FokaiElements:WATER

Hafa Adai,

Let me start by saying that I consider myself forever a student in the water and though I feel I’m not anyone to say—im going to say it anyways. In a 32mile long island where the beach is inevitable and never more than 30minutes away—Its in our islands best favor to make a harder push for improved water safety awareness and water safety education.

My name is Roman Dela Cruz and aside from bodyboarding for the past 25years I have been standup paddling TumonBay the past 5 just as often if not more than anybody else and after seeing a growing interest– just wanted to give some proper caution to folks possibly looking into surfing those waters and also for some insight on that reefline in general.
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I was paddle surfing over the reef at Tumon Bay this past weekend and had to run the risk of spoiling what might’ve been some serious fun when aggressively advising 3 younger paddlers (in 2kayaks) to leave and to go back towards shore. I don’t really care to yell at anyone and generally hate aggression towards people but had to take drastic action because of a drastic situation. You were heading towards the real impact zone, enroute to freak sets that were much bigger than they might have appeared from shore. Maybe you could’ve landed a backflip gloriously for a photo finish and story of a lifetime or you could’ve been enroute to a violent thrashing between coral heads. The kayak that you capsized would’ve been a hundred times more difficult to turnover in the whitewash even if you could’ve held on to it, the tide was fast pulling out and there was less than an hour left of sunlight..

\I’m not sure if it was the same bunch that came back out regardless or if it was a different one but though you did catch some nice waves true—you were extremely lucky that the bigger ones had backed off because the waves you caught and the place you were waiting were done so in the danger zone.

As inviting as the waves might look and as sunny as the sky might’ve be—it’s a real bad call to chance those waves unless you are fully prepared for the dangers that come with it.
Undercurrents most aren’t aware ,a razor sharp coral reef, and the unbelievable power of sizeable surf can turn a moment of paradise into a state of panic and disaster in a second. The reef were dealing with has already scarred countless strips of human flesh(including mine)—and just yards away from another surf spot on the reef that unfortunately claimed the lives of two young paddlers barely a year ago January 2nd of 2011.

It has been more than a year since this heartfelt tragedy and unfortunately still—many of us haven’t learned from a mistake too often made—the underestimation of our surrounding reefs and waters. Almost a year to the date—our papers almost had to write the headlines of another 2 tragedies in Tumon Bay—this time with 2 standup paddlers last Saturday afternoon. Had it not been for the fine work of our Department of Parks and Recreation lifeguards—we might’ve been starting the new year with another hard lesson in water safety.
Launching off the same beach on the first weekend of the new year—with waves double overhead over the reef and the tide outgoing…without the sensibility to at least have a leash to your board is an extremely bad decision. Obviously we all still need a lot of work…
The dangers of the reefline at Tumon Bay are no joke when its flat and can be a real monster, especially when waves are in that picture. In the midst of enjoying the paradise of where America’s Day begins–We gotta try to remember to not allow alcohol and the spirit of adventure cloud the air of common sense. Death defying acts unfortunately don’t always defy death but if adventure must be our pursuit then we should at least go to far measures to be prepared to do so.

When approaching water—remember that we are dealing with something very much alive and something very much capable. It moves in many ways, and what works for uscan just as easily work against us and vice versa. To arrive properly into its dynamics it’s always best to have a god understanding and/or to get a qualifiable opinion of its current conditions. If you’re planning a day at the beach—at least understand what the tides are doing. Its on page 6 of the pdn or if youre frequent—keep a tide chart handy. Know what time the sun is setting so youre not venturing into the darkness and always always always keep an eye on the kids. It’s not much but its definitely a start.

