Looking Back

Recently I had a discussion with a few former dojo mates of mine that also trained with my father. We had a nice conversation about what it was that my father taught each of us after we started.

My father began learning karate in 1967 at the Jundokan of Indiana/Anderson Gojuryu Club, shortly thereafter named the Komakai Academy of Karate. My father’s sole karate teacher since that time has been Mr. Glenn Keeney. While enlisted in the U.S. Army, my father studied aikido with Tomiki Kenji Sensei.  Over the years my father attended seminars and training camps with several well-known sensei, other than Mr. Keeney’s dojo, my father only trained regularly at the dojos of Mr. Phillip Koeppel and Mr. Mike Awad, back then both were Shuri-ryu stylists.

In his dojo, my father taught a combination of Gojuryu and Shuri (Shorei) ryu Karate, along with some Aikido.  When I started karate training my father said he was teaching me Gojuryu, in the 1980s, he started teaching me Shuriryu, and shortly after that came the Aikido.

My friend told me that during his time at the dojo he learned; Gekisai Dai Ichi, Gekisai Dai Ni, Saifa, Seiunchin, Shisochin, Empi Sho, Bassai Dai, Nifunchin, Dan Enn Sho, Sanchin, Sanseru, Go Pei Sho, Tuse Sho No Kon, Sai Jutsu Ichi, Chatan Yara No Sai , along with 27 two person formal exercises. Another student told me that he learned the same thing in the same order. A third student told me that he did not learn as much as the other two that he only learned Gekisai Dai Ichi, Gekisai Dai Ni, Saifa, Seiunchin, Shisochin, Sanchin, Sanseru, Seipai, Empi Sho, Nifunchin, Tuse Sho No Kon, Sai Jutsu Ichi, Chatan Yara No Sai, and Shuishi No Kon, along with 27 two person formal exercises.

My father taught me the 27 two person formal exercises, aikido and the following kata; Gekisai Dai Ichi, Gekisai Dai Ni, Saifa, Seiunchin, Shisochin, Empi Sho, Bassai Dai, Nifunchin 1-3, Dan Enn Sho, Sanchin, Sanseru, Go Pei Sho, Seipai, Nan Dan Sho, Kanku Sho, Taikyoku 1-3, Wansu, Ananku, Passai Sho, Passai Dai, Chinto, Rohai, Pinan 1-5, Nekobudo 1-5, Hebeno and Shudoso. He also taught me the following Kobudo kata; Tuse Sho No Kon, Sai Jutsu Ichi, Chatan Yara No Sai, Yakka No sai, Soken No Tonfa, Chiken No Kon and three sword drills.

When I was a child, I did not understand that I did part of two styles. It was not until I learned the first shuri kata that he told me the difference. In 1989 I trained with a Jundokan Gojuryu senior and for the first time I learned that there were more gojuryu kata.  I remember asking my dad about this and he said I teach what my teacher taught me. I have always been fascinated by history and researched as much as I could on the history of karate. I began to buy books and ask questions to several seniors. My father said we traced our lineage to Miyagi and Motobu, but ultimately back to Higashionna and Matsumura/Itosu. After I researched the various ryuha, I asked my father why it wasn’t called Shito-ryu or Shorei-Goju-Ryu or even Goju-Shuri-Ryu, since it was a combination of the two ryuha, but neither one completely. He told me that it was the Komakai System, we did what we did and the arrangement was unique to Mr. Keeney and his dojo. After this I asked him permission to go and learn the remainder of the Gojuryu kata and he said yes.

By the time I opened my own dojo in January of 1994, I had learned all of the Gojuryu kata, all of the Shuriryu kata, and until 1999, I taught both styles in my dojo. As I grew and trained, I learned more kata and trained in other ryuha. I had even attained black belts in several of these styles. As this drive continued, it led me to obtain a few Shihan Menjo from different Okinawan Sensei. As I grew older and continued training and teaching I realized that one could learn hundreds of kata, but that if you did not understand the applications of the kata that you were just wasting your time. I learned that Karate is karate and though each ryuha may have some minor differences, basically they have more in common than they differ.

As I look back at what my father taught me and what I teach to my students now, I can see that most people would think that I have abbandoned his teachings, but I am not sure that he would agree.

