Aikido is the Art of Winning without Fighting. Practicing the art is an excellent way to incorporate this principle in your mind and body.
It teaches you how to keep your center while those about you are losing theirs, and that is just what is needed in times of change and crisis.
A new video blog which will feature Nanba and Japanology free style, in High Definition video and photos.
While these videos will be mixed in narration between English and Japanese, the blog posts accompanying them will be in English.
If you are interested in an in-depth look at JAPANOLOGY, I have started an eLearning course at Otemae University in Osaka, which contains interviews in Japanese I did with some amazing people, including many of my own teachers. Download the PDF on my course in JAPANOLOGY.
This scene is from the 47th NHK Taiga Drama Atsuhime (2008), and features the famous meeting between Sakamoto Ryoma and Katsu Kaishu. You can watch many of the episodes with English subtitles.
It also foreshadows the 49th NHK Taiga Drama Ryomaden (2010), which will air in 48 episodes every Sunday evening on NHK, starting on January 3.
These two men are significant because they are both Renaissance Samurai, who had a pivotal role in Japan's modernization in the transition from the Edo to the Meiji Period. Their meeting occurred in 1862, concurrent with the Civil War between the States in America, a time of turmoil for both countries.
Sakamoto Ryoma is widely admired in Japan today because of his courage, vision, and action as a Samurai in a time of instability brought on by the forced opening of Japan after more than 250 years of isolation from the rest of the world.
In this scene shown above, he had gone to meet Katsu Kaishu, the commissioner of the Shogun's Navy, with the intention of assassinating him as part of his desire to overthrow the military government and restore the Emperor to power. But he was overawed by Katsu Kaishu's presence and vision, and before their meeting was over Ryoma asked to become his student. Ryoma came to call him the "greatest man in Japan", and worked with him to study naval arts and sciences.
Katsu Kaishu was the not only the Commissioner of the Shogun's Navy, he also led the first Japanese delegation to the United States in January of 1860, and spent two months in San Francisco absorbing American society, technology, and culture.
He was instrumental in promoting modernization and democratization of Japan, promoting a caste-free society in which any man can engage in commerce. He was deeply impressed by the values he observed of equal opportunity for anyone with ability, perhaps because he himself was of low Samurai birth.
Despite numerous attempts on his life, and the responsibility for dangerous diplomacy, he despised killing, and kept his sword so tightly tied to the scabbard that the blade could not be drawn.
Nagahama John Manjiro is the third character mentioned by Katsu Kaishu in the scene shown above. His fishing vessel was shipwrecked in 1841, when at the age of 14 he was picked up by an American Whaler and taken to America. He became the first Japanese to set foot on American soil, and to receive an education in America. He eventually returned to Japan, where he became the translator and interpreter for the Shogun, and also became a teacher of shipbuilding and navigation to Katsu Kaishu and Sakamoto Ryoma, as well as Fukuzawa Yukichi.
Fukuzawa Yukichi was also born as a low ranking Samurai, yet rose to become one of the leaders of the Meiji Restoration. Fukuzawa Yukichi was also a Renaissance Samurai, who was fascinated with Western culture, became fluent in Dutch and English, traveled with Katsu Kaishu in the first delegation to of the Shogun's Navy to San Francisco.
Fukuzawa Yukichi wrote influential essays and books, and promoted the idea of "national independence through personal independence." He also founded Keio University, and his image appears on the Japanese 10,000 yen note.
These men were born as Samurai of low rank, and rose to the challenge of their times. They were flexible and practical learners, proponents of learning by doing. They were passionate and pragmatic, courageous and curious. They were dedicated to learning, and open to new ideas and innovation, while still demonstrating their Samurai spirit with courage, clarity, and commitment.
They helped lead Japan through a time of crisis. Perhaps that
is why there is so much interest in them today, as Japan faces new
crises that shake old foundations, and looks in the mirror in search of its traditional values.
It isn't easy to draw parallels between the present and a period 150 years in the past. But the fascination today with this period is strong. There are hundreds of business study groups and associations in Japan, and many books dedicated to learning life lessons from Sakamoto Ryoma.
The Sunday night 49th NHK Taiga Drama Series Ryomadenpromises to raise the interest to a fever pitch.
For my part, I plan to start a study group in 2010 on Renaissance Samurai, which will look not only at biographical stories of such men, but also at lessons from Japanology, Aikido, and Nanba.
This photo was taken at our dojo's year end party in Japan, with Aikido Yuishinkai founder Sensei Maruyama Koretoshi at the center.
The aura of the group is a happy one, coming from our gratitude in being able to be together with Maruyama Sensei and to train in the marvelous Way of Aikido.
Maruyama Sensei gave us some deep insights into the origins of another Japanese word for happiness (shiawase幸), which comes from the meaning combining two other characters:
志 (Shi: intention, cause, mission)
合わせ (Awase:joining together)
Hence the Joy of a Common Cause.
Moreover, Shi (志 kokorozashi) is written with the characters meaning Mind of the Samurai (心 ＋ 士).
The Way of Aikido joins people together in a common cause, which because you never quit or graduate from, becomes a way of life.
