October 12-14, 2005
Shorinji Kempo International Study Session 2005
Exchanging friendship through practicing techniques together
Shorinji Kempo International Study Session 2005 was held at Shorinji Kempo Headquarters in Tadotsu, Japan, from October 12th to 14th, 2005. The World Shorinji Kempo Organization gives international study sessions every four years in conjunction with the opening of the international Taikai. Around 500 kenshi from 22 countries attended this year.
Following the same theme "One Unity Worldwide - Shorinji Kempo - Convey the joy of friendship, beyond differences of race, culture, religion, or language -" given for the "2005 Shorinji Kempo International Taikai in FUKUI" was held at Sundome Fukui in Japan's Fukui Prefecture. This theme was set hoping that the Shorinji Kempo kenshi will develop the spirit of harmony respecting each other, as symbolized in the new Shorinji Kempo unified mark. Study Session 2005 was held under this theme with the aim of having the members from around the world practice Shorinji Kempo together to develop together, in the hope of widening this circle of friendship around the world in the future.
Sponsorship Program of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
Sponsored by the Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology as its "Sports Exchange Program", the Shorinji Kempo Federation invited 8 kenshi from Banda Aceh of Indonesia to the International Taikai and Study Session, with the aim of encourage the Shorinji Kempo members in the region who became the victims of the disaster caused by the earthquake occurred off the coast of Sumatera Island.
While attending the study session, the 8 members from Banda Aceh received warm encouragements from other participants from various countries. They also received a relief fund from the Italian Shorinji Kempo Federation at the Friendship Party in the evening of October 13th.
Enthusiasm towards Mastering Techniques
Shorinji Kempo is now practiced in 32 countries worldwide. However, unlike Japan, Europe, and the North America, the reality is that many of them do not have enough instructors around.
Even the World Shorinji Kempo Organization dispatches instructors for short terms, this does not satisfy the members in such countries. There are many participants at International Study Sessions.
Under such circumstances, participants from overseas showed great enthusiasm asking the instructors for advise even during the breaks.
Instructors for the International Study Session were; 14 instructors of 8th Dan, 9 instructors of 7th Dan, and 20 Hombu staff. Their instruction policy was "to confirm the basics" and "to understand the principles of the techniques. Instructors had the participants experience their own studies and various application methods.
In the class of 4th Dan and above concentrated on developing ability to freely apply the techniques they have mastered. Even the participants who are teaching back in their countries were amazed to see the skills shown by the instructors with higher ranks.
Lectures in 5 languages
On the Day 2 of the session, lectures were given in 5 languages; Japanese, English, French, Portuguese, and Italian. The theme of the lecture was "One Unity Worldwide - Shorinji Kempo" which was given to tell the participants to respect sharing friendship through learning Shorinji Kempo together even under this world of conflicts. Five instructors respectively conveyed their messages on what Shorinji Kempo is for and how we should follow the way.
Celebrating Friendship Growing into the World
Under the clear autumn sky full of stars on the Day 2 of the study session, Friendship Party was held on the front yard of the Shorinji Kempo Headquarters for the study session participants.
Tadotsu Town Mayor Hiroshi Oguni joined the party to welcome the WSKO members, and Kagawa Prefecture Governor Takeki Manabe delivered his warm message.
Performances by study session participants on the stage entertained all. Japanese original instrument "shamisen", Japanese dance, "Haka" a dance of New Zealand's Maori tribe, flamenco by Spanish female members, canzone by Italian members, followed by a lot more entertainments.
Japanese cultural exhibition was given at the same time. Sado (tea ceremony) demonstration and traditional dolls and ornaments to celebrate special days were presented.
At the finale of the party, "Awa Odori" a traditional dance of Awa region of Tokushima, was presented by the Shorinji Kempo Tokushima Tsuda Branch. WSKO President Yuuki So led the group of 40 people in happi, traditional festival wear. Foreign kenshi also started to follow them to the stage in excitement. Big applause did not stop for a whole after the music stopped. Kenshi from the world enjoyed the atmosphere together.
Film of Kaiso So Doshin
On the last day of the study session, a film of Kaiso (So Doshin, the founder of Shorinji Kempo) giving a lecture and technical lesson was shown to the participants. Overseas branch members have little access to a film of Kaiso. All the participants concentrated onto the screen for 10 minutes.
The film was in original Japanese, so that the participants could hear the voice of Kaiso. The dojo while the film was shown was in a complete silence even many of the participants did not understand what was said.
Even after 30 years since the film was recorded, Kaiso's words are so strong and natural. Participants were given the script of the lecture after watching the film. They were feeling the thought of Kaiso on his founding Shorinji Kempo.
