I'm not worthy. I actually am not worthy.

December 2, 2006 11:54 PM

What to give my 80 year old sensei?

Last summer my japanese teacher came to Europe for a week long martial arts workshop. We seemed to "hit it off" (and I mean that in the most platonic way possible!) and on the last day he was here he asked me for my address so that he could send me a christmas card. I thought this was really sweet and promised to send him a card as well.

Skip forward a few months and I've had the idea to go to Japan in March next year and train with him for some time. I've let him know that I would like to do this and he's let me know that I'm welcome. This will still have to be affirmed by me sending an "official" letter and him "officially" saying I can.

Only now it's the beginning of December and I just got his card (a normal enough "best wishes"), plus a japanese calligraphy he did that he obviously put hours of work in, with a subject matter that's very important to me. I'm floored by this gift, have been saying "awww!" at random points during the days since I got it, and thinking how to reciprocate. I can't think of anything. I love this man dearly (again, think of the most platonic love you know and double that, in the light of all the relationshipfilter posts here I can't stress this enough ;), but after having received this magnificent piece of loving work I can hardly send him a box of chocolates. It doesn't even have to be a gift, just that will tell him just how much I appreciate what he's done. Any ideas?

posted by Skyanth to human relations (6 comments total)

Go, train, and practise practise practise until everything he's taught you, you can execute perfectly. The best gift you can give an excellent teacher is an excellent student.
posted by flabdablet at 12:30 AM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]

With only the information given, we don't know many of your sensei's interests, save martial arts and, apparently, calligraphy. Since what touched you about his gift was the time he put in and the fact that the subject matter is important to you, I'd urge you to consider a gift that exhibits at least one of those qualities.

If you can't make art yourself, how about a nice piece of art for his home or dojo? If his interests in calligraphy extend to meaningful words and not just beautiful kanji, perhaps a book of poems that reflects a shared interest of yours?

Just as the thought and work he put in were what meant the most to you, I think you'll find the converse is true as well.
posted by jeffmshaw at 1:32 AM on December 3, 2006

Training well is of course a good reciprocation. Although it may seem superficial in return, the sensei with whom I studied Japanese suggested that whiskey generally makes a very good temiyage or omiyage. When you go, definitely bring a good omiyage.
posted by plinth at 5:49 AM on December 3, 2006

The traditional gift would be something regional to you that he might have a hard time finding in Japan. When our sensei come to Canada to visit us each year, we usually bring them some good canadian maple syrup. They're always very happy, as it's apparently very expensive in Japan.

My own sensei does woodworking, and when the Japanese sensei come over, he'll usually turn a nice bowl or two or something else for them.

So, something you make yourself or something regional and hard to find in Japan would be good bets I think.
posted by splice at 7:41 AM on December 3, 2006

Make him Tom Hull's five intersecting tetrahedra. You can't buy that in a store! (I recommend you slice up the 1x3 pieces of paper with a rotary cutter before getting started.) It's attractive, it looks beautiful and impossible, and it will definitely take you some time and effort to get it right - which is what counts.
posted by ostranenie at 8:42 AM on December 3, 2006

I wholeheartedly agree with the above suggestions (re: training hard/working hard).

But if you're looking for something a bit more tangible, you could shop around for a beautiful handcrafted chess set (or any other classic game set, for that matter).
posted by duffell at 10:13 AM on December 3, 2006