While we've had some interest in the 2012 Internship starting in April, no one qualified has yet to step forward. Therefore, we'll extend the application deadline to January 31, 2012!
Some questions I have received recently;
1. Is Tokyo safe? (some worries over the Fukushima reactor problem slowly being fixed).
Yes, it's safe, life is carrying on, monitoring by the government and non-government agencies at all levels happens everyday and the 'fear of the unknown' has subsided quite a bit.
It's good to look at the other programs accepting foreigners, like the universities, as they all saw a drop right after the triple March 11 disaster, but by September, most foreign student levels were back to normal in Tokyo. At my university which is extremely popular with foreign university students, hundreds of students from around the world are on campus.
While there is quite a bit of good/so-so/bad/incorrect news floating around, the Fukushima problem is getting closer to being resolved.
I must say this is a very good time to be in Japan because the triple disaster has finally awoken Japanese people to be much more proactive in politics and social issues, to the point civil society (charities, non-profits, volunteer groups) for all kinds of issues have starting popping up.
2. Is airfare included?
No, it's not included, but if the selected applicant has the right karate background, they can earn extra money assisting some of the karate classes and at the end of the year receive a substantial payment from the dojo that will most likely equal their return airfare.
3. Can I do other things not karate related?
Sure! We expect the intern to act as a professional taking care of the English classes and to attend the required karate lessons/events etc, but other than that, the intern can do whatever they want.
Again, for those interested, please read over the application information and send us an application by email.
Thank you,
Richard
Showing posts with label Internship Applications. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Internship Applications. Show all posts
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
UPDATE! Working holiday visa & high school diploma ok for internship
Richard here,
UPDATE: Application deadline extended to January 31, 2012!
Internship application update.
1) Working holiday visa only ok
2) High school diploma or equivalent ok, no college/university degree needed
3) Dates are slightly changed to April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013
The dojo informs me that they will accept a new intern from next April 2012 on only a 'working holiday visa' & the intern also only needs a high school diploma, not a university degree.
This is very good news as it is much easier to acquire this visa from a Japanese embassy or consulate if you are from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland or Hong Kong, aka 'the English-speaking' countries in the program.
(As an aside just to head off all the questions I know I will get like previous years as to why Americans are not allowed to participate, it was explained to me that while Japan would be ok with the US joining, there is no political interest in the US for making the program reciprocal to Japanese, hence the two countries have not made an agreement.)
Official information for each country can be found here on the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
Working holiday visa applications are received by the selected applicant directly going to their local Japanese embassy or consulate within 3 months of planning to arrive in Japan.
The dojo is not involved in visa applications.
A 'working visa' is different from a 'working holiday visa' in that the work visa applicant needs a university degree and they must be sponsored by the host company in Japan.
The purpose of the working holiday visa is for the applicant to focus on cultural activities and travel in Japan, with working part-time being a secondary purpose. This matches the internship perfectly.
If an applicant is from a country not in the working holiday visa program, they will have to prove they either already have an acceptable visa or they can get a visa on their own as the dojo can not sponsor any visas this time.
Internship applications will be accepted until November 30th.
UPDATE: Application deadline extended to January 31, 2012!
For all the details about applying, click here!
Richard
UPDATE: Application deadline extended to January 31, 2012!
Internship application update.
1) Working holiday visa only ok
2) High school diploma or equivalent ok, no college/university degree needed
3) Dates are slightly changed to April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013
The dojo informs me that they will accept a new intern from next April 2012 on only a 'working holiday visa' & the intern also only needs a high school diploma, not a university degree.
This is very good news as it is much easier to acquire this visa from a Japanese embassy or consulate if you are from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland or Hong Kong, aka 'the English-speaking' countries in the program.
(As an aside just to head off all the questions I know I will get like previous years as to why Americans are not allowed to participate, it was explained to me that while Japan would be ok with the US joining, there is no political interest in the US for making the program reciprocal to Japanese, hence the two countries have not made an agreement.)
Official information for each country can be found here on the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
Working holiday visa applications are received by the selected applicant directly going to their local Japanese embassy or consulate within 3 months of planning to arrive in Japan.
The dojo is not involved in visa applications.
A 'working visa' is different from a 'working holiday visa' in that the work visa applicant needs a university degree and they must be sponsored by the host company in Japan.
The purpose of the working holiday visa is for the applicant to focus on cultural activities and travel in Japan, with working part-time being a secondary purpose. This matches the internship perfectly.
If an applicant is from a country not in the working holiday visa program, they will have to prove they either already have an acceptable visa or they can get a visa on their own as the dojo can not sponsor any visas this time.
Internship applications will be accepted until November 30th.
UPDATE: Application deadline extended to January 31, 2012!
For all the details about applying, click here!
Richard
Saturday, October 1, 2011
2012 Intern application schedule! UPDATED!
Richard here,
UPDATED DEC 3/2011: Application deadline extended to January 31, 2012!
* The dojo will again accept new interns on only a 'working holiday visa' *.
See visa details below.
For those interested in applying for the 2012 Shiramizu Japan Karate Internship position, please read carefully the requirements below.
UPDATED Internship dates: April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013
The Shiramizu Japan Karate Internship was created in 2005 as an ideal way for a non-Japanese to visit Japan to learn karate and Japanese culture while earning subsistence money by working as a part-time English teacher.
The benefit to the intern is the supportive environment of a professional Japanese karate dojo teaching one the 4 main styles of Karate, Wado, which is recognized worldwide. Shiramizu is a member of the JKF Wadokai federation, one of the 6 mainstream karate groups in Japan.
By immersing into a busy schedule of weekly practices, seminars, training camps, tournaments, dojo parties and special events, the intern truly raises their martial arts ability and understanding to a high-level.
In addition to living the dream of learning karate in Japan, the intern earns enough money to to cover basic expenses by teaching English at kindergartens, private language schools, the dojo itself and sometimes through private lessons. For someone who loves teaching and interacting with mainly children, the position is ideal.
It is important for applicants to understand the core of the internship program is interacting in the karate world, while earning money is secondary once day to day costs are covered.
During their free time, interns are encouraged to learn Japanese at volunteer language classes, sight-see around Tokyo & Japan and try numerous cultural activities all while making new friends, some of whom will last a lifetime.
This intern blog has many years worth of posts describing the internship in detail so please look it over to better grasp how the internship works.
The main intern duties include;
- participate in karate lessons (most interns attend 3 to 5 practices a week aside from personal training)
- prepare lessons and then teach English classes (1 to 4 a day, Monday to Friday)
- update the intern blog once a week
-keep the Google Calendar account of intern related activities up-to-date
- represent the internship in a positive manner at all times
- help with Shiramizu foreign guests (normally 1 person or 1 group per month)
- attend events either as a competitor, participant or spectator on the official Shiramizu schedule (tournaments, seminars, summer camps, all depending on the intern's karate level and available free time)
While most interns to date have participated in this program because they wanted to become professional instructors upon returning to their home countries or they wanted to try to pass their shodan (1st degree black belt) in Japan, the internship is open to a wide range of people.