Tumon Bay seems to be more active than ever…The paddlers are blazing up and down the coast, as they avoid swimmers getting their, while skimboarders slide along the beach where friends and families might be barbecuing. The hotels are having their dinner shows, the tourists are taking their photos, while a growing amount of runners continue to enjoy the view as the stand up paddlers happily enjoy the best seat in the house (haha)…

The waters of Tumon Bay are truly a place to be but, like anywhere else, are to be done so with extreme caution. From the reef –the lifeguard towers are a lot further than they look and people far and away cant necessarily recognize your screams of help if a situation over the reef goes bad. When in doubt—don’t go out. You’ll live to ride another day.

Im not gonna lie—I’m the guiltiest guy of going over that reef when its cranking but im putting in a ton of work and preparation before doing so…and still im just asvulnerable. Suuuuper stoked on Tumon Bay and its waters…and knowing for sure that its best enjoyed when done so responsibly, preparedly, and in effect truly respectfully.

Lets not wait for another tragedy and progressively exercise better awareness in water-safety to pave the way for less if not zero tragedies in the future and to work hard to develop the tools and skills—for a better chance to turn the monster into majesty, for a better understanding of what to do when a situation goes bad, and for the humility and sensibility to sometimes just sit back, watch, and appreciate.

Tumon Bay Resident
Concerned Citizen

FokaiElements:Earth

May TheForce Be With You

Hafa Adai,

The whole venture of maintaining this blog has been a bit difficult. No Excuses. just poor focus and ethic into this venture. Evensayingthat however… youre support has been, is, and always will be appreciated.

This blog was primarily created to “Open a Window into the Heartbeat of FokaiInternational”. We wanted to keep our viewers connected to the people, places, and events that weve been closely involved with over the years.We have been involved in non-profit activity consistently in Guam, Japan, California, and Ireland ..Then things were shifted so that the blog would be more focused on merchandise  detail:  though we’ve made mistakes–there is constant evolution in product development. were taking extra steps in sourcing the materials and skillset to provide life-proven product…and then we really wanted to emphasize a good news blog that wanted to remind our internationally growing support base that there is collectively and individually a good and noble effort in the world to make a positvie difference. It’s a collective  effort , A FORCE, that is multiplied by bridges and not divided by  boundaries.

Too often we’re magnetized to the excitement of bombs exploding, heads severed, celebrity mishaps, and serial killers; we’re standing by on excitement to watch man against man and country versus country…we need to motivate ourselves more often with good things that bring  faith  and faith which  brings hope…for a fast-evolving global mindset that could always use it.

With an intended backdrop of Mariana Island fighter archives and achievement as well as multi-faceted Moment defining photos and videos…we were aiming to give you further insight into the energy we came to accumulate as “FokaiIndustries” and an movement labeled as “FokaiIneternational

All of which weve given a decent effort but, considering  all the details of merchandise, individuals, and good tidings weve failed to archive/ and of goals we’ve failed to achieve—without doubt we’ve  fallen tremendously short.

Again , were trying to make another effort.

So we’re here today, on December 8th..not to fix everything all at once. but to thank you all for your long time support and patience, ant to reiiterate that we’re still on deck to do our part and connect all dots for positive things in an  effort worthwhile for mankind.

Fokai&GoodVibrations.

Thanks for dropping by.

RealPower:DynamoJack&TheForce

TheForce&PopeFrances:Huffingpost.com

A recent interview with Archbishop Konrad Krajewski, the “Almoner of His Holiness,” raised speculation that the Pope joins him on his nightly trips into Rome to give alms to the poor, and it turns out that the rumors are probably true.

A knowledgable source in Rome told The Huffington Post that “Swiss guards confirmed that the pope has ventured out at night, dressed as a regular priest, to meet with homeless men and women.”

Krajewski earlier said, “When I say to him ‘I’m going out into the city this evening’, there’s the constant risk that he will come with me,” and he merely smiled and ducked the question when reporters asked him point-blank whether the Pope accompanied him into the city.

He’s not the only Pope known for nocturnal wanderings. There are stories of Pope John XIII sneaking out to enjoy the beauty of Rome in the evenings, and reports tell of Pope Pius XII dressing as a Franciscan during WWII to help smuggle Rome’s Jewish population to safety. More recently, Pope Benedict XVI popped out unannounced to visit an art exhibit.

