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I managed to miss only a few minutes of the National Geographic Channel show on "Samurai Swords", it was technical not a martial arts show. I saw the promos at S 's house as she invited all the department people to eat at her place. I realised that I have walked pass that place weeks ago, while visting the old folks home.

The focus was more on how this sword is handmaded using tradition passed down from more than 800 years, and is considered to be the most powerful sword in the world by experts.(Not referring to those mass produced faked ones)

There was this samurai master and his daughter sparring using their lives, the lady shot 3 arrows aiming at her father's heart. He counter attacked each blows using his sword. They came from a samurai generation, hence are fiercefully devoted to preserve this ancient traditions throughout their life.

At their level, these masters actually do training using REAL samurai sword, leaving zero room for mistakes!!

I notice how their moves resembles aikido ones...which is supposed to countattack samurais in the first place. If I did not rememebr wrongly, it was actully a secret martial arts skill before WWII among the nobles and linked to a Japanese religion.

It takes more than 3 months and more than 50 people to produce one real samurai sword.

There is an martial arts week thing at National Geogaphic Channel, so I better stay and watch in this hazy days, no more outdoor running now. Let's see if it gets better tomorrow, I feel like I am smoking 24 hours a day.

I remember my sempai (senior) reminded me not to step over my bokken (wooden sword), as it represent my soul. I guess it is a way to show self respect, there is so much to learn, yet so little time.