Japan’s Chikans.

They are called, in Japanese, chikan. In English we have a variety of names but the most common words or phrases are either pervert or “dirty old man”. Yes folks one of Japan’s dark sides is its, often ubiquitous, supply of chikans. These men are quite often businessmen who look and act normal but are in fact sleazy individuals who, when riding packed trains or subway cars, goose women.  It was in the early 1980’s when I witnessed a chikan in action and came to the aid of the woman who was having her butt fondled by a tall businessman dressed in a dark blue suit. He was pretending to read a folded newspaper with one hand while he got his jollies with his other hand.

It was a warm spring morning in 1983 when I boarded the subway for downtown Osaka. The train was packed and like the sardines in an unopened can, we commuters were jammed up against each other unable to move. Now, in these situations it best for men to, if possible, raise his hands above his head and grab one of the swinging hand straps that are hanging from the polished stainless steel bars that run the length of the subway car on both the left and right sides. There are two reasons for doing this: 1. holding the strap enables you to maintain your balance and not fall into people when the train rumbles through the tunnel twisting and turning. 2. to clearly show any women pressed up beside you that, if she is goosed, your hands are not responsible.

The trained rattled its way through the tunnel; stopping at each station picking up and dropping off hundreds, if not thousands, of harried commuters. At one station, I watched as one passenger stood from an end seat and pushed his way off the train. Quickly I pressed forward through the phalanx of black haired passengers and collapsed into the vacant seat much to the chagrin of a high school student who had had the same idea – too late kid, I’m older.  Sitting in relative comfort I stared at my fellow commuters jam-packed in front of me. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a woman, nursing a baby, wedged up against on of the subway car’s doors and the corner of the bench seat. I stared at her for a couple of seconds; noticing that she had a pained look on her young face.

I twisted in my seat and saw, to my surprise, a male hand rubbing her buttocks and actually slipping between the top of her legs. I looked up, trying to spot the chikan. The men squeezed around the woman appeared to be innocent; all reading magazines, books or newspapers. I couldn’t figure out who the chikan was. Then I saw the owner on the filthy hand. He raised it to scratch his nose before returning it to the butt of the woman. Standing and offering my seat to the aforementioned high school student, I squeezed between the commuters until I was standing directly in front of Mr. Sleaze. The woman with the child was now behind me. Mr. Sleaze pretended not to notice me as he continued to “read” his folded newspaper – now in both hands. I stared at him until he was forced to look back at me. “You’re a chikan,” I said to him in Japanese. His face reddened and his head snapped left and right checking to see if anyone had heard my words – they had heard. “You’ve been touching his lady behind me with the baby for the past 10 minutes. I’ve been watching you,” I continued in a loud voice. Around the both of us, people stared. Mr. Sleaze wanted out but we were still rattling our way to the next station.

He was sweating and it was clear panic was setting in. Indeed I was sure he had visions of being arrested and being paraded on the evening news. For a Japanese chikan to be arrested means the lose of his job, friends and, in many cases, family.  These thoughts were, I’m sure, rushing through his mind but he was trapped in a packed subway car. There was no escape. For a full minute I stood staring at him, while other commuters moved away from him. Even though there was little room, when the train pulled into the next station, Mr.Sleaze was standing in the center of the car alone. The doors opened and he bolted for the platform. I grabbed at his bag, that had been under his arm and wrenched it from him; he didn’t fight it, just let me take it and ran off the train and disappeared into the crowds.

It was a few days later that I heard, from the woman, that Mr. Sleaze had been arrested. I had given the police the man’s bag and, with the woman in tow, had explained what had happened. The woman thanked me and to this day we are friends. Incidentally, the baby is now a 32 year-old businessman.

Bicycle Accidents – Common in Japan.

Another brush with death this morning. Well, perhaps not exactly brushing with death but it close. Indeed had it not been for my ukemi ability, I may have ended up with serious injuries. Yes, folks it was yet another bicycle accident. This time I slammed into a mother carrying two kids (one on the back one and one on the front) on a standard Osaka, Mama-Chari – a mommy bike with seats front and rear for kids.

It happened like this: mom decided to take a short cut across a main road and didn’t see me heading straight for her. Her kid on the back saw me and started yelling for his mom to stop. Mom, however, was yelling back at him telling him to shut up. I was hauling on both brakes but all to no avail -BANG!! I flew through the air with the greatest of ease a daring young man without a trapeze. It was a perfect tobu ukemi. My bike skidded to the left and crashed to the road; twisting the handlebars and buckling the rear wheel. Mom and kids were knocked on their asses – flat on their backs in the center of the road. The kids were screaming and after a minute, mom sat up and began scratching her head with a ‘what-the-fuck-happened’ look on her face. I jumped up quickly and picked up one of the kids and carried him to the sidewalk. Mom struggled to her feet and did the same with the other kid.