When Pope Francis was Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, he was known to sneak out at night to break bread with the homeless, sitting with them on the street and eating with them to show that they were loved.

And we love him for doing it now.

RESPECT:NelsonMandela

A MESSAGE FOR MANKIND

(CNN) — Nelson Mandela was always mindful that his leadership role in the liberation of South Africa from apartheid might not have been possible if he had not been imprisoned.

“It is possible that if I had not gone to jail and been able to read and listen to the stories of many people. … I might not have learned these things,” Mandela said of the insights that he gained during his 27 years in jail.

In an interview less than a year after he had stepped down as the country’s first black president, Mandela shared with me reflections of how prison changed him.

He said that reading the biographies of great leaders who had been able to overcome their shortcomings and rise to do great things had inspired him. He said it also helped him to realize that behind every seemingly ordinary person lay the potential of greatness.

“I have been surprised a great deal sometimes when I see somebody who looks less than ordinary, but when you talk to the person and they open their mouths, they are something completely different,” he said.

Mandela said that prison gave him time to think about the times when he had failed to acknowledge people who had been kind to him.

Mandela said that at the height of the struggle against apartheid, he and other leaders were understandably angry at the humiliation and loss of dignity of those who suffered under the unjust policy. It meant their actions were driven by anger and emotion rather than by reflection and consultation.

“But in jail — especially for those who stayed in single cells — you had enough opportunity to sit down and think,” he said.

There was time to listen to the stories of people who were highly educated and who were widely traveled and experienced. “When they told of their experiences, you felt humbled,” he said.

Mandela said that he had learned that when you had the moral high ground, it was better to sit down and talk to people and persuade them of the correctness of your cause.

“If you have an objective in life, then you want to concentrate on that and not engage in infighting with your enemies,” he said. “You want to create an atmosphere where you can move everybody toward the goal you have set for yourself,” Mandela said.

Nelson Mandela: A man of many handshakes

In his twilight, Mandela was at pains to publish and acknowledge his weaknesses and shortcomings in his family life, in his relationships with women and his first wife, Evelyn. He was keen to dispel any notion of sainthood that might be bestowed on him.

He also spoke increasingly about the importance of changing oneself.

“One of the most difficult things is not to change society — but to change yourself,” Mandela said in 1999 at a tribute to billionaire businessman Douw Steyn who had made his Johannesburg residence available to Mandela as a retreat after his prison release in 1990.

Mandela had given similar advice to wife Winnie in a letter written to her in 1981 after she had been jailed by the apartheid regime. Mandela noted that there were qualities “in each one of us” that form the basis of our spiritual life and that we can change ourselves by observing our reactions to the unfolding of life.

Ten years later, Mandela said that it gave him a feeling of fulfillment to see that Douw Steyn had changed and had learned to share his resources with the poor.

“It enables me to go to bed with an enriching feeling in my soul and the belief that I am changing myself” by reconciling with former adversaries, Mandela said.

I believe that the essence of Mandela’s greatness was to change himself fundamentally during his period in jail and emerge as a potent leader and example for all humanity.

Opinion: Nelson Mandela saved my life

The reflections took me back to the extraordinary day of Mandela’s release. The day the legend became a man. Even now, the moment seems frozen in time.

It was February 11, 1990, and the African sun shone from a clear blue sky on a windless summer’s day in Cape Town. About an hour’s drive from the city, the international media thronged around the entrance of a neat prison warder’s house to await the emergence of one of the century’s most iconic figures.

I had arrived late at the prison and wandered unnoticed into the prison grounds where my slate-blue cotton suit coincidentally blended in with the uniform color of the South African police. That might have had something to do with the fact that I was not challenged when I strode confidently into the prison grounds. But to this day I do not know.

