US high school students experience Okinawa karate
Like last year, senior high school students from the USA experienced Okinawa karate as part of the “Kakehashi Project” sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. The Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) Kyushu Branch carried the overall program.
This time, students from California State Kamiak High School and Hawaii State Kohala High School visited Okinawa for three days. They experienced cultural activities, peace related observations and lectures, commercial facility visits, school exchange, karate experience, and homestay.
On December 18, 25 students from Kamiak High School visited the Okinawa Karate Kaikan, toured the kaikan’s archives and experienced karate. On the 20th, 25 students from Kohala HS participated in a similar program.
Since all participants were non karate practitioners, our center, in charge of the karate program, created a training session based Karate ha rei ni hajimari, rei ni owaru – Karate starts and ende with a bow. The actual training consisted on acquiring basic techniques and learning Fukyū-gata one. High school students had fun training under the guidance of Higa Kōyū sensei of the Okinawa Shōrin-ryū Kyūdōkan.