Within minutes the police arrived – seven of them – followed by a wailing ambulance. The paramedics jumped out of their vehicle and started asking if we were all right. One of the kids had a bloodied face, so he was carted to the ambulance where a tissue was shoved up his nose. This was followed by one of the paramedics suggesting to a police officer that he and his partner take mom and the kids to a near hospital to be checked out. The cop agreed and then asked me, in broken English, “Do you want to go?” I’m OK, I told him. The ambulance left with its siren howling and its tires screeching. Then there was just me – me and seven cops. There were also about twenty rubber-necks having a good gander at the gaijin.

The police started their inquiry. “Where were you coming from?” “What country are you from?” “Why are you in Japan?”, you know all the relevant questions one expects to be asked after an accident. “Did you see the mother and kids?” “If you saw them why didn’t you stop?” “Was the light blue?” I did my best to answer without being a smart ass but it was difficult.

So, after about an hour of explaining with happened, marching out in the middle of the road a few dozen times and pointing to where we collided (the cops held up the traffic while we stood in the middle of the road.), I was finally released and ordered to go to the hospital to see if the mom and her kids were all right. I rode to the hospital (it was near) met the mother, talked with the kids. The police had told mom that we – her and I – were both in the wrong. As far as I’m concerned, however, she is 100% in the wrong. Silly woman.

Japan’s Annual Summer Telethon

Japanese television is once again airing its annual “24 hour television” (The Japanese still haven’t learned the word Telethon). It is the same every year, some entertainer, who wants to boost his or her dwindling career, runs – or rather walks – a marathon with more support staff than President Obama.

Around the country booths are set up, in shopping centers and the like, beguiling people to donate money to a cause that is not clearly defined. In the channel’s nationwide studios various forms of entertainment are on going – from inane dance/singing numbers to dramatized stories of success or sorrow. Indeed the studios are filled with Japan’s showbiz elite however unlike telethons in the western world where movie stars and musicians volunteer their time, these entertainers are paid.

Yes folks, Japan’s movie stars and crooner greats will only appear in this television extravaganza for a cause (usually sick children) if they are paid for their plastic smiles and fake concern. I would have thought that these people would contribute to the cause for nothing; waiving any form of remuneration.

Cyclists in Osaka.

An Observation – Old men on bicycles in Osaka.
After reading an article in a British tabloid about a man being placed on probation for getting “frisky” with his bicycle, I thought of Osaka cyclists and the differences between aged women and men riders. No, I’m not suggesting that people in this country engage in weird bicycle sex – although it is possible some do – no, I’m talking about aged men on bicycles. Many can’t ride well.

I often see 65 to 85 year-old men (you’ll notice I left my own age demography out of the group  ) wobbling along the sidewalks, teetering on falling off; oblivious to life around them.These male curmudgeons are not at all like their female counterparts who ride well and are able, for the most part, to judge dangers ahead of impact. The old fellas, however, can’t seem to control the bike – they’re only just moving fast enough to stay balanced or upright. It truly is a wonder, at times, how these men maintain an upright position at all – the laws of physics notwithstanding. 

Now if you happen to be following behind one of these “Not Easy-Riders” and try to pass him, you will more often that not, have to risk sideswiping the guy or perhaps having to slam on your own brakes to avoid sending him head first toward the cutter. When you finally do see your chance to leave old Taro in your bitumen dust and pull out (so to speak) to pass and crank down on your pedals, old Taro wobbles across in front of you again.

So why are these old gents so hopeless on bicycles? I can hazard a guess and suggest that it is because after 40 or 50 years working in corporate Japan – taking the train or subway everyday to some high rise office building and working at some sedentary job these men have lost a lot of physical dexterity. Women, on the other hand, use a bicycle everyday throughout their lives and therefore maintain riding skills. Whether it be taking the kids to kindergarten, the daily run to the supermarket, over to a parents’ home for coffee and a chat or whatever, Older Japanese women, on the whole, are better cyclists than older men.

Giselle and the fate of Wahine

Shodokan Aikido and the Methodology of Shuhari.

 

The Concept of Shuhari

Shuhari (守破離), I believe is firstly the heuristic study or learning of Aikido fundamentals which then segues to experimentation and true application which finally allows us to attain a higher understanding of the art – in short; to learn, to understand and demonstrate, and to transcend. Clearly, shuhari is part of, not only Aikido culture, but built into the fabric of Japanese budo.

