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Rooted In Karate

ホーム
日本
Naha-shi, Okinawa
Rooted In Karate

Okinawan Culture & Karate Enthusiast.

08/08/2026

If you’re reading this post, I’m almost certain you either follow or have seen Facebook videos of my good friend Matthew Clark Sensei smashing his fists into his makiwara, lifting anything and everything heavy displaying an incredible amount of strength, or class clips in New Zealand where his students are constantly under fire with heavy contact, and through his guidance, handling it seamlessly. Though a tough exterior, Matt is a really good guy with a keen sense of humor. Someone once asked him if he ever smiles to which he replied, “what’s a smile?”

A few years ago Matt flew up to Okinawa where he trained at Honbu for a few weeks. One night, it was just Higaonna Sensei, Uehara Sensei, Matt and myself in the dojo. I knew we were going to be in for a long, banger of a session in that August summer heat. And true to Higaonna Sensei’s reputation for hard training, we left everything we had on the dojo floor. As the class was coming to a close, I figured Higaonna Sensei would finish the training by having Matt and I engage in iri kumi (full-contact sparring) which had been part of the dojo curriculum the whole week and because Matt and I hadn’t sparred each other yet. From my experience, Higaonna Sensei loves to watch people engage in hard sparring and if he feels you’re not giving your all or taking it easy on your opponent, he’ll loudly let you know. As we stood in front of him, Higaonna Sensei seemed to ponder on what he wanted us to do next. Surprisingly (or maybe not) he had us engage in kakie (Okinawan push-hand exercise) instead of irikumi. At first kakie techniques were “pre-arranged” and then Higaonna Sensei said, “now free” meaning Matt and I were left to our own devices. With Higaonna Sensei watching and me mitigating the adrenaline kicking in, I was on pure instinct as Matt is a very dangerous opponent. Locks, throws, sweeps, trapping, grabbing and finger strikes to vulnerable targets (often within a fraction of an inch to your eyes) were all fair game. Like Higaonna Sensei and through years of construction and kigu undo, Matt has hands like bananas; if he grabs you, it’s pretty much over. After a good long session, Higaonna Sensei said, “hai yame” to which Matt and I respectfully bowed. Class was over but the experience forever remained.

I found it interesting that Higaonna Sensei chose to have us engage in kakie rather than sparring. I shared this story with my friend Mario McKenna Sensei (please look him up - amazing researcher and author - unfortunately not on FB) who shared with me that, “Higaonna Sensei already saw what you could do starting at a ‘safe distance’
with iri kumi. He wanted to see how you would handle yourselves when someone was in your face.” Indeed.

IMHO, Matt represents so much of what seems to be missing in karate today: contact, conditioning, forging, realism, etc. He truly exemplifies Higaonna Sensei’s teachings.

06/08/2026

Early morning kigu undo
(器具運動) session at my home dojo. I sometimes wonder if Miyagi Chojun had access to kettlebells during his time, what ingenious methods would he have implemented to enhance his Goju training?

03/08/2026

Honbu is a fascinating place to train, bringing together people from all over the world and every walk of life. Some come to Okinawa with one goal: to train hard, sweat, and immerse themselves in the dojo. Others seem more interested in collecting photos and social media posts than the hours of practice that would give those photos meaning. In the end, Okinawa seems to give you exactly what you came here to find.

02/08/2026

A memorable day as TOGKF Higaonna Dojo members demonstrated Sanchin at an international karate tournament held here in Okinawa. The day concluded with an excellent meal alongside Kuramoto Sensei, Yonesato Sensei, and my dojo brother and Goju senpai, Martin. Grateful to be here.

28/07/2026

For anyone who has had the opportunity to train with Yonesato Sensei, and especially those who have spent time with him outside the dojo, two things quickly become apparent: he is an extremely formidable karateka and one of the nicest people you will ever meet.

Those two qualities are captured beautifully in Michael Clarke’s book “Redemption: A Street Fighter’s Path to Peace.”Clarke is probably best known among karate practitioners for “The Art of Hojo Undo: Power Training for Traditional Karate”but I would argue that “Redemption” is every bit as insightful and worth reading.

The second half of the book takes the reader inside the Higaonna Dojo during the mid-1980s, and Yonesato Sensei is mentioned quite often. It provides a fascinating glimpse into the training environment of that era and the personalities who were part of it.

Today, Yonesato Sensei is built like a military tank and is just as tough. But approximately 40 years ago, he was lean and wiry, as seen in the BBC’s Way of the Warrior documentary featuring karate. Even through the video, his powerful kiai are unmistakable.

One of my favorite passages in “Redemption” describes an incident during the full-contact Friday sparring sessions. Higaonna Sensei had Yonesato Sensei face a certain individual (I’ll simply call him “Y”) who apparently had developed a reputation for trying to injure less-experienced training partners when he would visit the Higaonna Dojo. It seems Higaonna Sensei decided that “Y” needed a lesson in how one should conduct oneself inside his dojo.

