The Women in Judo

Thank you - Mesdemoiselles - you have been great

Chapeau - Hats off.

Tokyo - Return to Kodokan

Our young ladies were so thrilled by their japanese experience that they have asked when they returned to the Kodokan to sleep in the Japanese dormitory which is directly on a tatami with a futon.

Akita - Good Bye party

The Akita judokas have prepared a good bye party for us. Food and beverage were provided with the usual speech from both sensei and from the team captain.

Akita - Koshiki-no-kata

Sannohe Sensei is performing with his student the Koshiki-no-kata. It is a very old kata which orginally belongs to jujutsu. It is a kata that has to be performed for the 8th Dan.

Akita - Painting Museum

We visited the Hirano art Museum where a painting from Tsuguji Fujita (1886-1968). It is the longest canvas painting in the world.

Tsuguji Fujita - Events in Akita

Akita - Home Stay

During that week-end our three young girls were staying in a family and therefore had the opportunity to live the japanese life style - here they are enjoying a fine diner that Yuko, the hostess, prepared.

Akita - Group Picture

The group picture - Players from Akita High School and the team University.

Akita - Training

Alix on the Mat

Axelle on her way to execute Osoto

Jade in full motion

William is in big trouble

As in Konan Daigaku - Training lasts between 2h30 and 3 hours.

• 20 minutes warm up.
• 10 minutes Taiso
• 10 minutes Tachi Waza Uchikomi
• 50 minutes Tachi Waza Randori
• 10 minutes Ne Waza Uchikomi
• 30 minutes Ne Waza Randori
• 3 sets of 10 San ni Uchikomi (power uchikomi).

It is a very intense and adding the heat (30 C + / 86 F +)

On that Sunday morning - Training was with judokas from Akita high school and the University.

Akita Daigaku - Female High School

We left Kobe very early that day to go 900 km up north in Akita - we arived at around 3 pm - just in time for practice which was schedule at 4pm.

A group of 14 female judokas were waiting for us.

The training lasted for 2h30

Konan - Good Bye Party

A little good bye party was organized for us. They gave to the girls the traditional Kimono.
A wonderful group of people who are truly dedicated to judo and do everything to share their passion.

The team in a traditional kimono

Konan Daigaku - Our last day

Our last practice was in the same format than the other days except for a reminder from Yamasaki Sensei. The fundamentals of judo. Power is not enough and power does not do any good if you do not have technique. He spent the last 30 minutes having all students working on Uchimata with no partner.

We can see Axelle working on it.

Jade Nagekomi - Konan Daigaku

Nagekomi means repetitive throwing practice - it is indeed an exercise that is done systematically after the one hour plus of randori.
We usually use crash pad - however some hard core judoka will not.

See Jade throwing and being thrown

Jade in Randori - Konan Daigaku

Axelle in Randori - Konan Daigaku

Typical Training Schedule @ Konan Daigaku

The typical training schedule at Konan Daigaku is:

20 minutes warming up

10 minutes standing uchikomi (Repeated practice)

10 x 3 minutes Ne Waza Randori (mat work free practice)

10 x 5 minutes Tachi Waza Randori (standing free practice)

20 minutes Nage Komi

10 minutes Taiso (Stretching)

Kyoto - Himeji

The ladies had a chance to visit Himeji castle, which is registered on UNESCO's World Heritage list

While in Kyoto we visited two large temples Nishi Honganji & Higashi Honganji located in downtown Kyoto

Heading to Kobe & to Konan University

Our next destination is Konan Daigaku located in Kobe

In 3h30 with the bullet train from Tokyo to Kobe

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On their way to Konan Daigaku's dormitory

Good Bye Kodokan

Posing in front of Jigoro Kano's statue

At the Kodokan

Ceremony All Japan Championship

The award Ceremony for the Ladies and the welcome ceremony for the Males.

All Japan Championship - University Team - No Weight Category

There is no weight category in the team competition

A 130 kg player can meet a 73 kg.

In this case, the lighter player was able to score a koka

but lost anyway by Ippon few seconds later.

All Japan Championship - University Team

This is the event of the year - All Japan University Team Championship.
40+ Female Teams

62 Male Teams.

We stay all day and came back on Sunday for the final

This is a must go in your life of a judoka.

Women University Team - Getting Ready for All Japan Championship

Dozen of University teams came to the Kodokan to practice on the Friday. Saturday a major event will take place at the Budokan Arena; it is the All Japan University Team Championship.

A true pleasure to watch all these students whose average is about 20 years old.