An unscheduled wait of an hour while Mandela consulted an anti-apartheid delegation including his wife Winnie, who had arrived an hour late, seemed like an eternity.

When Mandela, flanked by Winnie, finally emerged walking down the driveway towards the prison premise gates, I lost all sense of time and self and strode towards Mandela to shake his hand and congratulate him on his freedom.

He recognized me from the photograph that accompanied my regular column I had written for the Cape Times, where I often analyzed the successes and setbacks of the anti-apartheid movement and the African National Congress in exile.

His face broke into a broad smile as we shook hands and he continued his historic walk to freedom.

At the time, I was the southern Africa correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor which was for many years the only international news publication that Mandela was allowed to read in jail albeit in a vetted form with pages and sections frequently removed.

On his first visit to the United States in 1990, Mandela broke from his official program on Sunday, June 24 to pay an unscheduled visit to the headquarters of the Monitor at One Norway Street in Boston to the astonishment of the editor and staff. (Today the Monitor is online only. The newspaper ceased daily publication in 2009.)

South Africa since apartheid: Boom or bust?

I received an incredulous call from my foreign editor, Jane Lampman, on that Sunday asking me if I could guess who was standing outside the building with two bodyguards asking to see the editor. It was, she said, Nelson Mandela. I was astonished too.

Mandela was intrigued that the founder of the newspaper, Mary Baker Eddy, also founded a religion. Mandela came to respect the Monitor’s sustained and fair coverage of South Africa during his time in jail.

To this day, Mandela’s weaknesses, his turbulent youth and his sometimes tempestuous relationships with women can still detract from the iconic status that Mandela achieved in his own lifetime.

But, the responsible airing of his weaknesses — including his own acknowledgment — in fact humanized Mandela and focused on his extraordinary strength of character and commitment in overcoming both his weaknesses and adversity in his own lifetime. It augmented Mandela’s greatness.

Carrying on the work of Nelson Mandela

It is Mandela’s achievement as a universal icon that has always fascinated me most. He first conquered his jailers by convincing them that they were the ones imprisoned by their own unsustainable policies based on fear and racial injustice. And then he negotiated them out of power with the sheer force of his moral authority and belief in himself.

Mandela’s example and actions in becoming the country’s first black president struck a mortal blow to racism worldwide and helped build confidence and pave the way for Barack Obama to pull off a similar feat in the United States.

If Mandela has a global heir in the ongoing campaign against racism and the quest for human dignity it has to be Barack Hussein Obama.

The power of Mandela’s leadership was rooted in the fact that at key moments in his life he acted independently of the movement to which he dedicated his life and to which he deferred as a “loyal and obedient” member.

He did so when he decided in 1986 to begin negotiating with his jailers from behind bars not knowing where it would end. He did so in continuing to refer to former President F. W. de Klerk as a “man of integrity” long after it was less popular to do so in the ranks of the African National Congress.

And he did so again when he went out on a limb within his own constituency after his release to support the overwhelmingly white South African rugby team in the World Cup in 1995.

Mandela said that even if he wanted to he could not bind future generations to remember history in a particular way.

The lesson of Mandela’s life is that he has no need to bind anyone to his legacy nor does he need any organization to do so.

His actions in his own lifetime are his legacy and they will remain indelibly etched in history for generations to come as a living example to inspire the leaders of tomorrow.

TommyHackett&cageinsider.com

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The New Journey for Enson Inoue (Part One)

By Tommy Hackett on October 28, 2013
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The New Journey for Enson Inoue (Part One)

It’s safe to say Enson Inoue has followed his own path in his pioneering MMA career.

It’s been more than 20 years since Inoue journeyed from his native Hawaii to Japan, not to further his martial arts training, but in hopes of advancing a racquetball career. There, Inoue arranged for a try-out with Shooto, a seminal MMA promotion. Inoue had earned the ranking of Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt under Relson Gracie back in Hawaii, and wanted just one taste of combat in the ring, to test his fighting spirit.