The Kanji:

1. Shu (守^{) _} is to protect, obey and learn the fundamentals of the art. This also includes following traditional teachings that have been passed down from teacher to student. Protecting the basic principles of Aikido is paramount. If the foundations of Aikido are forsaken then so too will Aikido’s history be lost. During the “shu” stage of study, a student should follow the teachings of his or her teacher or teachers without question. The student should not attempt to dissect and query every point taught but should absorb the knowledge being imparted – he or she has not yet achieved the skills to perform natural techniques. I believe that learning an art such as Aikido takes dedication and the ability to learn heuristically.

2. Ha (破^?) – is, I believe, the step of being able to experiment will the knowledge gained through “Shu”. The student should have the skills to perform techniques demonstrating the principles he or she as learned. Indeed, the student is free to digress from a formal study style and experience a full range of different techniques. His or her understanding and ability of basic or Ki-hon waza has reached a milestone as the methodology of Aikido finally becomes clear in the mind of the student.

3. Ri (離^?) – to reach an ultimate goal, to transcend to where the body and the mind are one. The student literally lives and breathes Aikido. The student’s movements are natural – many years of study have conditioned the body and the mind. He or she no longer needs to cling to basic forms; they are free to experience or transcend to full physical and mental awareness. In a sense their abilities becoming one with the spirit of Aikido. Some may say that when a student reaches the “Ri” stage in the study of Aikido, that he or she is free to separate and create techniques within the rules or laws of Aikido – create completely unhindered.

Conclusion:

It is clear that shuhari is an important concept for the study, and the ultimate understanding, of Aikido. It is not something that is taught but something that is experienced. I’m sure if students of Aikido had a clear understanding of what the concept of shuhari is, their abilities and skills in the art would improve dramatically. Shuhari also teaches us patience and gives us a philosophy to live and practice by. I also believe this concept could be applied to the study of other Japanese cultural traditions. Shuhari is a concept not really understood by Aikidoka in western countries; perhaps it is something that should be explained in order to bring a better understanding of Aikido – its direction and its methodology.

Since researching this topic I have come to understand Shodokan Aikido so much more. I also realize that I, like many others, are still in the “Shu” phase of my training and that I have many years of practice and study before I segue to the next level of “Ha”. Understanding the Japanese concept of shuhari has given me motivation to train harder, a sense of purpose and a desire to learn more. It is clear that Tomiki shihan formulated Shodokan Aikido based on shuhari which is probably why this style of Aikido continues to grow around the world. Finally, it is my wish to share the concept of shuhari with many Aikidoka and help them achieve the goals they strive for in Shodokan Aikido. It is also interesting to note that shuhari is a concept also practiced in Shorinji Kempo.

守破離

守破離（しゅはり）は、日本での茶道、武道、芸術等における師弟関係のあり方の一つ。日本において左記の文化が発展、進化してきた創造的な過程のベースとなっている思想でもある。

まずは師匠に言われたこと、型を「守る」ところから修行が始まる。その後、その型を自分と照らし合わせて研究することにより、自分に合った、より良いと思われる型をつくることにより既存の型を「破る」。最終的には師匠の型、そして自分自身が造り出した型の上に立脚した個人は、自分自身と技についてよく理解しているため、型から自由になり、型から「離れ」て自在になることができる。

Hiroshima Then and Now.

It has been well over sixty years since the devastation cause by an atomic bomb, code-named “Little Boy” , was dropped on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. Thousands, if not millions, died in the aftermath either from the firestorm or of radiation poisoning in the days, weeks and months that followed. The city was literally erased from the map. Today, Hiroshima along with the second atomic bombed city, Nagasaki are considered by many to represent peace throughout the world.

 

Jarred bodies and burnt out vehicles were littered throughout the city.

August 7th, 1945. The day after “little Boy” was dropped on the city.

The dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and a few days later on the city of Nagasaki led to the unconditional surrender of Japan. Two large cities had suffered the wrath of technology that, not only the Japanese couldn’t fathom, but also the rest of the world.

Indeed, weapons of mass destruction were now a reality – scientists had created a monster.

In the decades that followed the Japanese worked hard and rebuilt both cities. Nowadays, Hiroshima and Nagasaki are both thriving metropolis’ . Some of the buildings that survived those two fateful dates have been preserved so that the horror of atomic, and later nuclear, weapons will never be repeated.

“The Hiroshima Dome”. This building was a Government building prior to the atomic bomb. Today it stands in Peace Park as a reminder.

Downtown Hiroshima in the 21st Century.

Hiroshima today. Like the mythical Phoenix so too did this city rise from the ashes.

Lest we forget the horror of the atomic bombs – “Little Boy” (Hiroshima) and “Fat Man” (Nagasaki)

A couple of tips on how to get a teaching job in Japan.

