Opening of the Year 2019

I've gotten really behind in updating my blog recently, and honestly started to think that there is nothing happening that's worth blogging about.
Then, the more i thought about it, the more i realised there has been things happening. Not as often as before, but thats what happens when you're part of running a new dojo, planning events, studying, working and training alongside it.
So, the goal for this year is to find the good things, make them happen and blog about it.
So that when i'm old i can remember this.
All of it.
The good, bad, exciting, frustrating, inspiring karate life that i'm living.

I took the opportunity on the 13th January to spend the morning at the Budokan watching all the different martial arts do the 'first practice' of the year.

The thing that caught my eye that I hadn't seen at any of the other years was a little girl as part of the sumo group.

I thought this was really wonderful. To see an art that is dominated by men welcome girls to the group is a big step forward in what is still a hugely male dominated part of Japanese culture.

Then I started looking around the room and noticed that now, with the girl in the sumo group, every martial arts group that was practicing had both males and females practicing.

The event went as it usually does, the ceremonial speeches, the opening of the sake, the demonstrations from the masters, followed by the group training.

It was nice to be able to watch it as a spectator and not be a part of it as we have been the past couple of years.