It's the close of another year and it finds Shorei-Kai vibrant and healthy.

Before I go on further I would like to say that Jack Sensei is being very modest in his report on the tournament this year in Tokyo. Our North American contingent did very well. Jack Matches Sensei placed 1st in Kata Senior division, Conrad Northeast placed second in Kata, and Steve White Sensei placed 4th in Kumite and tied for third in Kata along with Ty Yocham who also placed 1st in Senior Kumite.

Dan gradings and certification was also held at Nakano Dojo in front of the Senior examining board. Ty Yocham Shihan and Dave Williams Sensei were certified as Shorei-Kai Instructors, Mr. Yocham was certified as Godan, Shihan and Mr. Williams was certified as Sandan, Instructor. Myself (Harry Bergeest) was promoted to Rokudan, Shihan rank. The Shorei Kai has instituted new Shihan certification and Vic Hargitt Shihan and myself got awarded our Shihan certificates for Godan and Rokudan with Keith Hargitt Shihan and Ty Yochan Shihan being awarded Their Shihan for Godan. Although Conrad Northeast had recently passed his Shodan grade in Canada he was awarded his certificate at Nakano Dojo.

Well enough of that, a lot has happened in the year since the last updated newsletter. Nose Kaicho paid us a visit last November and was impressed with all the instructors and students in Canada. As usual his visit was way too short and we all wished we had more time to train with him. During his stay Ty Yocham Shihan and Dave Williams Sensei were also up for a visit from Texas. This was for a meeting with Nose Kaicho and for membership into Shorei-Kai.

In January there was a black belt grading with Conrad Northeast and Ben Rellin of South Langley Dojo going for their Shodan which I'm happy to say they past.

Vic Hargitt Shihan also visited Darrell Brewer Sensei at the Florida Dojo, I will ask Shihan Vic for some input on this as I can't remember if there were promotions at that time. My apologies to Florida Dojo. Hargitt Shihan and Jack Matches Sensei also visited Pincer Creek Dojo in Alberta and were duly impressed with the wonderful job Peter Dressler Sensei has done there all on his own.

After our return from Japan things went back to normal with all dojo's running fine except up in the interior where Jack Matches Sensei and Steve White Sensei were furiously practicing for their next grading which was going to happen in June. Well June came and Dan grading was upon them and three of Phong Tran Sensei's students from Surrey Dojo. I'm happy to report that all of them passed there examinations. Jack Matches Sensei and Steve White Sensei were promoted to San Dan with one of the most impressive displays we have seen in a long time. Showing equal enthusiasm were the three students from Surrey Dojo. Promoted to Shodan rank were, Steven Bail Sensei, Stephanie Hullah Sensei and Junior Shodan Colton Emerson.

That brings us up to the present and the closing of this years summer session with all of us looking forward to this years summer camp. It is again being held up at Vic Hargitt Shihans' place at Blind Bay, Sorrento. I hope to see all of you there, July 9th to 11th.

Have a great summer, Harry Bergeest Shihan.

     My wife, Jeannie, and I enjoyed the trip to Tokyo and Okinawa with the Shorei-Kai Canada group very much. We had a good flight from Austin, we were treated well, and we arrived early. I did bring some special made chishi for the Hombu Dojo in Ichikawa that got the mark of approval by Homeland Security on the way over. I expected some grief, flying with concrete, nails, and wood wrapped up in bubble wrap. I can't imagine what they thought they had. The only other issue we had was when they asked if we had any fruit and I told them yes because I brought several pounds of nuts and  dried fruit treats. They laughed at me at customs and told me to move along.

 

     The term “Southern Hospitality” has nothing on the people of Japan. I made reservations for downtown Tokyo so my wife would have something to do while we were busy with karate or business. We never made it to our reservation. We did not even try. Instead we stayed at the accommodations Nose Kaicho made which more than met all our needs while we were there. We had a large breakfast buffet each morning, we could see Mt Fuji out our window, all the western conveniences, everything we needed was at our finger tips, and when we went to Okinawa they watched all our belongings so we did not have to haul them around. My wife only spent a couple days away from the group (while we were at the tournament, testing, and working out at the dojo) and she had no issues at all getting to down town Tokyo. The rest of the time everyone made her feel so comfortable, she stayed with the group and enjoyed our company where ever we went.

 

     The main reason we went to Japan was for introduction to the Okinawa Karate-Do Goju-Ryu Shorei-Kai board and testing for grading in. We had met Nose Kaicho in Surrey B.C., Canada on an invitation from Vic Hargitt Shihan. After that we were allowed introduction in Japan. This was something I had been looking forward to for a long time. I have never been good with any kind of test. I am more comfortable with a shovel in my hand and working than stage performance of any kind, and this test was especially no exception. I was fortunate to be in such good company as Bergeest Shihan and Yocham Shihan while they were testing, which eased my tension. I did have some doubts with the amount of attention I was getting while training before the test from Honda Shihan on my techniques. All went well though and everyone passed. I thank everyone there for their help and support. While we were at the Nakano dojo, we picked up some volumes 1 & 2 of the Okinawa Goju-Ryu Shorei-Kan. I can't seem to keep enough of those in stock.

  

  Some of the things I enjoyed the most and not in any order were: All the different places we got to enjoy karate training, training halls,  hotel restaurants, restaurant roof tops, what a blast, the food, visiting Mrs. Haruko Toguchi (what spirit), shopping in Asakusa, the food, the aquarium, shopping in Okinawa, the food, the amount of Japanese people who new a little English (seemed like everyone there new a little English, how convenient), the coves in Okinawa, Shuri castle, the food, Ryukyu Mura, the dance and performance in Kin town, and the food. I was happy to meet most of my goals. Some of which were to get some old basho-fu (material made from banana fiber), get cups made by potter Toshio Kinjo to match the saki container I have from his father Jiro Kinjo (Jiro Kinjo was a National Living Treasure in pottery from Okinawa), and to get new pair of shisa I was also able to find a good antique vase for ichibana and a vintage Jifa (hairpin from Okinawa). I could go on and on.

 

     A couple thing I wish I had taken the time to do was see the fish market in Tokyo. I saw some pictures after we got home and realized I should have gone. I also wish I could have watched the wife of Nose Kaicho (Micho Shihan ?) play the koto. I was fortunate enough to listen to her play on CDs that were put together with some pictures of the visit and sent by Vic Shihan(which was truly amazing) but a live performance is something I will look forward to on another trip. Thank you for all the pictures put together so nicely.

 

     I will say this. For the amount of time we spent in the Tokyo area and Okinawa and everything we got to see and do (which I have not enough space to mention everything or all the names I need to write & thank) this was a flawless trip for my wife and I. We hope to have the opportunity to do it again. Thank you all for making it a trip that a family can enjoy together with the best company in the world visiting some of the best people on the planet.

 

David A. Williams

Harry Bergeest Shihan