Shindenkan's management SOPORG (Shindenkan Operations and Organization) went to Tokyo in Japan to trace our history, to see with their own eyes and to try to get the full picture.
Kimu Sensei has asked me to describe my experience during SOPORG's Backtrace Japan tour, from the point of view of history and sightseeing.
I have thought a lot about why I have been asked to take that particular point of view.
This is of course because it is one of a number of angles that are interesting to view the trip from, but as always, nothing Kimu Sensei does by chance. It's part of a plan that tries to bring out the best and positively impact as many places as possible at the same time.
So why should I write about history and sightseeing
This trip to Japan served many purposes: Musha shugyō which is an educational journey
Tying past, present and future together
- From our current point of view: SST has retired as head of Bujutsu Kodosokukai after 30 years, aged 80, and has given full license to Kimu Sensei worldwide.
- Backtrace our 50-year history with SST's family system in Denmark and Europe
- Backtrace our 1000 year history in Japan through SST's family system
- Backtrace our 2600 year history in Japan through Kimu Sensei's family history
- Backtrace my own 24 year history in Japan through my martial arts and martial arts history
- The establishment of the new Shindenkan – the Shindenkan of the future, the Viking Samurai Warrior, something we are already a part of through the establishment of associations in Lejre and Roskilde – both of which contain lots of old Viking history
I'm actually very well-travelled - I gathered most of my travel experience in 2002, where I spent most of a year traveling around the world through countless countries. Including Japan. So I've been to Japan before.
But what have I seen, experienced and understood? What parts of the societies I have moved in have I seen?
A trip to Japan is the hot dream of every martial arts or martial arts practitioner. Right from the time I started training 36 years ago, it was my big dream to try to get a real insight into the place of origin of the martial art by trying to be there myself, smelling the atmosphere, simply standing there myself where it all springs from.
A trip to Japan is not cheap, but at Shindenkan we have been lucky enough to get 2 sponsorships totaling DKK. 40,000 NOK and combined with the principle that we at Shindenkan always have an own payment on RRCamps of at least 50%, and are otherwise good at stretching the money with good offers and cheap deals (i.e. Kimu Sensei's network and Corporate deals 😊), there were finances to complete the trip.
SOPORG currently consists of of 4 people, and we had very different experiences in Japan travel with us on the trip, exciting from Søren Renshi, for whom it is the first time the dream has been achieved, to myself, for whom it is the 4th time (latest in 2002), and Jens Hanshi -dai if it is the 6th time (latest in 2016) to Kimu Sensei, who comes from a Japanese/Danish family, and has been to Japan countless times. For him it is 5 times – this year! And when this article is published he has already completed the round 7 times this year and 91 times in total.
Kimu Sensei is our connection to SST, our Japanese Grandmaster who retired on March 31, 2018, and has retired and thus closed his personal organization Bujutsu Kodosokukai, which has thus existed for 30 years in the period 1988-2018. However, he continues to train in his search for perfection in martial arts, together with the original three, now all grandmasters.
Kimu Sensei, with his vast experience and unique connections that are few and far between, organized the trip to Japan, and based in a cheap hotel in Asakusa, 45 minutes north of central Tokyo, we were to trace our roots in Tokyo and the surrounding area, including Kamakura , where the god of war Hachiman-gu has his temple.
Due to the price level in Japan, it was an ultra-efficient trip with 3 nights, and a very tight schedule.
We met at Copenhagen airport and arranged the practicalities of check-in, passport control, etc. Finally, we sat on the plane on our way to Narita Airport, Tokyo, and we used the flight to read the last details about the points on the trip, namely the history and culture of Japan , with a heavy emphasis on Japan's martial arts related history and culture. Kimu Sensei had prepared one two inch thick print book!
We landed the next morning, Japanese time, collected our luggage, and took the airport bus towards Tokyo, and along the way had our first budo-related experience, namely a look at the temples related to two koryu systems respectively; Kashima Shinto-ryu and Katori Shinto-ryu, two styles we know from our own Kenjutsu courses.
Japan is a mixture of new and old in a strange combination, where it never seems strange, perhaps because of the way in which all Japanese consider it the most natural thing in the world.
Tokyo Disney World, with its large replica of the Palace of Versailles, together with a number of huge Ferris wheels, and the famous Rainbow Bridge over Tokyo Bay, also helped to leave their mark on the trip into Tokyo.
