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Three Sails to the Rough Wind and Waves
Samurai Families had a Crest (kamon), which identified them and symbolized their living philosophy or Legacy. Surprisingly modern in design, they incorporate symbols or designs in a circular emblem, which would be used on clothing, flags, and implements that belonged to or represented the Family.
In my Passion for Samurai Culture, this is the Crest that I have chosen: Three Salis to the Rough Wind and Waves (Aranami ni Mitsu Ho). The Three Sails represent three Mind, Skill, and Body (Shin Gi Tai), and to me also three treasures of Samurai Culture:
These are embedded in the training you find in Martial Arts (Budo) and Calligraphy (Shodo). Although much information is available in English about Zen and Martial Arts, it still is only the tip of the iceberg that exists in Samurai Culture, much of which is made remote by way of geographical, cultural, and language differences that still isolate Japan from the rest of the world. Through this website and my YouTube Channel, I will help to bridge this gap by sharing some of the practical wisdom that I have learned in studying these arts since I first came to Japan in 1972. Further ways to EngageWEBSITE LINKS
Pick My Brain YouTube Channel Your Passion Your Life International College of Liberal Arts (iCLA) 
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Your Passion Your Life
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WILLIAM REED PROFILE William Reed is a Japanologist with over four decades of experience in Japan, and in-depth knowledge of the Japanese language and culture. He is dedicated to bridging the language and cultural gap to make accessible the Ways of practical wisdom in Japanese Budo and traditional arts. Living the Budo philosophy of Bunbu Ryodo, Master of Sword and Letters, he holds advanced rankings in both Aikido and Shodo, Brush Calligraphy. He has a 8th-dan in Aikido with the Yuishinkai. He holds a 10-dan rank as a professional Sensei of Shodo Calligraphy and is Vice-Chairman of the Zen Nihon Shodo Renmei. He has has won many awards in calligraphy competitions, and regularly participates in Gallery Exhibitions. He is also a Special Shihan in Nanba, the Art of Physical Finesse, on which he has spoken twice as a TEDx Speaker, at TEDxKG in Japan, and at TEDxTrondheim in Norway. William is a bilingual professional communicator, dedicated to sharing practical wisdom from Japanese culture through teaching, speaking, and writing. First coming to Japan as an exchange student at Waseda University in 1972, he earned a Bachelors Degree from Earlham College in Japanese Language and Area Studies, and a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Missouri. His career has encompassed many platforms of communication, from books to seminars to documentaries, as well as radio and television in Japan. As a Professor of Japan Studies at the International College of Liberal Arts (iCLA) at Yamanashi Gakuin University, he teaches Samurai Code and Culture, Calligraphy and Kanji Culture, Aikido, Nanba, and Career Design to Japanese and International Students from over 30 Countries. William also is the Director of WA no Mori, a company dedicated to revaluing Japanese Culture through experiences of Samurai Culture in beautiful natural and historic sites in Japan, leading to creative breakthroughs for participants, and supporting Japanese artists and master craftsmen through Master Classes. These include Samurai Tea Ceremony, Hogyokukai Iaido Swordsmanship, Ninja Techniques and Culture, Handmade Samurai Armor and Crafts, Japanese Wadaiko Drums, and Shugendo Mountain and Waterfall Training. He is the author of several books in English on Aikido and Shodo, and has written a number of books in Japanese; including two books which became number one bestsellers on Amazon in Japan, one on the Art of World Class Presentations, and the other on Mind Mapping and Creativity. William is a weekly commentator on Japanese television on Yamanashi Broadcasting's Tetete TV and YBS Radio, and has appeared seven times as a documentary reporter on Japanese martial arts and traditional culture for NHK World's Journeys in Japan, a program which is broadcast worldwide and viewed by over 100 million people. He has also appeared in several documentaries as a navigator on Samurai Code and Culture, including the Aizu Samurai. In his career, he has also worked as a professional translator and journalist, and has incorporated experience in Japanese and Samurai Culture in Workshops and Team Building for Japanese and Multi-National Companies. He serves on the BUDO Tourism Research Council of the Japan Sports Agency, helping to incorporate experiential learning for inward bound tourists, including executives and professional groups. For the Samurai, retirement was never an option. In this same spirit, and deeply honored to receive the Scottish Samurai Great Shogun Award, William hopes to help strengthen the bonds of friendship and exchange between Eastern and Western cultures, and deepen the appreciation of the philosophy and practice of Japanese Budo Culture. "We are capable of rewriting the play or changing our roles by applying intention, grasping the opportunities that arise from coincidence, and being true to the calling of our souls."
~Deepak Chopra The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire |