Quick Look: The Bubishi, 2016 Edition
When it comes to martial arts books, you’ll often hear phrases like “must-read” and “any serious martial artist should buy_____”. Often these are just easy platitudes, but in the case of The Bubishi, they are true (if not soft understatements). I’ve had the pleasure of studying two different versions of [...]
Okinawa Part 4 – First Echoes of Island Steps
Naha Airport was quaint compared to Incheon and JFK, which was fine by me. Giant, sprawling airports are impressive but its nice to know that you won’t need all day just to find your bags and the exit. Coincidentally, all of our bags arrived safely from Korea, even my troublesome pieces that almost cost me my flight. After getting past [...]
Okinawa Part 3 – One Night in Korea
As I mentioned in my previous post, I made a fairly sizable error on my way to Korea. I had my bags checked to Incheon instead of all the way through to my final destination (Naha, Okinawa). That means I had to find my bags and lug them around with me as we made our way to the hotel. Ohh well. The depth of my error wouldn’t become transparent [...]
Okinawa Part 2 – Do’s (AND DON’TS) of International Travel
One of the most daunting aspects of traveling to Okinawa is actually getting there. My bus dropped us off at JFK Airport in New York after what felt like a long ride from Philadelphia. Of course, it was probably a typical ride…but knowing how much security and line-waiting was in my future, I had an enhanced sense of urgency. The first [...]
Walking with the Shisa (or Why I Went to Okinawa)
February is generally considered a drab, depressing month in Pennsylvania, USA. We try to spruce it up with things like Valentine’s Day, and we trick ourselves into thinking it isn’t so bad because it only has 28 days (except on a leap year like 2016). Unfortunately, the heavy snows and bitter cold tend to remind us each day that [...]