The 2 important factors that the selected intern must attempt in the internship;
a) Make the most of their time in Japan!
b) Improve the internship for the next person!
UPDATE on accommodation: While there was a small furnished one-room apartment near the dojo included which the previous interns paid the monthly rent and expenses using some of their part-time English teaching earnings, from April 2012 the accommodation location might be moved. For sure accommodation be it an apartment/shared apartment/dorm/home stay will be organized.
Depending on the month, earnings can range from 120,000-220,000yen, as it varies due to regular vacation times with about 160,000yen being a monthly standard amount.
If an intern is careful, total monthly expenses don't run over 100,000-120,000yen.
The dojo will accept a new intern from next April 2012 on only a working holiday visa!
This is very good news as it is much easier to acquire this visa from a Japanese embassy or consulate if you are from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland or Hong Kong 'the English-speaking countries in the program).
(As an aside just to head off all the questions I know I will get like previous years as to why Americans are not allowed to participate, it was explained to me that while Japan would be ok with the US joining, there is no political interest in the US for making the program reciprocal to Japanese, hence the two countries have not made an agreement.)
Official information for each country can be found here on the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website
*Applicants from countries outside the working holiday visa program will have to prove their already have or they can successfully acquire on their own a proper visa as the dojo can not sponsor a visa from 2012.
Candidate requirements
1. Age: 20-30
The working holiday visa program's age range is 18-30, but since the interns teach adults and children, and they interact in important adult events (meetings, dinners, etc) the dojo has the set the minimum participation age at 20 to match the Japanese legal adult age of 20 years old.
***UPDATED 2. A high school diploma completed in the English language required. Some university/college studies or degree in any field an asset, but not required.
3a. Experience working with children
3b. Experience teaching or tutoring English is an asset
4. Some experience with martial arts, preferably karate.
5. Positive, up-beat, take charge attitude (describe in cover letter)
6. No criminal record in any country - the selection committee reserves the right to potentially ask for a criminal record report if a concern arises
7. Ability to be in Japan for 52 weeks with no interruptions. April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013.
The required documents for the application are:
a) 1-page cover letter - describe yourself and why you would be a good candidate for this internship
b) 1-page resume - short list of only related information, including personal bio details
c) 2 references - list contact information and relationship to applicant
d) head/shoulders photograph (passport style, can be taken with own camera)
e) copy of high school diploma or copy of official transcript (scan or picture)
All documents can be sent as email attachments. Only small file sizes please.
Application Process:
1) October 1 to November 30: Applications are accepted.
UPDATE: Application deadline extended to January 31, 2012!
Email to: karateintern at gmail dot com
We thank all applicants who apply. Only those applicants short-listed will be replied to.
We do accept questions if anyone has them once they have clearly read this explanation page.
2) January 15-20: Skype interviews with the short-listed candidates.
3) January 20-25: Short-listed candidates ranked in order of acceptance and then this list is reviewed with Arakawa Sensei.
Final candidate and runner-up are selected and informed.
***The role of the runner-up is to have the option to become the intern if the first person selected is rejected by Japanese immigration when applying for their visa.
4) February to March: The selected candidate completes any local ESL weekend course (1 or 2 days) in their town prior to coming to Japan. Any inexpensive, short course is fine.
5) February: Selected applicant applies for the working holiday visa at the Japanese embassy or consulate in their home country as the application can be done within 3 months to arriving in Japan.
6) April 1: The selected intern arrives and is introduced to the dojo and the different English part-time teaching locations. The new intern receives an extensive explanation package on all the part-time lessons and begins teaching the English classes while going to karate practices.
April to March is the official Japanese school & university calendar, also followed by private English classes and the Shiramizu dojo classes so having the new intern start in April perfectly matches the 'back to school, meet the new teachers' atmosphere in Japan.
Again, there is much, much more information in this blog which interested applicants should read thoroughly.
If anyone has any questions, they can email us anytime.
karateintern at gmail dot com
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Intern #9 now selected: Congratulations to Erica Jones!
Richard here!
I'm pleased to announce that Erica Jones of the United States has been selected as our 9th intern, starting from April 1 for one year!
Erica is a recent university history graduate from Smith College who spent 6 months in Tokyo at Sophia University as an exchange student. She speaks some Japanese and she has experience teaching English to ESL children whose families have recently moved to the US.
Previous interns have mentioned to me several times that if the right applicant comes along who has no karate experience, it would be interesting to see a karate beginner go through the internship as they should get quite a bit out of it. With Erica's background in athletics and her overall outgoing and professional manner, the selection committee was impressed enough to select her as our first 'beginner test-subject', which she is willing to become.
Let me clarify though that we were not looking for a beginner specifically in this round. Every year we select the most positive, out-going person with a good background who does very well following the application instructions and performs well in the interviews. Being able to speak clearly, think logically, sound professional and be accepting of the many intern challenges normally shines through in the interview process, and in the reference checks.
Keep an eye on this blog as the current intern Pete will do a pre-arrival interview with Erica over the next week or so.
Congratulations Erica! Shiramizu is already buzzing with excitement that you'll be with us in just one month's time.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Internship applications closed for 2011
Thank you to the numerous people from several countries who applied to the internship for 2011. Far more people applied than we expected.
The deadline for applications was January 15 Japan time, therefore any applications received after this date will not be considered, in fairness to those who got their applications in on time.
The short-listed applicants only will be contacted by our office.
We look forward to announcing the selected applicant, and the runner-up, on January 25th.
The 2012 internship selection process will begin in the Fall of this year.
Richard,
Director
The deadline for applications was January 15 Japan time, therefore any applications received after this date will not be considered, in fairness to those who got their applications in on time.
The short-listed applicants only will be contacted by our office.
We look forward to announcing the selected applicant, and the runner-up, on January 25th.
The 2012 internship selection process will begin in the Fall of this year.
Richard,
Director
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Update on intern applications for 2011
Richard here,
I've been spending 2-3hrs almost every night for over a week reading applications and replying to people's questions, so to help those interested in the internship, I thought I would clarify a few things.
Questions I have been getting include;
Do we offer medical insurance?
No, this is an internship so the selected applicant buys personal travel insurance.
How much should someone budget for expenses like eating out?
Impossible to answer since everyone's spending habits are different, but an intern should be able to survive on 30,000yen a month by preparing most of their own meals.
Can they bring their cat with them?
No, pets are not allowed in the apartment and animal immigration can be very expense anyway in terms of quarantining and health checks at the airport.
Can an intern do other things in their free time?
Yes of course. We hope the interns experience as much of Japan as possible, as long as they keep up their internship commits, like not coming late to their part-time jobs unprepared, etc.
I'm very happy to reply to some of these emails. However, the emails I don't reply to are those with grammatical errors or simply unqualified applicants. The reason is simply that we need an intern with strong and proper English skills since they will be teaching English to many different levels of learners.
Finally, applicants should read the 3 application requirements over carefully. A cover letter exposing the great engineering skills an applicant has does not match the requirements. And all correspondence from the very first email is reviewed as part of each application because we want to choose an applicant who can write and present themselves properly.
Sending email messages that look like mobile phone truncated texts like to one's friends will immediately sink an application.
