Kyushu Gakuin High School Visit @ London, UK Aug 15, 2004
1-5 ... 6-10 ... 11-15 ... 16-20
01.
This Sunday we had a visit from Kyushu Gakuin High School at Mumeishi.
It was a open practice and everyone was invited.
Kyushu Gakuin High is a relatively strong kendo high school. Checking
their taikai records at AJKF, they always rank quite high in recent years:-
2004
Senbatsu: Team - 2nd
2003
Gyokuryuki: Team - 3rd
Senbatsu: Team - 3rd
2002
Interhigh: Individuals - 1st
Gyokuryuki: Team - 1st
Senbatsu: Team - 2nd
2001
Gyokuryuki: Team - 1st
Kaiseiki: Team - 3rd
Senbatsu: Team - 1st
02.
The early morning assembly at 10.30am.
Mumeishi is in Zone 4 of London - it took me 2 hours to get there (travel
time is the same getting to Brighton!!)
03.
Everyone is formally introduced, and luckily there is a professional
interpretor (the woman standing on the right).
All theThese high school students all rank around 2-3 Dan Kendo. The old
3 of them had 1-2 Dan Iaido and Jodo, and 2 of them Niten Ichi Ryu's deshi.
04.
I didn't remember anyone get out there and ask for it, but before
our "friendly matches" the Kyugauku boys demonstrate their Niten
Ichi Ryu kenjutsu skill.
Araki-sensei (at the right background) pulls out his scroll and introduced
a bit about NIten Ichi Ryu (... this part is has no live translation!!!).
Araki-sensei is the 21st generation of Noda-ha Niten Ichi Ryu Shihan.
He holds Kendo 6 Dan + Iaido 5 Dan (if I remember correctly). Also he
is a member of the Kumamoto prefecture Assembly..
05.
They show us the first 5 kata of Niten Ichi Ryu.
Notice the cameraman at the left background... He was there all the way
(and the camera keeps pointing at my direction...)