Back in Tokyo

So, it's been two good days of training since we came back to Shim-Matsudo. Someya-senseis class was all about Naginata and the basics of holding, cutting and blocking with it. We also did a couple of techniques. Was sure an inspiring class for me. I haven't done much Naginata, so getting used to that particular weapons qualities and it's peculiarities was nice. Moving around wasn't a big challenge though, and I was happy to notice that my efforts on working on my taijutsu is beginning to pay off. Well, I know, it's said all the time, your skills in taijutsu shows when you start working with the weapons, but it's a whole different thing when you experience it for your self. Of course.

Tuesday I trained at Duncan's class in the afternoon. It was a great review on the basics, really working some details of what we are doing. I'm looking around for tips and inspiration on how to keep improving my taijutsu and training further, so this was a great opportunity! Really got some good stuff with me from those hours!

Went to Sokes class tuesday evening, turned out to be one of my most confusing classes so far. Couldn't really make much of it, but most of it will probably be coming back when I visit classes in the future, so I just kept on going, thinking to my self that hopefully some images will pop up in my head later on, while in training. Sometimes it's just giving up on understanding at just watch that will help me comprehend, I hope this was such a case. :)

Travels:

Before we came back to Tokyo we had two nice days in Osaka and Nara.
Went around walking in the den-den-town in Osaka, which is the place where you find all you could ever wish for in electronics. The Osaka answer to Tokyo's Akihabara. Continuing our stroll we found our way to next specialized area, the "cooking" district. Anything, even remotely related to cooking, could be found there. For example you could buy the plastic models restaurants use to display their food. That would be something, putting a plastic sushi among my home made ones... >:)
It was heaven for anyone interested in cooking, and I found a couple of things that I would like to bring home, like a tamago-pan, a wooden bowl for making sushi rice, a rice cooker, and some smart things for taking up fried stuff from the oil. Bought my self some ohashi (chopsticks) and ceramic knives.
Also took a short walk along the river in the Minami-district. The street just south of the river was crazy! Busy, lots of young Japanese walking around, neon lights everywhere! Was nice to enjoy the calmness when walking along the river, almost quiet, just meeting a few people and a nice full moon lightening up the sky.

Doutombori

Neon madness!

Little less neon madness.

We also had  the time to visit the aquarium in Osaka, really big! Hosted a lot of strange animals, among them a capybara -  a huge rodent, the size of a medium sized dog, with the looks like a hamster - sharks, rays, turtles, dolphins and penguins.

Outside of the aquarium.

It was nice walking from the top down, just looking at all the strange, funny and interesting animals in the tanks. Well worth a visit!

On the way back  to Tokyo, we made a quick stop in Nara and went once again to the nice tabi shop! http://www.tabi-ji.jp/. I tried many pairs on and finally decided for a red pair with fur on the inside! Pictures will come! :) We stayed one night at a friends apartment, he lives with his family in a place a 10 minute trainride north of Nara. Had a nice and tasty dinner and then did some training in his living room. Pretty much took my notes and reviewed them and went on from there. It ended up being a couple of great hours, with ideas of what we've been doing popping up in our heads, being tried and refined.Thanks Rod and Erik!

Bullet train taking us back.

Ekiben, another great thing with Japan!