Cultural Give & Take Part One: The Take

Thursday was the national holiday Culture Day & we received an invitation - we still don't know from whom, JET? one of our Japanese friends? It just showed up at Colleen's school - to attend an open event in Himeji which displayed many of the different types of martial arts & historic sports (Sumo and Aikido are shown above. Kyudo (archery), Kendo, Jukendo, Karate, Judo and more were also displayed) and afterward let the crowd participate in open practices. Colleen opted for Aikido (pic below!) and I stepped into the Jukendo arena. It was fun, but my foot is really sore from stomping so much. Jukendo involves a serious foot-slap motion that I couldn't get down and since my instructors were all Japanese military they weren't going easy on my lanky awkwardness. Colleen fared much better and even though she's downplaying her new "Tough Guy" attitude, you can see how hostile she really is:



Tomorrow the Real "fun": The Give.