American Kyudo Renmei

Brazil seminarHello AKR Board and the IKYF directors,

I would like to make a brief report on my
trip to Argentina and Brazil.  I traveled with Mrs. Junko
Kurita, 5th dan, from the Shiseikan dojo who assisted me greatly and also
studied my methods of how to instruct kyudo to students with a wide range of
levels.

During the two week visit I provided a two
day seminar (Sept. 17th and 18th) to the Brazil Kyudo-Kai in Rio de Janeiro and
four seminars to the Argentina Kyudo Association in Buenos Aires (four days were
spent for traveling).  Beside actual shooting and taihai
training there was a courtesy visit to the Japanese Consulate in Rio de Janeiro
and I also gave a lecture on the "Study Of Yumi" at the culture center of the
Japanese Embassy in Argentina.  Both groups are very diligent
and enthusiastic to develop kyudo in their countries.

Brazil SeminarThe level of the Brazil Kyudo-Kai is still
fairly low.  There were eleven participants who had no kyudo
experience at all.  Even those who had some experiences of
shooting were not familiar with the ANKF five person test style
form.  Most of them were taught kyudo basics step by step for
two days.  At the end of the 2nd day everyone managed shooting
Matomae with arrows or gomuyumis.  Some participants traveled
a long distance to participate in the seminar.  There were
participants from Brasilia, Sao Palou, Salvador, Port Alegre and Ponta Grossa. 

Mr. Nobuo Yanai, president of Brazil Kyudo
kai, is an excellent organizer and he pulled things together to provide this
seminar with almost absolute beginners.  Mr. Fernando Melo,
5th dan, from Sao Paulo showed us a good command of instructioBrazil seminarn and his shooting
certainly has the level to be a 5th dan.  He will be a good
leader in Brazil however he is quite busy for his other studies now and will
take another couple of years until he actually starts kyudo
activities.  I am concerned about this situation in
Brazil.  They are on their own and the s ituation will continue
to be this way until my next visit or someone else who will visit
them.  Junko Kurita worked with Mr. Melo and she demonstrated
herself to be a good assistant.  I hope she will be a good
instructor in the future.   They do not have a proper dojo yet
and the seminar dojo was an outside Western shooting range.  They set up a
4 meter height tent over the shooting area and spread tarp and bamboo
mats to make a shajo floor.

Argentina SeminarThe Argentina group has an indoor
practice place, which is a basketball court.  The floor is a
beautiful parquet floor but it is 5 meters short so 5
targets are placed high on the rubber-like azuchi material.  Some of the
Argentinean group have attended US seminars and also the IKYF seminar this
year and, evidentially, they showed a more advanced conduct of shooting and
taihai than Brazilians.  However, in Argentina, I still stayed
with the basics and focused on ashbumi, dozukuri and yugamae. 
They recited the Raiki-Shagi and Shahokun in Japanese and their strong
voice impressed me.  There were three visitors from Uruguay on
Saturday.  They said they wish to have a seminar in two
years.  On Sunday morning, the
26th, there was a Q&A at Mr. Okabe's residence.  How to
make hemp for Nakajikake and changing grip leather was demonstrated and
instructed.  The organizational skill was as good as the
Brazilians and they escorted Junko and myself quite safely around the
city.

Argentina SeminarBoth Junko and I used saved airline mileage
to acquire our tickets but we purchased the round trip air tickets to Rio de
Janeiro.  Lodging and meals in Rio were provided by the
organizers.  Home stay was provided to us in Buenos Aires and
meals as well.   I should add something of our personal
pleasure time during the stay.  Junko and I took Tango lessons
twice in the afternoon from local teachers and we visited Tigre, the Delta land,
and did some sightseeing in Buenos Aires city.  As kyudo interest grows in
South America US kyudo community will have more responsibility and may have to
send instructors in future not far away.   If the IKYF could provide
some financial support it will be helpful to those who would visit countries
that need assistance and support from the US.

In closing I would like to mention that
there is another inquiry from Ecuador and I think kyudo in South America is
certainly growing.  Mr. Yanai requested us to create an AKR organization
chart that clarifies communication.  I think it is a good idea and it
should be made and posted even on the AKR web site.   One
suggestion for sending instructors I would like to make is that next time I
may invite a co-instructor or assistant instructor from another
federation besides my own.  Visiting those countries to assist and
support is definitely a good opportunity for future renshi candidates to
learn how to become a renshi.  It is a good lesson, at the same
time, for senior shogos to learn how to instruct future shogo
candidates in overseas situations.   I would like to express my
appreciation to Mr. Bill Reid and the other AKR officers who took care of the my
duties while I was away.

Sincerely,

Yoshiko Buchanan