Updates  

We're back from Okinawa!!  Please click here to see pictures and documentation of the tour!!

As preparation for this unique trip begins we have started to develop new friendships and participate in meetings, fund raisers and social activities that focus on this tour.   Please visit our friendship page for pictures of these activities

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New Updates
Letter of Endorsement
Training
Lodging
News Coverage
Sight Seeing
Meetings

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Hello From Tokyo - check out our sisters from the Tokyo Okikukai dojo

Here is our official schedule for the tour.

OKIKUKAI SCHEDULE for WFT  

Date - Main events

DAY 1: Depart: Monday: Chicago April 12

DAY 2: Arrive: Tuesday eve: April 13 Okinawa

DAY 3: Wednesday: Apr.14th
Morning: Training at head quarters  {
10:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M }
Evening: Training at Okikukai Dojos  {
8:00 10:00 P.M. }              

DAY 4:Thursday: Apr.15th
Morning/afternoon: Sight seeing for south area of
Okinawa  { 9:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M. }   **All entry fees for sightseeing will be paid by each tour participant

Evening: Training Futenma Dojo { 8:00 - 10:00 }

DAY 5: -Friday: 16 April

  9:30 A USMC bus will pick up your  group at the hotel and the Okikukai members for transportation to Camp Courtney .

10:30-11:30 a Joint Demo. 15 Minutes for MCMAP then up to 20 Minutes for your group followed by about 10 minutes of joint training. Then photo op time.

11:30-12:30 Buffet lunch at the Tengan Castle Rest on Camp Courtney . Peggy, Jack and Takamiyagi are the guests of the Marine Corp. The remaining members will cost $8.00 per person.

12:30-1:00 Transport back to your hotel

7:00- 9:00 is the Reception Dinner at the SOIE Rest

We will have press coverage for both the Base and Okinawa City demo.

DAY 6:Saturday: Apr.17th
 Morning: Training at head quarters {
10:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M }

 DAY 7:Sunday: Apr.18th
Sight seeing for Shuri town  {
9:00 A.M.-5:00P.M. } **all entry fees for sightseeing will be paid by each tour participant

DAY 8:Monday: Apr.19th
Morning: Training at headquarters {
10:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M }  

Evening: Training at Okikukai Dojos { 8:00 10:00 P.M. }

DAY 9:Tuesday Apr.20th
Morning/Afternoon: Sight seeing for Kokusai dori St {
9:00A.M. - 5:00P.M. }

Evening: Training at Toyama/Miyagi dojos { 8:00P.M. - 10:00P.M. }

DAY 10:Wednesday: Apr.21st
Morning: Training at head quarters {
10:00A.M. - 12:00P.M. }

Evening: Training at Okikukai Dojos { 8:00 P.M.-10:00P.M. }

DAY 11:Thursday: Apr.22nd
Morning/Afternoon: Sightseeing for north area of
Okinawa  { 9:00A.M. - 5:00P.M. } **All entry fees for sightseeing will be paid by each tour participant

Evening: Training at Kadena Dojo {8:00 PM - 10:00 PM}

DAY 12:Friday: Apr.23rd
Morning: Training at head quarters {
9:00A.M. - 12:00P.M. }

Dan promotional testing  { 2:00 P.M. }
Cultural exchange party {
7:00P.M. - 12:30A.M. }

DAY 13:Saturday: Apr.24th
Martial arts festival of Women’s Karateka {
6:00P.M. - 8:00P.M. }
Held at
Okinawa City convention center {marine band present}

We will have press coverage for both the Base and Okinawa City demo.

 DAY 14:Sunday: Apr.25th
All Day: Free time

DAY 15: Depart: Okinawa : Monday: Apr.26th

DAY 16: Arrive: Home: Tuesday: Apr 26th

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Hello Peggy Hess sensei,

I hope this e-mail will find you & your family, all the students

are in best health & sprit.

To the women's tour for Okinawa, 5students of mine will take part in it.

Their names are as bellow;

 

*Hiroko Hirao  / 40 years old /2Dan

*Ikuko Murata / 18 years old /1Dan,Shotokan-Ryu, beginner of Okikukai

*Natsuko Watanabe / 24years old /1Dan

*Atsuko Kumagai / 48 years old /4Kyu

*Haruka Kumagai / 20 years old /3Kyu

 

They will stay Okinawa for a week, & hope to have good friend ship

with the participant to the tour.

 

Best Regards

Keisuke Fujimoto

 

Okikukai Tokyo Japan.

 

                    

               The women from the Tokyo dojo                          Instructors;  Ikuko Murata & Natsuko Watanabe

 

New Updates

   

We have received a positive determination for a non- profit status {501(C)3} and now the next phase is beginning... 'Solicitation for Contributions'.  Below is a pile of media kits ready to be mailed out to various tour members.

