HAPPY 2002!
We wish all Zen Judo and Kodokan Judo families around the world the happiest 2002. May this year bring us
peace and the comfort of being surrounded by those we love. May we also have lots of time to practice the Gentle
Path (on and off the mat!).

SPANISH JUDOKA AT RADCLIFFE
By Bartolomé Canellas, 4th Dan, rrodriguez@segur.caib.es
It took two hours by plane, one by train, and three hours by bus for me and my senior student Guillermo
to get to Nottingham. We were welcomed at the station by Sensei Lawson and Anne. Their warm and heartfelt
hospitality was felt from the first minute. From the station we proceed to the hotel in Radcliffe that was to be our
home base for the next three days. The hotel had a lovely bed and breakfast feel to it. We couldn't have stayed in a
better place.
After a well deserved rest and a good breakfast, we started the training on the next day. Honestly, we were having
so much fun, the hours went by without us noticing. Among other things, we practiced Zen Judo, Karate, Ju Jutsu,
Aiki Jutsu. So obviously, we returned the next day ready for more interesting (and sometimes hilarious) drills.
What I enjoyed best, apart from the high quality of all instructors, was the friendly environment in the dojo. Students
and instructors worked hard, but they also had fun in their work.
I should also mention the great party on Saturday night -- it really proved we are truly a family. The sense of
friendship among every one was truly remarkable. We are also really thankful to Sensei Lawson and his enchanting
family for the hospitality in hosting us for a wonderful mean on Sunday.
On Monday morning as good tourists, Guillermo and I went shopping in Nottingham where we spent most of the day.
In the evening we were back on the mat for an interesting lesson from Sensei Lawson, Anne and several
senior students. Once again, we spent several hours on the mat without noticing the passing of time! We celebrated
the end of the trip at the Black Lion, a typical British pub, where a few beers were enjoyed.
On behalf of Zen Judo Spain we would like to thank all the organizers of the training and also to extend our gratitude
to those who welcomed us and made us feel completely at home. I left England with the sense that I had gained
new friends. Many thanks for the way you took care of us and I look forward to seeing you all at Mallorca.

Ed. note: Sensei Gordon Lawson has also put a report on the Christmas training in his dojo's website.
The address is: http://gordonlawson.tripod.com/id18.htm

IN THE BEGINNING...
For those of you who are interested in the beginnings of Judo I recommend this winter break that you read a few
books about the man who all Judoka around the world consider the founder of modern Judo, Dr. Jigoro Kano. Kano
is the man responsible from transforming Ju-Jutsu into Judo. He opened his first school, the Kodokan, in 1882
at the Buddhist temple Eisho-ji in Tokyo. With a few mats and a dozen students he created a way of life that
incorporated his philosophy with ancient techniques. The result -- a non-lethal self-defense method that could be
practice by people of all ages and of all physical conditions.
For a glimpse into the personal aspects of the Master's life I highly recommend John Steven's book, "Three Budo
Masters" (Kodansha International, 1995). In this short book Sensei Stevens describes the lives of three Japanese
masters who founded their own arts: Kano (Judo), Funakoshi (Karate), and Ueshiba (Aikido).
For those who want to learn more about Kano as a Sensei and as the one who put the art together, I recommend
Pat Harrington's book, "Judo: A Pictorial Manual" (Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1992). Pat has a great chapter on the
history of the Kodokan and on the life of Kano.
For those who wish to learn more about the master from the master's own words I recommend Dr. Jigoro Kano's
book, "Kodokan Judo" (Kodansha International, 1986). Finally, for those curious about the days of the early Kodokan
and how Dr. Kano organized his workouts, I recommend a book by the British master E.J. Morrison, "The Fighting Spirit
of Japan" (Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1982). Here you'll find a fascinating first person account of the early days
of the Kodokan. Shihan Morrison was one of the first Europeans to cross the threshold of Kano's school.
Happy readings!

CATCHING UP WITH THE REST OF THE JUDO WORLD
Those of us in the Zen Judo world who have some experience with Kodokan Judo remember the time when the
standing techniques in the Kodokan syllabus were divided into two parts: the Gokyo no Waza (five sets of eight
throws corresponding to the five color belts in Judo's program that was set forth by Kano in 1895 and revised in
1920) and the Shimmeisho no Waza (a set of techniques that were added to the original syllabus in the 1950s).
That was the standard syllabus for the Kodokan for much of the 20th Century. But lately the Kodokan decided to
revise its syllabus again.
So we now have the Rokyo no Waza (six sets of eight throws) and an enlarged Shimmeisho no Waza. For those of
you who wish to catch up on your Kodokan syllabus, or those of you who are curious as to how much Zen Judo
techniques and Kodokan techniques are similar or different, I recommend a visit to Sensei Neil Ohlenkamp's
website: http://JudoInfo.com/menu.shtml. I consider Neil's site the most complete Judo reference website in the
world. When you get to the site, click on the link "Techniques of Judo" and enjoy. My thanks to Sensei Leo Valdes
of Richmond, Virginia, for alerting me to the changes!