Aberdeen

On 20-21 of July, Team Jigoku, based in Aberdeen, was honoured to have Jon Bluming Kaicho visit and teach in Scotland. Team Jigoku's head coach, Marc Howes Shihan; a long-time student of Bluming Kaicho, had wanted Kaicho to visit for many years and now with Team Jigoku fighters starting to do well in national competitions, it seemed the perfect time to invite him. Kaicho arrived on Friday the 19^th June and that evening went for a private meal with Marc Shihan and his small clan of instructors. At the end of the meal Kaicho was presented with a high-quality boxed replica of an 18^th Century Scottish Dirk. In medieval Scotland, the Dirk was a backup to the broadsword and was wielded by the left hand, while the shield was carried on the arm. Of course, we realised that Kaicho couldn’t carry it on the plane home, as it might cause a bit of alarm!

On the Saturday class Kaicho began by explaining what Kyokushin Budokai was all about, its history and how he had came to formulate his system. Then there was a demonstration of some upright techniques, with detailed explanations of how to maximise the effectiveness of each strike. But it was when Kaicho began demonstrating ground techniques that his years seemed to slip away. Many of the Team Jigoku students stood, literally open-mouthed, as Kaicho began to move from position to position like a man a third of his age. As the lesson progressed, some of the more experienced fighters would ask Kaicho his advice on a technique, or how to reverse a movement they had been caught with, and Kaicho never failed to provide the right answer. At the end of the first day’s course, the student’s were eagerly awaiting the Sunday course. On the Saturday afternoon Kaicho, Marc Shihan and two of his instructors (Nath MacDonald and Andy Faulkner) went to the wonderful Dunnottar Castle on the Aberdeen coastline. The site on which the Castle sits has been inhabited since Pictish times (5000 BCE to 700 CE) although an exact date is not known. We thought this was the perfect place to take Kaicho as the name Dunnottar stems from the Pictish word ‘Dun’, which means hill fort or place of strength.

On the Sunday Kaicho reviewed what he had shown the day before and then worked on fine tuning some floor techniques. The course closed with a surprise for four of the Team Jigoku instructors. Kaicho, through discussion with Marc Shihan had decided to award them their shodan certifications. It would be hard to find four men who were more proud of their recognition from Team Jigoku and the IBK. And the fact that Kaicho handed them their certificates clearly moved them. Team Jigoku eagerly awaits the next visit from Kaicho Bluming and offers their thanks for taking the time to visit Scotland. Osu! – Marc Howes Dai Shihan (Scotland)

Nathan MacDonald

Andy Faulkner

Ben Thomson

Graham Mackenzie