On Returning From The Far Abroad 2026 Version

The suitcase is unpacked and clothes are washed, the training weapons are cared for, the random collection of things I purchased now in a pile for placement for display.  I got one good night of sleep on Friday (10-12 hours) before Saturday's nights game of "Wake Up, it is time to be training" at 0 Dark Thirty.

Like it or not, I am back and reality is ready to come crashing back in.

The most important question is "What is different from when you left?"

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It may seem a bit odd that this would one of the main thoughts coming out of such a trip.  To me, it is not such a surprise:  one of the expectations of my school is that after every training with our Grand Master, we are expected to write a paper on our experience and what we learned (yes, even in my late 50's, I still have homework and reports due).    And being a blogger (as I am), I have become used to the idea over the years that part of my travels include preparing for how I am going document my experiences upon my return.

On the one hand, it is a great habit to have:  one tends to think and document things as they come to mind or occur.  On the other hand, it can become a bit of a challenge when all one ever does is collect experiences for the purposes of reflection and writing.

Both the paper and the blogging have exacerbated the already existing tendencies I had of being quiet and self reflective.  It helps, too, that as an introvert, the idea of reflecting on things is seen as having merit.

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What I have at the moment are more a series of random items, observations and reflections as they presented themselves.

1)  "Current Events" have limited appeal in the outer world: I was out of the news and social media loop (more or less) for almost two weeks.  It was - frankly - refreshing.  To be fair, I did not necessarily seek out news in Japan either.  But I surely did not miss the sort of breathless events that seem to be happening on both sides on almost a minute by minute basis here.  And other than a couple of comments, our training group was largely free of commentary as well (by a sort of unspoken agreement).    I suspect it would sadden and shock many here that "current events" could equally be defined as "transitory news" that quickly loses steam outside of their relevant surroundings.

Frankly, I did not miss it one bit.  And it was a good reminder that one really can lead a life largely divorced of the madness that seems to constitute much of modern life.

2) My 2026 Intentions are on target:  As you might recall from my 2026 Intentions (not goals!), I had identified passing the N4 Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) and paring down my life as two intentions. Being in Japan convinced me that pursuing the JLPT is a right thing to do (after all, I intend to keep going as long as I am able and if so, why not be able to speak better?).  And paring down my life - partially in this case by continuing to pursue Iaijutsu (and not just adding new things) - is a goal worth pursuing.

Time is limited.  Make it count.

3)  One really can change - One of the high points (and most surprising things to me) was from a fellow student who I only see during these seminars.  He commented to me that my demeanor seemed changed from the last time that he had trained with me, which would have been in 2025.  His comment was that I no longer seemed afraid or nervous when I was called forward to demonstrate a technique.  

One does not get the feedback that one has changed for the better often, even less so when it is something that seems to have happened without conscious awareness.  

4) I am on the right path:  The past year between the 2025 and 2026 seminars has been rougher than I anticipated.  I did not plan on an injury which has impacted my ability to do certain techniques.  I did not know that I would decide to let The Ranch go - and by default, that the course of our lives may very well end here in New Home 2.0 (or elsewhere, who knows).  I did not think that some of the choices I have made over the past year would have been made, or that things that had once valued no longer had the same value to me.

As it turns out, it has all turned out for the best. Which gives me comfort that while the path of my musha shugyo, or warrior's pilgrimage, is not what I had intended, it is the path I am intended for.

5)  Focus on the things that matter:  One of my favorite quotes from the Buddhist monk Takuan Soho runs "If you follow the present day world, you will turn your back on The Way.  If you would not turn your back on The Way, do not follow the world."  

There are a great many things that really do matter in life.  Very few of them are actually what people think are important

A Year Of Kindness (VI): Kind Words

 

The remarkable thing about kindness is that - in word or deed - it costs almost nothing to give yet can yield results that far outweigh the effort required.

Back From Training 2026

I am back, friends It was a good training.  Some pictures to tide you over as I sleep and catch up.