And then it was time for a big surprise, because instead of being dropped off at our reserved hotel, we ended up at the Tokyo Hilton Shinjuku – the hotel that was built in connection with the 1964 Olympics, and served as the headquarters for big parts of the Olympic committee, royals and other dignitaries, and which again for the Olympics in 2020 is tentatively planned to function as informal headquarters again, in whole or in part.
It is the place where everyone who has something comes. Both to stay, but also to eat in the restaurant in the lobby, famous for its breakfast and its cake table, and for the opportunity to be seen. Everyone comes to the same place to have their picture taken. In addition, there is a whole floor with Michelin restaurants, which were started and designed by a 3-star French Michelin chef. He did so well that he has already moved on to the same task at another 5 star hotel.
The hotel is Shindenkan history from 2007 onwards, where Kimu Sensei has met with SST. The lobby is famous and the perfect place to be seen. The restaurants are all Michelin class, but the Michelin system does not work optimally in Japan, because at the launch of Michelin in Japan, it only included an analysis of half of the restaurants, and not even the best half. This has resulted in many restaurants in Tokyo refusing to receive Michelin stars, including this hotel which previously had 1 and 2 star restaurants.
We were personally received by the Deputy Director, who discreetly, personally, arranged for the check-in of Kimu Sensei, - with entourage, and we received absolutely top-class service.
The explanation was an introduction to how Japanese society works.
Kimu Sensei, is from an old noble family with 2600 years of history, and rumor has it that his cousin, the head of the family, had discreetly taken matters into his own hands, which had caused us to be moved from our outlying hotel to the Tokyo Hilton Shinjuku – a 5-star hotel without a 45-minute travel time to the center of Tokyo, where on top of that we got upgrade after upgrade, so we got fantastic suite rooms, and access to the Executive Lounge on the 37th floor, from which there was a view of Mount Fuji, and free access to various meals, produced by the various restaurants located here at the hotel, all of which are at Michelin level, and with the highest level of service-oriented service. Including high-quality Italian coffee – something SOPORG appreciates in a special way.
Such special treatment is handled very discreetly in Japan, as there is no reason to humiliate someone who does not enjoy the same privileges.
We put our bags down and took the elevator up to check out the Executive Lounge, where we asked when the rooms were ready, got a cup of coffee, and our first look at Mount Fuji hidden behind clouds.
As usual, Kimu Sensei briefed us on the plan for the day, as this trip naturally also functioned as RRCamp, where there were tasks to be solved and lots of learning to be recognised, tested and integrated. On this trip, Søren Renshi was assigned the task of tour guide under training, as both Jens Hanshi-dai and I were there in 1998, when 8 instructors traveled to Japan to be taught by SST, and to establish ties. Thus, we had tried quite a few experiences and experiences, including with Japan's widely famous train and subway system.
We started by getting oriented in Japanese conditions, starting from the local district of Shinjuku.
We visited a local supermarket and saw the abundance of fantastic products there. Everything exciting, from completely fresh top-quality sushi and sashimi, to drinks galore.
Huge selection in the supermarket - oh there's a lot of fish 🙂
Kimu Sensei was reminded of Calpis, a drink with extra calcium which is good for the body, I was reminded of Pocari Sweat from my trip in 1994 where I was still training sports karate in Genshi-kan our sister organization and was a participant in the Karate World Championships in Japan. It ended for me with 2 WC bronze medals – in Team Kata, and in the open weight class for black belts. There we drank lots of sugar water to keep our energy up……..
It was different in 1998 on the instructor's trip with Shindenkan, where instead we drank a special Japanese energy drink, with vitamins and ginseng - and looked forward to this trip, where water and cold green tea were at the fore.
There was also plenty of iced coffee, pickled vegetables, green tea, rice snacks, ninja food (dried fish fry – baby fish), meat carved in the Japanese way, with portions typically around 100g per person. person, tofu in many varieties, quantities and qualities, vegetables presented and wrapped as if it were porcelain, and lots of other things. We weren't in Copenhagen, that was for sure.
After that we were in a drug store – a bit of a Japanese counterpart to Matas, where there were even more energy drinks, with contents that had never been approved by the Danish Medicines Agency – because the quantities were in total much larger than the Danish recommendations, but we saw no people who had died from an overdose of vitamins D etc J . Perhaps the Eastern doctors and pharmaceutical authorities have an alternative view on the matter, without it affecting public health. Japan is known as one of the countries where people live the longest! In fact, the country in the world with the highest life expectancy, and with the most people over 100. There were lots of items, including super cheap Shiseido (very well known and good shampoo, cosmetics, etc. brand), but with the amount of hair I have left, it wasn't what had my highest attention.
