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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. |