Karate Politics?

kcconnor · White Belt

Does anyone have any insight into the plight of Shotokan Karate politics over the last 20 years?

I started training back in 1990 under Shotokan, a traditional Japanese Karate school. I was 12 years old when I started. My parents moved when I was 15 (obviously I moved too) and I shifted to a slightly different school... an Okinawan one known as Shudokan. Still descended from one of the original Okinawan masters, Itosu. Same techniques, same and similar kata, just different focus on the order of learning and different politics.

Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan ("Shoto" was his pen name when writing poetry) was always a very politically astute man.

I got my Shodan (1st degree black belt) in 1995. I lived and breathed Karate. I was in the dojo perhaps 30-35 hours a week, either training or as an assistant instructor. I competed in tournaments and did very well... I was one of the dojo-rats that was one of the ones to beat just about anywhere.

When I was done with high school and went to college, I was lucky enough to have 4 other classmates my freshman year that were all passionate and skilled martial artists. Judo, Ju-jutsu, Tae Kwon Do, Shao Lin Kung Fu... we all saw eye to eye and approached the student union about starting a martial arts club on campus.

For four years the 5 of us ran our own little micro-dojos. The group fell apart when we all graduated... evidently it was extremely odd to have that many senior martial artists in a freshman class, and no more came to replace us. Such is life.

When I graduated, I moved to Texas initially. I found yet another Karate school to train in there... but I couldn't find Shotokan or Shudokan. Instead, I found Shitoryu. Still Okinawan and traditional, same techniques and same or similar kata. Life was good, but I moved to Arizona after a few months.

In AZ, I briefly found a Shotokan school but I couldn't afford it as my budget was quite small as a school district IT lackey. A few years went by, I got a decent job in the private sector that paid well. I moved to a different part of town and found an Eishinryu school. Okinawan and traditional, same techniques and same or similar kata. After about 3 months I had a tragedy at work that sucked about 100 hours a week for a couple months and karate had to stop.

A couple months ago I started training again. I moved yet again, I have a new job that isn't likely to sideswipe me with drama, and the finances are good. Found a new Shotokan school. I've been training for 3 months now.

I'm frustrated. I'm really angry tonight.

Our dojo was invited to do a demonstration for the Matsuri festival. I participated in the demonstration with several other students. Afterwards, we adults all went off to the beer garden to shoot the breeze and relax.

I met some other shotokan people in Arizona there, one of which was a 6th degree black belt who had been training for over 30 years. There's a training camp coming up with a visiting instructor from Japan (Master Yaguchi), and I asked if he would be attending. He said he would be kicked out of his organization for attending. But, my dojo is shotokan and has been expressly invited to this training camp.

This shocked me... Shotokan is Shotokan, to me. I respect all the other karate varieties I've ever seen in my studies: Shotokan, Shudokan, Shitoryu, Eishinryu... they are all inherently Okinawan and descend from either Naha or Shuri on that little group of islands. Frankly, it's a pretty inbred little culture and any attempt to divorce one form of karate from another is a function of Taisho period politics and/or SCAP occupation policies towards Japan's warrior traditions in the 1950's. When I was in the more "heterogenous" environment in Washington, mixed with shudokan/shitoryu and many other karate factions, we all went to each others' training camps and tournaments. No big deal, everyone learned and got along.

I didn't get argumentative, but I did try to poke for more information on this. It was absolutely not forthcoming... and I got a lot of "just because." I don't care for that answer, because I have made in depth studies into martial arts history in Japan during Meiji/Taisho/Showa and SCAP. I know the drama involved with that time period, and it doesn't involve anything going on here. I'm a student of Japanese History (my BA) and a martial artist of 16 years... karate will be something I do for the rest of my life. There's something going on inside of Shotokan that no one will tell me about.

It all seems to focus around rank tests and acknowledgement of being part of an organization. This concerns me because someday, 20 years from now or so, I'd really like to open my own school. They say the best way to turn a large fortune into a small fortune is to open a karate school, but I love the art and the practitioners.

