In the summer of 1989, my mother, myself and sister were to visit my family in Tottori. Unfortunately, my father had to stay at home and look after the house in Hareskov, as he had to recover from a series of heart attacks.

In the past year, I had received a long stream of videos, drawings, explanations and papers on all kinds of techniques. I had been training diligently every day when I knew that Tonegawa Sensei had organized a training camp at the Japanese Honbu dojo.

The Nishiwake brothers were full-time professional budo practitioners with 30-35 years of experience behind them. They were, among other things, 6th dan and 5th dan in Shorinji-kempo. It was a real budo story to hear how the Nishiwake brothers had started training under Tonegawa Sensei. The Nishiwake brothers had heard about Tonegawa Sensei and his insight, abilities and knowledge within all kinds of Budo and Bujutsu systems - Japanese and Chinese.

They contacted him and Tonegawa Sensei agreed to meet them. They exchanged techniques on a polite level until the eldest of the Nishiwake brothers broke the ice and asked if he could become Tonegawa Sensei's student. Tonegawa Sensei smiled. But! Said the eldest of the Nishiwake brothers, since he was a simple man, Tonegawa Sensei must first defeat him in battle - and this Tonegawa Sensei then did. After respectfully "curling" Nishiwake Shihan a few times, Nishiwake Shihan and his brother became faithful students of Tonegawa Sensei. Look, it was a real Budo story 🙂 .

In July 1989, my sister and mother flew on to Tottori airport, while I took the train into Tokyo city and checked into my hotel in Asaka-dai. Soon after, I met with Tonegawa Sensei, who welcomed me. The following days we went out to the new island "Dream-island", where you could rent dojos. Here I was taught from morning to late evening, interrupted only by meals and drink breaks. I have never slept so well at night...

Then the day came when we had to go up to the Dojo in Iwaki, about a 3 hour train ride from Tokyo. We were picked up by the Nishiwake brothers at the station and driven directly to the Dojo, where the eldest brother also had his house. We were warmly welcomed by the whole family and Japanese tea and snacks were served. Then it was time for the obligatory warm and cleansing bath before we turned inside. I slept in the dojo, Tonegawa Sensei in the adjacent guest room.

At At 06:30 there was breakfast and at 08:00-12:00 there was training, lunch in the city and training again 14:00-18:00, dinner and then training again from 19:00-23:00. I was pretty tired, exhausted and in a respectful 🙂 way I had been cut down to the socks holders about my real budo ability.

On the first night, I had been presented as the undefeated "champ". Yes, it was true that I had never lost before and people were probably a little afraid of me in Shiai - but one episode knocked the realism into my head.

Tonegawa Sensei told me to attack him with everything I had. So I did, and he didn't even bother to parry, but was nice enough to say "Wow, Kimu-Chan - you move very fast - Translation = my dear child Kimu - you move very fast 🙂 ".

Then it was Tonegawa Sensei's turn. I prepared optimally, thought about all possibilities and openings, and chuckled a little to myself when he stood 5-6 meters from me and thus far too far away to make an effective attack until POOW! Then I was hit by a tsuki right in the middle of the sternum. I didn't even manage to move my eyebrow, then I was hit. My 184 cm., 78 kg and 24-year-old top-trained body had been defeated by a 159 cm. tall, 58 kg heavy and 51 year old sinewy body.

I dropped my jaw to the floor and was completely wide-eyed. Slowly I felt a sting from a thousand needles spreading out from where I had been hit. Again and again I played the film in my mind's eye; I only managed to perceive a dash of speed sporadically - as in a cartoon to emphasize the speed.

Tonegawa Sensei broke the silence. With a big smile, he sang, “Ah, Kimu-chan, you must react, you are a young man, I'm an old man! - translation = aha, my dear child Kimu, you will have to react - you are a young man at the top - I am ancient!”.

Slowly I regained control over my jaw and thought "There's nothing old about him."

Later, I experienced being thrown without being touched, and being drained of energy without being touched, so that despite mobilizing all resistance, I could not prevent my legs from getting heavier and heavier and finally collapsing.

