JAPANTOUR2022KARATEDIPLOMACY

November18-28,2022

The third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2.7 million in the 2020 census. Osaka is a major financial center of Japan, and it is recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitancities in Japan. The city is home to the Osaka Exchange as well as the headquarters of multinational electronics corporations such as Panasonic and Sharp. Osaka is an international center of research and development and is represented by several major universities

Students arrive at Tokyo and stay at Akihabara

Dinner with Osada Sensei, Komine Sensei, Hashimoto Sensei to celebrate first night in Japan and discuss the plan for the next few days

First day in Japan and dinner with Komine Sensei, Hashimoto Sensei, Osada Sensei

Vazrik Sensei training the team for the tournament at Budokan the next day.

Gift exchange between Boston Karateka and Tokyo Tech Karateka

Cassiano teaching Heian Shodan to foreign exchange students at Tokyo Tech from Germany, China, France .

Tokyo Tech Training in the morning to prepare for Budokan tournament. Cassiano teaches Heian Shodan Shotokan kata to foreign exchange students from Germany, China, France at Tokyo Tech

Visiting Hirota store to buy kumite equipment.

Friendship exchange between Boston Karateka and Karateka from International Budo University (IBU).

Celebrating our official JUKF black belts from Osada Sensei from Hirota.

Hirota Store and buying kumite equipment for Budokan tournament and students meet International Budo University (IBU) at Italian restaurant

Vazrik and Cassiano met the board members of the JUKF as well as high school Karate federation board members.

We meet the JUKF board members as well as Kondo Sensei (President of High School Karate Federation)

Meeting and inviting the high school Karate federation board member to Boston.

Hiro san translates official speeches by Matsukura Sensei (President of JUKF) and Vazrik Sensei

Hearing an interesting story about Tabata Sensei from one of the JUKF board members.

Vazrik meets JUKF board member who knew Tabata Sensei, gives a speech thanking the JUKF members for welcoming us from Boston, and meets the High School Karate Federation board members

JUKF All Japan Universities tournament held at Nippon Budokan (center for Japanese martial arts)

66 universities team competing at national university tournament at Budokan 66

Using cutting edge technology for tournament judging and viewing Official poster of National tournament.

All Japan University Karatedo Federation (JUKF) National Tournament at Nippon Budokan

Kumite team preparing for their match

Hanamei using mawashi geri in kumite

Nikita competing in kumite

Amandine competing in kumite

Lorraine performs shuto uke technique from Empi kumite team with Vazrik Sensei

Team Empi at the moment of tate shuto

MHKH Competing team (team Empi + kumite)

Boston Karatekas have front row seats to Budokan tournament ボストンの空⼿家達が武道館前列で⼤会を観戦

Kakuno Sensei from TCKF with Vazrik and Cassiano 全⽇本理⼯系空⼿道連盟の元理事⻑、⻆野先⽣と バズイック、カシアノが再会

JKF features MOU signature to seal partnership between JUKF and Boston 全⽇本空⼿道連盟が学空連とボストンのパートナーシップを確認する 覚書調印に関し⾔及

Front row seats at Budokan + interview of Amandine and MHKH

⽇本武道館前列＋アマンディーンのインタビューとMHKH

Amandine interviewed by Japanese news about the Budokan tournament アマンディーンが⽇本の報道陣のインタビューを 受ける（武道館⼤会会場）

MOU signing and official black belt present to Boston team and our gift to JUKF board at Nihon Budokan.

Official signing of the MOU to create the international partnership.

Vazrik Sensei delivering a speech about altruism, Tabata Sensei’s vision to spread Karate at the college level, and gratitude for the opportunities that the JUKF has provided. バズリ

MOU signature is official, sealing the partnership between Japan and Boston

Matsukura Sensei delivers a speech as the president of the JUKF, communicating this special epic moment of creating the first international bond with US Karateka.

Official speech by Vazrik talking about students first time in Japan, Tabata Sensei vision, and our deep bond with Komine san.

The third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2.7 million in the 2020 census. Osaka is a major financial center of Japan, and it is recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitancities in Japan. The city is home to the Osaka Exchange as well as the headquarters of multinational electronics corporations such as Panasonic and Sharp. Osaka is an international center of research and development and is represented by several major universities

Taking Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka, a first time for many of our students!