We do want people to apply and we've had all types of people in the internship. I just hope with these notes from me interested applicants can put a better application forward. I'm not going to give too many hints away as to how to make a great application because we want to see what someone can offer and we want to see how well someone is already prepared for the position.
Again, I will reply to regular questions so feel free to email me anytime.
Richard, Intern Director
I've been spending 2-3hrs almost every night for over a week reading applications and replying to people's questions, so to help those interested in the internship, I thought I would clarify a few things.
It seems 3 types of people are applying.
1. The person really wants truly to learn karate in Japan, and the fact there are some part time jobs attached is just a bonus.
2. The person really wants a job, and the fact there is the chance to learn karate is a bonus.
3. The person really wants someone to sponsor a visa for them, and the fact there is anything attached to this is a bonus.
Obviously, we want people in the first category to apply, but we would accept the second category of applicants if their desire to do karate is honestly strong.
People come to Japan to learn karate all the time, and those that stay for more than a few weeks have either saved their money prior to arriving so they can cover their expenses or they find some kind of part-time job, which normally interrupts their key training times and access to the dojo for personal practice.
For the internship, we simply organized a series of part-time jobs so the selected interns honestly keen on learning karate can make a little money on the side to pay for their expenses.
Questions I have been getting include;
Do we offer medical insurance?
No, this is an internship so the selected applicant buys personal travel insurance.
How much should someone budget for expenses like eating out?
Impossible to answer since everyone's spending habits are different, but an intern should be able to survive on 30,000yen a month by preparing most of their own meals.
Can they bring their cat with them?
No, pets are not allowed in the apartment and animal immigration can be very expense anyway in terms of quarantining and health checks at the airport.
Can an intern do other things in their free time?
Yes of course. We hope the interns experience as much of Japan as possible, as long as they keep up their internship commits, like not coming late to their part-time jobs unprepared, etc.
I'm very happy to reply to some of these emails. However, the emails I don't reply to are those with grammatical errors or simply unqualified applicants. The reason is simply that we need an intern with strong and proper English skills since they will be teaching English to many different levels of learners.
Finally, applicants should read the 3 application requirements over carefully. A cover letter exposing the great engineering skills an applicant has does not match the requirements. And all correspondence from the very first email is reviewed as part of each application because we want to choose an applicant who can write and present themselves properly.
Sending email messages that look like mobile phone truncated texts like to one's friends will immediately sink an application.
We do want people to apply and we've had all types of people in the internship. I just hope with these notes from me interested applicants can put a better application forward. I'm not going to give too many hints away as to how to make a great application because we want to see what someone can offer and we want to see how well someone is already prepared for the position.
Again, I will reply to regular questions so feel free to email me anytime.
Richard, Intern Director
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Internship application period extended until January 15, 2011
We are still looking for the right person for the next internship, starting April 1, 2011.
The application deadline has been extended until January 15, 2011.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Internship applications now being accepted for 2011!
Spread the news!
We are still accepting applications for our 9th intern at the Shiramizu Karate Club in Japan.
The application deadline for those wishing to be Intern #9 is January 15, 2011.
The 9th internship will run from April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012, with the possibility of an extension.
The intern teaches English at various locations to earn money while training at the dojo almost everyday. Each month they participate in tournaments, seminars and other events. In addition, they assist with foreign guests, contribute to the 'Intern Blog' and help out wherever possible in the dojo. Interns also study Japanese at community center language classes run by volunteers. Lastly, they are responsible for training the next intern over a two-week shadowing period at the end of their own internship.
Shiramizu is located in Sugito City, Saitama Prefecture, which is an hour north by train from central Tokyo. It is a full-time dojo with over 450 members run by the popular Takamasa Arakawa Sensei. Shiramizu is one of the most active karate dojos in Japan, and it has warmly accepted previous interns who have all had once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
There is a small furnished apartment for the intern near the dojo. The income earned from teaching English covers all basic living expenses. Interns are encouraged to use their free time to expand the list of English classes and private lessons while utilizing the dojo for personal training.
A few Shiramizu members meet the new intern at the airport (Narita or Haneda) upon their arrival to Japan and they'll also see them off at the airport at the end of their stay.
While the internship accepts applications from anyone regardless of karate experience or style, JKF Wadokai members will be given preference. In previous years, several non-Wadokai members have been selected.
We are looking for someone who exudes positive enthusiasm, who would like to get involved in as much as possible here and who is going to enhance the internship program further.
Final application procedure: While highly unlikely, due to the chance the selected applicant may be denied a visa for some unknown reason (i.e. inability to acquire a passport in time or criminal record in their home country), a runner-up for the internship will also be selected and informed of their runner-up status. The first selected applicant must apply for their visa just under the 3 month mark prior to coming to Japan, so that if they are denied, the runner-up can be informed with enough time to prepare to apply for a visa while getting their things in order to come to Japan.
This procedure makes it fair for everyone applying, while also keeping the internship going. This internship has many responsibilities, for example the various English teaching commitments, so it is important the internship program doesn't fail to keep these commitments going.
The 9th internship will run from April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012, with the possibility of an extension.
The intern teaches English at various locations to earn money while training at the dojo almost everyday. Each month they participate in tournaments, seminars and other events. In addition, they assist with foreign guests, contribute to the 'Intern Blog' and help out wherever possible in the dojo. Interns also study Japanese at community center language classes run by volunteers. Lastly, they are responsible for training the next intern over a two-week shadowing period at the end of their own internship.
Shiramizu is located in Sugito City, Saitama Prefecture, which is an hour north by train from central Tokyo. It is a full-time dojo with over 450 members run by the popular Takamasa Arakawa Sensei. Shiramizu is one of the most active karate dojos in Japan, and it has warmly accepted previous interns who have all had once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
There is a small furnished apartment for the intern near the dojo. The income earned from teaching English covers all basic living expenses. Interns are encouraged to use their free time to expand the list of English classes and private lessons while utilizing the dojo for personal training.
A few Shiramizu members meet the new intern at the airport (Narita or Haneda) upon their arrival to Japan and they'll also see them off at the airport at the end of their stay.
While the internship accepts applications from anyone regardless of karate experience or style, JKF Wadokai members will be given preference. In previous years, several non-Wadokai members have been selected.
We are looking for someone who exudes positive enthusiasm, who would like to get involved in as much as possible here and who is going to enhance the internship program further.
Upon completion of the internship, we are hoping to see the graduate continue to further their karate development upon returning to their home country, hopefully working towards being an instructor themselves.
All applicants should understand that if selected they must be able to commit to the full internship time period of 12 months, no exceptions.
Applicants must possess a native level English ability since the selected intern will work as a professional English teacher.
Minimum requirements:
Age: Between 20-30 years old (the legal adult age in Japan is 20yrs old therefore the internship is set from age 20).
Education: Minimum English-as-the-main-language high school graduate. An applicant with some post-secondary education of any type is preferred, while recent university/college graduates are ideal.
English language teacher training is an asset. If an applicant has none, then at least they should be willing to take a short (1-2 days) ESL/EFL instructor's course in their hometown at their own expense prior to coming to Japan.