We also noted a local police box called Koban, where you can find the local law enforcement that is present in many places. All in all, there are many more people employed in Japan with tasks that we in Denmark have chosen to rationalize away. But in Japan, perfect service is such an important part that it is still found everywhere, even in the local supermarket.
Then it was time for our first meal in Japan. A typical Japanese meal – namely a curry in the chain restaurant Curry House, where we had a curry with tonkatsu (breaded) pork chop. Curry came to Japan in the 1860s from India – after the trade blockade was lifted. Like all things, the Japanese took it and made their own version of it. In the store, we could see that all portions were weighed and arranged so that they resembled the standard of the meal. In many places you can see an exhibition with plastic versions of the food, and as it looks there, you can expect the food to look like when you are served it.
A job well done
We were also introduced to the respect and approach the Japanese have to food. When you have a meal, you eat up. Out of respect for the raw materials, the life and growth that has had to be sacrificed to produce the meal, but also out of respect for those who have prepared the meal and those who have created it. If a higher-ranked person has the East up, there is nothing to squabble about - then you eat up, and then that is no longer the case. If it is a lower ranked person who has taken the portion for you, you do not necessarily need to eat more. In Japan, it is also the case that you pour drinks for each other, and you drink what is poured - and you make sure to pour it for others. This is also about mutual respect and care, values that are very important in Japan.
Then we went on to Shinjuku station, where up to 5-6 million people pass through every day - that's the equivalent of the entire population of Denmark - EVERY day! There are so many people that you can't believe your eyes.
But none of us were worried, as the task of buying tickets, navigating and getting us all out safely was in Søren Renshi's knowledgeable hands (supported by Kimu Sensei's instructional picture book 😊 ). Maybe that's why he developed a natural frown during our visit, as it's a mouthful, even for a well-prepared person like Søren. But luckily you can ask almost anyone for help. The number of English speakers has increased dramatically since the 1990s, but still everyone takes pride in helping in the best possible way, and won't go out of their way to ask other Japanese for help if they can't help themselves in the first place.
One of the many things I also got refreshed is the fact that often restaurants and pubs are not at street level, but on the 3rd basement floor, or on the 6th floor. That's why there are picture advertisements for them at street level, with vivid pictures of the menu, so that customers know what they are offering.
We also saw traditional restaurants like taken out of an old film, Blomsterforretninger, as well as a whole street of 2nd hand shops. Here we are talking Gucci, LV and Hermes bags in original condition, brand watches of the highest quality and many other high-quality goods, but since the recovery has finally returned in Japan after a short 20-year recession, and the arrival of the Chinese, prices have risen considerably.
You see lots of Japanese on bikes and electric bikes, with child seats or on the latest fully equipped racing bikes, but also transport bikes, with luggage boxes, which you otherwise see in the rest of Asia. In Japan, you also benefit from the ability to easily transport smaller quantities of goods without getting into Japanese traffic - because that can take a very long time.
The plan had been for us to try running sushi (Kaiten Sushi), cheap and very good, but we had to drop it, as after the curry there was simply no room 😊 .
We returned to the hotel, after our first dose of Japan, and refueled with coffee and water in the Executive Lounge (and thoroughly enjoyed 😊 ), at the same time as Kimu Sensei briefed us on the further program.
When Kimu Sensei had an appointment with the laboratory, we had the opportunity to venture out into the Japanese nightlife on our own, looking around ourselves and also trying more of the Japanese food. It sounded very good - but the truth was that Kimu Sensei had already arranged all of this for us as well - we just had to get there 😊 .
We went for a walk in Shinjuku, where we were looking for tabi, the Japanese socks we use for training. They can be bought online, but now the stock could be replenished directly from one of the large Japanese supermarkets Odakyu. After doing a big search, we found the kimono section where they also sold tabi. We got to try on the right size, but big Danish feet are not what they see most, so we could only get 2 pairs each. There were simply no more in stock in our sizes.
Tabi – a scarce commodity in Denmark, but also difficult to obtain in Japan in the size of a Danish foot 🙂
Kimono, and not the cheap kind!
We took the opportunity to look at Kimonos, and could ascertain that Søren Pind's ministerial uniform at DKK 40,000 - was easily beaten in price by many of the kimonos that were for sale here. Sometimes it is these kinds of comparisons that put the value of things in place in one's consciousness.
