This change of time will allow our members to get to the dojo more relaxed from work.

The Thursday sessions will continue to commence at 6.30pm.

Sensei Jo, Julie, Steven and Scott joined me for a sweaty session focusing on the kata Nijushiho.

Nijushiho is new to all three orange belts, and they’ve tackled it enthusiastically. They’ve worked their way through the entire kata (both “sides”), and are bedding it down into their memories. Of course, having learned a variety of self-defences taken straight from this kata, they’re well on their way!

The Henley Community Centre is a nice interim location, and we’re looking forward to the fresh perspective a change of venue will give us.

The interim location for the Kengokan dojo is:

Henley Community Centre (former Henley Bowling Club)
2 Crown Street (corner of Victoria Road)
Henley NSW 2110

Coming from the city, Crown Street is the second street on the left after the Gladesville Bridge. Turn into Crown Street, and the entrance is the second lane on the left, and is marked “Riveside Pre School”. Drive down the laneway, going straight past the pre-school until you get to the old bowling club. There is plenty of parking.

Our training will be in the old bar, which is the room immediately on the right as you go through the main entrance.

Following the Japanese traditions, this session was our Kagami Biraki session. As discussed in the New Years Greetings post, Kagami Biraki means opening the mirror, and symbolises the introspection associated with the New Years period in most cultures, and also the end of the New Years festivities, and the “getting-on-with-it” of training.

For our session, we each completed a full training session, which included:

• 108 star jumps
• 108 blocks
• 108 punches
• 108 kicks

Looking forward to seeing everyone, and to working out the excesses of the holiday season!

Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Watsons_Bay_-_Camp_Cove_Beach,_Sydney_2_-_Nov_2008.jpg

Before the others got there, I started off with a light run up and down the beach, did a light stretch, then ran through a kata or two. Once the others arrived, we all did a run up and down the beach, then moved into kata (Nijushiho and Sanchin) and yakusoku kumite (Sanchin Waza). When the others had to leave for work, I stayed and had a swim, and practiced my own kata – in and out of the water.

One good thing about early morning training is that no matter what else happens today, you’ve done that one thing for yourself! If you get stuck in a long, boring meeting, you can relax knowing you’ve had a great start!

During the training, we talked about the three timings (Go no Sen, Tai no Sen and Sen no Sen) and how these are applied in Sanchin Waza, and also the concepts of kiai (気合) and aiki (合気), and how these are expressed in kata Nijishiho. While karate is often equated with force that is external and strong (kiai), using the opponent’s force against them (aiki) is equally important. Sometimes you give, sometimes you cede.

Thanks to Chrissy, Julie and Scott for getting up and enjoying the morning session.

Actually, most of the content stays the same – if anything, its been updated and expanded. You’ll still find the information on the Kengokan Dojo, Shorinjiryu Koshinkai Karatedo and the arts we practice.

The News page is still here, although its renamed as the News / Blog page. This reflects my intention to use this page for not just dojo news, but also to summarise some of our training sessions, perhaps providing/expanding detail of some of the technical or philosophical concepts discussed. This returns the blog part of the site to its original intended purpose.

By far the biggest change is the fact that we now have a specially designed interface for the iPad, as well as for smartphones. When you visit Kengokan.com on an iPad, you’ll be recognised, and provided with the special interface that looks more like a magazine, and uses swipe controls to move through pages. I think you’ll like it, but you can always go back to the standard view by clicking the link at the bottom of the page.

This website has always been intended as a training support tool for our small band of members. I hope these small changes will improve its usefulness in this.

Photo courtesy of Damon Spooner

This afternoon Sensei Joanna, Chrissy, Julie, Scott and I met by the riverside at Rozelle for our hatsu geiko (first training) for 2012.

Hatsu geiko is an important time in the calendar, because it is a time to  dust the cobwebs off that have been building up over Christmas. As in many Japanese dojo, our hatsu geiko was relatively informal, and was a good chance to practice jo and bo, as well as learn some new stuff – we all took a look at the renzoku kansetsu waza drill (ABCs of Joint Locks), whilst Sensei Jo and Chrissy started on Sanchin Waza and Julie and Scott kicked off with Nijushiho kata.

After a couple of hours, we enjoyed a nice Japanese dinner at Sushi Samurai in Pyrmont. Sensei Jo couldn’t make it, as she need to power on with Dragon Boat training!

Thanks all for a great hatsu geiko!

Courtesy of "tanakawho"

Akemashite omedeto (明けましておめでとう) - Happy New Year to all members, friends and family of the Kengokan Karate Dojo.

In Japan, New Years (oshogatsu 正月) is one of the most important celebrations of the year, both in the dojo and in general society.

My memories of New Years for my 2 years in Japan include hearing Beethoven’s 9th Symphony (“Ode to Joy”) playing everywhere, the ubiquitous mocha rice cakes and of course the first training of the year – hatsu geiko (初稽古). One of my favourite Japanese New Years experiences was visiting  various shrines and temples around Tokyo, experiencing the huge crowds at the Shinto shrines, and listening to the temple bells being rung at Buddhist temples. The temple bells are rung 108 times on New Years Eve, symbolising the need for people to wash away the 108 defilements.

For the Kengokan Dojo, our hatsu geiko will occur today as an informal, outdoors session in King George Park, Rozelle at 4pm. Gi’s are optional for this session – many of us like to wear the zubon (gi pants) and a t-shirt. Being outdoors, its a good chance to practice weapons and also to move on different ground, and with a different atmosphere.

Afterwards we will enjoy a dinner at a Japanese restaurant or noodle bar, to welcome the New Year.

The first official dojo training for the Kengokan Dojo will be on Tuesday 10th Janaury. This will be our kagami biraki (鏡開き) session. Kagami biraki marks the end of the New Years festivities, and the beginning of “getting on with it” for the year.

In most cultures, New Years represents a time of renewal and focus. It is a time to “wash away” the errors of the past, and to focus on what needs to be done going forward. Hatsu geiko and kagami biraki represent that renewal and refocusing in the context of our karate training. Use these sessions to set yourself up for the training that is to come in 2012.

I trust that 2012 will bring you happiness, success and health, and that your karate training at the Kengokan Dojo is an important part of that mix!

Scheduled training for 2012 will resume on Tuesday 10 January 2012. We will once again be training on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6.30pm to 8.00pm.

We will likely schedule some additional outdoor training sessions during the formal break. We will use email to keep everyone in the loop about such opportunities.

I trust everyone has a great break, and that 2012 will be a wonderful year.