Suio Ryu training retreat

Over the weekend of July 7-9 I had the privilege of attending the annual training retreat, or gasshuku, for the classical sword school I study: Suiō-ryū Iai Kenpō (水鷗流 居合 剣法). Founded a few years after the turn of the 17th Century, the curriculum of the Ryū has been passed down from headmaster to headmaster and into the present day, now with official branches all over the world. If you are interested in learning more about Suiō-ryū's history, see the US branch's website: http://www.suioryu-usa.org/

(I started my own training as an undergraduate at UC Irvine, which gave me a deeper appreciation for traditional Japanese culture and history, which in turn led me to apply for the JET Programme.)

On Thursday July 6 I flew out from Amami to Narita Airport, and took the Shinkansen down to the Suiō-ryū HQ in Shizuoka. I was just in time to catch the last hour of that evening's practice, which was attended mostly by foreigners who had come to participate in the retreat alongside their Japanese counterparts. Among those filling the space were folks from Finland, Hong Kong, Tahiti, and the US.

I stayed in Mishima that night with an Airbnb, and in the morning, my host kindly offered to show me around.

Some deer in an enclosure at Mishima Taisha shrine. The shrine itself had nearly no guests that morning, which made for a peaceful and tranquil visit.

A water fountain by the park. The two figures move up and down, pumping fresh spring water (direct from Mr. Fuji) out of the bamboo spout. 

My host Asahi and me. Originally from Okinawa, Asahi moved to Mishima for college.

Soon it was time to head to the retreat venue, a hotel at the base of Mt. Fuji. The hotel gym/sports hall served as our training space. Training on Friday began at 1 pm and ended at 5. I estimate this first night saw a group of about 80 people total. Following training, we got our room assignments and were free to shower and eat before post-dinner practice started at 8:30.

My roomate Romilda, from Tahiti, and me.

Friday night's dinner. Pork cutlet, mini-hot pot, sashimi, various small dishes, miso soup, and rice.

Saturday morning's training began after breakfast and went until noon, where we were joined by more members from around Japan (they had work on Friday) for a total of about 120 people. After lunch, practice continued from 1:30 to 4:30, and after dinner from 8 to 9:30.

Most people are practicing with training swords (that handle like the real thing but are blunted for safety), but the senior students with decades of experience are using live blades. There's no way to tell from a distance which is which. With so many people with swords in one space, it was very important to be aware of one's surroundings.

San Diegans unite - never mind that two out of the three of us are expats.

Romilda and me practicing paired techniques during some free time.

The final session ended at noon on Sunday, marking the end of a fun, sweat-filled weekend of training and good company. I enjoyed meeting the Hong Kong group for the first time, which I'm happy to say became an official affiliated branch during Saturday's promotion ceremony. After taking a photo with the headmaster and saying my goodbyes I returned to Mishima to spend the night.

But a trip to Shizuoka is not complete without feasting on a regional specialty and my favorite Japanese food: unagi, or freshwater eel, grilled to perfection atop a bowl of rice. My Airbnb host Asahi recommended a good, but not too expensive, unagi restaurant down the street. 

Delicious. The meal set came with two large cuts of eel on rice, soup, and a small dish of pickled vegetables.

By "not too expensive" I mean $30 for what you see above - a standard unagi meal set. There are a lot of old, famous establishments in Mishima that charge upwards of $60 for the most basic cuts. But I have to be honest, this was the best meal of the weekend. The eel was soft and flaky, not overpowered by too much sauce, and generously portioned.

I returned to Amami the way I came - Shinkansen to Tokyo/Narita, and a flight from Narita back to the island - but with bruises and aches as evidence of the progress made during the weekend retreat. I'll be sure to practice hard until next time.