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Some memories from a journey to Ise in February 2008
By Dagfinn Skre
In late January 2008 I went with Tinna, my fiancé, to Ise in Japan, a town some two hours train journey east of Osaka. The town is renowned for its famous Shinto shrine, the Ise Jingu, the most venerated in the whole of Japan. My teacher, Liam O’Brien Kyoshi 7th Dan of the London Kyudo Society had arranged for me to receive instruction from his friend Miyauchi Sensei Hanshi 8th Dan in Ise Jingu Dojo. Another friend of O’Brien’s, Ms. Mieko Wada 5th Dan, came down from her home town Nagoya to Ise to serve as interpreter for us during my two days of practice. The following day I tried for 4th Dan at the exam in the neighbouring town Sakanai-gawa.
Tinna and I will never forget the overwhelming hospitality and generosity with which Miyauchi sensei took care of us during these days. We were taken to see the local sights, which were most impressive, both Ise Jingu, the shrine which has been rebuilt every 20th year for some 1600 years, and to the museums which houses the shrine’s unique treasures. And he treated us with the most delicious food in a variety of restaurants. We were also deeply moved by Wada san’s dedication and friendliness. Their names are written into our hearts for ever.
Tinna, Miyauchi sensei and Wada san walking the steps to Ise Jingu Inner Shrine
Tinna and Wada-san on the steps.
Miyauchi sensei on a local Udon Restaurants.
The Ise Jingu dojo is beautiful.
First Miyauchi sensei looked over my equipment.
Then the teaching started. Sensei first shot two arrows with the intention, he said, to inspire me. He did! His beautiful shooting can be admired at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iZGKyGC8Nc
Two days of hard practice went by, some 6 hours a day. Hard work and lots of fun. As always in such periods of intense practice, my shooting first fell apart and then slowly began to work again. By the end of the second day I managed some decent shots, it seemed...
The first day we had the dojo to ourselves. On the second day the dojo group from the town Tamaki came to practice. They were also building up for the exam the following day. We had a very nice time with them both during practice and when they served refreshments in the lunch break.
On the exam day snow covered the ground. The motorway was closed and we drove for nearly two hours to get to Matsusaka where the exam was held in Sakanaigawa Sports Center. As usual, this exam day was long with lots ow waiting. After some 7 hours of waiting I shot as the very last of all the 452 kyudoka who attended the exam – I was the only non-Japanese. Twenty kyudoka tried for the 4th Dan and three passed, among them me. I hit both arrows, the first of them in the centre circle.
I don’t have any photos from the exam. But the Tamaki group posted a picture on their website http://www.amigo2.ne.jp/~kenf/kyudotamaki04photo01.htm
There are two pictures from the practice with the Tamaki group and then one from the exam. The text under the exam picture reads:
“Dagfinn Skre. Great !! Hit two arrows. Congratulations. He came to Japan all the way from Norway, and we are very impressed by his great shooting and his spirit. He should have been born Japanese! We have learned a lot from his attitude in kyudo, BUSHIDO. “
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