Introduction
Hello, this is Hidefumi Otsuka, offering Rolfing sessions in Shibuya, Tokyo.
At last, the final week (the last four days) of the 24-day Advanced Rolfing Training (hereafter AT) has arrived. On July 11, I am scheduled to officially receive certification as an Advanced Rolfer. I want to take this moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to our instructors Ray McCall and Hiroyoshi Tahata, interpreter Tomomi Furukawa, and all the organizing staff who have made this precious learning opportunity possible.
What It Means to Be Surrounded Only by Japanese People
I spent my early childhood in the United States and returned to Japan during the second semester of my eighth-grade year. With a background as a kikokushijo (returnee student), it took me a long time to readjust to Japanese culture. I experienced various forms of covert bullying while trying to fit into groups composed solely of Japanese students.
Perhaps due to that, I developed a kind of trauma about learning in all-Japanese environments and have always felt a strong preference to train overseas. I completed both my Basic Rolfing Training and Rolf Movement Certification in Germany. As it turned out, learning abroad was very comfortable for me — it allowed me to be fully myself.
This Advanced Training, however, marked my first time in many years to spend 24 days in a setting entirely surrounded by Japanese people. Except for one Greek participant, everyone else in the program was Japanese. To be honest, I initially felt some anxiety about being in that environment for such a long stretch.
But now that we’re entering the final week, I can say — despite various ups and downs — that this has turned out to be a truly valuable experience.
Seeing “Failure” as a sign of new option
When trying something new, things usually don’t go smoothly. Still, the quality of your next step changes significantly depending on whether you interpret the situation as a “failure” or as a sign that “a new option is needed.”
Regardless of whether you’re in Japan or the U.S., I feel that modern education and society have deeply conditioned us to fear failure.
Since I started offering Rolfing sessions 10 years ago, I’ve gradually been able to let go of this ingrained fear of failure. That said, many of my clients still carry this unconscious belief and struggle with it.
Staying Honest with My Inner Sense — A Way to Deepen Learning
In this AT, I’ve been fortunate to encounter many techniques, states of being, and ways of perceiving that I had never experienced before. Sometimes I’ve felt discomfort; other times, a deep sense of resonance. I’ve tried to meet all these experiences with a stance of staying honest to my inner sense.
By listening carefully to my internal reactions, the learning becomes deeper and more fully embodied. That’s something I’ve felt very clearly in this training.
Deepening My Learning Through Interpretation and IC Recorder
Another key factor that has helped deepen my learning this time is the presence of our interpreter, Tomomi Furukawa. Even though she doesn’t have a returnee background, her interpretations are highly accurate. Because the content is first conveyed in English and then interpreted into Japanese, I naturally end up hearing everything twice — a structure that significantly supports comprehension and retention.
I’ve also been using the IC recorder PLAUD NOTE to great effect. It records, transcribes, and summarizes lectures and discussions. Since it uses the latest OpenAI engine, the transcriptions are very true to the original speech. By reviewing these recordings, I’ve been able to reflect on the content and transform it into blog posts and study notes, solidifying the material as part of my own knowledge base.
If you’re interested, I encourage you to check out my past blog posts.
Conclusion: I Want to Fully Enjoy the Time That Remains
Starting today, the final four days begin.
It’s important to choose what feels safe and comfortable. But sometimes, stepping beyond that comfort zone can reveal possibilities we hadn’t even imagined. In this experience — surrounded by Japanese peers, facing past memories, and engaging deeply through body, mind, and language — I’ve found something that will become a major resource in my future practice. I’m confident of that.