We returned to our chosen restaurant for the evening, “Nabezo” a chain known for their good and cheap Sukiyaki and Shabu Shabu, 2 dishes Japan is famous for. The dishes are very reminiscent of fondue, as the food is prepared at the table, and here it was polite self-service, of course after thorough training by the smiling and efficient staff who helped us get started. We had chosen a menu with both Sukiyaki and Shabu Shabu, both with beef tongue, pork and "Japanese" beef. We quickly agreed that it was Japanese beef that tasted best. The many vegetables and noodles and the different kinds of dip, the preparation at the table, and the whole atmosphere, did its part to make it a delicious dining experience. We had 100 minutes at the table, but had to throw in the towel after just one hour. In general, it wasn't hunger that bothered us the most 😊
We went out to explore further, trying to find a bookstore with budo relevant books. The closest we got was one shelf of English books in a 3-storey bookshop. Again, everyone was helpful and friendly, even when they couldn't understand our English.
We had better luck in our continued tabi hunting. We found another department store, Takashimaya, where, after asking for help and showing our previously purchased tabi, we again found the right department. It is a pleasure to see how everyone you meet takes pride in their job - no matter what job. Here the clerk insisted that I try on tabi, and the 2 models in my size, to find the best fit, and that we should go to the tax refund counter to get the Japanese VAT refunded, even though we didn't think it was worth the trouble . Our choice was that we didn't want to spend time saving 8% of the amount, as we were very busy, she wouldn't accept that, because of course things have to be done properly, and she wanted to make sure to help with that. The pride and respect that everyone takes in their work, and the service they want to provide, struck us again.
After Søren Renshi had found his way back through the labyrinth Shinjuku can be (without the big problems giggle 😊 ), we were back at the hotel at the agreed time, and early in bed, having kept the activity level high, so that we were best adapted to the time difference, and spared the worst of the jet lag.
It was interesting with Søren Renshi as tour guide, and us as passive fellow travellers, to see the difference between being in charge and being on the sidelines.
It is about keeping calm and overview, despite everything that is thrown at you, instead of being very busy, but not quite clear about what goal you are working towards.
The first day, left me with an experience of a cohesion with SOPORG as high as I have not yet experienced. The shared experience, the shared influences, the feeling of shared "pilgrimage" did its thing, and made me think once more about the value of rituals, and to do a serious piece of work. Things worth doing are worth doing right.
Whether it was the time difference, the very special atmosphere in Japan and at the hotel, the shared experience, or the many impressions, I can't say, but that night I woke up at midnight with a full bladder and a head that just couldn't hold buzzing with thoughts, impressions, realizations and reactions to the realizations.
I also woke up early and had to get up. This is the first time that my worries/ruminations/conscience have been able to overcome my ability to hide in sleep. It was really strange when it was the 4th time in Japan, but not so strange when it is also RRCamp and it is Kimu Sensei who sets the stage for us..
Friday morning we met in front of Kimu Sensei's hotel room, and together went down to breakfast – the breakfast Tokyo Hilton Shinjuku is famous for.
We got THE best table, and in Japan that means overlooking the reception, where all the people come and where you can be seen by everyone. Again there was discreet special treatment by Kimu Sensei.
Kimu Sensei, as usual, set the scene, and poked at us and our work points, and buried dogs. Because we must remember why we are here, and be grateful, and show it by not wasting our and others' time, but doing our best to develop the system and others, through developing ourselves.
Kimu Sensei set the example by talking about his recently deceased father and how he had prepared himself and his family, and had clarifying conversations with him in good time, where everything was turned around, good or bad. By dealing with it all, there are no buried dogs, no postponed showdowns, no hidden and unspoken words of love and wisdom. The experience of wisdom from one generation to the next becomes possible. Naturally, he had also managed many practical tasks, established a family burial site of an appropriate standard, found craftsmen of the highest standard who could carry it out with the quality and the distinctiveness he wanted, but within the agreement that had been made with his parents. In fact, one of the artists was the stonemasons, Erik Heide, who also made King Frederik the 9th and Queen Ingrid's tombstones, which are located outside Roskilde Cathedral.. Like that!.
Everything shows that no matter what situation may arise, a positive lesson can be learned from it. You can act with the right values from within, and in a timely manner.
I myself lost my father a few years ago, and can see how being well prepared, and going into such a situation as well, well prepared and with an acknowledgment of reality and what can and will happen, gives so many more opportunities for a "good" experience, compared to denial of reality, which then hits many times harder when it finally dawns on you.
