Last month, I won the kumite division at Wado-Ryu Karate Renmei 90th Anniversary, 9th International Tournament, and 60th National Tournament, but lost in the quarterfinals of the kata division and the semifinals of the Kihon kumite division. I have no regrets because I prepared thoroughly for a year since the last tournament, performed my best in every match, and achieved my biggest goal of “connecting hearts with athletes from various countries.” However, if I do not recognize the “cause of loss” in a competition where there is a win or loss, and “lose” the opportunity to improve, I will repeat the same thing. For me, this is a “failure,” so after the tournament, I received words from the technical committee members who served as judges, and after returning home, I reviewed my matches on video and reflected on the guidance of the third head of the school, Hiroki Otsuka, Supreme Master. I was able to realize my misunderstanding and make an effort to improve. I am filled with a desire to study more than ever before in order to impart the correct knowledge, movements and techniques to the students who follow me and trust me, and to those who have the goal of taking the promotion exam in December.
Good morning. It’s a beautiful sunny day again this morning. When children ask us, “Why do we spend more than six hours at school studying Japanese, math, literacy, and history?” and we adults say, “It’s for your future,” it doesn’t resonate with them. So I thought, “How can I convey this to them?” “If you want to make a robot you like, where do you start?” “Hmm, I guess I’d draw what it would look like and think about its special skills.” “Next, what materials will you use? Do you buy them?” “Hmm, if it’s big, it’s heavy and takes up space in the room, so I use cardboard. Mom and Dad shop on Amazon, so I always have cardboard around ♪” “Look, you are imagining, drawing, measuring, and thinking of ways to achieve your goals. When you have a problem, you are learning to develop the ability to think about the best way to solve it and to devise a process.” It’s the same when I teach my students at the dojo. Even if I tell them “the basics are important,” it doesn’t fully get through to them. That’s why I try to train in a way that allows them to feel and realize what the basics are connected to. I will enjoy my day so that I can bring smiles and a fulfilling time to my students this week as well.
Every night before going to bed, I think about the Wado-ryu KATA.
“What is the founder of Wado-ryu, Hironori Otsuka Sensei, trying to tell us Wado-ryu students? What should we discover?”
When I continue to do this, one day I suddenly have an idea. The next morning, I try it out on my own body. This is my daily routine.
While practicing Eku’s KATA at the dojo last night, I felt that there were many movements and techniques that could be linked to Kenjutsu and karate-Do.
Just as various Bujutsu are connected, I am sure that we humans can join hands and connect our hearts to create a peaceful world together.
A beautiful and spectacular demonstration was held at Wado-ryu Karate-Do Renmei 90th Anniversary, 9th International Tournament, and 60th National Tournament were held at the Tokyo Budokan on August 24th and 25th, 2024.
“A collaborative performance of Japanese drums by Wado-ryu Karate-Do Renmei and Ryuko Taiko kai”
This is the last practice and last post in August.
I do not train specifically for competitive purposes, and like many others who are fascinated by Wado-ryu, I love to train not only KATA and KUMITE, but also Kihon Kumite, Idori, Kumite-Kata, Women Self-Defence, Knife Defence and Sword Defence.
For one year from August last year, I had been studying and resurching Wado-ryu Jujitsu Kenpo to deeply understand Wado-ryu Karate-Do, apply it to Wado-ryu Kumite and was able to practiced it in international tournament.
Although I was born in Japan, which is said to be safe compared to other countries, my childhood memories are of days of fear of violence. My father and uncle had a dispute over my grandmother’s inheritance, and my father gave everything to my uncle, but my uncle, who had spent everything, demanded money from my father and mother, and when they did not respond, my uncle was angry. He started getting violent.
My father continued to endure violence from his uncle. The two lost their father in the war and were poor and hungry from an early age. After my uncle graduated from elementary school, he picked up scrap metal every day and earned money to buy one bowl of udon noodles a day, which the whole family ate. My father has memories of my uncle supporting him when he was young, so instead of hating his brother, my father endured violence and continued to verbally admonish his brother.
My father was hospitalized due to overwork and violence from his uncle. My uncle’s violence was directed at my mother, sisters, me and my younger brother. My mother fought to protect us children, and when she felt we were in danger, she would take us out of the house and move between relatives’ homes and cheap hotels. When my mother ran out of money, there were many days when our family slept in the car.
I made a decision when I was 10 years old. I want to become a strong man who can protect my mother, sisters, and younger brother.'' That's why I started karate. What I wanted when I was young was to be able to spend time with my family in a place where I could feel at peace.
God made me meet Wado-ryu. Wado-ryu introduced me to a great teacher, Setamatsu Sensei. Setamatsu Sensei taught me strength, kindness, duty and humanity. This strength, kindness, duty and humanity have given me students. My students have given me purpose and responsibility in life. My father passed away in 2016 and my master Setamatsu Sensei passed away in 2017, but God gave me a life to learn from Grandmaster III HironoriKazutaka” Otsuka Sensei. I have already learned something important from Otsuka Sensei. “What you teach is important, but how you teach it is even more important.” Because the extent of understanding and mastery varies depending on the other person’s knowledge, experience, and skills, so it is necessary to know the other person and watch their reactions. New light cannot be created through self-satisfaction and selfishness. “I look for what I can do for the person in front of me, and when I find it, I think of the best way to convey it and do it.If I fail, I spare no effort to improve.”This is what I want to do.
I found the precious thing I seek.
If I kept doing that, I became a family with everyone.
There are no winners or losers here. We are peacemakers
Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Renmei 90th Anniversary 9th International Tournament 60th National Tournament
Thank you to everyone from all over the world for coming to Japan.
“We are Wado-Ryu family”
I want to share with you this video that I made with so much love and heart. I was so sad to leave you all yesterday, but I look forward to seeing you again.
Today, the second day of the international exchange practice session, 46 people participated from the United States, the Netherlands, France, Brazil, the Philippines, and Japan.
Everyone should have been tired after practicing seriously for four hours yesterday, but today also everyone concentrated from the morning and practiced for three hours.
I have been abroad every year since I first went abroad when I was 17 years old. It was not for travel, but mostly to participate in international competitions. I have had a purpose and have continued to challenge myself to show what I have worked hard for. Therefore, I can understand very well the feelings of the Wado-ryu Family who spent yesterday and today with me.
I strongly wanted to do the best I could for my Wado-Ryu Family, who are so important to me. Because, since I was a teenager, there have been SENSEIs who supported me, even though I couldn’t speak English, had no experience, knowledge, or money. Their precious students are also precious to me.
Thank you all so much for coming to Japan. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you all for participating in the two-day international exchange practice session. I wish you all the success for tomorrow and the best in the future.