(Extremely) long story made short, I riled up this 6th degree black belt with my questions. He was several beers into the wind and I was carrying 3 myself, but mid-question he just cut me off and said "I don't have to answer questions like this from someone of your rank" and stormed off.

I keep playing it back in my head and I just don't see anything I did wrong.

But, there is some sort of political wind at work here, and it has the potential to affect me if I stay aligned with the Shotokan folks. I've angered somebody that is likely to be present for my further rank exams, even though he isn't in my dojo or affiliated with my dojo... I'm still trying to disect exactly how he relates to my school and is called shotokan but would be politically penalized for showing up for Yaguchi's training camp.

I'm thinking of looking for something not-Shotokan at this point. I think Funakoshi inherently screwed up giving karate to the Japanese. Should have left it in Okinawa. The other smaller schools aren't nearly as political or baby-ish with political intrigue, it seems.

So, that's my rant and my life story with regards to karate. Turned very long winded, but I'm frustrated today. Thanks for reading if you happened to make it to the end.

bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

That's quite a story. Who knows what the guy's issue was with the upcoming camp. Perhaps he is doing Shotokan with some kind of off-shoot organization, or someone who isn't affiliated at all? Its hard to tell.

Perhaps cooler heads, and a more sobering environment, would help to answer the questions better.
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The BB of C · Black Belt

Martial arts politics disgust me.
I would suggest going to the training camp just by yourself.
Keep poking around and try to get to the bottom of it. Don't reveal your rank unless you have to.

tallgeese · Black Belt

Well, I don't know anything about shoto organizations, but to me it sounds like the dude just has personality issues and booze in his system. A winning combination.

I don't think that I'd even worry about finding the root of the problem, just because it sounds like his problem.

Shizentai · Green Belt

kcconnor, believe me, I know where you're coming from. First off, I think you may be a little confused:

1. If the Yaguchi sensei I think you're talking about is the Yaguchi sensei I know of, then yes, he was born in Japan, but he's been teaching in the US for several decades.

2. What the 6dan may have been talking about is the recent (2007) split between the ISKF and JKA. The way it used to be was that ISKF or the International Shotokan Karate Federation was under the Japan Karate Association (JKA), and worked as an overseas division taught by many of the JKA's first graduates of (and co-founders of) the instructor training program. Those ISKF regional directors, who came over in the 50-60's were: Okazaki, Yaguchi, Mikami, Takashina, and Koyama. In 2007 Okazaki and Yaguchi felt as though remaining under JKA while overseas was not in their dojo's best interest. However, Mikami, Takashina and Koyama all chose to remain under the JKA and thus split from the ISKF.

To make a short story short... yes, politics are annoying. I bet the reason he reacted so strongly to questions was because these happenings are very recent and there is much speculation on the motivations of both sides, especially by individuals other than the 5 sensei themselves. That 6th degree probably just wanted to stay neutral on the matter. I can respect that.

Personally, I believe all of the sensei to be great men. So I hope I've sufficiently conveyed this in a non-biased manner.

white owl · Black Belt

sensei8 · KF Sensei

Tiger1962 · Black Belt

Ditto that. I hate politics. It's why some schools go under and/or lose members.
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isshinryu5toforever · Black Belt

I don't like politics either, but it would seem that their a necessary evil. For the sake of tournaments and recognized promotions at least.

I grew up doing Isshinryu Karate with an independent instructor. He's still my master instructor (and I'm his highest ranking student), but both of us are starting to realize that to have our ranks truly recognized, we may have to give in and join an association. There are so many Isshinryu associations, it's enough to drive someone crazy. They all have their own reasons, and they all claim to be more right, but that's what associations do. Unless you're going to be a big cheese some day (not necessarily by choice either), don't worry about it.

Is there anyone here doesn't belong to an association? That'd be interesting to see.
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tallgeese · Black Belt

I'm not in any recognized organization. It's a pretty liberating deal. There are down sides, for instance, you can't bulk produce certificates and getting seminars togeter is a pain. But it's a pretty good deal.

I'm not out of Shotokan or Isshen, but I can say that it's worked out fine for me.

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