Plans, Schemes and an Incipient Paranoia

Almost two years ago now, when Klara and I climbed Fuji-San, it was at night-time and a bit of a slog.  All we could see was a slow, steady zig-zag line of head torches weaving their way above and below.  No one could see the summit.  Maybe if we had been able to see the peak, the enormity of Fuji-San would have felt more oppressive and therefore added to the arduous burden.  Far better to wind one’s way carefully watching the scree than, being captivated by Fuji-San’s majesty, end up sliding back down on one’s backside! 

From early June through to early August, training’s going to be similarly intense, something like climbing Fuji-San.  Rather stupidly, I thought I’d lay out a timetable for the next two month’s high-level Jodo, Iaido and Kendo instruction and, instantly, part of me regrets doing so for the same reasons as not wanting to see Fuji-San’s summit.  And, just as Japan’s iconic Mountain has stages where your lungs and legs are more sorely tested than others, this timetable is also going to have some hazardous, high-risk areas.  The gradings.  Umm, yes, definitely those gradings….     

Day	Date	Where	Times
Saturday	8th June	Canberra, ACT	09:30 – 16:00
Sunday	9th June	Canberra, ACT	09:30 – 16:00
Monday	10th June	Canberra, ACT	09:30 – 13:00
Tuesday	11th June	Hobart, Tasmania	13:00 – 21:00
Wednesday	12th June	Hobart, Tasmania	09:30 – 21:00
Thursday	13th June	Hobart, Tasmania	09:30 – 12:15
TB announced	Very early July	Cairns, Queensland	TB announced
Sunday	7th July	Sendai, Japan	"All day"
Monday	8th July	Sendai, Japan	"All day"
Tuesday	9th July	Sendai, Japan	"All day"
Wednesday	10th July	Sendai, Japan	"All day"
Thursday	11th July	Sendai, Japan	"All day"
Friday	12th July	Sendai, Japan	"All day"
Saturday	13th July	Sendai, Japan	My Kendo Nidan grading
Sunday	14th July	Sendai, Japan	Iaido comp
Sunday	28th July	Seishinkan Dojo, UK	Pre-seminar workout
Thursday	1st August	Stevenage, UK	Seminar times (Jodo)
Friday	2nd August	Stevenage, UK	Assist at Klara’s grading
Saturday	3rd August	Stevenage, UK	Seminar times (Jodo)
Sunday	4th August	Stevenage, UK	Seminar times (Iaido)
Monday	5th August	Stevenage, UK	My Iaido Sandan grading
Tuesday	6th August	Stevenage, UK	Seminar times (Iaido)

I’d like to think the gradings are going to be the worst part of the itinerary but a niggling voice in my head is whispering "Nagayama Sensei is up to something".  Sitting at home drinking scotch with both Nagayama and Ohara Sensei the night before they flew back to Japan they dropped some clues.  It’s just a hunch (and I’ve been lucky enough to be privy to the manner in which Sensei's mind works for a while now) but I’m deeply suspicious about why I “must go” (Sensei’s words) to Cairns.  It wasn’t delivered with a turn-up-if-you-can look, either.  He’s up to something.  Always testing.  Always planning.

 Aden and Bob, Wollongong Jodo & Iaido instructors, appraising Nagayama Sensei