Article

The Road to Karate – A Budoka’s Way To Live
By Hiroshi Shoji. Shihan of the Japan Karate Association.

Part 19 - Exchange Training

...all the kicks and punches were not to connect with the opponent. However, we usually ended up connecting with our attacks on each other.

During our student times there were no competition systems like today. We had exchange training with another university in the form of raw training, which was normally a competition between different styles. In the raw training, it was agreed in principle that all the kicks and punches were not to connect with the opponent. However, we usually ended up connecting with our attacks on each other. As our regularly and hard trained bodies were strong enough to withstand unfocused punches and kicks, accidents did not occur as often as laymen would think.

As the day of exchange training drew closer, a die-hard atmosphere started to build up among all the Karate club members and our training became much harder resembling real fighting. Besides, for a few days before exchange training, we were forced to drink Mamushi powder (snake powder) which was purchased with the money from the club till which was not rich. It excited us like dogs for dog fighting. Our eyes were glaring and we were like fighting dogs ready to charge in as soon as unleashed.

Between us, there did not exist such a thing as Budo. There existed only an instinct for fighting.

The counterpart members were a group of tough fighters from a university that was regarded as the archrival of Takushoku University known for hard training. They were also ready with similar glaring eyes. Between us, there did not exist such a thing as Budo. There existed only an instinct for fighting. Therefore, it was not Karate or not even smart street fighting. Our hands and legs slashed the air without catching the target and all the blood rushed into our heads, making us more excited. It was like an action drama. As we were in such a state, connections, whether made by us or by our opponent would not cause any serious outcome. All we got was nose bleeds or in the worst case the loss of a tooth.

Although our exchange training was like a close fight in a war, once it was over, one common thing among us was that we were all students. We had drinks together of Shochu mixed with sour plums prepared in a bucket and talked all night through. As we were seeking the same path, we praised each other for our fighting. It was a pleasant gathering.

The first Karate match based on a non-contact rule was exhibited to the public in 1954.

We made progress in our Karate, repeating such exchange training a few times a year. We developed the raw training where attacks were connected into a competition system like a sport. The first Karate match based on a non-contact rule was exhibited to the public in 1954. At that time I was working for a transport company and at the same time I was teaching Karate at the Karate Club of T University in Sendai. The Karate Club of Takushoku University held the summer Gasshuku in that year in Matsushima. Many OB (old boys of the club) came to the Gasshuku. I also joined it. Systemisation of Jiyu Kumite or free sparring in a competition was raised among us. As there was a plan for a demonstration by the Karate Club at the end of the Gasshuku for the purpose of introducing Karate to Sendai, we made up competition rules hurriedly for that occasion. They were divided into two groups, the red side and the white side and we held competitions in Jiyu Kumite between the two sides. This was the first step towards the establishment of Karate competition. This was the first occasion of an exhibited Karate competition by the Japan Karate Association. The competition between the red and the white sides held at the newly built Sendai Leisure Centre captured the minds of all the spectators. The roar of the crowds showed the necessity of competition systems for Karate.

Up until that moment, as the exhibition of Karate-do was always in the form of a demonstration because of the belief that fighting in Karate would lead to death, it was rather uninspiring. Karate was established for the first time as an event for spectators.

..the competition held in Sendai proved that Karate competitions could be organised.

Karate was already accomplished in terms of its martial art aspects as self-defence, in terms of its mental aspects as “Do” (pronounced as Doh) or “Path” or in terms of its physical aspects as almost every university in Japan had a Karate Club. However Karate was underdeveloped as a sport. But, the competition held in Sendai proved that Karate competitions could be organised.

Encouraged by this, the Japan Karate Association started its national championships in 1957. Kata competition was also implemented at the same time. It was easy to distinguish the winner from the loser in Jiyu Kumite or free sparring, but it was hard for the spectators to tell the winner from the loser in a Kata competition. Therefore, we made it easier for everybody to understand the results of Kata competitions by adopting a similar format as a gymnastic competition where the winner would be decided by a flag system or a point system.

Let me explain the main points of the competition rules. In a Kumite or free sparring competition, the one who scores an accurate and effective point first within a prescribed time (two or three minutes) will be the winner. A winner can be decided by the decisions of the judges. Rules were also established to disallow ten acts such as connecting an attacking technique to the opponent as the attacker’s own responsibility. If the competitor violates or is about to violate any of them, this would constitute a foul and the competitor would be warned or disqualified by the main judge.

In a Kata competition under a red and white flag system, two competitors, one on the red side and the other on the white side, perform the same Kata designated by the main judge at the same time. Judges will mark their performance in accordance with the judging standards and decide the winner.

The three elements are contrast in power (strong and weak), contrast in speed (fast and slow) and use of body (expansion and contraction).

In a Kata competition under a point system, a competitor performs a Kata of his/her own choice, which the main judge and six judges will mark. The total point will be calculated by excluding the highest and the lowest points. In a Kata competition, the important judging criteria are not only how well a Kata is performed, but also whether or not three elements of Kata exist in the performed Kata. The three elements are contrast in power (strong and weak), contrast in speed (fast and slow) and use of body (expansion and contraction). As Karate is accomplished as a martial art, also critical is whether a destructive power and strong fighting spirit as well as the correct attitude and self-control are exhibited in a Kata. Also the use of eyes influences judging points. As Kata is fighting, even a small mistake will lead to a deduction in points and doing the Kata all over again is not allowed.

Kata has its performance line (embusen). If it is performed correctly, the performer should be able to come back to the same starting place. If the performer does not come back to the starting place, it indicates that wrong body shifts and incorrect stances have been made during the Kata. If this occurs, a point will be deducted.

They watched every movement of the competitors, holding their breaths. This was the proof that Kata competition could exist as a proper competition.

The first All Japan Karate-do Championships were held for both Kumite (non-contact) and Kata in accordance with those rules in October 1957 under the auspices of the Japan Karate Association. Under the eyes of 8000 spectators I competed in the Kata division as a representative of the Kanto Region. “S”, my colleague from the same year at Takushoku University also competed in the Kata division as a representative of Tokyo. We fought each other in the final. As a favourite Kata, I performed Kanku Sho whilst “S” performed Hangetsu. The scores were 40 to 35 to my advantage and I was the winner. Although this was the first Kata competition, it was more popular with the spectators than the Kumite competition. They watched every movement of the competitors, holding their breaths. This was the proof that Kata competition could exist as a proper competition. The fact that spectators can enjoy a Kata competition suggests that people recognise the sporting aspects of Karate. This will help to increase the Karate population.

I was told the other day in the U.S. that a sport was an activity that you would do yourself for pleasure and a pro sport is an activity that you would watch for pleasure, because you would not be able to do it yourself. I was further told that Americans did not have a similar concept to the Japanese “Do” or would not watch an amateur sport for fun. This was the rationale of the Americans, I was told. But, today, real Karate has been well established in the U.S.

The concept of Karate common among the public is that it is a mysterious thing, which breaks roof tiles and boards, which in turn attracts people. There is a possibility for Karate to be misunderstood such as it is a knife in a crazy person’s hand. In order to prevent or correct such a misunderstanding, it is essential to emphasise to a certain degree the sporting aspects of Karate to the public.

Whether Karate competition is to be a match of Budo or a sport will lead to the difference between life and death, which is not allowed to happen. Therefore, the rule of non-contact is essential for a Karate competition.

It is deplorable that as competition becomes popular, people learn only how to score points.

The raw training that we underwent in our youth where we actually connected with attacks on each other no longer exists in today’s training. It is deplorable that as competition becomes popular, people learn only how to score points. It is fine to learn how to score points if a punch, for example, is executed