Kimu Sensei says that yesterday's meeting with the laboratory went well and that he has been invited to be the graduation judge on the same day. He doesn't know exactly who will graduate, but it is a larger number of higher graduates, as it is expected to take 6 hours. It is a great honor, but not the first time he has been invited to graduate others. In fact, he is the one who graduated me to 2nd dan, many years ago when I was training sports karate in Genshi-kan. At that time, we in Genshi-kan shot a film and sent it to Japan, where Tonegawa Sensei (SST) reviewed it and graduated us based on it. Kimu Sensei has teased me many times that he already knew me and has graduated me, and this is because during a training stay at SST in Japan he had been asked to graduate me based on my film 😊 . It's a small world.
History and future: The SST period is over now that SST has given full recognition and a worldwide license to Kimu Sensei. So how will Shindenkan develop? Viking samurai - was launched as early as 1998, at the Viking Samurai dinner in Iwaki, and a fantastic future is predicted by SST - but if there is a KS's Viking samurai, it is also the Daimyo road - the most difficult of 7×7 roads. But it's from Gokuden, - so we still have a few years 😊 .
We got a quick run through of Japanese breakfast
Umeboshi (Fermented plums, good for bladder neck cancer), Fish, Seaweed salad, Soup, Noodles (Udon), Shake (Banana to keep the stomach in order)
After trying the Japanese breakfast, we could eat whatever we wanted, there was also a full Chinese and Western breakfast. But there was no room after the Japanese breakfast.
The feeling of having a meal, based on fish, soup and rice, was to be full, but not bacon-sausage-scrambled-egg nausea. More with a solid base that lasted well through the day.
It was the day we were going to Kamakura. We took the JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line towards Zushi, which stops in Kamakura. Color and the naming system for trains and the subway lines in Tokyo is a clear advantage, but you have to remember that at the busiest station, which was the one we had to use, a number of people equivalent to the entire population of Denmark pass through EVERY DAY.
We had chosen to leave a little later, as rush hour in Tokyo is no joke. It's no joke, people are employed to help push passengers into the trains so the doors can be closed.
Even though we had chosen to travel outside the rush hour, there was still a constant stream of departures swarming in all directions, and it can be virtually impossible to hurry in such chaos.
When I was in Japan in 1994, there was a need to travel during rush hour, and it is practically impossible to carry a suitcase on a train during rush hour, and it is a somewhat peculiar experience to stand so close together, that you can't avoid each other's body odors - both the constant and the fleeting.
I know the way, I know the way, I…. oh hi
We managed with a bit of confusion, and by asking well to get help to get in the right direction with the right train, and the train ride itself was a pleasure, where we could study the surroundings and see how the city slowly thinned out, and it started to get a little bit rural as we got south. It takes just over an hour to get to Kamakura, and it is quite a relief that there are not so many people around you when you are there.
Kamakura has given its name to the Kamakura Period from the year 1185 – 1333, when the Shogunate was located in Kamakura, and with it also the power.
Kamakura is considered the cradle of martial arts, perhaps because from the beginning of the Kamakura period and many hundreds of years later, the Samurai class was dominant in Japan.
We first visited Tsugura Hachiman-gu; The temple in honor of Hachiman – the god of war.
Søren Renshi is the official tour guide, and leads us to the main street that leads up to the Tsugura Hachiman-gu temple. In a short time we reach the raised avenue, which leads us with pomp and splendor the rest of the way. At the temple itself, there is a bridge in the center, reserved for the Shogun, and two smaller bridges on the side for everyone else.
On the way to the temple, there is another large building, and then you have to climb a majestic staircase towards the temple itself, which is located higher, so you have the feeling of moving closer to the deity.
Along the way, we are, of course, asked if some schoolchildren can take a picture with us - a bit of a gaijin, I guess, and Søren Renshi is impressively tall with his "almost" 2 meters, even though the Japanese population has grown taller as the intake of protein has increased.
Up at the deity itself, we ritually clap our hands to call the gods' attention, bow, and send our prayers off to Hachiman. I don't know about the others, but I took the opportunity to send my wish for insight and clarification away, here in pomp and splendour.
Here there is also the option of going into a museum that is set up in the temple itself, but we choose to explore the area a bit on our own. As I said, it is very impressive in its structure, and there is history lurking in every corner. The famous Gingko Biloba tree that stood at the foot of the grand staircase fell in a storm in March 2010, but has now started to shoot again. Legend has it that an assassin hid behind the tree, and sprang forth and murdered the then Shogun, hoping to be considered for the title himself - only to be executed a few hours later. That's what the legend says. What actually happened is probably a completely different thing, as legends and history are in many cases post-rationalizations and retellings that are used as propaganda and marketing towards posterity for their own gain.