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Peggy and James Thompson just recently attended the Kenyukai Koshukai training week at the University of Connecticut.  Kiohide SHinjo has welcomed the Women's Friendship Tour for training at his Kadena Dojo

Peggy, Kiohide and Jimmy

Peggy and Shinjo Brothers Kiohide and Narahiro

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Letter of Endorsement

This is a letter of endorsement and an invitation to Okinawa from the Okikukai seniors and committee members in support of the Women's Friendship Tour.

 

Ryuko Tomoyose - The highest advisor of Uechi Ryu Karate Do.

Shintoku Takara - The highest technical advisor of Uechi Ryu Karate Do.

Hiroshi Inada - The present president of Okikukai membership.

Click the document for a full page view.     Mr. Ryuko Tomoyose & Peggy with the letter of endorsement

    

Martial arts experts receive awards of merit Five martial arts experts were honored at an awards ceremony held at the Pacific Hotel on October 9. The ceremony, which was attended by approximately 500 martial arts enthusiasts, featured the presentation of awards of merit to individuals considered to have made outstanding contributions to the martial arts. This was only the third occasion Okinawa's martial artists have received such honors, which are presented every five years. Latest recipients of the award were karatekas Yoshio Nakamura, Seitoku Ishikawa and Chikara Nakahodo and kobudo exponents Masahiro Nakamoto and Kotaro Iha. They join an elite of only 13 previous recipients of the honor. (Oct 10 am ed)

Note: Chikara (Tsutomu) Nakahodo is one of the signers listed on our Letter of Endorsement.

 

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Training

Training at Futenma Dojo with Kanmei Uechi

AM and PM Training at Okikukai Training Center with Takara Sensei10th dan

Dan Testing

Training at Takamiyagi Sensei's Chatan Dojo

Training at Minoru Miyagi's Yomitan Dojo

Jack Summers sensei, Kanmei Uechi sensei, Peggy

Toyama sensei and Jack.

We will be visiting Toyama's dojo on the tour next year, however, there were no pictures taken when Peggy visited Toyama's dojo in April 2003.  This is an older picture from California

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Lodging

This is the hotel that the ladies tour will be using.  It is a 2 bedroom apartment with a kitchen bathroom and washing machine.  One bedroom is Japanese style with tatami mats and the other is a western style.  The name of the hotel is the Kita Hama.

 

Click here to view the hotel's restaurant menu

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News Coverage

Newspaper article Tuesday April 29, 2003  Okinawa Shimpo News. 

Japanese copy- 

English text from the Shimpo News Article

Interview for Shimpo News Article with Billy Smith

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Sight Seeing

Shuri Castle - hopefully sight of our demonstration and return of the gift.

Famous Gateway

 

Traditional Okinawan Dancers

 

Ryu Kyu Mura - an historical replica of an Okinawan Village

 

Hideo Miyagi is a very famous ceramic and clay artist.  He is world known for his Shi Shi Dogs.  At the G8 2000 he presented to President Clinton a pair of Shi Shi Dogs.  We will be visiting his small kiln in Okinawa City.

Hideo Miyagi's Brochure

 Miyagi's Kiln Rooftop

  

Peggy and Miyagi and Sakae Uechi

Miyagi in his studio

 

Another important activity-

Shopping on Kodasai Street in Naha

 

Kanbun Uechi and Kanei Uechi's Tomb - Futenma Okinawa

 

Futenma Shrine - on our sightseeing tour

 

Mrs. Kanmei Uechi and Master Kanei Uechi's wife in front of Futenma Dojo with Peggy and Frank Gorman

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Meetings

Meeting with Hirokuni Yamashiro (7th dan), Okikukai President Hiroshi Inada (9th dan) and Shigeru Takamiyagi (9th dan)

 

Board Meeting for Women's Friendship Tour at Okikukai Headquarters

 

Nakasone san - Owner of Shureido Gei Factory

 

Dance Party

 

 

Meeting with MCMAPFE

Peggy Hess, Kaori Tanahara (Okina Wa Editor), MSGT Shane Franklin

Marine Corps Martial Arts Program Far East Medal

Katsuji Tamayose (7th dan) and Tommy playing the samisan

 

Jinkichi Uezu comes orignially from the Futenma dojo and presently is a member of Okinawa Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do Hozonkai.  He owns the Marujin Co, Ltd; office supply house. He will be donating a suprise gift to participants on the Women's Tour.

   

Jinkichi Uezu and Peggy

 

* The Women’s Friendship Tour took place April 12 –26, 2004

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Copyright ©April 2002 Marguerite Hess www.womenskaratetour.org

Women’s Friendship Tour  Marguerite Hess, 1195 Ocean View Circle,  Jensen Beach, Fla 34957  Tel: (772) 334- 7731 

e-mail: peggyhess@womenskaratetour.org OR dphess@bellsouth.net   

Click here to see an up to date list of our sponsors

webmaster@womenskaratetour.org