 20th time when i was getting super frustrated that it took me half an hour to make it 1 km down the mountain and people were skipping on past me. I just kept getting up and taking more steps. With my shoes and my shoulder and the weather situation- there were quite a few people that didn't finish the race- the fact that i finished it and before the cut off time was enough of an achievement for me!  

There was just one point where I considered not completing the race, I couldn't stop slipping and falling over and I was super worried I would injure myself worse, but quitting is not even an option. 

I'm in the middle of a mountain.

The only way out is the way I came in and after all the up I've just done It's easier to keep going than to go back. 


I kept thinking 'step by step, and don't give up'. 

It's just like life, when it gets super tough, you just keep going, working hard and doing your best until you make it. 

And, I did make it. 

Navigating the mountains, picking myself back up when i fell over and showing myself i can totally  do it by on my own. 

I could have prepared better, and it's lessons learnt for the next time i have one of my great 'let's go and climb a mountain' ideas. 

After a short rest at the finish line we took the Gondola Back down to the train station to head back into the city. 
The general pain of my entire being slightly ruined what was a beautiful ride. 
We stopped by the store on the way back to the guest house to get some drinks. 
Lots of drink, painkillers and a shower and i felt a lot better. 

I think i'm ready to do it all over again. 

There's no feeling in the world quite like climbing mountains (even 'small' ones).