Participation to this seminar conducted by the founder, Yoshinao Nanbu doshu, was an easy decision as my current location is in Pavia, Italy, only some three hours by train (when delays are not counted).
What makes it special to have a Nanbudo seminar in Italy, is that here the hands more much more than anywhere else in the World. Related to this or not, Nanbu doshu showed us for the first time a randori called "Kinagare furi mawashi randori ichi no kata", which includes three times more movement, mainly with hands, than "Kinagare randori ichi no kata". Also Kinanbutaiso sho was done with several other techniques to deepen the understanding of the Nanbudo techniques. This is the goal of any seminar.
During the lunch break in Saturday, I had some time to go sightseeing in the city and on the hill next to it. There photos available below. Otherwise the lunches and the dinners were in a pizzeria nearby.
Several nationalities were present in the seminar, including Croatian, Finnish, Italian, Japanese (not only Doshu), Moroccan, Slovenian and Swish. One new shihan was nominated, Luis Rodriguez from Tenero, Switzerland.
While returning to Pavia, trains were late again as they were when arriving to the seminar. Well, this is Italy.
Jukka Paasonen, 2 dan