Inoue would impress in that tryout, which led to a victory in a professional Shooto bout, against Shigeta Shingo in 1995. The Japanese media would hail his debut as “The Birth of a Japanese Monster,” noting Inoue as the first MMA fighter of Japanese origins to be trained in the Gracie jiu-jitsu style.

Momentum would quickly build, and one fight led to another. Still, he wasn’t thinking of fighting as a career back then.

He would arrange one more fight though… and then, another… and so, the journey began.

Inoue would eventually decide that he had found his calling in the fight game, and stayed in Japan for good. Among his accolades: earning the Shooto Heavyweight Championship against Joe Estes in 1997 and winning a bout at UFC 13 against Royce Alger that same year. Inoue battled Frank Shamrock in one of the greatest fights of the 1990s, handed Randy Couture his first MMA loss in 1998, and became a legend in the PRIDE organization during the heyday of Japanese MMA.

His fighting spirit would earn him the nickname, “Yamato Damashii,” or, the spirit of traditional Japan. Many Japanese fans had come to see Inoue as a man who brought that “samurai spirit” back to their country, and Inoue found fame in both his victories and defeats. Against Igor Vovchanchyn in 2000, Inoue refused to quit despite enduring a frightful beating and sustaining numerous injuries, including a swollen brain, a fractured jaw, and damage to the liver.

He survived that night, and amazingly, would fight again later that year. He continued inspiring MMA fans in years to come.

His last MMA bout was a 2010 victory over Antz Nansen, but today Inoue is fighting a different battle for his adopted home: embarking on a journey to raise awareness for those still suffering and displaced by the 2011 Tsunami and nuclear disaster in northern Japan.

Last month, Inoue left behind the comforts of his Saitama (greater Tokyo area) home to begin a walking pilgrimage across Japan, carrying his own food and water, and staying wherever he can find shelter. Joining Inoue on the spiritual walk are his longtime friends Roman Dela Cruz of Fokai Industries (who began the pilgrimage with Inoue last month), and Mike Fowler of Hawaii’s North Shore Jiu-Jitsu (who joined earlier this month).

As he prepared for the trek, which will span more than 1500 miles in a three month span, Inoue explained: “As far as food and water goes, we’re going to run out of supplies. But these people (in northern Japan) don’t have work, and don’t have a way to purchase what they want. That’s why I’m making that rule, that we only eat what we carry, to put us in the situation where we have to depend on people’s help too.”

“They’re in a situation (in northern Japan) where they need to rely on other people,” he continued. “It’s not possible to make it all the way across Japan only carrying food and water, without help. We’re going to have to sleep outside every day. So it’s kind of like their situation, unstable. They’re in temporary housing and they don’t know how long they’re going to be there. They’re not confident they’ll always have a place to sleep. We might find a good place to sleep one night, and not find anywhere to sleep the next.”

“You’ve got to keep the hope. If you look at the resources, there’s really no way to make it. If you look at the people in temporary housing, it’s the same: some of them end up having to wait until hope comes. I hope it inspires them to continue on.”

Caged Insider caught up with Inoue last week near Kyoto, at around the midway point of his journey. The MMA legend expressed a sense of awe at the response that he is receiving.

“I knew that I’m reaching martial arts fans,” he explained. “But when we walked up north, people were walking up to us and thanking us for what we’re doing. I never really saw it as walking up north and showing people that we care; it was really about letting people know that these people up north need help. We’re affecting way more people than I thought we would. It was very much a surprise. We’re getting people who don’t even who we are, but they’re grateful for what we are doing. It was a whole new level of inspiration for us.”

In addition to chronicling his journey on his blog and Facebook page, Inoue and company have been interviewed by Japanese media as well. Word is getting out.

“There was a time we were walking up north and a guy pulled over in his car, to ask what we were doing,” Inoue explained. “When we told him, he said we were some of the few people who haven’t forgotten that the people of the north are still suffering. He burst into tears.”

