Day 6: A Journey to Kyoto and Jujutsu History
After having breakfast at the hotel, Pedro Valente and Ted Schwartz checked out and headed to the Shinkansen train station. They boarded the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto. After roughly a two-hour journey, they arrived in Kyoto and went directly to the Butokuden site, historically known as Butokukai. This site holds great significance in the history of jujutsu, as it was where many jujutsu masters gathered for challenge matches and important organizational meetings. It was also the venue for several Kosen Judo competitions, where practitioners like Masahiko Kimura developed their skills. Kimura later became a Kosen Judo champion on that very site.
Following their visit to Butokuden, Pedro Valente and Ted Schwartz explored several antique shops specializing in samurai katanas and armor, before walking around the city. They then checked into the Park Hyatt, a beautiful hotel, and took some time to prepare for dinner.
In the evening, they enjoyed a private dinner with the renowned Soba Samurai, a famous soba chef. The experience was exceptional, with various soba dishes served throughout the meal. Afterward, Pedro Valente and Ted Schwartz had the opportunity to spend time with the chef, further enriching the dining experience.
Before heading back to their hotel, they passed by a famous site from the movie The Last Samurai, where Tom Cruise’s character walks up a staircase. The Last Samurai is one of the top movies of the Valente Brothers.
As the evening concluded, Pedro Valente and Ted Schwartz returned to the hotel to prepare for a full day of exploration in Kyoto the following day.