Work experience: Experience working with children. Actual English teaching or tutoring and /or coaching sports experience is a bonus.
Karate experience: Any level of karate experience is ok. As mentioned previously, when two applications are similar, Wadokai members will be given preference.
Non-black belt holders should feel encouraged to apply because being a black belt holder is not a requirement.
If the selected applicant for the internship is from another karate style, they may of course feel free to attend another dojo of the same style in Japan, but they have to commit to going to the Shiramizu dojo to train twice a week to maintain the internship program's interaction with Shiramizu members.
There are about 6 main tournaments in the year the intern will be registered for through Shiramizu. Participating in tournaments and seminars is part of the internship experience.
Previously visited Japan: Due to Japan being quite different from other countries, it will be an asset for applicants who have visited or lived in Japan.
Visa: There are two options.
1) If the selected applicant is from a country in the working holiday program (English-speaking countries are Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland), then that visa will be used, the person has never had a working holiday visa before. The Shiramizu Director will guide the selected applicant through the application process which they apply for by themselves to their nearest Japanese embassy or consulate in their home country where their passport is issued.
2) If the selected applicant is not from a country in the working holiday program (for example, the USA or South Africa), or they have already had a working holiday visa, then Shiramizu will apply for a cultural visa (bunka katsudo visa) for the new intern and upon receiving a cultural visa letter of eligibility from Japanese immigration, the dojo will mail this document to the applicant to take to their nearest Japanese embassy or consulate. Then that embassy/consulate will make the final determination whether or not to issue the visa, and if everything is ok, it will be stamped into their passport prior to coming to Japan.
Both visas take a few days to weeks to process. Upon being stamped into the applicant's passport, the applicant needs to enter Japan within 3 months to activate the visa or it will expire.
All applicants should understand that if selected they must be able to commit to the full internship time period of 12 months, no exceptions.
Applicants must possess a native level English ability since the selected intern will work as a professional English teacher.
Minimum requirements:
Age: Between 20-30 years old (the legal adult age in Japan is 20yrs old therefore the internship is set from age 20).
Education: Minimum English-as-the-main-language high school graduate. An applicant with some post-secondary education of any type is preferred, while recent university/college graduates are ideal.
English language teacher training is an asset. If an applicant has none, then at least they should be willing to take a short (1-2 days) ESL/EFL instructor's course in their hometown at their own expense prior to coming to Japan.
Work experience: Experience working with children. Actual English teaching or tutoring and /or coaching sports experience is a bonus.
Karate experience: Any level of karate experience is ok. As mentioned previously, when two applications are similar, Wadokai members will be given preference.
Non-black belt holders should feel encouraged to apply because being a black belt holder is not a requirement.
If the selected applicant for the internship is from another karate style, they may of course feel free to attend another dojo of the same style in Japan, but they have to commit to going to the Shiramizu dojo to train twice a week to maintain the internship program's interaction with Shiramizu members.
There are about 6 main tournaments in the year the intern will be registered for through Shiramizu. Participating in tournaments and seminars is part of the internship experience.
Previously visited Japan: Due to Japan being quite different from other countries, it will be an asset for applicants who have visited or lived in Japan.
Visa: There are two options.
1) If the selected applicant is from a country in the working holiday program (English-speaking countries are Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland), then that visa will be used, the person has never had a working holiday visa before. The Shiramizu Director will guide the selected applicant through the application process which they apply for by themselves to their nearest Japanese embassy or consulate in their home country where their passport is issued.
2) If the selected applicant is not from a country in the working holiday program (for example, the USA or South Africa), or they have already had a working holiday visa, then Shiramizu will apply for a cultural visa (bunka katsudo visa) for the new intern and upon receiving a cultural visa letter of eligibility from Japanese immigration, the dojo will mail this document to the applicant to take to their nearest Japanese embassy or consulate. Then that embassy/consulate will make the final determination whether or not to issue the visa, and if everything is ok, it will be stamped into their passport prior to coming to Japan.
Both visas take a few days to weeks to process. Upon being stamped into the applicant's passport, the applicant needs to enter Japan within 3 months to activate the visa or it will expire.
Of course, applicants with legal status already in Japan may also apply.
Final application procedure: While highly unlikely, due to the chance the selected applicant may be denied a visa for some unknown reason (i.e. inability to acquire a passport in time or criminal record in their home country), a runner-up for the internship will also be selected and informed of their runner-up status. The first selected applicant must apply for their visa just under the 3 month mark prior to coming to Japan, so that if they are denied, the runner-up can be informed with enough time to prepare to apply for a visa while getting their things in order to come to Japan.
This procedure makes it fair for everyone applying, while also keeping the internship going. This internship has many responsibilities, for example the various English teaching commitments, so it is important the internship program doesn't fail to keep these commitments going.
Therefore, if you are seriously interested in this internship, please follow these instructions.
Please note that all correspondence with our office will be considered as part of the application
process. Also, should someone be selected as the runner-up or make the short-list, it is important
to understand that should this person apply again the year after, their application ranking will be
higher as determined by the selection committee.
We require;
1. A one-page cover letter. This cover letter must emphasize how you fit the requirements of
this position and what it will mean to you to become an intern.
2. A one-page resume. Please list educational achievements from high school onwards,
experience working with children, any teaching ESL certification, relevant skills for this
internship and any karate experience. Plus please include two references listed on the
bottom of the page including telephone and email contact information.
3. A ‘passport-style’ head and shoulders photograph. This is standard for all job applications
in Japan and it can simply be taken with one’s own personal digital camera. This
photograph will be used to announce the selected intern to the dojo and English schools.
Please only send small file size documents! For example, do not send any large picture files!
The use of proper English is reviewed for all aspects of this application!
APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 15, 2011
A short-list of selected applicants will be contacted for a telephone interview, or an in-person
interview for those in Japan. The selected intern and the runner-up will be announced prior to
January 25, 2011.
We look forward to hearing from interested applicants. The sooner people apply, the sooner interviews and reference checks can be done.
The selected applicant will receive a detailed handout prior to arriving in Japan explaining everything related to the internship.
Sincerely,
Richard, Internship Director
email: karateintern at gmail dot com
Sincerely,
Richard, Internship Director
email: karateintern at gmail dot com
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Applications for the Sixth intern from 2010 now being accepted!
Spread the news!
For our sixth year in a row, we are now ready to accept applications for the next intern at the Shiramizu Karate Club in Japan. The internship will run from June 1, 2010 to April 15, 2011, with the possibility of a short extension!
Shiramizu is located one hour from central Tokyo in Sugito City, Saitama Prefecture. It is a full-time dojo with over 450 members run by the popular Takamasa Arakawa Sensei. Shiramizu is one of the most active karate dojos in Japan, and it has warmly accepted previous interns who have all had once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
There is a small furnished apartment for the intern near the dojo. The income earned from teaching English covers all basic living expenses. Interns are encouraged in their free time to expand the list of English classes and private lessons for the program. Shiramizu members meet the new intern at Narita Airport and they also see them off there at the end of their stay.
