Interview with uchi deshi – 1982 approx.

 

Talking about the permanent students at Honbu, it is nowadays very silent. The 3rd year Uchi deshi have completed their 1000 days of training and left. We are still waiting for the new first years to come.

A couple of days before they left, I asked the boys some questions. Akimoto Takuya is the Ryocho (that means he was appointed by Sosai to be the responsible one. Mostly Sosai chooses the eldest Uchi deshi but Yamamoto was already charged of being Sosai’s driver.)

Being the Ryocho means hard work, as this person has to keep order in the dormitory and settle all little problems (avoiding bothering Sosai) and to keep peace in the place. Sometimes this is very difficult, if the personalities of the other Uchi deshi do not get along.

Personalities are very different indeed, as suggests following interview:

Oda Katsuyuki, the rather silent one, Okumura Kazuyuki, the talkative one (not realizing that he frustrates all foreigners speaking a little Japanese, by mumbling the dialect of his hometown ‘) All agree that Okumura is the most vivacious personality (please read tumultuous !) in contrast to Fukuda who was even too reserved to answer my questions. Still if some job required a patient, handy person, it was Fukuda to do it. Yamamoto was too much engaged with his job, so that he could not find the time to answer the questions.

Q: Why did you want to become an Uchi deshi ?

AKIMOTO: I respected Sosai’s way of thinking very much. I had read all this books in my High School time. As there was no dojo at my place, I started judo. It looked stronger than those other styles ! After High School I got my chance to start full contact Karate.

ODA: I wanted to become strong very soon. I It goes faster as an Uchi deshi I chose Kyokushin because it is full contact, there is no do Jo near to where I lived, I practiced one year another style, when I was at High School, but later I changed for baseball.

OKUMURA: Sosai’s books arose my interest. At my High School time I started Kyokushin and

took part in tournaments

(Note from the editor: he took part in tournament before he became Uchi deshi. He was in fact a brownbelter when he started the Uchi dcshilife, but he had to gird on a white belt ! He did not make any problem about that rule. And when I asked him again why he started as an IJct.i deshi, as he got already so far, he starts talking about the beautiful girls in Tokyo…)

Q: What was for you the hardest thing in those 3 years ?

AKIMOTO: The first year is hard physically. But now, if I come to think about it, it was easy. You just had to do what you were told. The second year, we trained hard, but it was fun. The third year, I had all the responsibility; if a Ist year or a 2nd year student made a mistake, I was the one responsible ( = the one to be scolded !) however I had sometimes nothing to do with it

ODA: The first year was terribly hard. We had to do a lot of work and in fact few training Spiritually that is very hard, The rules are strict, and you have to get used to it, Also the communication be: seen senpai and kohai (senior and junior in degree) is difficult. As soon as one becomes brown belt (mostly in 2nd year) training becomes hard. Only as a 3rd year Uchi deshi one’s training schedule is really fixed.

OKUMURA: The first year was hard because of all the work to be done, and all the pressure of sempais, The 2nd year was more at ease, there was only the thought about the weight division tournament at Osaka, for which I had to prepare.

At my 3rd year time the pressure was bigger, because then I had the 17th All Japan Tournament to deal with.

Q: How do you feel about instructing ?

AKIMOTO: it is difficult. You cannot think about your own training. When you stand in front of the dojo, you have to excercise for everybody’s sake, so that everybody becomes strong, yourself including.

But if you only train for yourself..

 
ODA: I prefer to be taught. I am not good in it yet.

(Note from the editor: I know the students think quite the opposite !)

OKUMURA: That is my own training, I train what I tee! like, it is no problem. If the white belts do not understand right away s hat I mean, they have to think it over, and they will understand later.

Q: Do your have some funny memories ?

AKIMOTO: Real funny memories, I have not. Generally speaking, these 3 years were very hard. Now it is over, and if I come to think about it, it awas not that bad after all. It is like a tournament, first I really hate to do it, but considered afterwards, it becomes a sweet memory.

ODA: in my Ist and 2nd year I was always glad to have my day off ! Then I went to the pictures. In my 3rd year, I started weight training. Before there was not time for that,

OKIUMURA: I made a lot of friends, like the other Uchi deshi, but amongst other students as well

Q: What do you think of your last test ?

AKIMOTO: For myself, it could have been better. I want to try it again next year. (For Sandan) As I have to prove I am strong, to myself, to Sosai and for my Kohais (juniors in degree), if the sempai (senior) is not strong, it is a bad feeling for the Kohais,

ODA: Sosai always says I cannot rely on my kicks alone. I still have to work a lot on my punch, it has to become a lot stronger. I can only take part in a Tournament if I am more confident, I hare losing, (Who does not ?)