On the way out from the temple area, we visit the 2 Genpei ponds, which the Shogun's widow had established, to commemorate the 2 clans that fought for power – the Minamoto clan (Gen), and the Taira Clan (Pei). The 2 colors that repeat on the Japanese flag. Hachiman is also the "patron god" of the victorious Minamoto clan. Kimu Sensei's clan originates from the Minamoto clan, until 1202 when the family was approved as an independent clan by the Emperor and Shogun. Which had great significance for the history of Japan for hundreds of years to come. The Minamoto clan originally originates from the imperial family (year 886). Therefore, Kimu Sensei knows all his ancestors for more than 130 generations back – how many Danish or European noble families can do that?
The Japanese are a pragmatic people, which shows in many ways, including that most temples functioned as both Shinto and Buddhist temples. After all, when you were in the temple, you could send prayers in both directions. But at the Meiji Restoration in 1868, it was decided for political and nationalistic reasons that all temples should be divided, so that a number of Buddhist temple parts with relics and buildings had to be demolished and rebuilt elsewhere. Many cultural treasures were lost during this adaptation of reality to the story they wanted to tell about Japan. This meant, among other things, just like in Denmark in the 1670s, where the old nobility was "slaughtered" and a new "you are my friend, nobility" nobility was established. But since nobility in Japan.- and other countries, has always been special. Could the new nobility, which only existed from 1884-1947, experience that despite higher "official European-style titles, which were often empty and titular", they could risk being lower in the official hierarchy of rank and power at the emperor's court than from the aristocracy that had existed for several thousand years.
Then we went in search of the original Hachiman Temple – Yui Wakamiya Temple, also known as Moto Hachiman (The Original Hachiman)
We had found it on the map, but it was harder than that to find. Fortunately, Søren Renshi was ready with a map and route, and when it didn't work out, he immediately asked a friendly local lady passing by in this "provincial town". She could not immediately, and regretted this many times, and was sincerely unhappy at not being able to help. Fortunately, a middle-aged gentleman came walking and offered in English to follow us there. Along the way we met the lady again who had found out where we were going and came rushing back to help us. The kind of helpfulness you have to look for a long time 😊
We found Moto Hachiman, which is an unremarkable little temple that really only consists of a small covered "shrine". The entire temple is located on what corresponds to a small detached house plot; a huge difference to the flashy Tsugura hachiman-gu we had just visited.
There was a peace and tranquility that you could not sense at all in the great Temple complex.
Originally, the temple was established by Seiwa no Minamoto no Yoriyoshi, in 1063 to celebrate his victory in the Tohoku region with the Abe clan. He had part of the divinity from the Iwashimizu Hachimangu temple in Kyoto transferred here, and had this small temple built where he could say his prayers.
We found it! - Here is the real thing
Hachimangu is the family deity of the Minamoto clan, so at this time, the Minamoto clan was already present in Kamakura. What is interesting for us is that Minamoto no Yoriyoshi is Kimu Sensei's ancestor, but also the ancestor of all three future Shogun lineages; Seiwa Minamoto (1192-1229), Ashikaga (1336-1570) and Tokugawa (1603-1868).
The temple was built larger and moved to its current location (Tsugura Hachiman-gu) in 1180 by Seiwa no Minamoto Yoritomo, the first Kamakura shogun.
The purpose of the move could easily have been to legitimize its presence and to impress with its power.
Then it was time to move on to the Great Buddha in Kamakura, and preferably some food before then. We looked at quite a few restaurants, and got caught by a place near the station, on the first floor, where it looked good, authentic and local. We had to wait a bit for a table, which is a good sign, especially when it looks like local customers. While we waited, we were given the picture menu that we could look at. An elderly local lady also came to eat, and while she sat in the queue, she just wanted to recommend what she should have - a local speciality, among other things. with rice flavored with green tea. But we had already found a slightly larger menu, which also gave us the opportunity to taste a slightly larger selection. It was of the bento type – packed lunch, with small delicious dishes, served in a box.
It was delicate and tasty, and even though Søren Renshi looked grumpy, he also enjoyed the food 😊
Continue towards Daibutsu – the great Buddha in Kamakura. We caught a local train. The tour guide insisted, even though Jens Hanshi-dai and I had seen that there was a bus going to the big Buddha. But it is now also a good idea to have a plan and path, and then stick to it.