The application deadline for those wishing to be Intern #6 is January 15, 2010, but applications received earlier will be given preference.
While the internship accepts applications from anyone regardless of karate experience or style, JKF Wadokai members will be given preference. In previous years, non-Wadokai members have been chosen.
The main determining factors we are looking for are someone who exudes positive enthusiasm and someone who would like to get involved in as much as possible here in Japan! Plus they must be able to commit to the full internship time period, no exceptions!
Teaching English conversation classes are included as part of the internship so that the intern can make enough money to cover living expenses. Applicants therefore must have a native-English speaker's level.
Minimum requirements:
Age: Between 20-30 years old (the legal adult age in Japan is 20yrs old therefore the internship is set from age 20).
Education: Minimum English-as-the-main-language high school graduate. An applicant with some post-secondary education of any type is preferred with recent university/college graduates being ideal.
English language teacher training is an asset. If an applicant has none, then at least they should be willing to take a short (1-2 days) ESL instructor's course prior to coming to Japan.
Work experience: Experience working with children in some way. Actual English teaching or tutoring experience is a bonus.
Karate experience: Any level of karate experience is ok. As mentioned previously, when two applications are similar, Wadokai members will be given preference.
If the chosen applicant is from another style, they may go to another dojo of the same style in Japan, but they have to commit to going to the Shiramizu dojo to train twice a week to maintain the internship program's interaction with Shiramizu members.
The intern does not have to compete in every available tournament, but they should make an effort to compete as much as possible. There are about 6 main tournaments a year the intern should register for through Shiramizu.
Previously visited Japan: Due to Japan being quite different from other countries, it will be an asset for applicants who have visited or lived in Japan.
Visa: There are two options.
1) If the chosen applicant is from a country in the working holiday program (English-speaking countries are Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland), then that visa will be used. The Shiramizu Director will guide the applicant through the process as the applicant applies by themselves to their nearest Japanese embassy or consulate.
2) If the chosen applicant is not from a country in the working holiday program (for example, the USA or South Africa), then Shiramizu will apply for a cultural visa (bunka katsudo visa) for the new intern and upon receiving a cultural visa letter of eligibility from Japanese immigration, the dojo will mail this document to the applicant to take to their nearest Japanese embassy or consulate. Then the embassy/consulate will make the final determination whether or not to issue the visa, and if everything is ok, it will be stamped into their passport prior to coming to Japan.
Both visas take a few days to process. Upon being stamped into the applicant's passport, the applicant needs to enter Japan within 3 months to activate it or it will expire.
Final application procedure: While highly unlikely, due to the chance the chosen applicant may be denied a visa for some unknown reason, a runner-up for the internship will also be picked. The original chosen applicant must apply for their visa just under the 3 month mark prior to coming to Japan, so that if they are denied, the runner-up can be informed with enough time to prepare to apply for a visa while getting their things in order to come to Japan.
This procedure makes it fair for everyone applying, while also keeping the internship going. There are many responsibilities this internship has, for example the various English teaching commitments, so it is important the internship program itself doesn't fail to keep these commitments going.
Anyone seriously interested in applying to be the next intern can email us a request for the application package which explains everything in detail.
We look forward to hearing from interested applicants soon! The sooner people apply, the sooner interviews and reference checks can be done as early applicants will receive preference.
Sincerely,
Richard, Internship Director
email: karateintern at gmail dot com
For our sixth year in a row, we are now ready to accept applications for the next intern at the Shiramizu Karate Club in Japan. The internship will run from June 1, 2010 to April 15, 2011, with the possibility of a short extension!
Shiramizu is located one hour from central Tokyo in Sugito City, Saitama Prefecture. It is a full-time dojo with over 450 members run by the popular Takamasa Arakawa Sensei. Shiramizu is one of the most active karate dojos in Japan, and it has warmly accepted previous interns who have all had once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
There is a small furnished apartment for the intern near the dojo. The income earned from teaching English covers all basic living expenses. Interns are encouraged in their free time to expand the list of English classes and private lessons for the program. Shiramizu members meet the new intern at Narita Airport and they also see them off there at the end of their stay.
The application deadline for those wishing to be Intern #6 is January 15, 2010, but applications received earlier will be given preference.
While the internship accepts applications from anyone regardless of karate experience or style, JKF Wadokai members will be given preference. In previous years, non-Wadokai members have been chosen.
The main determining factors we are looking for are someone who exudes positive enthusiasm and someone who would like to get involved in as much as possible here in Japan! Plus they must be able to commit to the full internship time period, no exceptions!
Teaching English conversation classes are included as part of the internship so that the intern can make enough money to cover living expenses. Applicants therefore must have a native-English speaker's level.
Minimum requirements:
Age: Between 20-30 years old (the legal adult age in Japan is 20yrs old therefore the internship is set from age 20).
Education: Minimum English-as-the-main-language high school graduate. An applicant with some post-secondary education of any type is preferred with recent university/college graduates being ideal.
English language teacher training is an asset. If an applicant has none, then at least they should be willing to take a short (1-2 days) ESL instructor's course prior to coming to Japan.
Work experience: Experience working with children in some way. Actual English teaching or tutoring experience is a bonus.
Karate experience: Any level of karate experience is ok. As mentioned previously, when two applications are similar, Wadokai members will be given preference.
If the chosen applicant is from another style, they may go to another dojo of the same style in Japan, but they have to commit to going to the Shiramizu dojo to train twice a week to maintain the internship program's interaction with Shiramizu members.
The intern does not have to compete in every available tournament, but they should make an effort to compete as much as possible. There are about 6 main tournaments a year the intern should register for through Shiramizu.
Previously visited Japan: Due to Japan being quite different from other countries, it will be an asset for applicants who have visited or lived in Japan.
Visa: There are two options.
1) If the chosen applicant is from a country in the working holiday program (English-speaking countries are Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland), then that visa will be used. The Shiramizu Director will guide the applicant through the process as the applicant applies by themselves to their nearest Japanese embassy or consulate.
2) If the chosen applicant is not from a country in the working holiday program (for example, the USA or South Africa), then Shiramizu will apply for a cultural visa (bunka katsudo visa) for the new intern and upon receiving a cultural visa letter of eligibility from Japanese immigration, the dojo will mail this document to the applicant to take to their nearest Japanese embassy or consulate. Then the embassy/consulate will make the final determination whether or not to issue the visa, and if everything is ok, it will be stamped into their passport prior to coming to Japan.
Both visas take a few days to process. Upon being stamped into the applicant's passport, the applicant needs to enter Japan within 3 months to activate it or it will expire.
Final application procedure: While highly unlikely, due to the chance the chosen applicant may be denied a visa for some unknown reason, a runner-up for the internship will also be picked. The original chosen applicant must apply for their visa just under the 3 month mark prior to coming to Japan, so that if they are denied, the runner-up can be informed with enough time to prepare to apply for a visa while getting their things in order to come to Japan.
This procedure makes it fair for everyone applying, while also keeping the internship going. There are many responsibilities this internship has, for example the various English teaching commitments, so it is important the internship program itself doesn't fail to keep these commitments going.
