View Single Post
Old 08-08-2000, 09:02 AM   #5
BC
Location: Chicago, IL
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 432
Offline
Ki Symbol

In regards to your desire to train in Japan, I thought I would just offer up some information, since it came up last week in our Summer Camp. During a discussion about traveling to other dojos to train, and particularly Japan and Hombu Dojo, a number of our senior instructors from our organization stressed the importance of having your instructor or sempai either make contact for you ahead of time at the foreign dojo or write a letter of recommendation for you to train there. The reason for this was that one of the senior instructors mentioned how one of his students traveled to Tokyo and showed up at Hombu Dojo unannounced without such a letter or communication, and was turned down when he requested to attend classes there. Additionally, you might find people at the foreign dojo to be much more hospitable to you if you do have some form of introduction established beforehand. Lastly, you might also be able to get a class schedule to confirm when classes might or might not be held. Just a couple weeks ago, a student from out of town showed up at our dojo to attend a class only to be told that our normally scheduled class that night had been cancelled for a special beginners' session (this information had unfortunately not been posted on our website yet). Best of luck!

-BC
  Reply With Quote