If you have yearning to come to Japan and work as a language teacher, then there are a couple of things you need to know in order to be hired. First of all having a university or college diploma is a prerequisite these days. Not so much because the company wants to make sure you went to school, but for – one: visa extension purposes and two: in order to woe students. If you happen to have graduated from a university such as Harvard or Princeton then you’re pretty much guaranteed a job even before the interview.

For those that haven’t graduated university, don’t despair. If you’re good looking with a fantastic smile, you’re in. Visas can be sorted, don’t worry. You see, many schools and language companies in Japan put their emphasis on looks when hiring. Educational background comes second, if you’re beautiful or handsome. It is all about image – beautiful people teaching a language. Your good looks bring in money and money is what it is all about for many firms. It doesn’t matter if you’re the dumbest person on the planet and have horrendous language skills, as long as you look like Tom Cruise or Johnny Depp or Julia Roberts or Angelina Jolie, you’re hired. You’ll have hundreds of students lining up to take your lesson, simply because, to many young Japanese, you are that movie star.

 

So, head to your local beauty salon and see if the pros can perform a miracle, Japan awaits.

Don’t be fooled–conditions promised and conditions given by English schools and companies.

“Starting salaries from 250,000 yen” many ads declare. “Accommodation and visa support” are also “carrots” for the job seeker. These promises of fortune and help are often exaggerated. “Exaggerated?” you may ask. My response is “Yes, exaggerated.” Take, for example, the promise of the aforementioned 250,000 yen starting salary. More often than not what the employee gets deposited in their bank account is a lot less than 250,000 yen; hidden expenses have been deducted. These expenses can be anything from apartment rental to company health insurance fees that were not mentioned during the interview or written into any contract. There are even some companies that will inform the new employee that a percentage of their salary is being kept until he or she completes their contract.

Teaching Children English is now a booming business.

In the case of accommodation often the employee does not have a choice on where he or she will live – the school or company decides and often has a “special” contract with the apartment owner. The employee may also be forced to share accommodation with another teacher; a stranger no less.

Working hours and days off are also sometimes changed to suit students’ needs, not the teacher’s. Contracts may also state X amount of vacation days per year however, employees soon learn that they are unable to take their promised vacations randomly; the school or company puts their interests ahead of the teacher’s.

Advice:

When applying for a job make sure you read the contract and any work rules thoroughly. Don’t do what many do and give documentation a cursory look then sign – you’ll regret it. Ask questions. If the contract states 250,000 yen per month, ask what the tax rate is and whether there are any other deductions. As for accommodation; if the company tells you that they have apartments available, ask to be shown each apartment. Your living conditions are very important – if you are unhappy in your apartment you will not be happy in your job.

There are quite a few Japanese companies offering English lessons or English services that are not above using nefarious methods to make money. You may consider yourself to be a serious and professional teacher, however, many company owners or upper management see you as a commodity. Remember the student always comes first and is always right – you are easily replaced, students are not.

Types of teaching jobs found in Japan.

There are three main types of English teaching jobs in Japan and these jobs come with their own working conditions and pay scale. Let’s list the three types.

1. ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) in elementary, junior high and senior high schools throughout Japan.

This job involves team teaching with a Japanese English teacher. The lessons are usually decided by the Japanese teacher and the foreigner is often used as a human tape recorder. That is to say he or she reads a script and the students listen to the pronunciation and repeat. The teaching of grammar is done by the Japanese staff member. ALT jobs do not require the foreigner to spend hours preparing for a lesson; nine times out of ten, the Japanese teacher has prepared everything. There are some schools that allow the foreigner teacher free rein of the lesson and its planning.

2. Company lessons:

This job involves traveling to various Japanese companies and teaching English company classes to groups or individuals. Classes, for the most part, are in the evening between the hours of 5:30pm and 8:00pm. The system works in the following way: Japanese companies make an English lesson contract with a temp company. The temp company then finds the foreign teacher to send to the contracted company. Payment for these jobs differs between temp companies but generally teachers can earn around 3,000 yen per hour.

3. Conversation Schools:

During Japan’s bubble economy of the 1980’s English conversation schools were ubiquitous and jobs were plentiful. Nowadays, however, many schools have disappeared or have been swallowed up  by  the bigger schools.  Most conversation schools now only offer part-time work to foreigner teachers. Remuneration depends on the amount of lessons you teach in a day or night.

 

After working in Japan for a number of months or years, it is possible to live off the money received from private lessons. These lessons are set-up by yourself and can be taught in coffee shops or in your own apartment. The best way to get private students is through word of mouth. Make it known that you’re available to teach privately at a reasonable rate. You can even “steal” students from the conversation schools. Make sure no one in the school knows your are offering their students cheaper lessons – you’ll be fired. Discretion is the name of the game.

In my next blog entry I explain the payment system and the tricks to watch out for.