As Clarke describes, “when the command to begin was given, they (Yonesato Sensei and “Y”) set about each other like two pit bull terriers…”
The exchange quickly became a hard lesson for “Y.” He was cut beneath the eye and repeatedly knocked to the ground. Clarke then describes Yonesato Sensei hovering over his opponent, sending a very clear message: “if he (“Y”) stood up, he was going to be put back down.”

There is something fascinating about this passage, not simply because of the intensity of the sparring, but because it provides a glimpse into the culture and expectations of the Higaonna Dojo.

Those of us who know Yonesato Sensei today know the other side of that formidable exterior: his humility, kindness, humor, and generosity. That combination is what makes him a special person to know: a very tough karateka, but an exceptionally kind human being.

Redemption: A Street Fighter’s Path to Peace is well worth reading, especially for anyone interested in the history, people, and training culture surrounding the Higaonna Dojo.

https://ymaa.com/publishing/book/redemption-street-fighters-path-peace

24/07/2026

A few weeks ago, I asked Uehara Sensei if he would be willing to share any karate photographs he might have. Given that he is truly a walking encyclopedia of all things Goju-ryu, I knew there was a good chance he had preserved some remarkable pieces of history.

The very next day, he arrived with a few photo albums documenting his amazing karate journey of over 60+ years. Needless to say, they were filled with incredible treasures: photographs of first-generation students of Miyagi Chojun, a striking black-and-white image of Uehara Sensei and his brother, Uehara Ko, practicing kakie, training photos from the Jundokan, images of many well-known Goju-ryu practitioners from various ryuha in their prime, and even a potentially historic photograph that is currently being researched.

Among some of the most meaningful to me were his photographs with Miyagi An’ichi Sensei, including the one shared in this post. During training, Uehara Sensei frequently draws upon Miyagi An’ichi Sensei’s teachings through stories, kata, and characteristically demanding applications. He often speaks with great fondness about the one-on-one instruction he received, where lessons were communicated in the Okinawan language allowing for a deeper transmission of knowledge and understanding.

I feel incredibly fortunate that Uehara Sensei provided the opportunity to view these remarkable photographs as they are a priceless visual record of our ryuha’s history and a reminder of the generations who preserved and passed on this tradition.

18/07/2026

Great to catch up with my friend and karate brother Yannick Schultze who is visiting Okinawa from Germany.

Yannick is a prolific researcher whose work has provided valuable insights to the karate community. Tonight, we had an engaging discussion about a topic that could be of significant historical interest to Goju-ryu practitioners.

Stay tuned…

05/07/2026

For many karateka, one person leaves a lasting mark on their path. For me, that person was my mother’s older brother.

Although this week marks another anniversary of his passing, I still think of him after nearly every training session. During my high school years, I often visited his home beside Yogi Park in Naha. He would demonstrate Goju Ryu karate, talk about and demonstrate strength conditioning exercises, share stories of old Okinawa, and fill the room with his deep pride for his homeland. Through his stories, music, cultural gifts, and example, he showed me that karate was never just about technique; it was inseparable from Okinawan history, culture, and identity.

As a teenager, I admired him, but I didn’t fully understand what he was trying to teach me. It wasn’t until years later that I truly appreciated the depth of the Goju Ryu he loved so deeply. Only then did I realize he had been teaching me far more than karate.

The older I get, the harder I train. Perhaps that’s my way of honoring his memory. More importantly, I hope to carry forward the lesson he gave me: that karate is not only about strength or skill, but about humility, gratitude, and honoring the traditions that shaped it.

Thank you, Uncle. Your lessons continue to guide me every day.

30/06/2026

Conditioning and partner work have long been pillars of training at Honbu Dojo. Through conditioning drills such as kotekitae (forearm conditioning) and ashikitae (leg conditioning), karateka develop not only strong bodies, but also correct body mechanics, breathing, timing, perseverance, humility, and an indomitable spirit.

An important aspect of this training is the trust placed in the Honbu shihan, shidoin, and senpai. Conditioning is never a one-size-fits-all approach. It is carefully adapted to each student’s age, experience, physical condition, and stage of development. The goal is not simply to endure impact, but to build the body and spirit over time through proper, progressive training.

This video shows Martin Osborn Sensei working with Jaume, a young and dedicated student from Spain who now lives and trains in Okinawa. Over the past seven months, Martin Sensei has patiently guided Jaume’s conditioning, and the results are clearly evident in both his physical development and resilience. His progress reflects what many would recognize as Honbu’s approach to training, where patient, consistent effort and the trust between teacher, senior, and student lay the foundation for lasting growth.

Thank you to Davide Incarbone Sensei of Italy for the video.

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Tsuboya
Naha-shi, Okinawa

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