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Sensei, how has karate enhanced your life on a personal level?
Through karate I discovered peace in my life and an appreciation of co-operating with others. I lived in an area where there were many opportunities to engage in street fights. Karate gave me the security to see above these negative behaviours.
You've trained in karate for 47 years and been senior instructor at Goju Kensha Saishinkan headquarters dojo in Tokyo for over 40 of those years. What are the most important topics of research and study you have covered in that time?
So many things, of course, but in my opinion, developing efficient and effortless power-generating methods - compression and expansion, various hip rotations, knee springing, vibration and so on. This study has been both exciting and rewarding.
What have you found most important when it comes to teaching methodology?
The old way of teaching was about doing it and not asking questions; getting hit and learning the hard way. Nowadays, each person's training is more tailored to their individual needs and body type. For example females generally need to use a different type of striking than males. It is more suitable for them to use open-hand techniques to the more vulnerable points of the body rather than bone-breaking strikes. This is advantageous for women as they already possess more softness and flexibility, something that men need to work harder to attain.
On the theme of individuals developing martial arts and taking them in their own personal direction, do you think the traditional process of shu-ha-ri is still followed by most senseis in Japan? And what about in Western countries like Australia, where so-called ‘modern' and eclectic systems are popping up with increasing frequency?
In traditional Japanese circles, karateka tend to adhere to the mainstream cultural boundaries, which stress the importance of loyalty and seniority. In fact, one is not considered a teacher of karate until they have achieved a ranking of 6th Dan. I feel there is nothing wrong with the evolution of modern and eclectic styles; this is normal and happens everywhere including Japan. My only concern is when practitioners expand too early into other styles before having mastered one. This may dilute their long-term development and mastery of anything.
Having visited Australia on four occasions now, what have you observed as the strengths and weaknesses of Australian karateka?
Most of the corrections I have made on this visit have been mainly in lowering the students' centre of gravity, increasing power-generation and making movements more fluid. I have found Australian karateka are naturally strong and fast. They are quick learners and passionate about their karate. I was very pleased to see students at James Sumarac's dojo staying on for not one, but two classes each night - something you would rarely see in Japan these days. I am always impressed with Australians for their down-to-earth manner, friendliness and humour.
Do you think non-Japanese can ever truly master the essence of Japanese karate?
Absolutely. Karate training transcends cultural and language barriers. The world has become smaller and the gap of knowledge has narrowed significantly. Now everyone has the same opportunity in acquiring a mastery of karate.
Our readers are familiar with Goju-ryu, one of the world's more popular karate styles, but it seems there are Goju systems with a more ‘Japanese' influence (i.e. those that have developed within mainland Japan since the art arrived there) and the ‘original' Goju that has developed in Okinawa. What are the differences between these two streams of Goju, and can the art be categorised in this way, even on a general level?
I believe them to be the same in essence. The differences in appearance stem from variations in interpretation and teaching emphasis. Some techniques also differ because of the original location and dress code of the era. For instance, the samurai topknot worn by Japanese required protection from grabbing, and the kimono and hakama [large skirt-like pants] required specific techniques to maximise mobility.
So what, then, makes Tadahiko Ohtsuka's Goju Kensha unique among all the other Goju karate systems?
In the early days, all seniors studied techniques from various martial arts including judo, aikido, kendo, Western boxing and the study of Zen [Buddhism]. We also travelled extensively throughout Japan, China, Taiwan and Okinawa to seek the original sources of Goju-ryu. We assimilated much of this knowledge into the base of our existing Goju-ryu, and the result is Goju Kensha. This, I may add, is still happening and has become a standard approach amongst us in the senior society, to which James Sumarac here in Australia belongs.
Your teacher, Hanshi Ohtsuka, obviously recognised the influence of Chinese martial arts on the original Okinawan form of Goju. Did this in turn influence his choice to study the Chinese internal arts, and how big an impact has this cross-training had on the Goju Kensha system, and your own direction in martial arts?
We studied the traditional Chinese martial arts as a tool to develop greater softness and available power, not as stand-alone systems. We acknowledge their great influence, but only used them to further enhance our Goju-ryu. Personally, I really enjoy tai chi and perhaps will devote more time to it as I grow older.
