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Sensei Williamswith Kenzo

Mabuni Soke inthe original Dojo

of the founderKenwa Mabuni.

MY JOURNEY TO THE HEART OF

49

Most people associate the date of September11 with the terrible tragedy in New York. In2003, September 11 fell on a Thursday and itwas the day I started my Journey to Japan toachieve a goal that I set for myself, just after Istarted my Karate training in 1984. It took me19 years, but I achieved it and it was well worthwaiting for!

Modern technology had a lot to do with pavingthe way for my visit to Osaka where I trainedwith some of the highest ranking exponentsof Seito Shito-ryu Karate-Do in the world. Thetechnology I am referring to is the Internet,which is how I made initial contact with KazuoSakia Shihan, the Secretary General of Shito-Ryu International Karate-Do Kai. Theorganisation is headed by Kenzo MabuniSoke who inherited it from his father KenwaMabuni, the founder of Shito-Ryu Karate-doin 1952. His father left him the Shito-Ryuname, his complete syllabus and the Dojowith the Association name Nippon Karate-DoKai. All these remain intact today. He followedhis father’s curriculum exactly the way it waswritten down in 1929 and that’s why he calledit Seito Shito-Ryu or pure, true Shito-Ryu.

I have always trained in Shito-Ryu Karate-Do(mainly Hayashi-Ha Shito-Ryu) and I waslooking for a way to get to the source.Thereare many organisations which were startedby former students of Kenwa Mabuni whichteach Shito-Ryu. Seito (or pure) Shito-Ryuteaching the curriculum of Kenwa Mabuni,which was passed down to his son KenzoMabuni Soke with no changes.

‘The skill and knowledgeof the instructors at all ofthe dojos I trained at wasamazing and best of allthey were all more than

willing to share it with me.I was lucky enough to

receive one on onetraining in Kata with an 8th

dan instructor with asecond instructor (7th

dan) also helping me’.

Kenzo Mabuni Soke dedicated his life topreserving the true lineage of his father’skarate. He was not concerned with politics orimage and remained unknown to the outsideworld until 1993. Upon the request of his goodfriend Osamu Ozawa (Shotokan master),Kenzo Mabuni Soke travelled to Las Vegasand exposed the world to Seito (pure) ShitoRyu, the true karate of his father, Kenwa

Mabuni. In April of 1994, Mabuni Kenzoconducted seminars in Albany, New York andPhoenix, Arizona. Subsequent to theseseminars, Kenzo Mabuni Soke establishedthe Shito Ryu Karate Do Kai of America (nowcalled Shito-Ryu USA Karate Do Kai). Sincethen 12 more countries have been added withAustralia being the most recent addition.

‘The walls of the dojowere filled with history

which includedphotographs of KenwaMabuni and the original

syllabus and a list ofKata’.

After about eighteen months of correspondingby email and exchanging videos, I was invitedto travel to Osaka and stay with Sakai Shihanto learn more about Seito Shito-Ryu Karate-Do. This was a chance of a lifetime and I didnot hesitate in accepting the invitation. It wassix months from the time I was invited until Iarrived in Osaka.

Apart from achieving my goal of actuallytravelling to Japan and train, I also wanted tobe graded in Japan and to be accepted asthe representative for Seito Shito-Ryu inAustralia. I knew that I had set myself somedifficult goals, but I was determined to do mybest and achieve them.

I arrived at Kansai International Airport inOsaka on Friday September 12 at 7.30amafter an eight hour flight from Perth to HongKong where I waited seven hours for my nextplane for the three hour flight from Hong Kongto Osaka.

My learning experience started from the timeI walked out of the arrival area at the airportand met with Sakai Shihan. We went to acoffee shop and talked about Seito Shito-Ryuand it was at that time that I was asked if Iwould like to meet Kenzo Mabuni Soke. Ofcourse I was very keen to meet the son of thefounder and Sakai Shihan told me that hewould ask Soke if I could visit him at his home.

We then left the airport and started on the onehour drive to the home of Sakai Shihan inHashimoto, and on the way I learnt more aboutthe history of Seito Shito-Ryu and about someof the people I would meet during my visit.

During my eight day visit, I trained at five of thetwenty five dojos which make up the Shito-Ryu Nihon Karate-Do Kai. The trainingsessions were hard and lasted for two hours,but every session was a great learningexperience.

The skill and knowledge of the instructors atall of the dojos I trained at, was amazing, andbest of all they were all more than willing toshare it with me. I was lucky enough to receiveone on one training in Kata with an 8th daninstructor with a second instructor (7th dan)also helping me.

I knew that I was being watched closely as Ihad mentioned to Sakai Shihan that I wantedto attempt a grading for my 3rd Dan, so I madesure that I trained hard and put in 100% effortat every training session. It wasn’t like othergradings that I have done where you knowthat a certain time frame is allocated and youknow what you are required to demonstrate,this grading was over eight days!

Sakai Shihan told me that my promotion to 3rd

Dan would have to be discussed by themembers of the Supreme Council and thentheir recommendation would have to beaccepted by Kenzo Mabuni Soke.

When I left Japan, I didn’t know for surewhether I had achieved my goal of passing agrading in Japan and being promoted to 3rdDan, I would have to wait! I was officiallyadvised in December that Kenzo Mabuni Sokehad approved my promotion to 3rd Dan andhad issued my Menjo (certificate) onDecember 1, 2003.

