- OKINAWAN
KOBUDO SEMINAR
- Ryukyu
Kobudo Tesshinkan
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- OKINAWAN
KOBUDO SEMINAR
- August 24 -
26, 2001
- Parksville,
B.C., Canada
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- with
special guest:
- Sensei
Hidemi Tamayose, Kyoshi, 8th Dan
- President
of the Ryukyu Kobudo Tesshinkan
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- Along with a large group of
students of various ranks I was extremely fortunate this
weekend to have had the opportunity to train in the
"original weapons system of Okinawa" with one
of the finest Okinawan weapons masters teaching in the
world today, Sensei Hidemi Tamayose, Kyoshi, 8th Dan,
President of the Ryukyu Kobudo Tesshinkan.
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- To give you a brief history
of Okinawan kobudo, Taira Shinken (1897-1970) established
the "Ryukyu Kobudo Hozon Shinko Kai", (Ancient
Weapons Promotion and Preservation Society) in 1955, and
upon his death in 1970, Sensei Akamine Eisuke (1925-1999)
his senior student, inherited the leadership of the
organization as the second President.
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- In 1982 Tamayose
Sensei began studying directly under Akamine Sensei at
the Hozon Shinko Kai Hombu Dojo. As one of the senior
students Tamayose Sensei was ranked Nana Dan, 7th Dan, by
Akamine Sensei and Hatchi, 8th Dan, by the Okinawa Ken
Karate Do Rengo Kai, and he served as the Chairman of the
Board of Directors until the death of Akamine Sensei in
1999.
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- In order to perpetuate Ryu
Kyu Kobudo in the manner he had been personally taught by
Akamine Sensei, Tamayose Sensei formed the "Ryukyu
Kobudo Tesshinkan" on May 22, 1999.
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- Bo basics
- The three day camp began
with Tamayose Sensei introducing us to ten of the basic
bo techniques that a student is required to know in order
to perform any Okinawan bo kata properly. After two hours
of constant training every student had a new appreciation
for the term - "mo ichi do" - "one more
time".
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- A watchful
eye
- Throughout the weekend
Tamayose Sensei made a point of visiting each student in
turn correcting technique, posture, stance, etc., etc. -
here on the left he offers words of encouragement to Alex
Hanuse, while in the background Sensei Kieran Baldwin
holds good form - on the right Ionne McCaully listens
carefully as Tamayose Sensei makes a minor adjustment to
the height of her bo. Through out the weeked nothing
escaped his expert eye and all of his instructions were
very detailed and specific, every student left the camp
with a real appreciation for the skill and knowledge of
this very talented, and very generous man.
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- Shushi No
Kun Sho
- Sempai Diane Holland and
Sensei Kieran Baldwin are seen here at the end of the
afternoon session working on the bo kata Shushi No Kun
Sho. Unlike some North American versions of this kata
there are no "made up" or "flashy"
movements in the original version of this kata, just good
basic technique, and as expected all of the strikes and
blocks are both functional and effective.
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- Once again
basics, basics, basics
- First we did the ten bo
basics on the right side then on the left, constant
repetition was the order of the day with special emphasis
focused on hand and elbow placement in both the reverse
grip position as shown in the left photograph and the
standard grip as demonstrated by Sensei Holland.
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- Sweating
the small stuff
- Sensei Martin Nicholson,
whose dojo sponsored this seminar, made a point of
spending time with all of the visiting Sensei's to be
sure that the smallest detail was not overlooked. Here in
the top photo he offers me some suggestions while Sensei
Dan Holland patiently waits his turn. It came all to soon
as the bottom photo shows, it looks like we got similar
pointers.
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- Proper
position is everything
- Tamayose Sensei helped me a
great deal through out the entire weekend and I am very
grateful for his personal attention, here in the top
photo he takes the time to make sure I am positioned
correctly. In the background Sempai Wes Hunter and Sempai
James Luck wait their turn - in the bottom photo it is
Sensei Holland's turn - it once again looks like he and I
got similar pointers.
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- Trying to
get it right
- After each session students
would find space to practice what they had learnt - and I
was no exception.
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- Meazato No
Tekko
- In the afternoon of the
second day Tamayose Sensei leads the senior belts through
the tekko kata "Meazato No Tekko" and once
again "mo ichi do" became the order of the day.
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- Following
the leader
- With his years of dedicated
training behind him Tamayose Sensei made every part of
the kata look both powerful and smooth.
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- Little
things make the difference
- During the bo kata, Shushi
No Kun Sho, Tamayose Sensei checked each student in turn,
here Sensei Dan Holland gets a once over.
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- At the end
of a very successful camp
- Sensei Lindsay, Sensei
Tamayose, and Sensei Nicholson
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- Until next
year
- Thank you
Tamayose Sensei for your time and your knowledge.
- Both are
greatly appreciated.
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