It was a short walk from the station up towards the big Buddha, and now we were back at one of the big sights, you could tell. There were lots of snacks, green tea ice cream, souvenir shops etc. We went straight for the target, and quickly arrived at the Buddhist temple Kōtoku-in.
Facts:
The temple is known for its Great Buddha (daibutsu), a monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amida Buddha, which is one of the most famous icons in Japan. The statue is 13.35 m high and weighs about 93 tons, and it is the second largest statue of Buddha in Japan after Todaiji in Nara.
In 1243, the predecessor, a giant wooden Buddha, was completed, after 10 years of construction. The statue was damaged in a storm in 1248 and the building it stood in was destroyed. It was proposed to build a new statue in Bronze, which was completed around 1252.
The building was destroyed by a storm in 1334, was rebuilt, destroyed by another storm in 1369, and rebuilt once more. The last building the statue stood in was washed away by a tsunami in 1498, and since then, the great Buddha has stood in the open.
The Great Buddha is an experience, and shows how many resources have been put into religion, including Buddhism in Japan.
On the way home from the big Buddha, we bought some iced coffee so we could cool off a bit. Unfortunately, it was some fantastically sweet stuff, so we immediately went back to cold green tea.
We got back to Tokyo, Shinjujku and the hotel without significant challenges, and had just time to get past the room and change into casual evening clothes, after which we had to go out for another experience of the greats.
Kimu Sensei had booked a table for us at Tokyo's best Teppanyaki restaurant Seryna, located at the top of the Sumitomo building, right next to the Hilton Tokyo Shinjuku.
We were excited and that we would have a great experience. We had heard a lot about the highly qualified chefs who prepare the food.
The experience turned out to be fantastic and thanks to Kimu Sensei we got really good seats. The chef prepares the food directly in front of the guests, and it is a spectacle like no other.
Kimu Sensei rated the chef who prepared the food for us to be 6th dan, and he was very skilled at controlling temperature and cooking. But when the head chef 9th dan "accidentally" came by, he was still not satisfied, and after a discreet nod to Kimu Sensei, he took over the service of Kimu Sensei, - and us, as the only customers in a completely full restaurant. It was again a discreet marking of Kimu Sensei's status, and a privilege he enjoys and generously shares with the rest of us. At the same time, our menu had been upgraded to include the very highest quality Kobe meat without anyone saying a word.
It tasted fantastic, and was so 100% fresh and well prepared that it was absolutely sublime.
We got another sake, which was also the best I've tasted so far. Served cold, it had an aroma and flavor that leaves nothing to be desired for any good wine.
After the menu, we were asked to move into the bar, where Kimu Sensei had requested that we get sunset seats. And with perfect timing within a time frame of 5 minutes!, there we were sitting on the 52nd floor with an amazing view of the sunset over Tokyo. It was unspeakably beautiful, and is something I won't soon forget.
Full and satisfied, we returned to the hotel.
Again that night I lay awake and thought a lot about life. There were simply so many impressions to take in and realizations to understand.
On Saturday we had a traditional Japanese Bento breakfast, as a special service for Executive Lounge customers. The food was again fantastic, and well prepared, and our skills with chopsticks are fine tuned.
Kimu Sensei briefed us on our status as RRCamp participants, and also on what the day would include.
Today we were going sightseeing in Asakusa, and shopping, so we set off for Asakusa by subway, armed with rolling suitcases to carry our purchases home without back damage.
We started by going to Sensoji Temple, the place Hornevej Seiryukan is named after – the blue dragon carved under the mighty lanterns that hang at the entrance to the temple grounds.
The temple area itself is like a better bazaar. There is everything you could want as a tourist, both kimono, yukata, swords, fans, t-shirts, you name it. But this time I knew very well that this is the tourist area, with tourist prices, so we settled for window shopping. Before the temple itself, you can purify yourself with the smoke from a lot of incense sticks, and line up to go up to Sensoji temple itself, where you toss a coin, clap your hands and send your prayers, before moving on in the queue again . Remember not to step on the doorstep, as it belongs to the gods.
Shopping bazar in front of Sensoji temple
The patient Grandmaster
Then we headed through Asakusa, on our way to Kappabashi-dori, where it is possible to buy porcelain, Japanese knives, Japanese food products and other fantastic things much cheaper, where restaurants and Japanese people buy them themselves.
On the way there, we stopped at a local restaurant that reportedly serves a fantastic curry dish, which we naturally had to try.
