Japan Trip 2006
I can hardly believe it’s been three years since I went to Japan with the Boston group.
On that trip we hung out at the Kashiwa Starbucks, went out eating and drinking, and Paul even sang Beatles songs at that theme bar “The Cave”, I think it was called.

We vented, complained and got an awful lot off our chests. Chris and Matty even made a pilgrimage to Togakushi!
The main goal of the trip of course, and one that was accomplished, was to get a lot of training at hombu, Ayase, with Soke and with almost every Shihan that was offering a class.

Ken, Chris, Mike Z, Mike B, Barry, Matty, Paul and Me
It was a very busy schedule. We’d likely get 2 training sessions in everyday, along with doing the tourist thing. It was pretty chilly and damp for a few days, but we still managed to walk or ride our way over most of the greater Tokyo area.


I always heard from my training partners and teachers that after people get their godan (5th degree black belt) that odd things begin to happen. The impression that I got is that it was different for every individual. I don’t think that very many people attributed this to some supernatural phenomenon, but rather to a new and natural way of perceiving training.
Can you think of a time that you or someone you know had a goal in mind that took a great deal of effort and time to accomplish? There’s certainly a sense of relief and success when completed. But I’ve seen many people go into a slump or burn-out after achieving some long awaited goal. There’s a “is this all it is?” or a “what now?” effect. I remember even back when I was a 13-year-old kid my kempo karate teacher turned friend/taijutsu teacher, Ken Savage, warned me about the dangers of getting my black belt (in kempo at the time). I think he’d seen far too many people get some level of rank only to realize that there is nothing magical that happens afterward. The day after the accomplishment has to be the same as the last; training and hard work. I think this can be tough for many people. He cautioned me to just keep going, to keep training.
A major milestone in my own taijutsu training that trip was passing my godan test. The weekend that we arrived in Japan, Ken reviewed a set of exercises that were quite helpful in putting the test in perspective. I remembered his warnings from many years ago about people burning out after large accomplishments. So, just in case I passed the test, knew that I would just keep training. Our teacher in Boston had long since devalued rank and the striving to get new rank, so the rank isn’t what I was thinking about, but more about the symbolic significance of this test, and some of the mystery surrounding it.

Nagato Sensei and me just after my godan test. Feb 19, 2006.
Almost immediately after my nerves calmed down after taking the test, I had a familiar feeling. I realized that I had passed the test and that today in most ways was just the same yesterday. I still had the personal responsibility to keep going.
Throughout that 10-day-trip, learning from the Shihan and getting to see Soke again, I began to put my previous years of training into perspective. Every now and again I’ve felt renewed focus in my training and this trip gave me one of the most clear and focused vision of what I needed to do to keep my own training authentic.
The next year was quite strange for sure. A lot of things changed, odd things happened and and martial arts wise I knew more than ever that I needed to direct what I would be learning and where I would learn it. I didn’t know right away that I would be leaving the Boston dojo.
Even though I left Boston and have gone my own way, I still value my years of training there, my old extended family and friends, the memories of that Japan trip and the camaraderie we had. I left the Boston dojo because it was time to leave. Some old friends have misconceptions of why I left, and some have even fueled the flames of confusion. That’s okay, I still wish you the best.
I truly hope everyone back home is doing well. Maybe we should make another Japan trip plan? Maybe the chicken knuckle place is open again…