I made a point of writing down what I did eachday in an exercise book so that I could lookback on it for future reference. Each nightbefore going to bed, I made a habit of filling

Sensei Mike William withSakai Shihan

50

out my book with the days lessons. I now havea permanent record of my trip with all thedetails of every training session I attended.

The dojo wasn’t the only place I learned aboutSeito Shito-Ryu. One evening I went withShihan Sakai and his family to a BBQrestaurant for dinner. The restaurant was verypopular, so popular, that we had to wait for anhour to get a table. The system for booking atable was quite interesting, in Australia wewould ring and make a reservation, in Japanyou go to the restaurant and write you nameon a list. When a table is free one of the staffcomes out to the car park and calls out thenext name on the list.

‘It was a great feeling toactually go to the sourceof Shito-Ryu Karate-Do,the feeling was amazingand very fulfilling for me

as I had achieved my goaland found my way to theorigin of Shito-Ryu which

is one of the four mainstyles in Japan’

While we were waiting for our table, SakaiShihan was talking to me about the kata Sepaiand before I knew it, we were practising thekata in the carpark! We had to move a coupleof times to make way for cars entering andleaving. Sakai Shihan demonstrated themoves and I followed, it’s not that easy doingshiko dachi in jeans!

On Thursday September 18 Sakai Shihan andFukae Shihan took me to the home of KenzoMabuni Soke in Osaka. It was a fantasticexperience to visit the house which wasoriginally occupied by Kenwa Mabuni who isthe founder of Shito-Ryu Karate-Do. Theoriginal Dojo where Kenwa Mabuni trained isstill attached to the house and it was in thisdojo that I met Kenzo Mabuni Soke.

Soke Kenzo Mabuni is highly respected andit was a great honour for me to visit him at hishome. We entered through the main door ofthe dojo and removed our shoes. Beforegoing inside, we all knelt down on the woodfloor in the seiza position and bowed beforebeing invited in by Soke.

The walls of the dojo were filled with historywhich included photographs of KenwaMabuni and the original syllabus and a list ofKata. A beautiful shrine in honour of Kenwa

Mabuni stood out at the back of the dojo.Kenzo Mabuni does not speak English andapart from a few words, I do not speakJapanese, so Sakai Shihan was theinterpreter. I was given permission to takephotos inside the dojo and I was also able tohave my photo taken with Kenzo Mabuni.

It was a great feeling to actually go to thesource of Shito-Ryu Karate-Do. The feelingwas amazing and very fulfilling for me as Ihad achieved my goal and found my way tothe origin of Shito-Ryu which is one of thefour main styles in Japan.

Outside Japan there are eleven countries thatare affiliated to the Shito-Ryu InternationalKarate-Do Kai which comes under the controlof Nippon Karate-Do Kai, the originalorganisation formed by Kenwa Mabuni andhanded down to Kenzo Mabuni Soke.

At the time of my visit there was norepresentative for Seito Shito-Ryu in Australia.I had made an application long before I wentto Japan and when I met with Kenzo MabuniSoke, I asked him if he would accept myapplication to be the representitive for SeitoShito-Ryu in Australia. My application wentbefore a special meeting for considerationand on December 6, 2003 Kenzo MabuniSoke officially appointed me to be hisrepresentative in Australia.

In Japan, the Australian organisation isregistered as Shito-Ryu Australia Karate-DoKai. Anyone in Australia who is interested inbeing part of the organisation can contact meat sensei@iinet.net.au and I will provide themembership requirements. The final decisionon membership applications is made inJapan.

Over time, we are planning on having a groupof affiliated dojos throughout Australiapractising the Seito Shito-Ryu Karate-Do ofKenzo Mabuni Soke.

In 2005 representatives from all of theaffiliated countries will meet in Osaka for anInternational Taikai (tournament). I have beeninvited to attend and I plan on taking my familywith me on this trip. Anyone who is a memberof the organisation in Australia will be entitledto attend.

Sensei Mike William training in Japan

51

SEITO SHITO-RYU KARATE-DO

www.ozkarate.com

There are now 12 countries outside Japan that have official representatives. Australia is the most recentaddition after Sensei Mike Williams was appointed as the Official Representative of Shito-Ryu Australia

Karate-Do Kai by Kenzo Mabuni Soke.

Shito-Ryu Karate-Do was founded by Kenwa Mabuni and is one of the four main styles of Karate in Japan.Kenwa Mabuni founded the Nippon Karate-Do Kai with the Kensyukan (honbu) dojo in Osaka, Japan. After thedeath of Kenwa Mabuni, the original Dojo and Nippon Karate-Do Kai was passed onto his second son, Kenzo

Mabuni Soke.

Today, the original curriculum of Kenwa Mabuni is still taught which it is why it is referred to as Seito (pure orunchanged) Shito-Ryu Karate-Do.

Applications are now invited from instructors and organisations to become affiliate members of Shito-RyuAustralia Karate-Do Kai.

# Learn traditional and unchanged Shito-Ryu as taught by the founder, Kenwa Mabuni.# Retain your own Dojo name and full control or become a branch dojo with full

support, your choice!# Receive training in Seito Shito-Ryu Karate-Do in Australia from a qualified instructor trained and

graded in Japan.# Black Belt Menjo (certificate) registered and issued from Japan by Kenzo Mabuni Soke.

# Black Belts custom made and issued from Japan for each individual recipient.# Opportunities to train and grade in Japan.

The benefits of affiliation include: