Jska 5th World Karate Championship

 

Jska Portugal

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The Sensei

  Guichin Funakoshi
  Mazatoshi Nakayama
  Abe keigo
  Vilaça Pinto

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INTRODUCTION

Mazatoshi Nakayama was born in 1913. His family for many generations was “kenjutsu” instructors, samurai in the service of the Sanada clan. His grandfather was the last of the clan to teach the sword as his father enlisted in the army as a surgeon and achieved the rank of colonel. His father was sent to Taiwan with the imperial Army, so Mazatoshi’s early days, until he went to grammar school, were spent in Taipei. As was natural for the son of a samurai, he studied Ken-Do in his youth until he entered Takushoku University. His father had intended him to study medicine and became a surgeon like him. After graduation from junior high school he prepared for his university entrance exams at Himeji University in Hyogo Prefecture, which specialized in the medicine. While he was preparing for his exam, the “Manchurian Incident” occurred. This stimulated his childhood dream of visiting China, so against his father’s wishes he secretly took and passed the entrance examination for Takushoku University, which specialized in the teaching of people for overseas work.

 

INITIATION TO KARATE

On arrival at Takushoku in 1931, he intended to continue with Ken-Do, and checked to find out wend the Ken-Do class was held. He misread the timetable, and when he got to the Dojo there was a group of students in white uniforms practicing some strange, dance-like exercise.

- I became interested in the movements and I stayed around for some time observing and asking questions. One of the older students, half-jokingly, asked me why I didn’t try the movements. It looked so simple, and I accepted his challenge and I stepped onto the floor to try my first “waza”. I soon learned that it was not as simple as it looked. I have never lost the sense of challenge inherent in trying to master the techniques. To these days also I have never found out when the Ken-Do classes were.

Master Funakoshi conducted the training sessions. They were very strict and rigid. - We would perform each technique hundreds of times. When he taught us a kata we would repeat it 50 or 60 times. This was always following by intensive practice on the makiwara. We would punch till our Knuckles were bloody. Master Funakoshi would join us at the makiwara and Nakayama recalls his astonishment at seeing him dealing it a thousand blows with his elbow. Nakayama sensei quickly became deeply involved with sensei Funakoshi’s attitude and ethics toward Karate. He recalls that Funakoshi sensei maintained a very strict discipline, both inside and outside the Dojo. In training, he would deliver swift kick or blow to those who did not maintain a correct bearing. He also recalls that even outside the Dojo, he was a hard taskmaster. - He would quick tip up a bowl of rice into the face of any deshi (disciple) who handled it in such a way as to weaken his defense. At other times, without injuring the user, he would also show how an adversary could jam improperly handled chopsticks down one’s throat even as the user ate with them. Funakoshi sensei never failed to maintain his own vigilance. Even while walking outdoors, he would never turn a corner close to a wall but would make a wide circuit to avoid being surprised. These attitudes made a deep impression on the young student, and he himself practiced and integrated these principles into his lifetime study of Karate.
At Taikushoko University he majored a Chinese History and Mandarin (Chinese language). In his sophomore year he planned a trip to China. An incident that had occurred in his freshman year at the University had reinforced this intention. He had gone in to the country for a picnic with some friends. Some ruffians then started giving them trouble and taunting the students, so Nakayama quickly showed them the power of Karate kicks and punches. In no time he had routed the men. He was very proud of his abilities to defend himself and his friends. When Funakoshi sensei heard about this he was furious. He told him that his action was that of an immature child and that - true courage lies in self-restraint and self-discipline. It took more courage - he said - to walk away than to just start punching and kicking everybody in site. These words had a profound effect on Nakayama and he became all the more determined to make his trip to China in search of spiritual maturity.