Uwe Rosebrock My life as an uchideshi at Kobayashi Dojo Uwe ...

<strong>Uwe</strong> <strong>Rosebrock</strong><br />

May 2007 - June 2007<br />

N<strong>at</strong>ionality: Australi<strong>an</strong><br />

<strong>Dojo</strong>: University of T<strong>as</strong>m<strong>an</strong>ia Aikido Club<br />

Mr. <strong>Rosebrock</strong> stayed in Tokorozawa dojo for one month from May<br />

2007 with Mr. G<strong>at</strong>aric. It seems th<strong>at</strong> he had m<strong>an</strong>y experience during<br />

his stay.<br />

<strong>My</strong> <strong>life</strong> <strong>as</strong> <strong>an</strong> <strong>uchideshi</strong> <strong>at</strong> Kobay<strong>as</strong>hi <strong>Dojo</strong><br />

<strong>Uwe</strong> <strong>Rosebrock</strong><br />

On May 16, 2007, I left for Jap<strong>an</strong> to arrive on May 17 from<br />

T<strong>as</strong>m<strong>an</strong>ia, Australia, to become <strong>an</strong> <strong>uchideshi</strong> <strong>at</strong> Kobay<strong>as</strong>hi <strong>Dojo</strong> in Tokorozawa<br />

near Tokyo. Firstly my warmest th<strong>an</strong>k you goes to the Kobay<strong>as</strong>hi family to<br />

allow me to train <strong>an</strong>d welcome me to the dojo. The experience w<strong>as</strong> truly eye<br />

opening in so m<strong>an</strong>y ways.<br />

One could have all the prepar<strong>at</strong>ion in the world, but when living in a<br />

western society, it would be hard pressed to envisage the <strong>life</strong>style one enters into<br />

in becoming a live-in student. The early rise to prepare <strong>an</strong>d cle<strong>an</strong> the dojo<br />

almost becomes a m<strong>an</strong>tra in which you focus on the immedi<strong>at</strong>e little things.<br />

Especially when you are so sleep deprived. Not th<strong>at</strong> I w<strong>as</strong>n’t warned – but I<br />

wouldn’t w<strong>an</strong>t to miss it for the world.<br />

The tight schedule me<strong>an</strong>t to get up before 5:00am to either cle<strong>an</strong> the<br />

Tokorozawa dojo where we stayed, or travel to Kodaira, <strong>Dojo</strong>cho’s place of<br />

residence <strong>an</strong>d principle dojo. In all dojos w<strong>as</strong> <strong>an</strong> intensive cle<strong>an</strong>ing schedule to<br />

follow, which in itself w<strong>as</strong> a t<strong>as</strong>k <strong>an</strong>d reminded me ever so often of wh<strong>at</strong> being<br />

there w<strong>as</strong> all about.<br />

While Tokorozawa h<strong>as</strong> been rebuilt several years ago, Kodaira is close to<br />

its original st<strong>at</strong>e, <strong>at</strong> le<strong>as</strong>t <strong>as</strong> far <strong>as</strong> the m<strong>at</strong>s are concerned. These are old style<br />

straw m<strong>at</strong>s, compressed through years of practice to mirror the consistency of a<br />

wooden floor. Since we had the opportunity to train in Kodaira m<strong>an</strong>y times a<br />

week under <strong>Dojo</strong>cho, it took a little getting used to. It did not take too long until<br />

my knees did not appreci<strong>at</strong>e the ongoing challenge. Considering th<strong>at</strong> all the<br />

senior students <strong>an</strong>d teachers spend most their <strong>life</strong><br />

training on these m<strong>at</strong>s, didn’t e<strong>as</strong>e the pain but made<br />

me admire them even more. Any of these challenges<br />

were utterly overshadowed by the privilege to be<br />

taught by Kobay<strong>as</strong>hi sensei <strong>an</strong>d Hiroaki sensei. The<br />

continuous training 2-3 times a day with so m<strong>an</strong>y<br />

senior students <strong>an</strong>d teachers w<strong>as</strong> not only exciting but<br />

also put my own study of Aikido in perspective. I<br />

appreci<strong>at</strong>ed the structured teaching, the generosity, the

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kindness <strong>an</strong>d particularly the smiles with which all those miss-steps of us gaijin<br />

were overseen.<br />

And th<strong>an</strong> there are the ‘little’ events outside the daily schedule, such <strong>as</strong><br />

taking part in the <strong>an</strong>nual Aikido Enbukai (demonstr<strong>at</strong>ion) under Kobay<strong>as</strong>hi <strong>Dojo</strong>,<br />

travelling to the foot hills of Mount Fuji to train under <strong>Dojo</strong>cho <strong>an</strong>d others for a<br />

weekend, or getting up early on the day when you could sleep a little longer to<br />

train under Doshu <strong>at</strong> Hombu <strong>Dojo</strong>. Travelling to Meiji University where<br />

<strong>Dojo</strong>cho instructs the students of Meiji University, we met a gre<strong>at</strong> number of<br />

incredibly keen students <strong>an</strong>d it gave us yet <strong>an</strong>other insight into the spectacular<br />

efforts these gre<strong>at</strong> teachers of Aikido <strong>an</strong>d <strong>life</strong> make.<br />

As a tradition the <strong>uchideshi</strong>s are to prepare breakf<strong>as</strong>t every Friday<br />

morning for the sensei’s <strong>at</strong>tending the weekly office day <strong>as</strong> well <strong>as</strong> for the<br />

<strong>uchideshi</strong>s. I wondered often wh<strong>at</strong> sort of culinary inventions must have been<br />

presented. So we tried to stick with the simple <strong>an</strong>d spent some effort on desserts.<br />

But let there be no doubt, we couldn’t possibly compare <strong>an</strong>y of our efforts with<br />

Hiroaki sensei’s wife, Miyoko, who made a traditional Jap<strong>an</strong>ese breakf<strong>as</strong>t every<br />

Wednesday morning.<br />

Th<strong>an</strong>k you ever so much, for allowing us to gain this experience.