The USTRI Trip to Japan
Deborah Klens-Bigman, Ph.D.

On Thursday, May 18, 2006, I left the sticky streets of New York to fly to Chicago to meet up with the members of the US Tamiya Ryu Iaijutsu Organization (USTRIO) delegation bound for Osaka, Japan. We had several objectives for this trip. The first was to formalize a "sister dojo" relationship between the USTRIO and the Tamiya Ryu Iaijutsu dojo in Wakayama ken. The second involved travel all the way to Iyo-Saijo on the island of Shikoku in pursuit of the "roots" of Tamiya Ryu Iaijutsu.

As I was planning the trip, it occurred to me that I had not been anywhere with a group since I went to Europe with my whole family when I was 12. Though we all survived and were probably better for that now-distant experience, I remembered that traveling with five other people was not the easiest way to get around. Now I was going to be one of ten.

After a doubtful trip to Chicago (in the dicey weather, many flights were changed or canceled, to the point where I was not sure if my luggage was going to find its way to Japan or not), I arrived and met up with Shihan Michael Alexanian and the rest of the crew: Jeff Sensei, Bill, James and Tammy, Scott, Tom and Eric, and Laura.

Finally we were on our way. Michael Sensei had arranged for the two of us to sit together, and we swapped stories and talked dojo business through almost the entire, long flight. After arriving, owing to the bus schedule, we killed about an hour in the airport lobby, where members of the group ambled around, trying to get used to the vending machines and pay phones (seven of the ten had never been to Japan before). Eventually, bleary-eyed, we made it to our first stop - a Ramada hotel near the airport. After a quiet dinner at the hotel, we all retired, more or less.

The next day, we embarked for Wakayama. Though it took us awhile to get organized, one of the advantages of "dojo travel" is that people are generally highly cooperative. Additionally, Michael Sensei wisely arranged the schedule to not be so "crazy"; in other words, to allow enough time to get to train stations before or after rush hours, and enough transfer time in between where necessary, for ten people and their luggage to not have to suffer too much in transit.

Members of the Wakayama ken (prefecture) dojo met us at the train station. Kusukawa Kazuya Sensei acted as our main host during our stay. After collecting Tsumaki Kazuo Sensei, Fuku Soke of Tamiya Ryu Iaijutsu and his assistant, Endo Gentei Sensei, we embarked on a day of sightseeing around the town.

Wakayama jo (castle) was first on the list. Like a lot of historical sights around Japan, the castle was obliterated by the end of the Pacific War, and then rebuilt as a museum. Generally speaking, rebuilt castles do not hold the same interest for me as the ones that managed to escape the ravages of time unscathed, but there are often authentically old parts of them that are still visible and worthwhile. At Wakayama, the first sight of such interest was the garden inside the outer wall (Photo 1). It has been said that the garden was used as a model for the one at Edo castle, which, like the shoguns, is long gone. The garden has been preserved in Edo period splendor and still showed some irises and azaleas, along with abundant, and very pretty, greenery.

After a long and circular climb, we finally arrived at the rebuilt castle (Photo 2 and Photo 3). Though the building was relatively new, the sloping base was intact. Our guide pointed out that the lord who built the castle used actual tombstones along with regular stones from time to time for the portion of the wall opposite the entrance (Photo 4). No one knows why, but about 30 of them can be seen (made obvious because the stone is some sort of marble as opposed to the darker native stone that makes up most of the wall). The guide speculated that it was to show the daimyo's power over his rivals, but I am not sure I agree. If that were the case, then the stones should have been in the front for all to see. Moreover, tombstones, like other things connected with graveyards, are now (and may have always been) considered bad luck. I can only think of two possibilities: (1) stones were usually raised by conscription - the daimyo would have determined who had to contribute how much. It is possible that people who were falling short of their quota may have seized on any available stone; or (2) the "bad luck" stones may have been placed at the rear to ward off possible climbers. In any case, I have not seen this before.

Like other castles rebuilt just after the war, this one reminded me of my old high school - linoleum flooring, wide stairs with those metal strips on the edges. Though the contents were interesting, the building itself offered little charm. After enjoying the museum and the view, we were off for another sight altogether - the Toshogu Shrine.

The contrast could not have been more deliberate. The Wakayama Toshogu shrine was built to honor Tokugawa Ieyasu, and is related to the one in Nikko (Photo 5). We had to climb many steps to the top. (Several of the USTRIO deshi raced each other up. Ah, youth! I was just happy to make it at all.) Once we arrived, Tsumaki Sensei, Michael Sensei, Endo Sensei and Kusukawa Sensei took part in a brief but solemn ceremony to ask for a blessing on the "sister dojo" arrangement. Another advantage of "dojo travel" was that we did not need any coaching as to what our role in the ceremony should be. We sat in seiza, bowed and clapped according to instructions. I have taken part in some Shinto ceremonies before, and have always enjoyed the sense of elemental power about them. The Toshogu Shrine in Wakayama is a fairly important one, and the simple ceremony was very moving.

