With Soke Sakagami and the members of Itosu-kai Headquarters
First of all I want to mention my teacher Sensei Daniel Dodero for the trust and support at the moment of deciding the trip to the Hombu dojo. After many personal and professional problems the FIKA resolves to send me to improve my technique with the teacher Saadaki Sakagami, in the city of Yokohama, Japan. I left Argentina the first days of March with the confidence that I would be up to the task, I knew that it would not be easy for many things, first the language, I will be few words in Japanese and some in English, also the fear of the unknown although I had already been in 2013 at the Itosu-kai World Karatedo Championship in Osaka but it had been many years. When I arrived at Tokyo, all the memories of the previous trip came to my mind. It was exciting and gave me a lot of confidence to continue with this project, although any doubt had all the indications that Sensei Ayumu Oda had already sent me. As soon as I arrived at the hotel in Tsurumi, Yokohama city, whose reservation Saadaki Sakagami had made, I first thought about taking a shower and eating something because I had arrived too late after more than 30 hours of travel. At that moment, I received a call from Soke Saadaki Sakagami, concerned about I had arrived well, with my little English. I greeted him and we already agreed the days and time of the classes at the headquarters. I want to especially thank Soke for his attention. (Special thanks to the people of the hotel Tokiwa- for their warmth and unconditional help). They were 21 exciting days as I had the opportunity to meet and practice with different instructors, on Monday, Kobudo, the use of the staff (Bo) with Sensei Kenichi Suzuki and Shoichi Yokoyama, great patience were in their teaching, thank you very much for your time. On Wednesdays and Friday I practiced in the headquarters alternating with other dojos in the area was a very good experience, improve the kata that I already knew Seienchin and Bassai-dai with Sensei Masayoshi Hino and I learned others like Matsumura Bassai and Tomari Bassai with Sensei Kiyoshi Kusuhara. I do not want to forget about Sensei Suzuki for his time and patience to correct me the details of the kata Gojushiho, also a thank you classmates like Yuichiro Ikeda, Nobuyuki Aoyagi, Masahiro Obayashi, Luis Loza and sorry if I forget some, thank you all for your patience cordiality. Andrés Stempelet
Itosu-kai Argentina 2 DAN
With the members of Itosu-kai Headquarters after a party.