Matsubayashiryu Finland

17/09/2026

There was a topic at training this evening, on variations between styles, and to some degree variations within styles. We suggested that people often look at a kata variation and immediately decide it’s wrong, as if their version is the only correct one

I of course took it as an opportunity to make a short story into a long ramble. I told a story about being at the Dojo after training and a lady approached to request information on practice sessions. Shinjo Sensei welcomed her and then set about in the most animated way to speak on Matsubayashi-ryu, it's commonalities and it's differences with other styles of Karate, with other martial arts such as Kendo and Judo and so forth. His passion was infectious.

Truthfully, his passion after a lifetime of study, and his fascination with learning as much as he could was inspiring. I never heard him talk bad about someone's technique. Rather he was curious to learn why they did things as they did them. Curious if there was something he had missed which could be improved by watching them. He did not judge the technique, he sought out the potential lesson.

'Be curious, not judgemental' - Ted Lasso

Photo - Shinjo Sensei advising on Nunchaku Kata for Michael and me.

16/09/2026

Very sad news from Argentina regarding the passing of Akamine Sensei. Our deepest sympathies go out to all of our friends there for their terrible loss.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19QaD4TRz1/

10/09/2026

Olemme takaisin kesäloman jälkeen! Karatekurssi alkaa huomenna illalla klo 19, Upseerinkatu 11. Tervetuloa!

In person classes resume after the Summer break tomorrow from 19h00. The class will move to the bigger sports hall at the Omnia facility in Upseerinkatu 11!

28/08/2026

From last evenings session, rank in Karate is a motivator. Something for the student to attain on their journey. And we celebrate with them when they achieve it, and rightly so. Rank is also an indicator of competence. In theory at least, the higher the rank the higher the degree of competence. It has some value in these ways.

Rank is external validation. It is someone's opinion of your ability. Daily efforts to train and practice as much as you can, that is what truly matters. More than rank, it is training which matters.

There is some older wisdom that reputation is who people think you are, character is who you truly are. In this sense, Rank is reputation, training, is character.

20/08/2026

I had occasion to chat briefly via whatsapp with a wonderful friend of mine on the variations of Kata across styles. The idea of purity of Kata came up and ultimately we discussed the idea that purity is very subjective.

I expect that everyone believes that they are doing things the right way, some even believe they are doing it the original way. As an alternative, it might be better to characterise what we are doing as, studying the style of the Kodokan Matsubayashi-ryu Karatedo & Kobujutsu Dojo as we have currently understood it based on how we have interpreted our recollections of our teachers translation and explanation of their interpretations of their recollections on how Nagamine Shoshin Sensei wished for techniques to be performed or understood.

I don't even feel it is wrong to suggest that Matsubayashi-ryu itself is Nagamine Shoshin Sensei's interpretation of what he recalls learning from his teachers, and so on back through the historical line of learning.

Ultimately what I want to say is that we are practicing an interpretation an interpretation of a thing. And perhaps, it seems, that is just the way it should be.

Photo - post workout with Shinzato Sensei, who trains for the joy of training.

12/08/2026

On the occasion of his birthday I am recalling the lessons, remembering his strictness and his kindness and ever grateful for the opportunities he gave.

10/08/2026

Karate is about peace, so much so that Nagamine Shoshin Sensei gave a speech on its place in bringing about world peace. Yet, Karate is about violence, the ability to strike a person down with your bare hands. It would seem that Karate is perhaps more complex than it first appears.

It is my opinion that Karate is ultimately a study of human interaction. It starts with how violence occurs, progresses to how we may stop it through techniques, continues with how we may prevent it through our words, and ultimately leads to avoiding it through our everyday actions.

Essential to this concept is the idea that to have the confidence to negotiate (prevention), we must have complete confidence in our ability to stop violence (physical techniques). Further, in order to have the confidence to not engage in conflict (avoidance), we must have an understanding of the thinking that causes conflict (i.e. we must understand the negotiation phase).

One skill layer is built upon another and relies upon the other for its success.

Photo – working out with a poor unsuspecting victim in Belgium during a discussion on Pinan Yondon.

25/07/2026

Congratulations to Taira Sensei and to all the designees.

We are humbled to announce that Yosh*taka Taira Kaicho (President of the World Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do Association) has been officially selected as a holder of the Okinawa Prefecture Intangible Cultural Asset for “Okinawan Karate and Kobudo.” This designation was announced by the Okinawa Pref...

24/07/2026

Last night's lesson saw me droning on and on about moving from compression to expansion on techniques, loading the body and then releasing the power out. This brought up a wonderful question on whether or not this constituted telegraphing, the questioner's understanding was that there should be no telegraphing.

Firstly, we must keep in mind of course that the goal of no telegraphing implies that you are about to strike the other person. The moment has arrived where you have deemed a strike to be necessary. This may occur in response, or in advance - as a counter or as a pre-emptive strike.

Now in a counter the loading of the body for the counter blow is, at least theoretically, included in the defensive deflection and/or body shifting technique. In pre-emptive striking however there is no incoming attack, so loading the body becomes difficult to conceal. It is however necessary for power generation, and if it cannot be eliminated, it must be managed.

Therefore we must achieve it through how we align ourselves, how we use our facial expressions and our words during the negotiation phase. The continuous, subtle repositioning to place ourselves at an advantage while hiding the potential to strike.

Funakoshi-san and I were having a post-training chat over some documents he was translating for me, and he started to explain Zanshin. He suggested that a way to interpret it was that the hunter must see the prey to be successful, but if the prey sees the hunter, they will not succeed.

Photo - Michael and I demonstrating Kumite during Dan testing at the Nagamine Dojo.

03/07/2026

During the class last evening I was talking about the ending of Pinan Sandan and I used specific stances which do not actually appear in the Kata to help explain the style of movement I was hoping to get across. This is a tool I use a lot when teaching as it gives the student a known reference for a distance, a step, a weight movement, etc. I feel it helps them find the familiar in the unfamiliar.

Sometimes we who have acquired a movement can fail to recall how difficult it was. I remember many times at the Dojo hearing, 'do again!', 'who taught you that?!' or 'ha ha ha......NO!' (some of you will get those references).

Those of us who teach need to remember that showing isn't good enough. We must provide the structure, and the guidance which supports the learning. Sometimes we need to be patient, slow down and allow the time for the learner to acquire it.

And if they still haven't understood it - which is separate from not being able to perform it yet - then we need to be even more patient, slow down more and allow more time.

If we are going to take our role seriously then we need to spend the time thinking not just about what is the best way to perform, but what is the best way to teach. In that way we can be proud of passing Matsubayashi-ryu on in good condition to the future generations we will never meet.

Teach difficult things easily. Teach easy things deeply. Teach deep things enjoyably - Nagamine Shoshin Sensei (as I understood it from Nagamine Takayoshi Sensei)

Photo - me and one of our future teachers posing for fun after class in Ireland.