{"id":96941,"date":"2017-06-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-06-16T02:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pre.boxrepsol.com\/uncategorized\/dani-pedrosas-passion-for-japanese-culture-will-blow-your-mind\/"},"modified":"2023-02-27T07:09:02","modified_gmt":"2023-02-27T09:09:02","slug":"dani-pedrosas-passion-for-japanese-culture-will-blow-your-mind","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/pre.boxrepsol.com\/en\/motogp-en\/dani-pedrosas-passion-for-japanese-culture-will-blow-your-mind\/","title":{"rendered":"Dani Pedrosa\u2019s passion for Japanese culture will blow your mind!"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Yes, very much, in particular I like the art form of Aikido. This uses circular rather than linear movements, with the defender moving out of the line of attack and then using his opponent\u2019s own momentum to overcome him.<\/p>\n

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Hi, Dani! It\u2019s well known that your nickname is baby samurai. Do you think your love of Japan chose you, or did you choose it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not sure which came first but I have always been fascinated by Samurai and the Japanese culture. I don\u2019t know who picked who but it\u2019s been a perfect match for me for sure.<\/p>\n

Do you have anything that reminds you of Japan in your day-to-day life?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well of course I have the \u2018Little Samurai\u2019 as my logo so I see that a lot in my day to day life! Obviously spending all my career with Honda, I have received many trinkets and gifts from Japanese fans and colleagues which I keep and always remind me of Japan. I have strong roots with Japan and the Japanese, they have played a huge part in my life!<\/p>\n

We know that the Japanese GP is one of your favourites. What is it like to stay in Japan during a GP?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Honestly it\u2019s a shame that we don\u2019t get to see so much since the race weekend is so busy and we stay at the circuit hotel. So we only see the race track and hotel and then usually we have to leave for the next race.<\/p>\n

Have you been on holiday to Japan? Would you like to go back? What did you most like about your visit?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve never had the chance to holiday there but I\u2019ve often thought that when I retire I\u2019d like to go and spend a few months in Japan and travel around. Experience the temples and traditional Japanese ways of life and study some meditation techniques and learn more about it. I do know the people are very friendly and hospitable and it\u2019s a fascinating culture that should be experienced for sure.<\/p>\n

What would you like to bring home from Japan? And what Spanish things would you like to take there? Apart from Spanish jam\u00f3n of course hahaha\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t really take anything to Japan as I like to embrace their culture when I\u2019m there\u2026 but I would like to bring home some Samurai swords to hang in my house.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"Dani<\/p>\n

Do you like karaoke? How is your singing voice? Have you ever sung karaoke in Japan?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Haha, not really and my singing voice is terrible! It depends where I am and who I\u2019m with! I\u2019m quite shy so this isn\u2019t really something I would get up and do in a group of strangers or in public, but maybe with a few friends in a small environment. I did do it once in Japan in 2013, after the Motegi race a lot of the paddock goes to The Cage in Narita \u2013 close to the airport \u2013 and we all had a lot of fun partying there with the team and singing we had a good time.<\/p>\n

There are some expressions in the Japanese language that are unforgettable and transmit the culture. Could you tell us two phrases that really had an impact on you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not really any sayings but there are some traditions that my team have taught me which I really value. One is the Darumu doll which is seen as a talisman of good luck for the Japanese. At first, the figure\u2019s eyes are both blank white. Then you choose your goal or wish and paint in one of the figure\u2019s two eyes. Once the desired goal is achieved, then you can draw in the second eye.<\/p>\n

Do you like Japanese food? What are your favourite dishes? Do you like to cook sushi, tempura, and other traditional Japanese dishes?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I really like teppanyaki and sushi, also the noodles are good! I\u2019m not a very good cook so probably better I leave it to the experts!<\/p>\n

Do you like martial arts? Is there one that you especially like because of its philosophy?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, very much, in particular I like the art form of Aikido. This uses circular rather than linear movements, with the defender moving out of the line of attack and then using his opponent\u2019s own momentum to overcome him. The defender does not attempt to block his opponent\u2019s blows or in any way to clash with his opponent\u2019s force. With my size, I find this the most interesting as you only defend and use your opponent\u2019s energy against them.<\/p>\n

Do you know any Japanese? Can you say three sentences in Japanese one after the other? You can send us a video to prove it\u00a0\"?\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

I can say some basic greetings, like \u2018Hello, I\u2019m Dani Pedrosa, nice to meet you. See you later!\u201d\u2026 haha.<\/p>\n

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