That night I didn't sleep at all! And not the subsequent ones either. The film and the experiences were played over and over again. Academically educated – but this was impossible! But at the same time, I couldn't deny what I had just experienced, seen and felt on my own body.

When, after a few days, I was back at my family's house in Tottori, I decided that life is not a denial but rather an affirmation. I wanted to learn and understand whatever the f… I had experienced. Because it was not in my teacher's books, but rather in Budo legends, philosophy and religion books. My curiosity and ambition were awakened.

I talked a lot with my cousins and uncles about what I had experienced. They were themselves highly graduated budokas, and they told me that if it was the way I told it, then I was actually a lucky row, to be taught by one of the few living real and genuine martial arts grandmasters today. Yes, actually they were a little proud of it.

Coming from an ancient noble family with proud traditions, the advice and opinion of my family confirmed me in my decision; I would do everything to become as good as possible in martial arts, within my talent and potential. This oath I later swore solemnly and melodramatically at the temple and burial place of my ancestors. An oath that binds when you come from a 2,600-year-old family. You have probably seen the film once 🙂 .

Fortunately, Tonegawa Sensei called a few days before we were to return to Denmark. He asked my aunt if "I had the time and desire to come to Tokyo before I had to go back home". I had it!

My family booked the evening flight and a hotel in Tokyo for two nights. My family was proud of the invitation, which they thought was unusual.

Tonegawa Sensei, wanted to test my level and knowledge within Budo, including meditation & Ki. During Training Camp part 1, I had been asked various "Koan-like" and other strange questions, which I had to solve by the next morning. The next morning he got my answer, and when I think about it I could see that he sometimes got a little weird in his head about my answers.

After 2 days of intense training in meditation, Ki exercises and Budo/Bujutsu, he graduated me 3rd dan, Gensei-ryu Karate-do and the Joden in his own family's system, Yashin Mon. Yakami no Taijutsu. At the same time, I got a teacher's license in Meditation & Ki.

At first I didn't really want to accept these accolades. But as Tonegawa Sensei said, I couldn't run away from who and what knowledge, insight and level I now had. So whether I would receive the certificates now, later or never was practically irrelevant.

But I was now so full of experiences and experiences that my insides were bursting, and my head could explode into a thousand pieces at any moment. I needed rest, time alone and to collect it all.

I had found what I was looking for, but at the same time also got a taste of how hard it had been psychologically and mentally, and the future only showed a strong upward curve in these areas. Was I good enough? Would I want it enough? My thoughts revolved around the time I had expressed to my grandfather through my mother that I wanted to start some Japanese martial arts. One week later the postman rang the doorbell with a large cardboard box. It was from my grandfather, and it contained a complete set of Kendo and Iaido equipment. Swords were sent to me by official Japanese channels. My grandfather believed that Budo/Bujutsu would be good for me in my pursuit of building character, personality and myself. I was 7 years old.

When we got home from Kastrup airport, I wanted to take a long bath. I had not slept for several days from speculation. Suddenly I felt sick and started vomiting. I collapsed and screamed for help. I was carried to bed and slowly developed a very high fever.

Despite antipyretic kodimagnyls, I got almost 42 in fever. The night doctor was called, and immediately called an ambulance, which took me to the hospital with a full emergency. I was admitted to the intensive care unit, where I underwent all kinds of examinations and tests.

The most humiliating thing for me that I can remember, apart from my life passed revue, was that even though I was asked to turn around – I couldn't! It was as if my body was breaking down because it was lusting after my orders. For 9 days I was in the intensive care unit with a high fever and the doctors didn't know what was wrong with me.

On the ninth day I suddenly woke up in the afternoon. The fever was gone and I felt wonderful! I got out of bed, wobbled a bit on my feet, but then got dressed and strolled out into the hallway to some nurses who were drinking coffee. Why the one nurse dropped her cup with a splash, I don't really know, maybe it was because I was 9 kg lighter, or maybe it was my words "Now I want to go home!".

A doctor was immediately summoned and the fever was indeed gone, and so were my doubts. I should probably carry out what I had sworn. My will and ambition were awakened – a new world and path had opened up for me.