Clear Lake Iaido

Event Report - 2002 January, Hatsunuki in Denton

For those unfamiliar with the word,-- Hatsunuki is the term for first draw of the year and is usually performed on Jan. 1 at dawn. In Japan it is done at a Shinto shrine and each participant performs ippon me mae to the sensei while being blessed by a Shinto priest. We did it outside this year in a park down the street from sensei's house since the weather at this year's hatsunuki was not as bad as last year's. It was cold, but dry.

We gathered at sensei's house starting at 6:30, then left for the park about half an hour later. This year there was a small group of sensei's karate students who joined us for hatsu sanchin (first kata). After opening reishiki, we warmed up with Batto Ho. Sensei went first while we stood in line and watched. Slipping out of his shoes he stepped upon the carpet laid out for this, and bowed in the direction of the rising sun. He then knelt in seiza and did ippon me mae. Then another standing bow to the East, before stepping off into his shoes to go sit in seiza at the front off to the side to watch each of us in order of seniority take our turn doing what he just did. Those students attending, in order of seniority, were Jim, Tom, Susan, Charles, Jack, Jean, Will, Anya, Yuri, myself, Ricky, and Jimmy. Tom ended up going last because he was busy leading the karate students in their kata. After all were done, we did closing reishiki, and quickly retired to sensei's house for a warm breakfast, the traditional sake toast, and socializing until mid morning. Later that day a group of us went out to see Lord of the Rings (again) before I left for home.

Photos

The pictures below were taken from Emily's tape of the Hatsunuki in Denton, Texas, 2002 January 1.

Click to enlarge

Opening Reishiki