Video of that encounter is included in a CNN I-Report. Inoue described having mixed feelings about filming that visit, but said, “I think it’s important that we show that — how these people are still hurting.”

Inoue and the friends accompanying him are accepting food or shelter from those who offer, but have often found themselves sleeping outdoors. They’ve braved hundreds of miles on foot, and have been forced to find shelter during typhoons and heavy rain. Several weeks ago, Inoue met an elderly homeless man named Tomio along his walk.

Inoue agreed to a fan’s offering that day — but only if the fan included Tomio.

“I told the guy, we’ll go but we want our friend here to come along,” Inoue recalled. “The guy agreed to take him, too. We fed him, got him a bath, on the way we stopped at Yuniko, which is a clothing store, and got him a new shirt, pants, jacket for the winter. I could tell he still had a sense of pride. He was a year into homelessness. His house burned down and he didn’t have insurance. Nowhere to go.”

“That parting we had was kind of hard,” Inoue admitted. “We knew he didn’t have a home and we were wondering how he was going to make it. I’m planning to make a run again in March, passing all these places, visit the people who are helping us.”

Yes, this journey is to be completed next month, but there will be more to come.

As in years past… one more fight, for “Yamato Damashii.” In times of hardship and in victory, the spirit remains strong.

(Please join us for Part Two, where we will also visit with Inoue’s companions on the trip, Fowler and Dela Cruz.)

TommyHackett&cageinsider.com.pt.2

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The New Journey for Enson Inoue (Part Two)

By Tommy Hackett on October 29, 2013
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The New Journey for Enson Inoue (Part Two)

(Please click here to read part one of The New Journey For Enson Inoue, detailing Inoue’s walking pilgrimage across the length of Japan to raise awareness for victims of the 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster. Today, in Part Two, we meet the two longtime friends of Inoue who are joining him on his more than 1500 mile long walk.)

Roman Dela Cruz left his home in Guam to begin the pilgrimage with Inoue last month. One might expect the founder of clothing brand Fokai to sound exhausted after a 45 day trek of over 500 miles, but he’s not — like Inoue, he’s too energetic and excited for what’s to come. He’s focused on the mission for Japan: what he calls “a lifetime experience.”

Inoue and Dela Cruz’s lives have been connected for many years. It was in 1999 when Inoue first visited Guam, accompanying one of his students to a MMA bout for the Superbrawl promotion. The two met at the arena, and became fast friends who would visit and support one another in years to come. Inoue’s Purebred network of martial arts academies would eventually establish a base in Guam, and Dela Cruz’s Fokai would open a retail shop in Japan.

Dela Cruz describes a deep sense of obligation to the people of Japan, and also refers to the pilgrimage as a matter of great personal growth.

“It’s been magical,” he says. “I’m happy if I can have some service to the people of Japan. This has been about my 50th trip to Japan and Japan has been very good to me. I think is my opportunity to do some good for Japan.”

Asked about the toil of day after day walking, Dela Cruz echoes his clothing line’s familiar slogan, or, what he calls the creed: exhaust the body, proceed the mind, cultivate the spirit. “The breaking down of the body actually becomes a good thing,” he says. “You work your way through it, and you wake up – mentally and spiritually.”

“What better way to experience Japan but in slow motion?” he asks. “We’re sleeping in a new place every day. It’s one hundred surprises a day.”
EI3

Fowler, Inoue, and Dela Cruz pose for a picture on the way to Kyoto.

Joining Inoue and Dela Cruz is Michael Fowler, a highly decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor originally from Virginia, now based in Hawaii.

Fowler has been friends with Inoue and Dela Cruz for years. In fact, Fowler once served as head instructor at the academy Inoue established in Guam.

Fowler eventually founded an academy of his own, in the North Shore area of Oahu — where his children’s classes became a community fixture.

An ideal of service seems to be motivating him here as well.

