2007.02.17.
Well, the first week of the japanese mission has gone, and I got the idea, that creating a simple homepage would be a lot easier than sending emails to people separately. The point is showing as many pictures as we can, so do not expect lots of text, please. We will try to make a new report in every week.
Arrival at Narita Airport. We must be dreaming!
The train lines are very well-organised and accurate, and core information are written in English, as well.
Tokorozawa dojo. The dojo itself is on the first floor, and Hiroaki sensei´s place is on the second. We are here at last...
The inside of the dojo. It looks great, does't it? But maybe sleeping here will be a bit hard.
Kodaira dojo, Ildi´s place for the next three months. Not bad. Please, pay attention to the "tatami": yes, these are simple futons covered with kind of sailcloth. The effect of the seamings upon the skin of our knees will be drastic, I am afraid...
We got a welcome present from the senseis: a day for sightseeing with two guides. This picture has been taken in the entrance of the Oedo Museum. The guy next to Ildi is Ukai-san, a real, fulltime uchideshi. He lives at Tokorozawa dojo with me. The other guy is Ikeda-san, he studies French history at Meiji University, and his dream is making a Japanese restaurant in Paris.
A small park in the middle of the city, surrounded by modern buildings.
The park around the Emperior`s Palace, pictured in a bit artily manner.
The workdays have been started. Traveling between the dojos happens by train and by bicycle early in the morning, during the day and in the night. Fourteen practices in a week and five kid's classes - the first week has been quite hard, but it is slightly better by now.
Today was a free day. Despite our tiredness, we made a small trip. This is a picture of a Japanese grave.
And this is some kind of sanctuary. We had no more energy, to be continued next week...