We were seated, and quite quickly the 2 older ladies who run the restaurant prepared and served 4 portions of the best curry I've had in a long time. If you compare it to the one we got at Curry House, which is a franchise with standardized products, it was home-made curry with a greater depth of flavor that you only get when things are made from scratch. It tasted heavenly, and shows that there are many places where you can get an extremely well-prepared and tasty meal, for a very affordable price (DKK 30 per person). Japan is not necessarily expensive everywhere, and with everything - you just have to know the right places.
Good local curry 🙂
And we took advantage of that at Kappabashi-dori, where we all bought the indispensable things – sencha, Japanese curry, dried fish and seaweed, carefully selected cups, plates and other things that belong to the perfect home for someone who has been in Japan. Joking aside. In 1998 I was here with the instructors from Jokokan and I bought a little bit – a small tea pot, 4 small cups, 2 large cups and 2 plates. And every time I find them and use them, I am put back in Japan, and remember the experience and the store I bought them in.
We had now bought so much that we had to go back to the hotel to unload, so we headed back, albeit with a stop at Don Quijote, a mega supermarket that has EVERYTHING at low prices. It was absolutely fantastic, and you could have bought everything, but I had to prioritize my place, so there was only a look.
We walked through Sensoji temple back to Asakusa station, and back to Shinjuku where we unloaded our goods and picked up Sushi and Sashimi at the local supermarket. It was fantastically fresh and very cheap, and tastier than most sushi you can get in Denmark - that is, in a restaurant.
And then it was time for the 3 of us to shop for budo accessories on our own, according to Kimu Sensei's plan. Off we go at a long trot, time is short and the distances are great, even if you live centrally. We went to Suidobashi station, where there are budo shops. We had a bit of trouble finding the right place, because it is not a whole district with budo and bujutsu shops, more like 5-10 shops, of which 5-6 are gathered close to each other.
After some time we finally found the right street and the right business, and then it was time to find the right product.
I remember again my trip in 1998, when Kimu Sensei selected swords for me in the very same shop. I was then allowed to try the balance and feel, after which I chose the sword Kimu Sensei expected me to choose J . That's just how he is.
But that wasn't actually where I bought my first sword! The first sword I bought in Sensoji Temple's shopping street in 1994 together with Genshi-kan (sister organization) and it was chosen purely for looks, as it was light metal, totally useless for training, and meant to hang up as decoration - times change and so do the purposes.
We managed to find bokuto, jo and kotachi, but we simply could not find the right quality of vultures. The line of products, the manufacturer led no more. But we hope to be able to find it elsewhere later.
Yes – bokuto in the house!
After a quick raid, we were again on our way back to Shinjuku, where we had to get home for dinner. We just hoped there was room for dinner on top of the huge portion of sushi and sashimi we had enjoyed a few hours ago J
Today it was time to try the hotel's Chinese restaurant. Chinese food is very nice to eat in Japan, and Japanese people who have visited Denmark have wondered why it was so cheap to eat Chinese in Denmark? The explanation is that in Japan they prepare Chinese food as it was originally. And here we are talking about before the revolution.
After the revolution in China, everyone must be equal and have the same opportunities to e.g. eat luxurious food. This means that nothing must be of high quality. In the same way that high education and high knowledge, old values and many other things have been purged during a series of cultural revolutions, food has also become unidirectional and decadent.
The Chinese food we tried in Japan was the old high quality food. This kind of food, with fresh, good ingredients is very expensive, as many and advanced ingredients are used, in contrast to Japanese food, where even the simplest meal complies with the basic rules, and is good, tasty and nutritious.
You can observe the whole out of every single part. If the quality in one area fails, it probably fails in all areas. That is why the food, the culture, the people, the buildings, the setting are so important.
The Chinese food was incredibly delicious and refined, and made from scratch, without the use of the 3rd spice, excessive amounts of frying oil, or other shortcuts. But made with care and respect for the raw materials.
After the meal, we visited the famous bar at the Hilton, where the live entertainment typically consists of former world stars who are touring. We enjoyed the music and a little chat, and also took the opportunity to taste the famous Japanese 21 year whiskey. Many people do not know that Japan has been producing whiskey since 1870, modeled on Scotch. For the past 20 years, Japanese whiskeys have been recognized on an equal footing with Scotch and have won the World Blind Tasting Championship several times. This has meant that the Scotts are now making a pilgrimage to Japan - to once again learn how to make original traditional Scottish whiskey!
Sunday morning it was a quick breakfast, and then off to Narita airport, and the plane to Denmark. Many experiences richer.
