What a coincidence this was ! ! !

While we were in Japan it had been our intention to visit the Kodokan in Tokyo, so much so that Brian Batey had organised Japan Rail Passes for us at a cost of £118 each, this turned out to be a very good deal. Yamasaki Sensei organised the visit for us. We left Shin Kobe station early morning on the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) an experience in itself. When we arrived at the Kodokan we were met by a young 4th Dan who took us in for registration then into the Kodokan Judo Museum, we spent quite a while in here as there was so much history to see including Jigoro Kano's training gi photo's and artifacts.
Shunsuke Yamasaki had booked our rooms which were single and very basic but at £17 pppn we were very greatful.
We made our way up to floor 7F and entered the main dojo, there was no tuition available so the others got straight into some randori and I mixed in with some very old Japanese judoka who were practising kata. After about thirty minutes that came to an end and I made my way back to where the others were, as i approached them I heard an English voice saying "hello Chris" as I turned to my great suprise and pleasure, it was Stephen Blower whom I had not seen since we competed against each other in London some 25 years previously, what a coincidence that we should both be in this dojo half way around the world on the same evening. Steve had been living in Japan for about 13 years and had infact married a Japanese lady, anyway we had about ten minutes randori and then I had the same with Steve's friend James Barringer who was originally from Totonto Canada. Barry McSherry had also been at the same championship as a junior that Steve and I had last seen each other all those years ago. When we finished our session, we all went off to a restaurant in the Roppongi district to end a really memorable evening.

PHOTO, Stephen Blower and I, October 2007, at the Kodokan.