Phenomenal day today. Im proper blown away.

Today I had the great honour to be awarded my Shodan in #Iaido from 8th Dan Hamamoto Sensei in Japan. The intensive grading included 27 Katas with classification and analysis of the sword lasting around 3 hours. It was very mentally and physically challenging.

I first came to Okinawa in 2006 to study Kobudo with Akamine Sensei and was introduced to Hamamoto Sensei through a #iaido practitioner studying with him at the time.
I continued in both Ryukyu Kobudo and Iaido for the next 3 months.
The experience I had then to soak myself in Okinawan culture helped me understand and give empathy to All people.
I would like to firstly give a big Thank you to Akamine Sensei for his patience, understanding and kindness since I first met him in 2006.

Next I want to thank the people of Okinawa who dramatically change my life in the way I think and feel positively everyday.

I also want to thank all my friends, family, students, parents and loved ones for all their support.

Next I would like to give thanks to Mark Gibson at MGD and Shaun Ellison from Alexander and Sancto for helping to subsidise the trip. Without your generosity none of this would have happened.

And last I would like to eternally thank Hamamoto Sensei for his his patience, guidance, understanding and also for accepting me as his student.

‘Everything is possible, you just got to want it’
-Joe Talbot-