During this time studying and researching with Professor Ohtsuka, some people criticised him for over-studying karate's roots (you've even said that at one time you knew 80 karate kata). Why was this, and why did he change some traditional Goju-ryu kata in his creation of Goju Kensha?
Yes [laughing], we studied many training methods from other styles. Master Ohtsuka has this uncanny ability to learn kata and techniques with unbelievable speed and retention. Even with a glance or discussion he could link up disparate movements from different styles, recognise a common theme, and blend his own existing knowledge, skill and insights, thus presenting Goju-ryu forms in a sometimes radically different way. That's why our kata looks sometimes very different to that of other schools of Goju-ryu.
This way, he believed you are liberated from any shackles of kata and able to express it with more creativity and individualism. Your karate would then become more intuitive, more Zen, as your body would recognise any possibility and perform it naturally.
If you view kata as a shackle, then the principles and possibilities of application within that kata are the key, and this of course must be free to vary at any time, depending on many situations and circumstances. To discover this key you need to rework kata, as many things were concealed and sometimes deliberately ambiguous. All these things I talk about are not possible if you are restricted with ambition, ego or gains of some kind. To truly master karate you need to transform your mind and body, to dissolve power, recognise physical and mental health, and reach a spiritual ‘emptiness'. This was, I believe, the real purpose of karate study.
Kata competition takes a training drill (the kata) out of context and judges it on criteria that aren't greatly relevant to its original purpose (i.e. its aesthetic form rather than its practical application). The same might be said of Chinese internal martial arts competitions, where tai chi push-hands and kung fu chi-sau (sticky-hands) drills are turned into a contest. What's your opinion on the value of competing in such contests, and judging a martial artist's abilities this way?
I think friendly competition of any kind is beneficial, providing it isn't taken too seriously and there's an acceptance that, as you say, ‘rule structures' often corrupt reality. Competitions need to be kept within a context and not be allowed to overwhelm one's training. In judging a kata, for example, I believe there are two kinds of aesthetic criteria:
Choreographed form as a result of perfect sequential movement.
Movement integrating whole-body power that demonstrates an understanding of the technique.
This can sometimes not be so beautiful to the eye, but is the essence of karate and should be a part of the judging criteria. A good judge requires a high level of skill to recognise these differences and mark accordingly.
Are there any secrets in karate training?
No secrets. There is a plethora of study in traditional karate: atemi-jutsu (striking), nage-waza (throwing and sweeping), gyaku-waza (joint-damaging), ne-waza (choking and immobilisation), kokyu (breath power), kyusho-jutsu (vital-point striking), kappo (revival medicine)... So you see, it is a lifetime practice to attain mastery.
What about shimpo-jutsu or ‘mysterious training'?
Once you have trained hard and are capable in the above criteria, all the so-called secrets unlock themselves. You will see it is not so mysterious after all. Hypnotic techniques that appear to effortlessly disrupt an opponent's physical and psychological equilibrium come from many years of solid training. Within Goju-ryu we use kuzushi (postural destabilisation) tako-te (octopus strategy) muchi-te (whipping technique) and kaman-te (stringray strategy). These principles when blended appear mysterious and there is only one way to unlock the mystery: train hard!
It seems all martial arts are constantly evolving, no matter how much some people may try to prevent this. What are your plans for Goju Kensha, and how do you predict the system and organisation might look in another 40 years' time, by 2050?
Goju Kensha has always been a flexible system. The organisation is comprised of like-minded people who having attained a certain foundation have the opportunity to express their individual creativity. I can't predict how it will look but I am confident the future of this dynamic system is secure, as just this week I witnessed 20 young adults attain Dan-grades [at Sumarac's Wu Lin Retreat school in Lancefield].
Sensei, you've talked about high-level instructors specialising in select aspects of karate. What is your speciality?
My particular interest is in short-range, stab-like striking such as the ‘no-inch punch' that has evolved from my training in Chinese internal kung fu. I plan to continue my contribution to this and other developments here in Australia with future visits, and look forward to hosting Australians in Japan.
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