My Visit to Japan…….The Kyokushin Honbu
To any Kyokushin student the words Kyokushin Honbu needs no explanation or introduction. For me to go to Japan without seeing it would be unthinkable. I have many karate friends that have made the long trip to see the Honbu only to be disappointed that they could not get inside because it is closed to the public. I knew this, when I set out from my visit to Gichin Funakoshi’s shrine, but headed back north east of central Tokyo to the district of Ikebukuro to, at least, stand outside the Honbu.
Arriving at Ikebukuro train station was straightforward … I then flagged down a taxi believing that ALL taxi drivers must know where this famous building is! Not this one!! Every time I spoke he just started laughing uncontrollably at everything I said. Surely the Chelmsford accent is not that bad? Eventually, I managed to make myself clear as to where I wanted to go and after stopping off at two rice dealers to ask directions (apparently it is quite normal for Japanese taxi drivers not to know where they are going and rice dealers know everything!!!) we finally arrived at the Honbu building. He only charged me the minimum fare, as it took so long for him to get there, either that, or I made his day as this strange westerner who got in his taxi and made him laugh hysterically for all of the journey.
There it was ….. just as all the pictures I had seen; a small three storey, brick built, very plain building. You could easily walk past it not knowing what it was. As I viewed the building I could see the main door was open and three uniformed Japanese men standing outside. I walked up to them and gave the traditional Kyokushin OSU! which was returned with vigour. I asked if I could enter the building and was met with a very polite but emphatic ‘NO!’ as it is not open to the public. They pointed out a large sign on the door clearly stating that fact. I decided to try ‘Plan B’ and took out my IKO membership card, signed by Mas Oyama, that I finally received from the Honbu in 1979, and presented it to them. Would this prove to be my ‘golden ticket to gain access? One of the Japanese guys studied it then studied me and said it was OK to go in for 10minutes.
Thinking that I would only be allowed in the foyer; I was bowled over when the other two guys told me to take off my shoes and follow them to look at the dojo upstairs. I could not believe it and followed them up the stairs and there it was ….. all the pictures on the wall, the punch bags, makawara, everything that I had seen in photos. I walked across the dojo floor thinking of all the thousands of Kyokushin students that had trained there over the years. I wanted to soak up some of the Kyokushin Spirit that this training room had seeped into its floorboards. I asked if I could take photos and they said no problem. Still thinking I had only 10 minutes I clicked away at everything thinking ‘this is too good to be true’. Pushing my luck a little, but knowing this was probably my only visit to the Honbu in this lifetime; I asked if I could put on my gi and if they could take some photos of ME in the Honbu.
I’d taken my gi with me with a hope and a prayer that such a scenario would arise. I wondered if I’d pushed their hospitality too far when one of the escorts ran down the stairs to ask the guy in charge what to do. After what seemed an eternity he came running back, looked me directly in the eyes and said I had permission to put on my gi. Having set what must be the world record of putting on a gi; I then had some photos taken in the dojo.
All too quickly I was saying my goodbyes to the three Japanese guys and once again standing outside taking more pictures with my camera and video recorder. I still did not quite believe the experience I’d just had, I was very lucky indeed, maybe someone was looking down on me that day or it was just meant to be.
Not once was I asked what organisation I was from, what grade I was (clearly this was noticed when I put on my gi and belt, which was acknowledged by a bow and OSU! from my ‘minders’). It was simply clear that I was a Kyokushin student that had travelled to Japan to see the Honbu. I was treated with wonderful manners and respect from all three Japanese guys ‘on guard’. They could have not have done any more for me.
I never met Kancho, though, I did see him in London in the mid seventy’s, that was as close as I got to him. For me to stand in the Honbu in my gi, where Kancho had instructed for many years, taking in the atmosphere of the dojo was as good as it was going to get. Writing this now the memories all come back it was such a great feeling and one I will always treasure.
Sensei Stuart @ Kyokushin Honbu
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