6-Day Program
Okinawan Cultural Exchange Experience
Day 1 – Appreciation of History: We will pick you up at the airport, and while touring Shuri Castle, we will introduce you to the relationship between Japan, Okinawa, and China, as well as the history of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
Day 2 – Communication: You will learn Japanese greetings, simple daily conversations, and local manners that are essential for international exchange with local people through the experience of karate. In the afternoon, we will walk around the natural springs with drinkable water and the beautiful cobalt blue ocean, teaching the importance of gratitude and respect for the natural environment, reinforcing an awareness of sustainable development goals such as the SDGS.
Day 3 – Food Education: On the third day, through kumite training (pre-arranged forms), you will learn karate techniques face-to-face with a partner, learning distance, angles, timing, breathing, acquiring a type of communication that transcends race, religion, and national borders. In the afternoon, we will contemplate gratitude towards animals and other living things through horseback riding and a natural farming experience that introduces local agriculture and cuisine. While cooking together in a group emphasis will be placed on learning about the value of food and the importance of food and medicine. The activities of the day promote awareness of health maintenance and food energy sources.
Day 4 – Reflections on Peace: Participants will visit Kudaka Island, known as the island of the Gods, for a dedication/demonstration, where the importance of prayer, gratitude, appreciation and reflection on peace will be highlighted. Through the Utaki tour and dedication/demonstration, participants will be able to experience first-hand the concepts of Japanese Shinto, the prosperity of descendants, and the rhyme of daily life on remote islands. In the afternoon, we will take a walk around the island and spend a relaxing time away from everyday busy life to reflect on ourselves and our place in the world.
Day 5 – Self-Improvement: Through Kata practice, we will learn about self-improvement and how to overcome the lack of daily exercise to reaffirm what we have inherited from our ancestors. In the afternoon, we will stroll around the Nanjo City Product Center or Kokusai Street to buy souvenirs from the trip for family, friends, and teachers who are back home waiting for the participant’s return. A discussion on how to balance the mind and body through karate, zazen, calligraphy, and the experience of Japanese culture, will be examined to provide advice and feedback to participants on how best to organize their own lives.
Day 6 – Self-Defense: Through Karate training we aim to deepen your understanding of the history of karate by learning throwing techniques, joint techniques, and the characteristics of various weapons. The techniques of self-defense will be taught as an aid to crime prevention.
Conclusion & Wrap Up:
The training will conclude with a certificate of participation. Through this 6-day karate cultural exchange experience training program, it is hoped that the exposure to Ryukyu karate, which was a favorite of the Okinawan royal family, will encourage young people to carry themselves confidently into the future, maintain a focus of care towards their parents and families, and to participate actively in cross-cultural groups from as many countries as possible to continually foster an environment of peace and cooperation for all.
Dr. Kin Tetsu’s work includes providing lectures on intellectual brain education to trainees who come to Okinawa every month at the request of members or affiliated educational institutions around the world, and attending, interpreting, and providing lectures to trainees during their stay. In this spirit we introduce the following program.