“If I can be of any service and draw more attention to this cause,” Fowler says, “that’s something I’m really thankful that I’m able to do.”

Like Dela Cruz, Fowler seems to find his own benefit to the long walk as well. As personal problems developed in Fowler’s life, he joined Inoue and Dela Cruz earlier this month.

“It was the first time in my life I felt… scrambled,” Fowler recalls. “I didn’t know what to do. I was in communication with Enson at the time. I asked, where he was going to be Thursday, and he said Tokyo. The flight from Honolulu into Haneda in Tokyo was scheduled perfectly. It was meant to be.”

“On the North Shore,” he continues, “I’m not going to saying I’m a big deal, but you could say I’m kind of high-profile. I felt like I was in a fishbowl: everyone’s looking at me. I had to get out of there and get my thoughts straight. What better way to get myself together than to help with this walk?”

Fowler had taken many trips to Japan, but was always situated in Enson’s home base in the Tokyo area.

“Tokyo is cool,” he says, “but it’s very on-the-go and very busy. It was more about fun and having a good time. This is a grind. I definitely appreciate Japan a lot more, seeing the country. Granted my family has no history of being samurai! But, I respect that tradition a lot.”

“If you do Brazilian jiu-jitsu, they say you have to go to Brazil,” he continues. “I feel you have to go to Japan too, to experience the martial arts tradition. The samurai tradition.”

Like Inoue, Fowler seems awed by the reaction to the pilgrimage. “People are cheering you on, just for walking. It’s powerful for sure. Very positive response from people we don’t know. That’s really the goal, to let people know, people are still suffering there.”

What’s clear speaking to the three, is their sense of brotherhood as well as their love for Japan. Maybe it’s the spirit that Inoue was said to have brought back to Japan guiding them, too: Yamato Damashii.

Dela Cruz sums it up: “It’s been a long prayer for Japan, it’s an examination of the creed, and it’s a study in Yamato Damashii. That’s what this is.”

(Photography is courtesy Enson Inoue’s Facebook page. You can follow his trek there or at his blog.)

Calm Before the Storm:10/25/13

So it seems we’ve made it through Sekigahara okay. Outside of Mike’s temporary sleep paralysis nd a 10:08 check at the SekigaharaMuseum, apparently we were able to pass through safely without any supernatural encounters  with the afterlife…or so we think.

It should be mentioned though, that the 200,000 plus Samurai picked quite a place to stage Japan’s bloodiest and most significant battle. The landscape is pretty amazing– a site fittingly proper for such an epic duel. and an atmosphere hopefully absorbed as glorious for those that venture towards it to pay Respects.

We just finished a 35K walk mostly through the rain, trying to gain as much ground as possible in anticipation of today’s incoming supertyphoon.

All the carry/push/pull carts needed some serious attention. My tires have peeled just about completely off my wheels. 2 of Mike Fowler’s 4tires have popped and the undercarraige of Ensons cart has broken in 3different places.

Thankfully enough for Island Love and the power of facebook that one of Enson’s fans/friends followingthe walk had been so dilligent to track us down…

Special thanks to Guam-rooted James Wolford and Hawaii’s Darren Suzuki. Even in the foreign land of the rising sun, the spirit of Hafa Adai&Aloha shows up to save us from the storm. Darren was kind enough to donate a room and even after driving 4hours to find us, buy us dinner, and give us a ride to the home center in the rain to fix our carts..James even gave us a ride to safe shelter.Thanks fellas, we will never forget it.

Personally, outside of its original purpose to create awareness of Tohoku’s dire straits ,  these acts of kindness are some of the bigest motivators to finish this walk…Its great to see how people have bent over backwards in support of the mission. Honored to bend over backwards with you to help keep these good wheels turning. The support has been so abundant that the mission itself has become so much more than an adventure for the walkers but n epic  journey of generosity, camaraderie, and humanity–we are simply the vehicles.