When people come together in happiness on the surface, but below the surface are actually seeking their own individual happiness, something happens over time that reveals the disharmony of the group. This ends in tension, stress, conflict, and separation, and deviation from the original Path of Harmony.
What binds people together and keeps them together is an understanding of the original meaning of Shiawase, the joy of joining together in a common cause.
This cause can be great or small, can involve a large group, a small group, a couple, or even an individual who has joined with something greater than him or herself.
Mohandas K. Ghandi said that, Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. This authenticity was also the secret of his ability to lead others, to speak for hours without notes, and to change the world.
2009 has been a difficult year for many people. But as we look back we see that despite the challenges, hurdles, and hardships, perhaps even thanks to these, we have emerged stronger and better for it, and have much to be grateful for.
Keep this in mind and seek harmony as you enjoy family gatherings, year end parties, and celebrations together with the people with whom you share a common cause.
October 20, 2009 marked the last day of our Shikoku Muchujin in Paris project, in which I accompanied 6 French bloggers on an all expenses paid trip to some of the best cultural and natural treasures of Shikoku.
The bloggers were selected from among 200 applicants, and represented an excellent mix of talent, with specialties in architecture and interiors, photos of Japan, videography, diary illustrations, gardens, and cuisine. Each of them wrote and recorded the trip from their own point of view, and we were all over social media.
One of the bloggers got over 7000 page views per day during the trip, with dozens of people commenting. David Michaud's camera and website http://www.lejapon.fr will show you sides of Japan you shouldn't miss.
On October 20, I gave a keynote speech to report on the trip, as well as thank the sponsors and many local businesses who made the project possible.
The speech was recorded on video, and has been posted in 7~10 minute segments on the site at:
The project developed into an excellent model for experiential tourism and social media marketing, and opens windows to the world on a wonderful part of Japan waiting to be discovered!
In case you missed it the first time, here is a great excerpt from the classic Western The Red Sun, starring Charles Bronson and Toshiro Mifune.
With the Japanese love of Westerns and the Western love of Samurai, this movie made a perfect match. Both actors are gone now, but they each left us with a wonderful legacy of film classics.
The Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival was held on July 25, 2009. This festival is one of Japan's oldest and best, dating back to 1733. In this video I feature not just the fireworks, but the people, who were just as interesting to watch. Pretty girls in Yukata, night temple views, conversations floating in and out, many ways to beat the heat with beer, fans, and festival food.
I started near the Sensoji Temple, and explored various street views, ending up crossing the bridge over the Sumida River, shoulder to shoulder people, under a friendly police escort. A young crowd following an old tradition. Summer fun in Tokyo under a magic sky.
Coexisting with the world of Japanese fantasy was the world of Japanese Traditional, including shows and demonstrations of martial arts, Japanese drums and traditional dances, again drawing huge crowds.
Martial Arts are hugely popular in France, far more popular you might argue than in Japan. Certainly as much cult as culture. Taiko drumming and Japanese folk dances provided high entertainment, and much of it was captivating, performed by French as well as Japanese.
Most of these were sponsored by well-established performing groups in France, or visitors from Japan sponsored by agencies promoting trade in Japan. Though you might say that it was Japan served up for French tastes, there was genuine enthusiasm and appreciation in the air.
Tradition provided a contrast for the wilder side, and all with a multi-cultural atmosphere of tolerance and acceptance. Here a few photos showing the other side of the EXPO.
The 10th Japan EXPO 2009 showcased a growing movement with ten years of momentum. The official website presents a more comprehensive picture of what the show is and aims to be. The theme of the show is Japan, featuring a large buffet of knowledge and entertainment including Presentations of Cosplay, Fashion, Live House, Anime, Traditional Culture, Martial Arts, Video Games, and Iconic Mania.
But here are some of my impressions having been a part of it. In some ways, to walk the show you might just as well have followed Alice down the rabbit hole into Wonderland. In this post I feature a selection of photos from the floor showing close encounters with creatures I admit having never seen in Japan. But then I have focused my attention living in Japan on traditional arts such as Aikido and Calligraphy. Even living in Tokyo, I have probably spent more time in Kyoto than Harajuku, so it's possible to have missed it entirely.
What was most interesting was to see the French faces beneath the masks and body paint, to enjoy how eagerly they posed for pictures, and to get a sense for what must have been a similar fever for Japanese culture during the first wave of Japonisme, a term coined in 1872 by Jules Claretie in his book L'Art Francais, triggered by Ukiyoe and costume, and influencing artists from the French Impressionists to Vincent Van Gogh and Henri de Toutouse-Lautrec.
Almost impossible to put it all together, but hope you enjoy some of what I saw walking the floor and capturing the flow and the fantasy of bodies and faces. Many of them were armed with replica weapons, Chinese or Japanese swords, medieval studded mace and chain, and modern machine guns. Some were oddly capped with elf-like hats, or the headwear of a Buddhist Priest, even good old fashioned pirates, alongside cuties in cosplay and parasols advertising free hugs. And masses of people everywhere speaking French, of course. It was as if somebody flicked a switch, and suddenly Final Fantasy became Temporary Reality.
