It's been China's Golden Week recently, and with a free week, a friend invited me to visit Japan. Since I was already planning a trip to Kyoto, I arranged with my friends at CrossFit Kyoto to hold a clean seminar.

CrossFit Kyoto is run by the awesome couple, Russell (British) and Ella (Swiss). Ella, who loves raising chickens as pets (not for food!), is an absolute gem. They've been running the CrossFit box in Kyoto for over 10 years now, making it the third in Japan and the first in the Kansai region.

The venue has moved once, and this time, I discovered it's actually located in a renovated Japanese-style bathhouse. The training area used to be the changing rooms, and the lounge and changing rooms are now where the baths used to be, creating a unique atmosphere. The place is incredibly clean, with not a speck of dust in sight – a truly Japanese characteristic.

The self-training hall and the lounge are at the back, while the training hall is at the front.

The wrist wraps are handmade from old kimono fabric, which is very unique. I strongly recommend visiting there to train and get a pair; it’s worth it.

They even have a unique coin-operated massage chair from 1964! For just 10 yen (about 5 cents), you can get a 3-minute massage. My girlfriend said it was surprisingly intense.

There was a young woman who attended my class in 2019 and has participated in all three of my sessions in Kyoto. I'm incredibly grateful for her continued support. Thanks as well to everyone who came all the way from Osaka!

I hope you all enjoyed the experience! Unfortunately, I have to fly to Europe the day after tomorrow, so I'll need to cut my Golden Week short a bit. But to the wonderful people of Kyoto, I'll be back!