OKUMURA: 20men kumite is hard, but compared to a tournament, it is not so hard, because in a tournament for sure you only meet strong opponents,

Q: What are you planning to do in the future ?

AKIMOTO: I am planning to be an Uehi deshi for another 3 years at Goda Shihan’s dojo. I want to take part in a lot of tournaments, for sure the All Japan Tournament. I fact, I only want to become a champion.

ODA: I want to continue my training and work parttime. That is hard, but as my sempais can do it, it shows it is not impossible. My actual goal is the All Japan Tournament, I want to stay in Tokyo till I am 27, and after I studied acupuncture, I want to go back to my country tow :.

But in fact you never know, one day or the other we, Uchi dehi, can get a phone call from Sosai, that there is an instructor wanted abroad, and then it might sound tempting. .

OKI MU RA: I am planning to go home, to help my father with his business Of course I will continue Karate, but on my own. My place is very remote, so I will not start a dojo. But I am planning to take part in the local tournament of Ishikawa and the All Japan Tournament.

I sincerely hope the boys will make their way !!

Success!

1977 SUMMER TRAINING SCHOOL IN JAPAN

7:00 in the morning saw groups of students begin to gather in front of the Tokyo Honbu. Coming in ones and twos, bringing only the bare essentials in tiny bags, the students stood quiet and calm ready to face the coming 5 days of grueling summer training.
At 8:00a.m. all the students had assembled, the buses had arrived and with the minimum of fuss and bother, they filed into their allotted buses as directed by their Sempai. The trip started quietly but excitement began to grow as they passed out through the drab and haze of Tokyo by way of the great overhead highways, and out onto the open road.
By 10:00a.m. the hot sun streamed in through the windows and the students, riding in their air-conditioned buses, savored their last treat of luxury as they gazed out at the rows upon rows of peculiarly round-shaped tea bushes growing on the terraced hills attended by the farmers in their traditional garb and large, peak topped straw hats.
The destination, the Sakuraga Ike Shrine, was reached at 1:00p.m. and the students alighted eager to explore their new home. Within minutes of alighting sweat began to pour from the brows of all, and out came the inevitable ‘sweat rag’.
Summer training is always held in the height of the sultry Japanese summer. This year the traditional site of Ichinomiya in Chiba-Ken was abandoned for another seaside location, this time in Shizuoka-Ken, some 200 kilometers South-West of Tokyo. The living quarters were provided in the rooms attached to the local shrine, and the training site was the bead’ itself. The camp was divided into two groups of ! days from July 25th. to August 4th., each camp being attended by over 150 students.
The shrine accommodation catered for the malt students, and the female students were based in and their building belonging to the shrine, an old, large( and very traditional style Japanese house.
The site did much to enhance the atmosphere for the 7 foreign students who attended this years camp However, in traditional Japanese style, students slept Futon to futon (mattress), covering every available space in each room. Each morning the futons were rolled up and placed in piles out of the way, to be spread out again in the evening.
Although exceedingly economical and not at all unusual for the Japanese, this sleeping arrangement drew a few surprised and somewhat negative comments from those bed sleeping accustomed foreigners new to Japan.
The day always began at 4:00a.m., which necessitated getting up around 3 :30a.m., a nasty shock for the late risers. Having been placed in set groups under given Sempai, the groups set off for the beach. The 3 kilometer jog to the beach was not much of a bother in the early morning cool, but proved to be most tiresome in the heat of the day. Down past putrid smelling pig farms, down a shingle, stony road, over a wide, deep and foul smelling river by way of huge boulders, along the concrete embankment, and we were there. All sessions began with an extended period of meditation, sitting Seiza facing the sea. With eyes closed, breathing calm and regulated, the roar of the waves being all that was audible, it was indeed an experience. Afterwards, while warming up with the usual exercises, one could scarcely believe that here we are, in the land of the rising sun, down on the beach in the early morning, practicing Karate.
Moving through Kihon (basics) one comes to appreciate the worth of practicing on loose sand. Beach training certainly taxes the body, especially the legs, not to mention the patience as one struggles to continue with the unpleasantness of having sand sent flying into the nostrils, eyes, ears and hair.
When Kihon was completed we divided into our groups and worked out until 7 :30a.m., when we regrouped again to close the session and jog back to camp.
Back at camp, it was a scramble to be bathed in time for breakfast at 8 :00a.m. When the entire camp was assembled in the eating room, the senior instructors entered followed by Kancho and much loud Osu-ing.
By this time, the sun was already high in the sky, and all had rivers of sweat pouring down their necks. Breakfast was traditionally Japanese and had little appeal to the foreigners. A bowl of rice over which was poured a raw egg beaten in soya source, a few salted pickles, Japanese bean soup and a bottle of milk. Liquids proved most popular with the over heated foreigners, who sat amazed at the amount of rice the small bodied Japanese could pack away in such a short time.
