1st Kyu (Brown belt) Welsh Retreat

The weekend retreat in Wales was the first for the Zenshin dojo 1st kyu (brown belt) group.  After navigating enforced traffic delays, including the South Wales rush hour, accidents and roadworks, eventually eight members, drawn from across Zenshin dojo, sat together to enjoy excellent food prepared by Lucy.    The idea of the retreat is to bring people together, allowing them to mix and

mingle in a way ordinarily difficult during the weekly practice schedule.

 It doubles as an intensive karate experience and socially enjoyable get together.  Lucy had pre-prepared an excellent chilli; one veggie, one meat, and all the trimmings.  After supper, the group moved outside to the decking area adjacent to woodland and, in the cool evening air, drank, joked and conversed with each other whilst sitting comfortably around a blazing fire pit.

The next morning, after breakfast and posing for a pre practice photo, the group drove the short distance to LLanstefan beach.  The weather was amazing.  The sun shone, the big sky was clear blue, the rolling Welsh hills green and picturesque.  The otherwise deserted beach was a vast open space of golden sand ranging from talc like softness to a yielding firmness.

Practice began immediately with a run to the water line and back before lining up for kihon.  The kihon practice, although simple and basic, enjoyed a magical quality.  The group were encouraged to take advantage of their spacious, open and glorious surroundings, keeping their vision up and out as they moved slowly and methodically back and forth for a considerable distance.  The gang then adjourned to the water’s edge where the group experienced kiba dachi and shiko dachi, rooting themselves to the ground to prevent being blown over by the significantly strong, warm wind racing across the water.  It was as if nature itself was testing their stances.

Later, the group worked their Heian katas and were introduced to the conceptual “circle of excellence”, designed to encourage and improve their understanding of mushin and zanshin.  From Heian they progressed to Bassai Dai, the traditional 1st kyu to 1st dan kata.  Much work needed to be done and the group separated into pairs, working with each other, feeding back and discussing techniques.

Lunch back at the Lodge was provided by Gemma and Bev; a simple but delicious selection of salad, condiments, bread, quiche and cold meats.  Ninety minutes later everyone was back on the beach, thrown head first into fast Sanbon, Ippon, jyu Ippon and jyu kumite.  It was a tough session, but the time available allowed Rob to explain in detail the fundamentals of kumite, its nuances and what was expected.  The group rose to the challenge and after much practice the intensity of engagement and overall understanding grew to a more advanced level.

After a short water break, it was the turn of Tekki drills from the “clinch”.  Unfamiliar for some and a refresher for others.  After explaining these exercises were a form of kumite, but often interpreted as more obvious self defence techniques, as opposed to the more profound skills and qualities found in the previous kumite practice, Rob took the opportunity to place Emily under considerable pressure by organising a mock “clinch” assessment.  Her seven assailants lined up in front of her and attacked with right hooks as Emily defended herself with vigour and searched for the presence of mind to deliver effective responses.

As the clouds began to gather the group moved to the water’s edge for final Bassai Dai practice.  First in groups, then solo, then finally in the cold, River Towy water.

The Zenshin Dojo Katana

Wikipedia describes the katana as historically one of the traditionally made Japanese swords used by the samurai of ancient and feudal Japan.  The katana is characterised by its distinctive appearance: a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard, and long grip to accommodate two hands.

The Zenshin dojo katana, was bought on behalf of the club from a dealer in April 2004.  It represents a metaphor for the qualities required to achieve dan grade (black belt), and therefore is not intended to be interpreted in the context of the samurai, combat, or “budo” arts.

The sword itself can be perceived as an object of grace and beauty, and yet it retains the ability to cause harm and injury. Like our art, it relies upon the integrity of the owner to use it without malice; honestly and honourably.    The blade, forged by a craftsman for countless hours, represents the labour; time, care and endeavour required to progress through the kyu grades thus demonstrating there are no short cuts to “forging” both sound character and good technique. The Samurai was never seen without the katana and so should this be for karate.  Recognising its value in all aspects of everyday life is what differentiates karate from other forms of physical activity.

The Zenshin dojo katana blade edge (ha), is sharp and remains hidden, sheathed in a plain undecorated scabbard (saya) it’s exposed only on rare occasions thus signifying that, like the karate ka, beneath the unpretentious façade exists a “cutting edge” capable of significant impact.  The primary occasion for exposure of the blade is the acceptance of a new member into the “Yudansha-kai”, (black belt association).

The age of the weapon represents “history”, “a past” metaphoric of experience.  As a genuine antique it represents “an authentic article” and is thus symbolic of the meaningful nature of dan grade achievement and Yudansha.  More decorative swords can be purchased.  To the untrained eye they are pleasing and impressive, however they lack that certain something necessary to be “the real deal”

The signature on the tang (that portion of a sword that is hidden by the handle), is authentic, engraved by the master smith Sadahiro around 1680.  It was common practice in the ShinShinto period (1764 – 1868) to put an old tang on a new blade, basically to give the blade more prestige in an attempt to increase its value.
It’s a Tsugi Nakago which basically means that the original nakago (tang) has been removed and replaced with a different one. The signature is gimei (gimei swords are those that bear a fake signature) to the blade (as in Sadahiro didn’t forge this blade) but the signature was declared authentic by sword expert Steve Smith of Liverpool Museum. This is quite rare in itself as there’s an old Japanese saying “11 out of 10 signatures are fake”. The Sadahiro tang was probably taken from a fatally flawed or broken blade. The tang from the other katana was removed and welded to the new one.  An old blade by a master smith is worth a lot of money. It was probably done during shin-shinto times but possibly it could have been done as late as World War 2. 

During the forging process, when the smith folded the steel, he mishit the blade once with his hammer letting air into the fold thus giving the club blade its one minor flaw.

The blade is forged in the Mino Tradition, a collective name for sword maker’s schools in the Japanese province of Mino, which had similar characteristics in varying degrees. The centre of sword making schools in the Mino tradition was the city Seki near Gifu.  The blade has a Sugu-ha hamon (straight pattern) Suguha is one of the oldest patterns of hamon; and muji hada (grain).   Muji means a "plain" or "unfigured", ji (blade surface). This is a hada (grain) with a very small, very tight pattern which is very difficult to discern. The boshi of this blade is also perfect; quite a lot of Katana’s are fire damaged on the boshi from the Samurai cooking food on the end of the blade! (Boshi is the shape of temper line in the point of the sword).

 The tsuba (sword guard) is not original to the blade.  The original tsuba was a very plain circular open work one.   The current tsuba has not been appraised therefore unfortunately not much is known about it.  It’s authentic Japanese and very old, probably 18th Century but could be much older.

The saya (scabbard or sheath) is probably from the 1960 /70s.  Whenever a Japanese blade is polished there is a need to replace the old saya with a new one as the slightest bit of dirt or grit in the saya can damage and spoil a freshly polished blade.

Within Zenshin dojo Rob holds the official title of Sōsetsu-Shihan  (founder).  He currently has responsibility for the maintenance, safe storage and use of the club katana.  In due course, this responsibility will pass to the elected Zenshin dojo President.

All new Zenshin dojo Yudansha have their award commemorated with an official picture, sat formally in seiza behind the unsheathed katana.  The club website, members only area, displays the photographs and records details of the individual Yudansha members.