After the ceremony, the miko san (priestess) walked us around the main shrine building, which is famous for its artwork, done by members of the Kano school (the Kano school was also responsible for decorating Nijojo, the shogun's palace in Kyoto, among other projects) (Photo 6). The intricate carvings and paintings on the shrine exterior were extraordinary, and we were fortunate to be able to have a mini guided tour.

Dinner at a pleasant little restaurant followed, but we all turned in early, because the next day (Sunday) would be a long one: a practice, followed by a taikai, then a signing ceremony and party to celebrate the new dojo affiliation. (Tsumaki Sensei was already talking about the "party after the party," but more about that later.)

We started Sunday morning with a training class conducted by Tsumaki Sensei and the senior teachers. In addition to the US group, there were representatives from the five Tamiya Ryu Iaijutsu dojo in Wakayama ken. They were all thrilled to have Tsumaki Sensei visit. Tsumaki Sensei seemed most interested in seeing what everyone could do, so we reviewed the Omote no Maki (the first set of forms). I have studied Muso Shinden Ryu for many years, and have often marveled at the careful structure of the sets of forms, designed (perhaps with the exception of the Okuden set) to introduce techniques a little at a time. TRI is a different puzzle altogether. Each form is dense with different techniques. Very often the only indication that the forms belong to the same style is the sequence of kamae that include the chiburi and noto, and even this is not always consistent through the whole style. That makes TRI forms more difficult to learn and remember (and more intriguing overall, of course).

After a brief lunch break, the taikai began. The US group stood up to sing "Nihon To," Tsumaki Seirin Soke's enka-style ballad to the Japanese sword. We did not know the tune, but we tried to sound sincere, and it worked, pretty much. Endo Sensei performed a kenbu (sword dance) and a shibu (fan dance) (Photos 7 and 8). Michael Sensei and Kusukawa Sensei performed ainuki, (lit. "together drawing [swords]"), in which two people perform kata mirroring to each other in timing and movement. After that, everyone performed by rank, Americans and Japanese together (Photo 9). It was a good experience for everyone involved, though personally, I wish I had done better. Sometimes, the hazards of learning by long distance are particularly apparent.

That evening we all congregated at a hotel ballroom in downtown Wakayama for a signing ceremony and party (Photo 10). I can't speak for everyone, but as nice as the ceremony was, I could not help but be distracted by the small army of waiters putting out all kinds of food and drink on huge buffet tables in the middle of the room. Eventually, however, documents were signed, gifts were exchanged, photos were taken and it was time to feast. The best thing about "official" parties is that after the official business is over, everyone really relaxes and has fun. And so we did.

And more afterward. We charged back to the hotel, changed our clothes, and raced off to a small bar/restaurant for an "after party" party (Tsumaki Sensei led this particular charge). Though we got home early by US standards, everyone had ample time to eat (again!) and drink their fill. For the members of the group who had never been to Japan before, it was a good introduction to how polite formality can give way to a (still mild) form of mayhem.

The next day, we bid farewell to everyone (Endo Sensei and Tsumaki Sensei left for different parts that morning) and started on the long, long way to Iyo-Saijo, in Ehime ken in Shikoku. Shikoku is a fairly large island (though smaller than Kyushu) off the Japan sea coast, connected by a large highway/railroad bridge. The view during the five minutes it took to cross was spectacular. I very much had the feeling we were leaving "Japan" behind and were embarking for a different world; a feeling borne out by the additional sights: a shrine in the open water connected by a thin causeway, small castles that sprouted up in every other town that we passed.

And it really was a different world. Not only could I not understand the dialect to any extent, but the people we met could not really understand my "Tokyo ben" Japanese either. Fortunately, we were saved by Alex, an Asian American JET Program participant from Georgia who been there for several months and learned how to speak locally. We were tremendously grateful for his help.

Because of a scheduling snafu, we arrived about an hour later than planned. The moment we arrived, volunteer drivers from the Saijo TRI dojo whisked us off to the Saijo Shrine for a demonstration, performed by Michael Sensei, Jeff Sensei, and members of the Saijo TRI dojo (Photo 11).

Directly following the enbu, we accomplished the second major objective of the trip - a visit to Ryushoji, a local Buddhist temple, to visit the Tsumaki family graves. Iyo- Saijo was the first place the Tsumaki family arrived after they left Kyushu and many family members have graves here. Michael Sensei performed a ceremony of placing fresh flowers at the main monument (Photo 12). Tsumaki Sensei had charged me with an important task, to take a photo of the grave stone of a Tsumaki family member from the first generation to arrive in Saijo. I did my best (Photo 13).