Anyone seriously interested in applying to be the next intern can email us a request for the application package which explains everything in detail.
We look forward to hearing from interested applicants soon! The sooner people apply, the sooner interviews and reference checks can be done as early applicants will receive preference.
Sincerely,
Richard, Internship Director
email: karateintern at gmail dot com
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Carl's 'half way' interview...
Amy here...
For a rather late 'half year' intern interview with Carl to see how things are going so far.
So Carl here are all your questions……………………….
Well Carl, why don’t you tell us all a bit about yourself….. because I know you will love that!
Are you trying to say that I’m an egomaniac?
Ok, my name is Carl Jorgeson, I’m 26 years old and I’m from the seaside town of Hartlepool on the north east coast of England. My day job is being a Line Manager for Tesco PLC a supermarket chain in the UK. I started my own dojo, Hartlepool Wadokai with my brother in 2003 and I’m now the club development officer. In my spare time I like sea kayaking, scuba diving and hiking.
I’m now one of the 08-09 Shiramizu Karate Interns.
When & where did you start Karate?
I started karate in 1988 at the tender age of 5! I was very eager to follow my big brother and my parents into a karate suit.
My first club was the Hartlepool Wado Ryu Karate club, but I didn’t train there very long. This was around the time that the Japanese Sensei in the UKKW (United Kingdom Karate-do Wadokai) split apart. My family decided to stick with Sensei Sakagami and were among the first students of Sensei Mick Stainsby’s Kihon do Karate club.
Why did you stay in Karate?
I’ve always loved Karate. I remember that even when I was in primary school, I was never into football like most of the other kids, though I would train in Karate almost every evening. My mother would probably call it fighting, but my brother and I would always practise Karate on each other. He’s two years older than me so when we were young, that always gave him the advantage but he stopped training for a while and when he came back I was more of a match for him. Now I would say that we have a very healthy rivalry in Karate that keeps us both motivated to push ourselves.
I got the competition bug shortly after getting my Shodan. I’ve had the honour of representing Sakagami Sensei and Wadokai England at a number of European Wadokai championships and bring home a few medals too.
Karate has always been a challenge for me, but it’s great to have something that you can throw yourself into wholeheartedly and get out what you put in. You get nowhere in Karate without blood, sweat and the occasional tears, which certainly helps keep my ego in check!
When did you start teaching Karate?
I started teaching in 2000 once I got my Shodan at the Kihon do Karate club. I was only helping out in the junior classes to start with, but it was enough to give me the teaching bug. When I moved to Jersey I taught a few of my friends a little bit and that gave me the confidence to start my own dojo.
When did you first think of coming to Japan?
I originally wanted to come to Japan when I left college in 2001; I took a ‘gap-year’ with every intention of coming to Japan then going to University. Instead I ended up accepting a management job for Woolworths at their Jersey branch in St. Helier. When I eventually went back to the UK mainland, my brother and I decided to set up our dojo. The dojo put my plans for Japan on hold until we got the club established.
What was your image of Japan before you first came here?
The home of Dragonball! Japan has always seemed to be exotic, for most martial artists it’s Mecca! I’d always thought of Japan as a mix of old and new, with everyone practising the martial arts. I’ve seen plenty of movies based in Japan all showing the usual stereotypes.
How do you find the internship program?
I think it’s a great idea. A great way of visiting Japan whilst training at a great dojo.
What were your first impressions of Japan?
Concrete everywhere and hot! I think I’ve probably seen too many Samurai movies, but I was expecting Sugito to be like an old fashioned Samurai village.
For a rather late 'half year' intern interview with Carl to see how things are going so far.
So Carl here are all your questions……………………….
Well Carl, why don’t you tell us all a bit about yourself….. because I know you will love that!
Are you trying to say that I’m an egomaniac?
Ok, my name is Carl Jorgeson, I’m 26 years old and I’m from the seaside town of Hartlepool on the north east coast of England. My day job is being a Line Manager for Tesco PLC a supermarket chain in the UK. I started my own dojo, Hartlepool Wadokai with my brother in 2003 and I’m now the club development officer. In my spare time I like sea kayaking, scuba diving and hiking.
I’m now one of the 08-09 Shiramizu Karate Interns.
When & where did you start Karate?
I started karate in 1988 at the tender age of 5! I was very eager to follow my big brother and my parents into a karate suit.
My first club was the Hartlepool Wado Ryu Karate club, but I didn’t train there very long. This was around the time that the Japanese Sensei in the UKKW (United Kingdom Karate-do Wadokai) split apart. My family decided to stick with Sensei Sakagami and were among the first students of Sensei Mick Stainsby’s Kihon do Karate club.
Why did you stay in Karate?
I’ve always loved Karate. I remember that even when I was in primary school, I was never into football like most of the other kids, though I would train in Karate almost every evening. My mother would probably call it fighting, but my brother and I would always practise Karate on each other. He’s two years older than me so when we were young, that always gave him the advantage but he stopped training for a while and when he came back I was more of a match for him. Now I would say that we have a very healthy rivalry in Karate that keeps us both motivated to push ourselves.
I got the competition bug shortly after getting my Shodan. I’ve had the honour of representing Sakagami Sensei and Wadokai England at a number of European Wadokai championships and bring home a few medals too.
Karate has always been a challenge for me, but it’s great to have something that you can throw yourself into wholeheartedly and get out what you put in. You get nowhere in Karate without blood, sweat and the occasional tears, which certainly helps keep my ego in check!
When did you start teaching Karate?
I started teaching in 2000 once I got my Shodan at the Kihon do Karate club. I was only helping out in the junior classes to start with, but it was enough to give me the teaching bug. When I moved to Jersey I taught a few of my friends a little bit and that gave me the confidence to start my own dojo.
When did you first think of coming to Japan?
I originally wanted to come to Japan when I left college in 2001; I took a ‘gap-year’ with every intention of coming to Japan then going to University. Instead I ended up accepting a management job for Woolworths at their Jersey branch in St. Helier. When I eventually went back to the UK mainland, my brother and I decided to set up our dojo. The dojo put my plans for Japan on hold until we got the club established.
What was your image of Japan before you first came here?
The home of Dragonball! Japan has always seemed to be exotic, for most martial artists it’s Mecca! I’d always thought of Japan as a mix of old and new, with everyone practising the martial arts. I’ve seen plenty of movies based in Japan all showing the usual stereotypes.
How do you find the internship program?
I think it’s a great idea. A great way of visiting Japan whilst training at a great dojo.
What were your first impressions of Japan?
Concrete everywhere and hot! I think I’ve probably seen too many Samurai movies, but I was expecting Sugito to be like an old fashioned Samurai village.
Any strange first non-karate experiences?
The first time I was packed onto a rush hour train was an experience I’ll never forget. I could have lifted both feet off the ground and not fallen!
What were your first impressions of Shiramizu and Arakawa Sensei?
The Shiramizu dojo has a great family feel to it, the standard of Karate is very high and the students are very focussed. Arakawa Sensei is a genuinely nice guy; he goes out of his way to help people and his positive personality is infectious.
What’s your relationship with Arakawa Sensei now?
