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The 'Kendo World Monthly', the May issue in 2001.
My friend, Eiga and Japan kendo story
  

Writer : イ キョンヨプ(the president of 'Pentagon')

23 years have passed ever since I started kendo. I have associated with many people through kendo during those time and among them, the Eiga Naoki is the very one who I respect and trust most. From 5 years ago, I have forecast that he will be the champion in the JKC(Japan Kendo Championships), since I have solid confidence in his sincere and earnest efforts for his life.

He started kendo with having a admiration for his brother, Eiga Hideyuki. Eiga Hideyuki has a massive figure of tall in height and about 100kg in weight while he has normal frame of about 170 cm in height (Hideyuki insists his weight is 95kg). If they are together, somebody is always ask "You are brothers each other, how come you have big different figures? ". I guess that came from differences of nutrition intake related appetite.

They say Hideyuki used to drink a 1ℓ's milk at one draft after school when he is a elementary school boy. He had eaten greedily all the times. He had already big figure at that time, so there is no opponent to match for him in kendo game.

Eiga's family is a kendo family also. Eiga brothers dominated the national championships and his wife was a kendo player too. His wife, Naomi who was a Eiga's junior in Donghae University was in a member of kendo class with him. She was a strong woman who got a prize in some national championships and also she was a grade-holder of 'Naginada'. Sometimes, I said "Wanna fight ?" to Eiga and he would said to me for a joke "beat the Naomi first". Probably he could devote himself to kendo through the assistance of his wife who was a kendo player also. And he has a daughter, Hitomi who is smart and clever. Hitomi may be the only person who can slab the cheek of master Hayasi in game for fun. Hayasi is the one of most vigorous and tough players in Japan. I did not have seen his newborn baby, Masoto yet, but I think he is earnest and warm-hearted like his father.

The master Hurugawa who was a teacher of Eiga's in high school thought Hideyuki will be a champion faster than Eiga. Because he has a strong character together with well-set physique and inherent talent.

Though Eiga was also a player with inborn genius, power and speed combined in him, but Hurugawa worried about Eiga's obsession to always win the game.

Eiga brothers led his school-4th senior high school attached to Donghae University-to strongest team in japan. Their name was proudly carved on the wooden nameplate in the kendo gym of their school. And anther name was shown on the plate. Those were that of Saga brother's who were a another motive power to heyday of their school. The leading man was a Hideyuki as expected by Hurugawa. His name spread all over the japan right after graduation from university. Those time, Hideyuki was a carriage and fair with a unparalleled star, Miyajaki Masahiro. They are evenly matched-rivals to each other and they divided the JKC (Miyajaki's title) and the Japan Championships of prime minister cup (Hideyuki's title). If hideyuki did not got injured in his achilles' tendon, Miyajaki's fate might be changed. At that time, Miyajaki Humihiro(Miyajaki's brother) and Eiga Naoki(Hideyuki's brother) were just rookies. Anyhow, the fact that Eiga brothers and Miyajaki brothers are rivals to each other in the same age and all of them dominate the national championships will be remained all the time in the memory of all kendo players in the world.

Among current active players in Japan, Eiga Naoki has the best balance and strongest striking power. It is the master Hurugawa Kazo that made the great Eiga like that. Japan kendo community call him 'Tsuki's Hurugawa'. It is natural that a good disciple is born under a good teacher, but it always dose not mean the good teacher should have brilliant career. A good teacher is the person that can improve the ability of the pupil with systematic and scientific direction methods.

Master Hurugawa also was a top class player, but the better thing is that he has a ability to well instruct the player. His ability like that made Eiga Naoki a world champion. There are few that can explain their skill by letters. (In Korea, There are a few kendo text book and more, almost text book is below standard, low level or mixed one with other books. This is our problems.) In preparation for the 'JKC', Eiga and Hurugawa have concentrated their study to attack method for Miyajaki for several years. I think he could get to the top since he has a good teacher and rivals.

Eiga defeated Miyajaki who established a strong fortification for past decade and ranked the top of the world by gaining a victory in both 'WKC (World Kendo Championships)' and 'JKC'. After victory of the two championships, his position was more advanced. Some prominent kendo associations in Europe and U.S.A invited him and many kendo school in Japan are calling for his coming to visit.

He may be surely feeling that is the very top position.

Inherent speed and power, an attack in waves like raging billows - but it was a his blood-and-tears endeavor that leads him summit today.

Eiga said he had done the basic training about two hours everyday in his high school besides skill training. So the finish time was often late and Horugawa's house would be a training camp for students. Eiga said it gave big help to the improvement for his kendo career. This is a common story of not only Eiga but most kendo players in japan.

Also Miyajaki who established immortal records in 'JKC' was not 'poor sword' as we would say. The kendo man who try to follow him should know something. It is the point that Miyajaki completed his own skill after assimilation for perfect basic and legitimate kendo's systematic skills. Many kendo men in japan who do not try to admit his kendo were amazed at his sight in promotion test. Because his sword has the right and dignity like a textbook of legitimate kendo. I hope the young students should notice this point. There are a often case that some players of much promise in their school days, suddenly faced the limitation of his improvement for skill. There may be some reasons but the absolute point is that the limitation is mostly shown by the players who train for only real match without basic.

People who have seen the match between Japanese players find they use the big sword. We can find big motion also in case 'hitting head' or 'hitting wrist' by checking the video tape. Many people say "so fast in big motion? " The only reason is they are training basic from young.

In 'WKC in France', Kim Kyung Nam and Park Chung Jae got the 3rd prize and took Japanese breath away. But many Korean kendo men say there are more winning game of Korean players in a team event and also individual event. I felt that is due to the difference of visual angle for judgement. There often happens some discontents for judgement in Korea too. That may be because the standard of judgement is not built right. I have seen many games in japan, but there are few hard to understand.

Once I asked to 'master Edo' about the result of the 'WKC in France', since he has always judged the Korean and Japanese kendo from the objective standpoint. The answer was " if I was a judge of the game, the judge was right and Korean player lose the game". Kendo uses Sinai but player should handle it just like real sword. He said it is hard to permit the point for the finishing touches of Korean players. On reflection, we seemed to concentrate snap strike for the point in a game. That may be the problem we should review.

In conclusion, I wish 'monthly Kendo World's prosperity and more Korea Kendo also.