News
2010 Kagami Biraki
January 16, 2010
Article by Vicki Trent
Photo courtesy of Arik Dao
Three San Francisco Bay Area judo clubs celebrated the New Year in the Kodokan tradition at Palo Alto Buddhist Church by putting on a judo demonstration and potluck buffet, potluck luncheon. Ms. Keiko Fukuda, Kodokan 9th Dan, started the Kagami Biraki tradition in the SF Bay Area 38 years ago, and the celebration had been hosted in San Francisco by her and her club, Soko Joshi Judo Club, until 9 years ago, when For the 30th anniversary, she invited the San Jose Buddhist Judo Club and the Palo Alto Judo Club to join her in a collaborative effort. The event was attended by about 100 guests in the audience, and approximately 60 students and instructors took part in the judo demonstration. Ms. Keiko Fukuda is the only living student of Professor Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo, and is also the only woman to ever attain the rank of Kodokan 9th Degree. She has studied judo since 1933, has taught for much of that time, has been honored as a National Treasure of Japan, has written two Kodokan judo textbooks, and is the subject of a feature-length documentary film currently in production (please see www.youtube.com, search “Keiko Fukuda”).
The Kagami Biraki ceremony marks the beginning of another year of judo study for the judoka involved and is a celebration of renewed vigor and commitment to judo training. The ceremony features a speech given by a judo student and also a speech in response by that student’s instructor. This year, the student speech was given by Anne Suzuki, Ikkyu, a student from San Jose Buddhist Judo Club, and the instructor speech was given by Ms. Tania Chie Swain, 4th Dan also from San Jose Buddhist.
and Sheppard Sensei
Photo courtesy of Arik Dao
Mr. Vaughn Imada, 5th Dan of San Jose Buddhist, served as the emcee for the program, joined by Ms. Eiko Shepherd, 7th Dan of St. Louis, MO, Ms. Vicki Trent, 5th Dan, and Ms. Teri Schweitzer, 3rd Dan, both of Soko Joshi, who gave background information and helped explain the katas as they were being performed.
The judo demonstrations portion of the program featured the performance of all three of the main categories of judo techniques: Nage Waza (throws), Katame Waza (grappling), which are both used in Randori, or “free play” practice; and Atemi Waza (striking techniques), which is are only used in Kata, or “forms” practice. All seven Kodokan katas were demonstrated by high ranked students and instructors.
The katas included Included in the program were:
Nage no Kata, Forms of Throwing; Katame no Kata, Forms of Grappling; Ju no Kata, Forms of Gentleness (performed with a musical backgroundto music of the koto played by Julie Sumida, Shodan, of Palo Alto Judo Club and the shakuhachi played by guest musician Kanow Matsueda– the koto was played by Julie Sumida, Shodan, of Palo Alto Judo Club); Kime no Kata, Forms of Decisive Action; Goshin Jitsu, Self Defense Techniques; Itsutsu no Kata, Forms of Five; and Koshiki no Kata, Forms of Ancient. Also performed was Joshi Goshin Ho, Women’s Self-Defense Techniques, which is a form that is rarely seen and that is no longer taught, even at the home of judo, the Kodokan Judo Institute. Dan Kikuchi of San Jose Buddhist and Cal Kitaura of Palo Alto carried on the tradition of their fathers, who performed Itsutsu no kata at Kagami Biraki on several occasions.
Photo courtesy of Arik Dao
A spirited randori session followed the forms demonstrations, with students of all ranks and sizes engaging in the free play application of judo throws and grappling techniques.
Ms. Eiko Shepherd, 7th Dan, travelled from St. Louis, Missouri to be a part of the ceremony. She performed both Goshin Jitsu (with Dan Kikuchi of San Jose Buddhist as her partner) and Koshiki no Kata (with Wilina Monar of Soko Joshi as her partner). Ms. Shepherd travels internationally to teach seminars and to run tournaments, and she is the head of the USJF Kata and Judge Certification Subcommittees.
The Kagami Biraki is an inspiring celebration and a wonderful chance to visit with our judo friends from many parts of the country. Guests at this year’s event travelled from San Diego, Chico, Clovis, Ukiah, Sacramento, Berkeley, Healdsburg, Red Bluff, Seattle, and St. Louis, Missouri.
If you would like to receive an email invitation for next year’s event, which is always held on the third Saturday of January, please send a note to sokojoshi@yahoo.com. The event includes a wonderful buffet luncheon, graciously provided by many of the participants in potluck style. All judoka are cordially invited!
If you want to study kata, Soko Joshi Judo club holds monthly kata clinics, usually on the second Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. To be put on the kata clinic email list, send an email to sokojoshi@yahoo.com.