Iyo-Saijo is a small, quiet town, and our presence there seemed to cause a little ruckus. We were even featured on the local news program that was broadcast that evening. After dinner at a small restaurant, we were off to a hotel that the US-based travel agent had picked out for us. Way off - a 20-minute bus ride in the deepening darkness. We were still feeling a little culture shock, and now we were traveling past rice fields and scattered small houses. Finally, we pulled up on a deserted road in front of a brightly-lit hotel, which stood next to a building, the sign for which I could easily read (no culture shock here!) - "Onsen" - a hot spring.

Earlier in the day, Alex told us that Iyo-Saijo is famous for its spring water. He took us to a local cold spring in the middle of town for a taste. The water was indeed sweet. Now I had a chance to really try the local product for myself. While the other members of the group settled in to whatever amused them for evening activities, I prepared my toiletries for a trip downstairs. The onsen was free for hotel guests. I stayed for more than an hour, and felt the various aches and pains of lugging a big suitcase up and down train station stairs for several days melt away. The few local ladies in attendance did not quite know what to make of me and, though it was unusual in my experience, kept their distance. But I did not care. Sometimes cultural ambassadorship needs a night off.

The next day started off well, weather-wise, but quickly disintegrated as we began our long trip back to Honshu and the town of Seki. By the time our train crossed the big bridge, the view that was so spectacular the day before was totally obscured by mist and rain.

Seki is a very small town, and to get there, we had to take ever more local conveyances. Express train, local train, commuter train. By the time we got to the general vicinity, it was dark and raining substantially. The only bus to the hotel was a city bus, not very conducive to people with luggage. We were wet and tired and decided to take taxis.

Some time (and several cellphone calls) later, the taxis, nearly all of which got lost en route, arrived at a small business hotel somewhere outside of downtown. As with the hotel in Iyo-Saijo, however, this one also had a plus: a very good, very cheap shabu shabu restaurant was attached to the place. The woman who ran the place was happy to carry on in Japanese (a more understandable dialect this time) as though the strangers in her restaurant should be able to understand her as well as any of her regular clientele. Though I think some members of our group were slightly baffled, I enjoyed both the food and the friendly conversation.

After breakfast the next morning, we went by taxi to the Seki Sword Museum, where Michael Sensei had arranged a demonstration of swordmaking. The smith, Kanemichi Sensei, gave a nice opening lecture explaining the steps in the process of transforming iron into carbonized steel, and then the shaping and folding needed to transform raw materials into a katana. Then Kanemichi Sensei and his apprentices got to work, pounding and folding a chunk of iron that he periodically rolled in some charcoal flakes as he sat next to the forge (Photo 14). The museum offered some interesting background on Seki as a sword-making area, and among other things, exhibited what is perhaps the world's largest tachi - nearly 20 feet long (though I am a poor judge of such things).

Happily, the hotel clerk explained that we could get a limo bus to Nagoya to go to our final destination, Kyoto, without having to wind back through the countryside. Everyone was exhausted by this time, and most people took naps on the way.

Michael Sensei arranged the schedule to give us a couple of hours in Himeji, home of the famous Shirasagijo (the "White Crane Castle," which I have written about elsewhere - see my article in FightingArts.com). The weather was cooperative and we wandered around the place for a little while before getting back on the Shinkansen for the relatively brief trip to Kyoto.

After checking in to our hotel, we actually had the evening off from structured activities (Michael Sensei had a previous dinner engagement). I went for a walk around the town a little, by myself for the first time in about a week. It was about five years since I had been in Kyoto. Though I have never warmed up to the town that much, it was a nice evening, and a perfect opportunity to shed my traveling companions for a few hours. Though they were generally fine to be with, a large group is still a large group. I really enjoyed the solitude.

The next day we went sightseeing, courtesy of the "Raku bus" - a city bus that hits nearly all the important tourist destinations. We bought all-day tickets and went everywhere you are supposed to go. I had been to these places before for the most part, but never to Kiyomizudera, which gave some spectacular views of Kyoto (Photo 15 and Photo 16). We wound up the day with a visit to Aoki san, proprietor of Meirin martial arts supplies, who has a well-located shop right next to the Kyoto Budokan. After a day of sightseeing, we had a farewell dinner in Gion. Our host, a long time friend of Michael Sensei, insisted on walking us out afterward to the street where tourists wait to see the maiko san (apprentice geisha) and their dan'na (patrons). As you might expect, the ladies were beautifully dressed, and their escorts looked every bit the wealthy men they no doubt were.

The after party continued in Michael Sensei's room, where we valiantly tried to consume the many bottles of sake' and shochu people had given Michael Sensei to spare him the effort of transporting them back to the States. We tried hard, but only succeeded in making a small dent (specifically, one bottle of sake'; one of shochu).

The next late morning, everyone departed from the train station to go to the airport outside of Osaka. I saw them off, since I was staying on for more adventures of my own.

So, we had a densely packed week. Though I have been to Japan many times, there are always new places to explore. Though I really don't consider myself a "group" person, to everyone's credit, the USTRI delegation all got along well and enjoyed each other's company. I look forward to the next trip.

Photos by Deborah Klens-Bigman, Ph.D.