Here are 13 images.
Click on any of the pictures to get a closer look.
One of the highlights of the Japan EXPO for us was sponsoring the Kimono Show, at which we had close to 100 applicants, who submitted entries as couples, and competed by a simple drawing by entry number, which I conducted on the stage before an audience of over 150 people.
The lucky couple then came up on the stage, where first the man and then the woman were dressed in formal kimono, which they got to keep! The kimono were a gift from one of the Shikoku Muchujin Sponsors from Kagawa Prefecture, and the dressing (kitsuke) was carried out by an expert Kimono teacher (second from left).
It is difficult enough to wear a kimono, with over 20 accessories, and its inner and outer robes and sashes, much less to dress oneself. It took over 40 minutes to fully dress the couple, after which I gave them a lesson in Nanba Walking so that they would look as good in motion as they did standing still.
The biggest challenge for me was how to explain in French, not only the parts and process of wearing a kimono, but also how to walk Nanba style. I was asked to be the master of ceremonies for the entire hour, and probably had about 2 minutes worth of French in me to say all I had to say. No translator was provided. The Nanba solution to this problem? Find a translator, on the spot, a few minutes before the show started. I did. The lady standing to the left of the Kimono teacher above was actually one of the applicants. She spoke English quite well, and graciously agreed to be my translator despite my impromptu request. She charmed the audience and delivered my messages with spontaneous accuracy.
You must walk lightly, like a cat.
On peut marche comme un chat, très leger, très leger.
Living in Japan you take so much for granted. For the couple on stage and for most everyone in the audience, this was a nearly other-world experience, and a highlight of haute-couture amidst the world of popular culture all around it.
The audience chairs were filled to capacity with many standing looking on. They were attentive to learn as well as to enjoy. The stage was filled almost continually throughout the EXPO, featuring Japanese dance, taiko drumming, martial arts, language lessons, ranging from festive to academic, and always had an audience.
The lucky couple won a Kimono in the drawing which was one chance out of a hundred applicants. They may have even a slimmer chance of figuring out how to put the Kimono on again without the teacher's help, but as the French word souvenir suggests, it was probably one of the best memories possible to take home from the Japan EXPO.
Our booth at the Japan EXPO was sponsored by Shikoku Muchujin in Paris, who are also sponsoring a contest to invite 5 French pro-bloggers to Japan, all expenses paid, in October of this year, to spend 2 weeks in Shikoku, learning about sides and depths of Japanese culture which they will write about, photograph, and draw from their experience.
Before the Japan EXPO we had 77 applicants for these 5 positions. After the EXPO we had over 150 applicants! The booth had plenty of visual and video interest about Shikoku, but with 150,000 people at the Japan EXPO, and probably 150,000,000 things
to see, it is a challenge to get anyone to stop, much less stay at your
booth for more than a few minutes in passing.
One thing which turned out to be one of the biggest draws for our booth
was something that was both unplanned and unexpected. While I had
counted on doing a demonstration of brush calligraphy, it turned out
that people were willing to line up and pay for fans (uchiwa) with their name painted on it in kanji.
Thanks to the collaboration of members of our booth, we set up a system whereby visitors to the booth could give us their name in French, we would find a set of characters to match the sound, and if they liked the meaning, then I would paint the characters on a fan, which they would buy for 7 Euros. This proved so popular that we had lines of up to 15 people waiting as long as 30 minutes to get their name painted, or the name of a friend or family member. I was told that it is almost impossible to get people to wait this long for something at a booth at a show like this, so they must have really wanted it.
I made two samples shown here, showing the sound in hiragana and the meaning in kanji, for the name Marie (まり、Mari, or 真理, Truth).
Lines formed immediately, and never abated as long as I was willing to keep painting, which was for several hours each day! Some even came back to get another fan made, after theirs was stolen!
It was a challenge coming up with characters that not only sounded like the person's name, but also had an attractive meaning. French names are sometimes hyphenated and quite long. Some examples we came up with included:
Hélène 恵恋 (Blessed in Love)
Guillaume 祇園夢 (Dream in Gion-Kyoto)
Marie 真理 (Truth)
Adrienne 亜鳥縁 (Fortunate Bird of Asia)
With names like François, Claire, An-Sophie, Véronique, we had the challenge of continually coming up with kanji to fit, and of course painting the characters on fans one after another, while we could hardly communicate with our visitors except through a translator and body language.
One man's request was for a woman's name. The meaning it turned out was close to, Loved by many men, or Loved many times. He cried out, C'est pour ma femme! (It's for my wife!). He wanted it anyway.
We had no idea that something as simple as personalizing a name would prove so popular. I literally could have spend the entire time every day doing nothing but this, and the line would never go down. I actually enjoyed this almost the most, because it gave me a chance to engage with so many people on a personal one to one basis, to see their expressions of interest and delight, and to listen to their comments as they watched. These would have been great to capture on film, but they happened so spontaneously, that they were impossible to capture.
Here a a few photos that give you a general idea. The close ups show the character for dragon (龍) in the process of emerging.
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