Chapel Hill Shotokan Karate

01/21/2020

"Each one of us starts Karate with some particular reason: to be a good fighter, to keep in good shape, to protect oneself. I wanted to become very strong myself when I first began. But Karate training soon teaches that real strength is facing oneself strictly, with severe eyes. This is the first condition of martial arts training. Therefore, all karateka must be strong inwardly, but quite gentle to others. As we train together, each contributing to a good atmosphere, let's try to bring out that serious strong mentality from deep inside." - sensei Tsutomu Ohshima

12/06/2019

Saying Thanks December 6, 2019 Classes over the Thanksgiving week are often small, as dojo members – in the tradition of the holiday – travel to or host family gatherings. Nonetheless, this year on the eve of Thanksgiving 13 members, from our youngest to our oldest, white belts outnumbering bl...

11/18/2019

https://chapelhill.ska.org/2019/11/2019-carolina-beach-practice/

Inaugural Carolina Beach Practice November 18, 2019 Several weeks ago the inaugural Carolina Beach Practice took place in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, near where the Coastal Carolina University dojo is located. Nine members of the Chapel Hill dojo participated. Below is an experience report from on...

11/17/2019

„During the 1950s, when we finished practice, I cleaned up the dojo myself.’ Everyone was watching, but I never asked them to do it. Some of the American students said, “Hey Mr. Ohshima, you like cleaning, eh?” I said, “Yes.” I didn’t ask them and just kept cleaning. I said, “We had a habit of cleaning, because it means I appreciate the place that gave me a chance to practice.
Polishing the floor is cleaning my own mind. That’s what I learned and I thought someday these guys will understand. After a few months, the American students know they should, but they don’t want to work. But they started to follow me. After one or two years, everyone wanted to clean. After finishing practice, the black belts rush to clean and the white belts are watching and white belts start to think, “The black belts are doing it, so I’d better.”
It’s not “Hey you white belts, go clean!” We don’t have slaves in this country. The top guy has to work harder. That’s why other people will respect and follow him.“ - Sensei Tsutomu Ohshima, anecdote from the interview posted on www.shotokai.com page