I see Arakawa Sensei as my Sensei first and foremost, he has a fountain of knowledge and experience that he is more than willing to share. I would like to think that he sees me as one of his students, rather than simply being a foreign visitor to his dojo.
Outside of the dojo, I see Arakawa Sensei as a friend who has dropped everything on a number of occasions to help me or Amy out.
The internship is supposed to allow the intern the chance to really experience Japan and karate deeply. What have you found to be the most important for you while being the intern?
The funny thing, or maybe not so funny thing about Japan is the work ethic here. Before I came to Japan I had the idea that Japan was a very conscientious country.
I don’t claim to be a social expert, but what I’ve found is that people work too much to such a degree that it’s detrimental to the culture of the country and often the health of the individual.
High school kids catching a 6am train to school every day including the weekend, coupled with extra supplementary schools is a recipe for mental breakdown! White collar workers catching the first train to work and the last train home every day is not exactly conducive to a healthy home life.
It’s very easy to get ‘sucked into’ this culture, I’ve lost track of weeks where all I can remember doing is working and training. There has to be a balance so I force myself to try new things and do loads of sightseeing whenever I have free time.
How do you find the activities and atmosphere of the Shiramizu dojo?
Busy, there’s always something going on. The dojo has so many members that it’s often working towards a number of things that are happening over the same weekend.
The atmosphere at the dojo is inspiring; all the instructors are very motivated and clearly love teaching Karate as much as Arakawa Sensei does. This enthusiasm rubs off on everyone.
Do you notice a difference between who you are now and who you were when you first came to Japan?
I’ve always been fairly sure of whom I am, but I think that being here has shown me the career path that I will follow when I get home. I’ve lost some of my English reserve being in Japan, I’m certainly not as shy as I was, but I’m still a total ‘mummy’s boy’.
So how do you find the political side of karate?
I’ll keep it brief. I’ve found that being responsible for a dojo means that you have to get your hands dirty in the politics of Karate to some extent.
Karate in England is something of a political quagmire and people outside of England just don’t seem to understand it! It’s only natural that the ‘mistakes’ of the governing body will be reflected in the smaller member associations.
A lot of the ‘old-boys’ have been doing Karate since the 50’s and 60’s so there is a wealth of technical knowledge. The problem is that not everyone has the necessary skills to ‘steer the ship’ so to speak, though everyone wants to try anyway! I do think the English Karate Federation (EKF) is making great progress and is the right way forward in England.
I think the Wadokai would benefit from having some sort of international oversight to coordinate international relations and events better. This would certainly stop things like the date clash from last year where the JKF-Wadokai Nationals were held over the same weekend as the JKF-Wadokai World Championships on different continents!
What other dojo have you been to in Japan?
I’ve trained at Saitama Sakai High School a couple of times, the kids there are all great fighters. I had the privilege of training at Yanagawa Sensei’s dojo in Ogikubo. Yanagawa Sensei has his own ideas of what Karate is and his teachings and ideas are very interesting. I’ve also been to the Guseikai dojo headed by Takagi Sensei who is thought by many to be the greatest technician in the Wadokai.
How has karate changed over the years from your perspective?
I think it’s almost all sport based now, even in Japan which was a big surprise. The uses of modern scientific principles in coaching are great for the sport, but I think we are losing some of the traditional parts of the martial art. I also think that too many dojo shy away from trying to teach the philosophies and culture behind Budo.
What’s your own competitive success?
I’ve only been in five tournaments in Japan which was a little disappointing, but I’ve come away with one gold (Sugito Taikai), one silver (Satte Taikai), one ‘best 8’ (Satte Taikai) and two ‘best 16’ placings (Wadokai Kanto Taikai & Wadokai Nationals). I was also a member of the Seiritsu Gakuen Kumite team that got 3rd place at the Northern Tokyo Taikai.
What’s your belt rank success?
I got my Wadokai Shodan in June 2000 under Sensei Sakagami in England. I passed my Nidan in March 2009 in Tokyo under a panel of 10 Japanese Sensei.
What does it take to run a successful dojo?
I think all sports clubs and dojo are personality driven to a large degree. The Shiramizu dojo has a large number of students because of Arakawa Sensei’ personality, drive and business sense. But also in part because of its location, there isn’t a lot to do in Sugito and there isn’t a university or big high school nearby to compete with for students.
I’ve been writing a new business plan for my own dojo since September based in part on my observations of Shiramizu. I’m hoping I have the secret formula!
What do you see in regards to your personal future in karate?
I’ve decided not to return to my job in the UK where I originally took a 12 month career break. Instead I’m going to try to make my dojo more successful using what I’ve learned whilst being in Japan.
Short to medium term, I want to keep competing. I’m flying back to Japan for the Wadokai Nationals in August, September is the British Open and in October I have the Wadokai Europeans in Ireland. Also, I hope to make the Wadokai England squad for the Wadokai World Cup in August 2010.
Coaching wise, I want to lead more of my students to European medals and get all my students ‘hooked’ on Karate. I want to increase the size of my dojo without losing our standards. I also plan to go to university at some point and study for a Sports Science / Sports Coaching degree.
Lastly, I want to help my Aiwakai, my association in England to be successful.
If you could redo this year what else would you like to accomplish?
I’d enter more competitions, climb mount Fuji and make more of an effort learning the Japanese language.
Favourite place in Japan?
Kamakura, closely followed by Kyoto.
Any words of advice for future interns?
A year is a long time, so make sure that you’re not going to get homesick after 5 months (like me!). But, seriously coming to Japan and training is something that a lot of people talk about doing and only a few actually do. The whole experience will be something that you will never forget. If you’ve always wanted to visit Japan and train intensively in Karate then Shiramizu is the ideal place for you to do just that.
The first time I was packed onto a rush hour train was an experience I’ll never forget. I could have lifted both feet off the ground and not fallen!
What were your first impressions of Shiramizu and Arakawa Sensei?
The Shiramizu dojo has a great family feel to it, the standard of Karate is very high and the students are very focussed. Arakawa Sensei is a genuinely nice guy; he goes out of his way to help people and his positive personality is infectious.
What’s your relationship with Arakawa Sensei now?
I see Arakawa Sensei as my Sensei first and foremost, he has a fountain of knowledge and experience that he is more than willing to share. I would like to think that he sees me as one of his students, rather than simply being a foreign visitor to his dojo.
Outside of the dojo, I see Arakawa Sensei as a friend who has dropped everything on a number of occasions to help me or Amy out.
The internship is supposed to allow the intern the chance to really experience Japan and karate deeply. What have you found to be the most important for you while being the intern?
The funny thing, or maybe not so funny thing about Japan is the work ethic here. Before I came to Japan I had the idea that Japan was a very conscientious country.
I don’t claim to be a social expert, but what I’ve found is that people work too much to such a degree that it’s detrimental to the culture of the country and often the health of the individual.
High school kids catching a 6am train to school every day including the weekend, coupled with extra supplementary schools is a recipe for mental breakdown! White collar workers catching the first train to work and the last train home every day is not exactly conducive to a healthy home life.
