HUNGARY

On Thursday 20th July my instructor Sensei Ken Erridge and I left sunny England for a 7-day trip to Hungary for their annual Gasshuku. This was a 5-day course to be held just outside Budapest in a local campus in Godolla. This being my first Gasshuku in Goju-Ryu I was very much looking forward in anticipation to what would lay ahead over the next 5 days training.

On arrival in Budapest airport we were met by two of the students that trained there; they were very friendly and spoke very good English. We were driven to the campus where we checked in and were shown to our room and settled in. The weather was really starting to get hot! In the evening the opening ceremony took place at 8:00pm and, as we stood outside on the front entrance steps, my sensei was beckoned over by one of the senior Okinawa instructors. We hurried over to meet them and I was introduced by my Sensei to Kancho and the senior instructors, Senseis Gima, Azuma, Taira and McIlvride. I bowed to each one with respect and I immediately noticed their polite mannerism and humbleness. We then proceeded to the opening ceremony where the Senior Okinawan instructors were introduced to applause and each senior instructor from their respective countries was introduced, once again to applause. As we then helped ourselves to the food my Sensei said “grab a chair and sit at the head table with the instructors”. I was somewhat taken aback that I was actually sitting at the head table with my Sensei and the top instructors, and felt very honored to be there.

Friday 7:00AM - the first day of training started with a jog of probably around 2 miles, which included running up and down a hill 3 times. This progressed to 5 times as the days went on but this was a comfortable and enjoyable run. We finished off with some stretching and Kata, Sanchin ichi and ni and Tensho. This was pretty much the setting for the early morning training in the days that followed, although I only managed to do three of the early morning sessions due to late nights and alcohol! I would then go back to shower and get breakfast and then prepare for the morning and afternoon session. The morning session was taken by Sensei Ronnie Kluger and would consist of Bunkai applications to Gekisai-Dai-Ichi and Ni, followed by pairing up and putting them into practice with senior senseis helping out as well. We would then get lunch and prepare for the afternoon session. The afternoon sessions were taken by the Senior Okinawan instructors, and involved some different warm up exercises, blocks, punches, stance work, bunkai pair work, finishing off with Sandan gi.

On the Saturday the weather broke and we had a massive storm, which cooled the air for a short while, but training was still hot. Saturday afternoon’s session was led by Taira sensei who took us through one of his warm ups, then went on to Gekisai-Dai-Ichi kata with emphasis on stance height, ashi barai and mae-geri. We were then split into different groups according to grade and went through Saifa kata, and partnered up to apply the different techniques with the senseis coming round and correcting us. I took this opportunity to try to pair up with as many different Karate-Ka as I could to try and see if I could get the techniques to work. Taira sensei then demonstrated the whole bunkai with speed, which was a joy to watch. We ended the session with Kakei practice.

In the evening Kancho gave a lecture on the history of Goju-Ryu and its roots. He expressed his view of how it had developed, and of the changes in karate over the years. He explained that people had changed it in some systems to a sport rather than a martial art. He also explained that the Goju-Ryu system had in some cases changed from the way his father had learnt it, but that the Jundokan have stayed true to their roots and are standardizing how it should be practiced. He explained that there were two systems of Okinawan karate, basically the Northern and the Southern; one style was developed by people that worked on boats and involved short stances for balance and closeness, the other was developed by people who rode on horseback and involved a longer and more distanced approach.

After another night in the bar (a pint costing about 40 pence) we befriended some Karate-Ka from Austria, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. These were very friendly people, by now people from different countries were getting to know each other and handing out their contact cards, talking in general about their training and experiences. Most of the senior senseis would come to the bar and again I was fortunate enough (through my Sensei) to sit with them and listen to what they were saying; they are all wonderful people. It was an education just to watch Taira Sensei as he doesn’t seem to stop training and going through Karate techniques. My Sensei was able to understand a lot of what they were saying and there was lots of gesturing and laughing between him and Taira sensei; there is quite an astonishing rapport between them. On one occasion Taira Sensei had asked Sensei Azuma, who spoke excellent English, that if there was anything I wanted to ask him about training or Karate he would gladly answer. As usual in these circumstances my mind went completely blank but, looking down at his knuckles, I asked Azuma Sensei how Taira Sensei conditioned his knuckles, as I have never seen hands like these before. I felt deeply honoured by Taira Sensei’s attention.

On Sunday I did the morning run (just about got up in time), then the afternoon session comprised of Seiyunchin kata with pair work on blocking. I had my first taste of Taira Sensei’s power as he demonstrated on myself while he corrected my partner and showed him how to hit using the elbow, I staggered back several times as he hit me from a very short distance. His power is terrific and I’m pretty sure he was only playing with me, which is astonishing. He then displayed a demonstration of the bunkai, which again was a joy to watch. We finished off the session doing Kakei and some body conditioning. Sunday evening’s meal was a bar-b-que, where we cooked our own food on an open log fire.

On the Monday morning we found a local swimming pool (or spa as they call it) and took the opportunity to do some swimming and relaxing before the afternoon session. This was split into groups, the Kata was Saifa and we were shown bunkai applications beginning with the first three movements. Senseis Azuma, Gima, and Kancho took us for this session and it was interesting that each sensei showed us different ways of doing the application. This made you start to think for yourself about which application best suited your body. Gima Sensei went through the whole bunkai of the kata, which was very good to watch, and we finished off the session with light Kakie.

Finally Tuesday had arrived and the last training session was upon us. The five days of training had gone by pretty quickly and I was still trying to remember everything I had been shown and corrected on as well as making notes. The final session included going through the katas up to Sepai, and Sanchin, with us being corrected on stances and breathing, and using correct kimae. We also watched Taira Sensei perform his bunkai applications. At the Sayonara party in the evening the senior instructors from each country received a gift and certificates for their students.

On the Wednesday we were driven back to Budapest to stay in a small hotel for one night and then taken to the airport for our flight back to England, but not before one last night in the bar and a chance for everyone to say their farewells to each other. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my Sensei not only for this experience but also for helping me find the Goju-Ryu way when my own martial path became lost, the senior instructors and all the people that I trained with and the new friends that I met on the course. I look forward to many more to come.

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