onward to Okinawa

[Shizentai]

So this week I will be traveling to Japan and Okinawa. Planning out everything has gotten me all excited. While on Honshu I'll be training in all of my old dojo I attended in College and high school. I can't wait to see the kids I used to train with! They're probably all adult advanced ranks now! Haha!

My trip to Okinawa will be my first though. I've been reading up on it, and I'd like to see as many historic karate places as possible. Then I got to thinking...

How many of you guys travel to train/teach in other countries? Being karateka, have you ever visited/considered visiting Okinawa?

[Kodiak]

Martial arts is hard enough without throwing in language and cultural barriers. There's probably people there worth the trip to learn from, but I think that would be true of most places I could visit (heck, the Grandmaster of the organization I'm currently studying under lives in Evanston, Wyoming of all places).

[JusticeZero]

I hope to.. (Different art, even more region based..)

I hope to hear all about what sort of things you learned from your trip!

[DWx]

Wow sounds like an awesome opportunity Shizentai.

Different art but I have travelled over Europe for competition and training. I did have an opportunity to travel to N.Korea (home of ITF TKD) later this year but due to money and other things, decided not to

Martial arts is hard enough without throwing in language and cultural barriers.

Its not so bad. I've trained with guys who don't speak English and you still get a lot from it. They can tell you what to do via the arts terminology (so for me Korean) and then correct through demonstration and adjusting your technique. One of the best seminars I've ever done was with an 8th dan who only spoke Korean and Czech.

[RJCKarate]

I've traveled to Okinawa every year for the past few years to train at our Honbu Dojo. I've also traveled throughout England & Germany training with our international dojo (I'm from Australia).

Now, as for Okinawa, if you don't already have any dojo you are in contact with there, I have a good friend who runs a service called Gateway to Okinawa (http://www.okinawaportal.com/) he is a German who has made many trips to Okinawa, and currently lives there. He is in contact and in organisation with many Okinawan Dojo and arranges training & introductions for foreigners so that the work is easier for them! Mention that I sent you (Reece from Australia) and I'm sure he'll be of great help!

He also arranges tours of Karate sites in Okinawa, including the hard-to-find ones. Also Master Tetshiro Hokama (Hanshi, 10th Dan Goju-Ryu) has a great karate museum and organises tours of all the hard-to-find Karate sites, he is also a fantastic guy. You can contact him at http://www.tetsuhirohokama.net/Contact_Us.html, if you're interested and he doesn't respond PM me and I can give you his phone.

Hope this helps!

[Ueshirokarate]

Lucky you, enjoy! If you haven't read it yet, you should read Mark Bishop's book on Okinawan Karate before you go.

[bushido_man96]

That sounds like you've got a great trip planned out! Have fun with it, and give us a good article or something on it when you return!

[Dobie1979]

I would love to do something like that. Like everyone time and money is the issue, mostly time.. Have and enjoy the trip!

[Kuma]

Three places of interest to karateka that you can't pass on:

(1) The Okinawa Prefecture Karate Museum

(2) The Budokan in Naha typically has lots of karate demos and tournaments

(3) Shuri Castle

As far as places to eat, Curry House CoCo. Amazing curry.

[Shizentai]

Thanks for the tips everyone! I'm going to look into those places. Man! I can't wait for tomorrow!