1) What is your name?
-"Vesa."
2) How old are you?
-"Next February I’ll turn 44."
3) What is your nationality?
-"Finnish."
4) Why did you come to Japan?
-"For a holiday, and to fulfil my yearlong dream of participating in Kamakura Hachimangu Enbu."
5) When did you start iaidô and why?
-"In 1992, as a counterweight to my training of American football. All that weight lifting and running started to feel mentally hard, and I asked a friend if there was some kind of budo that trains mental things as well as physical. Also, for professional reasons, I thought training budo would help me learn about Japan and Japanese mentality. This has helped me considerably in various stages of my career."
6) Have you ever participated in iai demonstration in Japan? What was it like? How about in your own country?
-"Now I have been in both Kamakura and Seto-Jinja enbu in Kanazawahakkei, the latter was in 2007. In Finland I have performed during Sensei’s seminar, one celebration demonstration of my budo club, Hikari, and one held at a Japan related exhibition in Helsinki. Also, I have performed in several demonstrations held as introduction at the beginning of a new beginners’ class.
Performing at an exhibition in Finland feels different from Japan. In Finland people come to see exhibitions out of curiosity, and just watch to see what happens. In Japan at least some spectators have some idea about what is happening and whether the performance goes well or not. In Finland it feels like a circus, while in Japan it feels more like a football game. In Finland the public also asks more questions about Japan, swords and budo in general, and the exhibition serves as a performance of Japan as well as just the sword art."
7) Is there a difference between training in Japan and in Europe?
-"In Europe, especially at dan level, there is a lot more discussion among students and with the teacher. In Japan, it is Takada Sensei (notice, in Japanese this is also a plural form ^^) who says how things are done, and there is no room for hesitation. Most likely this is because in Europe the teachers are also students, and sometimes the interpretation of Sensei’s latest teachings vary. As a traditional Finnish joke goes: “How many dan-level iaidokas are needed to change a light bulb? – Everyone. The highest-ranking stands on a stool with the new bulb in his hand, and the others stand round him and argue about how Sensei changed the bulb at the last seminar.” "
8) What do you think about Takada Gakudô Sensei's style related to iaidô and training?
-"At first, it seemed difficult to follow, but over the years I think I have gained more insight. Also, his style forces the student to work hard, which in the long run rewards those who keep struggling. There are no short cuts to anything worth learning, stated someone wise in Greece a long time ago."
9) What kind of a teacher is Takada Gakudô Sensei?
-"Strict and demanding, but sometimes surprisingly lenient as long as you keep trying your best and slightly more."
10) What would you like to say to someone who is thinking about starting iaidô?
-"Beware. It is a long road, and you will easily find yourself hooked. But as you climb the mountain, you will notice how the view grows at every step. (Reaching the mountain, however, may take years of seemingly boring repetition.)"
To quote JRR Tolkien:
“The Road goes ever on and on/
down from the door where it began/
Now far ahead the road has gone/
and I must follow it if I can/
Pursuing it with weary feet”
Yokohama, Japan 2010/1/29
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