(Tempura Dinner)

(View from our room)

(Unagi [Eel])

(Oizagongen Shrine - Tokyo)

(Tokyo at night)

(Embu, Kobudo Kyokai Taikai)

(Embu, Kobudo Kyokai Taikai)

(Shugenji Temple - Kamakura)

(Hasedera Temple - Kamakura)

(Kamakura Bay)

(Tsurugaoka Shrine - Kamakura)

(Engakuji Trmple)

(Meiji Temple - Tokyo)

A Brief History Of Haiku (III)

 The hokku (発句) originated as the starting verse of the renga.  Over the development of time, the hokku began to separate into its own poetic vehicle, still containing the rule of 5-7-5.

(As an interesting historical note, the hokku was renamed as haiku (俳句) - the changed first character means "actor" in the 19th century by the Japanese poet Masaoka Shiki (A.D. 1867-1902) and have since been applied retrospectively to all previous hokku written as such, although the original authors would not know the word.)

The 5-7-5 verse breaks the verse in the 17 on, the smallest grammatical Japanese language unit (typically a consonant and noun for English speakers).  The rule is strictly adhered to - except, of course, when it is not for artistic reasons (as it turns out, there is at least one whole haiku school that does not hold to it).

Rules that applied to the hokku as used in renga continued to apply:

- It needed a kireji (切れ字), a "cutting word", a word to break the stream of thought connect the previous and current verse through parallels, or give a "dignified ending".

- It needed a kigo (季語), a "season word", something to associate or imply the season of the writing of the poem

- It needed to reflect the current state of the poet when writing the poem.

One of the greatest haiku poets is the poet Bassho (A.D. 1644-1694), a master of both renga and haiku.  Likely he is the most famous haiku poet outside of Japan and certainly one of the definers of the genre.  One of his most famous works goes as follows:

古池や蛙飛び込む水の音

        furu ike ya kawazu tobikomu mizu no oto

Old pond,
frog leaps in,
water's sound

(Note:  Typically haiku are presented in Japanese as a single sentence, whereas in English we separate each verse.)

An alternative reading is:

Breaking the silence
of an ancient pond,
A frog jumped into water - 
A deep resonance

Reading this, likely we can all think of a moment in time like this:  a setting, an action or event, and the momentary realization of the event.  The great haiku masters became experts at this, the capturing of moments.

Sources cited:

Haiku

Basho, Matsuo:  The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches (translated by Yuasa, Nobuyuki):  Penguin Classics, New York: 1966

Wilson, William Scott.  A Beginner's Guide to Japanese Haiku:  Tuttle Publishing, New York:  2022.

A Year Of Haiku (V): Work's Dawn

Walking from my car:

blazing colour of Winter

brightens office mood.

 

2025 Cambodia And Vietnam: Terrace Of The Elephants

 The Terrace of The Elephants (which apparently the same in Khmer) was the terraced and foundation of the palace of King Jayavarman VII and part of the royal palace of Phimeanakas.  The palace, being of organic materials, has almost completely disappeared; only the terrace remains.

From this terrace, the King reviewed his victorious armies and made public proclamations.

The terrace runs 350 m (almost 1150 ft) with elephants and their mahouts.

The terrace also includes warriors and dancers:

Sadly, elephants in Cambodia have had their numbers reduced to 400-600.

2025 Cambodia And Vietnam: Bayon Wat (IV)

 In an era where most structures (like most places in the ancient and medieval world) were measured in terms of a single story, the scope of Bayon Wat must have been stunning to those who came here.

"Brooding" is not a term I use often.  But the ruins here definitely brooded over one as you made your way through them.

Access to them ruins is surprisingly (unless the West, where we seem to be kept out of anything that would be remotely dangerous).

I can imagine these passageways, roofed and filled with people.

Bayon Wat - like Angkor Wat that we will visit soon - is still considered an active place of worship.

Even from a distance, it is impressive.