Taking Stock

Every so often I take stock of what it is that I choose to do with my life involving budo, is what I am doing working, is it showing progress, do I need to change things up, ect. In the dojo I teach the students Okinawa Gojuryu and Ryukyu Kobujutsu, every once and I while I will deviate and show an Aikido or Jujutsu waza, but for the most part it is straight Naha-te.

As for myself, while I spend most of my time on Gojuryu and Kobudo, I do spend a fair amount of time practicing stuff I have learned outside of Goju. Over the past decade I have managed to obtain yudansha grades and even Shihan menjo in several other ryuha; Aikido, Jujutsu, Iaido, shuri ryu, Shorin ryu (Kobayashi, Matsumura Seito, Matsumura Kenpo, Sukin hayashi, Seidokan, Ryukyukan, Dentokan), Shito ryu, Uechi ryu, as well as a few others. Even within Gojuryu I have diversified, while my main study is in the Jundokan method, I have managed to achieve yudansha grades from several of the various goju kaiha.

I guess I just like to train, I never set out to obtain rank in any of them really, it just happened. I catch a lot of grief from some people about training in too many things, “how can you learn all of that and be any good at it?”. I am not sure that I can be, I am not sure that I have any real skill in budo at all to be honest. I am just a guy that keeps going and tries to learn as much as I can and remember it. I am sure if you asked my teachers in these other styles they would say “Oh he is terrible, he has too much goju in his shorin” None the less I keep at it.

I wonder if the founders of the various styles and factions over the years had similar thoughts. After all didn’t most of them train with a few teachers and pick and choose what they wanted to teach in there dojo’s? Isn’t that why we have so many styles, because everyone had their own take on it?

Would it be wrong of me to pick out the kata I like and teach them in my dojo, to mold the curriculum to what I want it to be? What I want to pass on to my students? Is there anything wrong with me teaching gojuryu to my students and then later teaching them Naihanchi, Passai or Gojushiho? Teach them two systems even? A Yushikan curriculum devoid of ryuha?

Seriously what are your thoughts?

Nakamoto Kiichi Sensei

I was notified a few months ago that Nakamoto Sensei would be making a visit to the USA, so I immediately set out to make plans to ensure that I was present. After much anticipation, Jason and I took off for Northfield, Michigan to meet new people and train with Sensei.

Mapquest said it would take just a little over 4 hours to make the trip, we made it in just over 3, after checking in at the hotel we headed straight for the dojo. Upon our arrival, we entered the dojo of Peter Carbone Sensei. It is a very nice traditional dojo, designed by Nakamoto Sensei. Once we took off our shoes and bowed in the door, we were greeted by one of Carbone Sensei students and saw Sensei sitting in a chair, we immediately greeted Sensei and bowed to him, after a few words, we were directed to the dressing room and got changed into our do-gi. After dressing we were shown around the dojo and talked with some of Mr. Carbone’s students and Sensei.

Carbone Sensei came in the dojo and we were introduced, even though we have exchanged communications with each other before, this was the first time we had met. After the bow in, Carbone Sensei told me that Sensei would like to have me work with the students on Seiunchin. I of course was shocked that Nakamoto Sensei had asked me to do so, of course I agreed. Now that I think about it, I am sure it was some kind of test. I must have passed because after getting Sensei approval on Seiunchin, he had me teach both of the Gekisai and saifa. I taught the entire evening course of the seminar. After I was done with each section, Sensei would give me the ok and clap for me. After the bow out, we had a few minutes to speak with Sensei and then he said he was tired and went to bed. Jason and I headed back to the hotel and on the car ride, Jason said “I bet you didn’t see that coming did you” I replied no and he said that he thought it was cool.

I did not sleep at all that night. 

We got up and got ready for the second day of training and headed for breakfast and then the dojo. Day two was spent on Sai and Tanbo. It was a great time and Jason and I both enjoyed ourselves. I had some good conversations with Sensei and he made some minor corrections to kata, we also had some history conversations. It was a good day. After training Carbone Sensei hosted a Greek dinner and a wine making party. We had good fun and learned about making beer and wine.

The last day was spent on nunchaku and tanbo, and then Sensei had me do a review of the Gekisai’s and saifa. After the seminar, everyone left and I got to spend a couple of hour’s one on one with Sensei, he taught me several bunkai and oyo to the gojuryu kata. I got to ask him several questions and he showed me a lot of stuff. To me this was the best part of the whole trip. I an honored to by Nakamoto Sensei representative here in North America.