This really is a unique experience, learning the original Okinawan karate, the most effective and pure form with some of the most respected Japanese karate legends. Once a year our ten day trip of a lifetime will expand your karate skills exponentially. The teachers are highly respected karate masters, not accessible under normal circumstances. We provide world class instructors, the best dojo in Okinawa, the spiritual home of karate, and interpreters where needed that are also qualified instructors. Not suitable for complete beginners.
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]]>The purpose of this trip is to promote genuine karate, (as opposed to the ersatz version common in the West) to introduce Okinawan culture, (very different from that of Japan) and encourage international friendship through karate training. We work with the office of the Governor of Okinawa, and the two major representative bodies, the Okinawan Prefectural Karate Do Rengokai, and the Okinawa Karate & Kobudo Renmei. Their support allows us to offer this once in a lifetime opportunity to study the origins and secrets of Karate by training with the greatest living masters of the art. Our instructors and our facilities are the best in the world. American karateka would expect to pay $300-$400 for each class our instructors offer, often in a very crowded makeshift venue. By contrast, for our seminars at the Okinawan Prefectural Hall of Martial Virtue (Budokan) we accept no more than 20 students, who are taught by three or more high grade instructors in a superb, purpose-built karate dojo.
Karate is a martial art developed on the islands of the Ryukyu Archipelago, formerly the Ryukyu Kingdom, and now the Prefecture of Okinawa, Japan. Referred to as ti in Okinawan dialect, it is the indigenous unarmed fighting method of the feudal warrior of this ancient society, influenced by the Chinese Boxing methods of Southern China, an area with which there was much trade and commerce in antiquity. Unlike the modern derivative, it is a complete martial art that includes nerve holds, throwing methods, joint locking techniques and submissions, as well as kicks and punches. Please note this programme is not suited to complete beginners, we recommend at least six months of prior karate training. You do not have to be advanced, but you do need to be willing to study seriously as you will be trained by 10th, 9th and 8th Dan Karate Masters.
You will receive a full day of orientation. The purpose of which is to teach members how to use the monorail system, how to get to the training places we use, how to feed themselves, change money, and generally feel comfortable, safe, and self-sufficient in their new city and culture. Okinawans are incredibly friendly, helpful, and courteous. If they see someone in difficulty they will immediately step in and help. The main organiser is of UK origin and therefore language is not an issue. Lunch (own expense) is at one of the major downtown shopping centres, and then we take a visit to Shuri Castle, the home of the Okinawan Kings for six centuries. On Sunday evening we eat together in a local restaurant, discuss the week ahead of us, conduct an informal question and answer session, and deal with any issues that are bothering members. By the time dinner is over most members feel comfortable and confident in their new environment, and ready to start training next day.
We meet at the hotel, walk the hundred yards or so to the monorail station, and take the train to Tsuboya. The Okinawa Prefectural Budokan (Hall of Martial Virtue) is a short walk across the causeway over the river from the station through Onoyama Park. Training starts at 10:00am in the morning and finishes at midday.After a two hour break for lunch we train again from 2:00pm until 4:00pm. In the evening members are free to take in the sights, an easy thing to do as we are located in the heart of the city and surrounded by restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and other places of entertainment. Okinawa is an extremely safe place, crime amongst the native population is almost unheard of, and it is very common to see young girls of 12-14 years old walking home alone late at night through the central city after the “cramming schools” close.
We will travel to the Okinawa City Budokan, renovated recently for the All Japan Gymnastics Championships, for morning and afternoon sessions. This is about a 30 mile journey in each direction for which we provide a private bus. Lunch is taken with the teachers at a local buffet restaurant (Soie) and the cost for this (as much as you can eat and drink) is around ¥800 (£7.00). We maintain a very high teacher to student ratio in our classes, and all our instructors are 9thDan or above certified by the Prefectural Government. Several have the status of “Living Intangible Cultural Asset,” an award bestowed by the Japanese Royal Family for distinguished service to culture. Typically, the chief instructor of a class will be a 10thDan, Hanshi, and he will be assisted by several 9thDans and 8th Dans. In the West there is a tendency to teach very basic karate technique through constant repetition of the same kick or punch, which is both boring and of questionable value. Our teachers show principles, methods, and actual fighting techniques. There is no contact or sparring in real karate because this would be far too dangerous. To put it simply, the students learn what works, how it works, and why it works. These teachers are extraordinary, the best in the world.
We will organize an optional tour of southern Okinawa by private bus that costs ¥5000 (£35.00) per member for fuel, the bus and driver. We visit monuments to famous karate instructors, the Royal Summer Palace (Shikina En), the Chinese Garden (Fukushu En), the Okinawa Peace Park (Heiwa Kinnen Kaikan), and either the Gyokusendo Caves or the Imperial Japanese Navy’s subterranean headquarters at Tomishiro. Members have a choice of taking their own packed lunch, or enjoying the excellent buffet at the Southern Beach Hotel in Itoman City. This features a wide array of Okinawan, Japanese, Italian, American, Mexican, and international dishes, pizza, salad bar, fresh breads, coffee, soft drinks, and a very large selection of desserts. The cost is ¥1700 – ¥2000 inclusive of tax. We leave our hotel at around 8:30am, and return at around 7:30pm.