Each group was assigned a time to help prepare and clear away the meals, but were always assisted at every meal by most members of the ladies group.
From breakfast until lunchtime was free, usually taken up by sleeping or making friendships over ice- cream and cans of juice. The ladies spent a considerable amount of time washing their Karate-Gi which they did by putting them into heaps, lavishly pouring over soap powder and water while most energetically jumping up and down on them. This ritual, although quick and communal, was not observed by the boys who preferred just to hang their Gi out to dry without such a fuss. Lunch was a similar affair with equally unpalatable food from the foreigners point of view, although I personally find great delight in the taste of raw fish. The afternoon session began at 1:00p.m. with the
same quick jog to the beach, where for the first hour after clearing the beach of rubbish, everyone was free to swim and relax . Swimming proved most popular with the foreigners but generally speaking Japanese people do not like cold water, consequently it was considered gallant and praiseworthy to enter the sea and swim. By this time the sun beat down mercilessly, turning the skins of the Japanese dark brown and mine a painful deep red. Being unable to focus my blue eyes in the glare of the sun, I wore a sun viser which the Japanese found highly amusing and rewarded me with a dumping in the sea. After this wonderful hour in the scorching sun, training began in earnest. Incorporated in the training were various games and exercises, including bouts of Sumo wrestling, a sure way to develop the stomach, hips, legs and antis. Training continued until 4:30p.m. when we set about to jog back to the shrine again, bath and assemble for the evening meal. After the meal we were free until 11:00p.m. although most had succumbed to sleep long before that hour, exhausted after a total of six hours training.
Lying on my futon, dripping with sweat, the heavy odor of insect repellent smoke stinging my eyes and nose, and tired and sore from the sun, I closed my weary eyes and resigned myself to the rigors of summer training.
Rising at 3:30a.m. the next morning, donning partially wet Karate-Gi due to over night rain, we set off to repeat the previous day’s activities. This continued for four days without much variation. On the evening of the forth day, the routine changed a little.
We were assembled in the dining room to receive Kancho’s speech. The students, drinking in Kancho’s every word, were informed on the latest happenings in the Kyokushinkaikan and on Kancho’s opinions on current issues, including a very humorous comment on the cartoon series ‘Kung Fooey’, screening here in Japan under the title of 0011, ‘won won’ being the Japanese version of a dog’s bark. Students were also introduced to the cameramen who had come to take pictures for Kancho’s forthcoming book, the ‘Encyclopedia of Karate’.
The fifth day proved extra difficult with the for- boding presence of photographers moving around, but it also helped to break the degree of monotony which appears after the forth day.
In between the morning and afternoon classes, a grading test was given to all students from the correspondence school. Borrowing the local dojo, the students were put through a regular grading test and were individually advised by Kancho Oyama. As it always is in Kyokushin-Karate, the Kumite test proved the hardest. However, sore and battered as they were, they still attended the afternoon formal session.
During the afternoon session, students were given the opportunity to perform Tameshiwari (breaking), kicks, punches and strikes being popular. One student was most successful at Nukite breaking, another at head smashing and even members of the senior and ladies groups tried.
That evening a Sayonara Party was held. Competing in teams, each group performed an item. Imitations of Sempai Oishi and Royama and of Kancho Oyama defeating a dragon in the local village proved the most popular act and won that team three water melons. After the teams events, each instructor sang a song and the evening concluded with a performance by Kancho Oyama. The party was great and harmless fun, adding greatly to the memory of summer training.
On the final day, a photography session was held at the beach instead of the usual marathon run, and so closed formal training.
After breakfast, the students cleared their quarters packed and waited, to the accompaniment of much camera clicking, for the buses to arrive to take them back to Tokyo. After the five hour trip back, the students, tired and weary alighted once again in Ikebukuro, the home of Tokyo Honbu, bid farewell to their friends, and made their ways home well pleased with their exhausting, but rewarding five days effort.
The student from India commented that he had never done anything like this before, but rather wished that they could have provided more appetizing meals. The three students from Guam, who stayed the entire 10 days, said it was much harder than at home, long and exhausting, but they liked the spirit and humor shown by all. They commented that the Sempai gave everyone a hard time but that they were really ‘good sorts’. One Guam student said that he had called his group Sempai ‘Golden Foot’ on account of his wonderful kicks, “I sang to him every night”, he said, “and if I ever slacked in anything at all, he put his ‘Golden Foot’ in my face”. Nevertheless, they became firm friends, and ‘Golden Foot’ has earned himself a trip to Guam.
The foreign students, three from Guam and one each from Singapore, India, Lebanon and New Zealand, considered the camp well worthwhile, but jokingly added that next time they wouldn’t say ‘No’ to an air cooler, a fan and some good hardy ‘tucker’.