Special visitor from Japan

29th April, 2011

Top year pupils recently welcomed back their former classmate, Keishi Oyama, who attended Packwood in the 3s from 2008-9 before returning to Japan to continue his education.

Keishi obviously has very fond memories of Packwood and in particular the friends he made. During his time at the school he had also discovered and enjoyed a sport called ‘fencing’. As part of Mr Weston’s fencing team, “dancing feet Keishi” had helped the team to victory in tournaments at Warwick, Wrexham and Bromsgrove. Back in Japan Keishi and his parents looked around for clubs that taught the Olympic style fencing, rather than the Japanese ‘Kendo’ fencing with bamboo swords. They found the Ogaki Fencing Club and Keishi continued to progress in the sport, fencing for the club in Japan and Taiwan. He is now one of the top rated fencers in Japan at his age group.

Ahead of the Packwood Epee Cup, Mr Weston spent weeks opening envelopes and taking calls from entries from as far afield as Newcastle, Canterbury and Plymouth. The entry from Japan topped them all though, especially in the light of the recent catastrophes the country has suffered. Our friend Keishi and his family were alive and well and would like to visit Packwood again.

It was a wonderful opportunity for his old friends to catch up with him before they all disperse to their senior schools at the end of the summer term and for Keishi to fence against children from all over the country. With his Japanese logos and team colours sewn on his kit he certainly brought an international flavour to one of the biggest British fencing competitions!