We will tour the north of the island using the same bus/buses and visit Murasaki Village, the Chan Mi house site in Kadena, Manzamou, and the Ocean Expo Park in Motobu. This features a superb aquarium (Chura Umi), the Okinawan Village, botanical gardens, the dream tower, and many other exhibits, most of which are free. Again, members have a choice of taking a packed lunch or the fixed price, all you can eat buffet lunch on the beach at the superb ANA-Intercontinental Hotel in Manza. We leave our hotel at 8:30am and return at 8:00pm
This evening we will hold our Sayonara party which is attended by members and their instructors. In previous years have held these events in an izakaya (the Okinawan version of an English pub), upscale Okinawan restaurants (Urashima in Kume), in an awamori distillery owned by the family of one of my staff, and on the deck of a commercial tuna fishing boat in the East China Sea. Typically these events cost each member ¥3,000 (£24.00) for a lavish meal with alcohol.
We train from Monday to Friday two sessions per day. Students who are really keen to learn can train in the evenings too in a private dojo (the co-ordinator will arrange this for you) which is considered an enormous privilege in karate circles. The instructors in these dojos are the ones that you read about in magazines, and see on the BBC, Discovery Channel, History Channel, etc. The vast majority of Okinawan and Japanese karate cannot train in these dojo, some of which are so old the founders of karate as we know it, trained there as young men in the 1920s and 1930s.
The hotel that we use is located close to Makishi station on Kokusai Dori (International Street) which is the main street of the capital city of Naha, and the centre of nightlife, shopping, etc. Members stay in a typical small Japanese single room with bath. The hotel is simple, clean, and ideally located. We have used it for many years, the staff are wonderful, and very important for karate people, they have washing machines and dryers in the basement!
Please note flights are not included in the price below.
| Duration | Hotel |
| 8 Days | 2299 |
Please contact us for start dates in 2014
“WOW! This is the most incredible trip and course I have ever done. I didn’t know what to expect but this just exceeded everything I had wished for. My karate as improved dramatically and training with these instructors was mind blowing. Japan is an amazing country. I’ll remember this forever.” See more reviews here.”Jon Button
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How would you like to get a diploma, spend four weeks travelling somewhere exotic with the possibility to get paid for your efforts at the end of it. Sound too good to be true? Well it isn’t.
Not only can you do all that, you will get mentored by one of the top journalists in the country Beci Wood who spent 10 years at the biggest newspaper in the UK. Get assistance publishing your piece and sending out through news channels with the aim of it being picked up as newsworthy. This will give you an amazing exposure and a genuine opportunity to try out and launch a new career in journalism.
On this program you can either undertake the diploma only and use it to boost your qualifications whilst you undertake any of our gap year programs, or you can involve yourself On our Xtreme journalism assignments. Set in 2 locations where you can study and learn more about journalism.
For the assignments, you can choose either Thailand, or Mexico and you have four weeks to complete the course and we throw in some adventure activities along the way. What they are depends on the time of year, we do not keep it set so we can react to any newsworthy stories or events.
The course involves quite a bit of coursework, so where better to undertake some investigative journalism, or get inspired than abroad by paradise beaches.
You have full backup and support of our UK-based tutors, who have considerable experience in the industry. You can actually study anywhere as long as you have an Internet connection and a laptop.
Once you have completed the course and have written your final piece we will assist you in sending this out to our media houses who may or may not pick up on the story. If you do get published you will receive 60 percent of your royalty fees which could be enough to cover the cost of the entire course.
What you report on is up to you, but you will have the full back up and support and guidance of professional journalists (including the head mentor on the programme – Beci Wood with 10 years experience on staff at the UK´s biggest newspaper).
Not only is journalism and exciting career, it’s something you can take with you to your next stage after travelling, whether that be a part-time job at University, or something you do on the side or launch phone into as a career.
So whether you want to do something genuinely rewarding while you travel, or want to have something that not only looks amazing – really is amazing on your CV then the Xtreme reporter as you.
On the Thailand option we have a completely unique and very exciting work experience attachment to this program. You will work in a genuine media Company that produces monthly magazines all over Asia. Working from their offices in Phuket, you will put your newfound skills to use: tasked With writing articles and uncovering stories as a reporter. You will go out develop and write stories and make a valued contribution to the magazine and online websites. Working under the CEO and his media team this is a genuinely unique opportunity to gain work experience and do a really fun job which will build your resume and give you an insight into an exciting industry as you travel.
The company is called think media and is American run running various different franchises of popular magazines, what’s on guides and delivers local news and features in and around Phuket.
The work experience option can either last two weeks or four weeks, depending on your preference and includes all accommodation.
In Mexico you will stay in Playa del Carmen, a short walk from the beach at our base the Bendito Rancho. This is based on a dormitory (shared accommodation).
In Thailand you will stay in Phuket where you will also be involved in a work experience module with think media. You will stay on a bungalow either your own or shared with one other person the same sex. The bungalow is located close to the officers.
Journalism needs specialists. People with knowledge and passion for their subject. We provide a range of courses in specialist subjects ranging from health to the environment through to investigative and travel journalism.
Journalism courses currently available:
Yes our courses are accredited by third party organisations
Our diploma is widely recognised in the UK and overseas. It is a vocational award, equivalent to an NVQ level 1 or 2.
The Open and Distance Learning Quality Council (ODLQC) and the ABCC validate it.
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