Osaka Institute of Technology (OIT) students welcome us to Osaka and provide accommodations in OIT dorms.

Shinkansen Tokyo to Osaka - first time in Japan for many in the group. Meeting OIT students and getting gift of staying at OIT dormitories

Karate exchange day at Hashimoto Sensei’s Shito Ryu dojo with David Sensei 橋本先⽣の⽷東流道場で空⼿道の技の交流、 デイビット先⽣も参加。

Hashimoto Sensei dojo student demonstrates kobudo kata 橋本先⽣の道場で古武道の演武。

Jose Sensei and Evan demonstrate Bassai Dai from Shito Ryu ホセ先⽣とエバンが⽷東流のバッサイダイを披露。

Hanamei, Amandine, and Lorraine demonstrate team Empi kata ハナメイ、アマンディーンとロレインが団体形エンピを演武。

Meeting David Sensei for coffee/tea and training at his dojo at night with kata exchange. 近畿⼤学の空⼿道部コーチのデイビット先⽣と⼀緒に稽古をし、コーヒーを楽しむ。

Discussing future plans for Karate exchange between Boston and Japan in shinkansen.

Okonomi yaki and discussing MHKH and JUKF bond with Komine San and Osada Sensei

Getting breakfast everyday served by our favorite robots before a day of fun in Osaka.

Sightseeing with OIT students and visiting Osaka Castle an exciting

|

Vazrik Sensei describing his PhD work at MIT studying nanoscale heat transfer.

Vazrik Sensei explaining the power of altruism and how it can help spread Karate and create international friendships. バズリック先

Over 100 audience members gathered to hear Vazrik Sensei talk about his PhD, about Armenian life, and about altruism in Karate.

Vazrik Sensei explaining how he came to the US and the history of the Armenian Genocide.

Exchanging gifts with the president of Osaka Institute of Technology (OIT) Inoue Sensei.

Vazrik lectures about his PhD, Karate, Armenian life at the OIT Global Special Lecture event.

Okayama Sensei providing a summary of Vazrik’s lecture in Japanese and highlighting steps for students to think and learn more about moving forward

Boston Karateka and OIT faculty group photo to celebrate the global exchange lecture

Exchanging business cards with vice president of OIT Okayama Sensei.

Inoue Sensei explaining the purpose of this globallectureexchange

Professors and audience respect Vazrik’s presentation.

阪⼯業⼤学のビル２１階にあるイタリアンレストランで⼣⻝、素晴らしい⼤阪の夜景。

Dinner with Okayama Sensei (Vice President of OIT) at top of OIT building Italian restaurant and official OIT - Boston invitation

Vazrik Sensei receives a book gift describing the history of Karate.

Kumite exchange between Japanese and Boston Karateka ⽇本とボストン空⼿家による組

Explanation of the history of Karatedo and its various styles and how they originated.

Traditional Bento Box 空⼿稽古の合間に弁当を ⻝べる。

DAY 6 - WEDNESDAY 11/23 | 第6⽇ 11⽉23⽇

Karate all day Seminar with Shito ryu and some Shotokan ryu instructors, history lesson about Karate and do kumite techniques

Kumite exchange between Japanese and Boston Karateka

Knowledge exchange organized by Nobukawa Sensei (7th Dan Shito Ryu) where they taught us Shito Ryu katas and Jakarta

World Champion Karateka Azuma Saeko (student of Nobukawa Sensei) demonstrates the kata Chatanyara Kushanku

Gifts to thank Nobukawa Sensei

Exchange gifts of all the colleges and big group photo with college flags and Vazrik Speech to all of Osaka Karateka.

After receiving several gifts of books that detail all of the Shito Ryu kata, many of our students made an official donation of the extra copies to their university libraries as an act of altruism so that other students could access to this knowledge in the future

Book exchange of all Shito Ryu kata to MHKH and we donate some of the books to the various universities like Cornell, MIT, U. Texas

Dinner Japanese Restaurant with all the students Okonomi Yaki + yaki soba