The talk is getting kind of hokey so im gonna cut it off before i run way off tangent. The reality of it is that the walk has, is, and will surely continue to be achallenge. Hot sun and cold rain have its effects on the brain. and sometimes words just dont come out right…Nonetheless, Its been a long and tremendous conversation with the universe and despite the excitement to get back home into some waves, friends, and family..i’m .more than happy that it isnt quite over just yet…Looking forward to the adventure that lies ahead and hoping to leave a good trail behind.

WORD OF THE DAY: Kamoshirinai=Maybe

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Miyamoto Musashi was a badass

PHOTO OF THE DAY:

 

 

SteppingUpToSekigahara

Its OCtober 20th and were taking a rest from yesterdays 32 Kilo grind and dash  at a place to stay for the night donated by Ensons friend”s friend Hiro Ito (Special and real thanks to the Ito family for their selfless hospitality) …we are preparing for tomorrows walk  which is towards the famous Samurai battleground in Sekigahara.

So much adversity has taken place on this walk since the start…we’ve walked through a typhoon, climbed a few mountains, slept everyday in places unknown. weve walked hungry, tired, and uncertain…many times deaf, dumb, and blind towards a goal that we could best define as a kind gesture for the victims of Tohoku, the country of Japan, and in several ways mankind…but tomorrow morning (or the next day) will mark the dawn of our hardest day yet.

the walk down Sekigahara…an area where unrested spirits roam reported to host one of the greatest battles in Japans history. with over 30,00people killed in 6hours time..on October 21st of 1600. 413 years ago to the date.

A part of me thinks its pure coincidence that we’ll be walking into this area on the anniversary of ( or close to) but considering all the voodoo (divine intervention) weve seem to come across on this journey and adventure–i feel  that there is definitely a purpose for this, itrust that there are much larger things in motion, and i know that this is our destiny.the Spirits have a message for us..its just a matter if we are able hear it.

Im walking with Enson Inoue, Pride, Shooto, and UFC vetran and MMA icon living legend Enson Inoue and World Brazilian Jiujitsu &Submission Grappling Protege and Prodigy Mike Fowler–two fighter athletes proven around the world times over to blend perfectly into this territory of fighting warriors. Though ive trained in martial arts for a few years–i dont have anything really to my resume to put me nearly into this category, i get scared enough walking alone in the dark, and im scared shitless of ghosts..but tomorrow weak in body and hopefully strong enough in Spirit–i will walk with them…or maybe slightly behind(i move slower)

Im hoping that the Spirits that reportedly still walk the land will appreciate our purpose and hoping that they will find us worthy. i wont tell a lie–im scared –a complete coward when it comes to ghost (and a bunch of other things)butmore than a month of walking has passed and weve come across more than half of 1360 miles  with a sincere motive to service Japan and its people. i am carrying the Guam flag, i am the son of Victor and Emelita Dela Cruz..and of course–i represent FokaiInternational.  i will walk with fear.but ill move forward with respect. and hopefully proceed honorably forward with prayers for Japan and its people before, during, and after the tsunami.

Osu

WORD OF ADVICE:

Recovery is essential before and after the Grind….bruh.

NITTY GRITTY:

Nobunaga (bird killer)was the most powerful dude at the time. He saw it best to unify Japan by defeating all other leaders. Hideyoshi was his boy and wanted to take over despite Ieyasu being older (and more senior) He was able to gather enough folks together to support him and eventually defeat Ieyasu. So we Slept in where Ieyasu (wait for the bird..winner)was born yesterday.

Sleeping in the place where Hideyoshi (made them sing)was born today

Heading towards where their people scrapped tomorrow.

and Heading towards where Ieyasu was living the days after

We are walking in the path of the Battle of Sekigahara. Theres a lot that lies in between the lines of coincidence. More thanever in this trip i am convinced that we are meant to be here…hopefully we can prove worthy if push comes to shove.

PHOTO OF THE DAY:

WORD OF THE DAY:

Yowamushi: Weakling

 

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