It’s very easy to get ‘sucked into’ this culture, I’ve lost track of weeks where all I can remember doing is working and training. There has to be a balance so I force myself to try new things and do loads of sightseeing whenever I have free time.
How do you find the activities and atmosphere of the Shiramizu dojo?
Busy, there’s always something going on. The dojo has so many members that it’s often working towards a number of things that are happening over the same weekend.
The atmosphere at the dojo is inspiring; all the instructors are very motivated and clearly love teaching Karate as much as Arakawa Sensei does. This enthusiasm rubs off on everyone.
Do you notice a difference between who you are now and who you were when you first came to Japan?
I’ve always been fairly sure of whom I am, but I think that being here has shown me the career path that I will follow when I get home. I’ve lost some of my English reserve being in Japan, I’m certainly not as shy as I was, but I’m still a total ‘mummy’s boy’.
So how do you find the political side of karate?
I’ll keep it brief. I’ve found that being responsible for a dojo means that you have to get your hands dirty in the politics of Karate to some extent.
Karate in England is something of a political quagmire and people outside of England just don’t seem to understand it! It’s only natural that the ‘mistakes’ of the governing body will be reflected in the smaller member associations.
A lot of the ‘old-boys’ have been doing Karate since the 50’s and 60’s so there is a wealth of technical knowledge. The problem is that not everyone has the necessary skills to ‘steer the ship’ so to speak, though everyone wants to try anyway! I do think the English Karate Federation (EKF) is making great progress and is the right way forward in England.
I think the Wadokai would benefit from having some sort of international oversight to coordinate international relations and events better. This would certainly stop things like the date clash from last year where the JKF-Wadokai Nationals were held over the same weekend as the JKF-Wadokai World Championships on different continents!
What other dojo have you been to in Japan?
I’ve trained at Saitama Sakai High School a couple of times, the kids there are all great fighters. I had the privilege of training at Yanagawa Sensei’s dojo in Ogikubo. Yanagawa Sensei has his own ideas of what Karate is and his teachings and ideas are very interesting. I’ve also been to the Guseikai dojo headed by Takagi Sensei who is thought by many to be the greatest technician in the Wadokai.
How has karate changed over the years from your perspective?
I think it’s almost all sport based now, even in Japan which was a big surprise. The uses of modern scientific principles in coaching are great for the sport, but I think we are losing some of the traditional parts of the martial art. I also think that too many dojo shy away from trying to teach the philosophies and culture behind Budo.
What’s your own competitive success?
I’ve only been in five tournaments in Japan which was a little disappointing, but I’ve come away with one gold (Sugito Taikai), one silver (Satte Taikai), one ‘best 8’ (Satte Taikai) and two ‘best 16’ placings (Wadokai Kanto Taikai & Wadokai Nationals). I was also a member of the Seiritsu Gakuen Kumite team that got 3rd place at the Northern Tokyo Taikai.
What’s your belt rank success?
I got my Wadokai Shodan in June 2000 under Sensei Sakagami in England. I passed my Nidan in March 2009 in Tokyo under a panel of 10 Japanese Sensei.
What does it take to run a successful dojo?
I think all sports clubs and dojo are personality driven to a large degree. The Shiramizu dojo has a large number of students because of Arakawa Sensei’ personality, drive and business sense. But also in part because of its location, there isn’t a lot to do in Sugito and there isn’t a university or big high school nearby to compete with for students.
I’ve been writing a new business plan for my own dojo since September based in part on my observations of Shiramizu. I’m hoping I have the secret formula!
What do you see in regards to your personal future in karate?
I’ve decided not to return to my job in the UK where I originally took a 12 month career break. Instead I’m going to try to make my dojo more successful using what I’ve learned whilst being in Japan.
Short to medium term, I want to keep competing. I’m flying back to Japan for the Wadokai Nationals in August, September is the British Open and in October I have the Wadokai Europeans in Ireland. Also, I hope to make the Wadokai England squad for the Wadokai World Cup in August 2010.
Coaching wise, I want to lead more of my students to European medals and get all my students ‘hooked’ on Karate. I want to increase the size of my dojo without losing our standards. I also plan to go to university at some point and study for a Sports Science / Sports Coaching degree.
Lastly, I want to help my Aiwakai, my association in England to be successful.
If you could redo this year what else would you like to accomplish?
I’d enter more competitions, climb mount Fuji and make more of an effort learning the Japanese language.
Favourite place in Japan?
Kamakura, closely followed by Kyoto.
Any words of advice for future interns?
A year is a long time, so make sure that you’re not going to get homesick after 5 months (like me!). But, seriously coming to Japan and training is something that a lot of people talk about doing and only a few actually do. The whole experience will be something that you will never forget. If you’ve always wanted to visit Japan and train intensively in Karate then Shiramizu is the ideal place for you to do just that.
Monday, December 15, 2008
New interns! Louise & Erica!
Richard here with some great news!
We are proud to announce our next two interns from June 15, 2009 to June 15, 2010 will be Louise Fisk from New Zealand and Erica Ip from Canada!
First, I want to thank all the people who expressed an interest in the internship. While it is wonderful that we are able to offer the internship to two (!) people this time, mainly due to current intern Amy's hard work to create a second position, it gives me a heavy heart not to be able to bring over more people to Japan. But those people who are interested must please get back in touch with us again next year as there is always another chance then too!
We are proud to announce our next two interns from June 15, 2009 to June 15, 2010 will be Louise Fisk from New Zealand and Erica Ip from Canada!
First, I want to thank all the people who expressed an interest in the internship. While it is wonderful that we are able to offer the internship to two (!) people this time, mainly due to current intern Amy's hard work to create a second position, it gives me a heavy heart not to be able to bring over more people to Japan. But those people who are interested must please get back in touch with us again next year as there is always another chance then too!
Louise comes to us from Robbie Smith's Yoshin Wadokan dojo in Hamilton, New Zealand. She has a 2nd dan in the Wadokai and she won an individual women's bronze medal at the Wadokai World Cup in 2005 here in Tokyo. She graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science (Technology) at the University of Waikato, majoring in both Earth Sciences and Biological Sciences.
As an assistant instructor at Robbie Sensei's club, she hopes to have a great experience in Japan and then take back what she learns to further help other Kiwis in the growing New Zealand Wadokai association.
Erica comes to us from Marta Adamovich's Pacific Spirit Wadokai dojo in Vancouver, BC, Canada. This is the same dojo former intern Lawrence came from and we most recently ran into Erica as she was working hard as a volunteer at the Wadokai World Championships in Canada last August. She is a 1st kyu and she'll be going for her Wadokai shodan test in the Spring of 2009 prior to coming to Japan. Erica is also graduating from the University of British Columbia with a major in food, nutrition and health in May 2009.
Erica hopes to learn as much as she can in Japan and then return home to help other Canucks through the Pacific Spirit dojo, which is a member of the official Canada Wadokai CZ association.
Louise will be intern 5.0 taking over Carl's duties while Erica will be intern 5.1 taking over Amy's duties. These internships are equal in value and both new interns will have the same amount of opportunities and experiences while here in Japan.
Tune in with us again soon as I will be posting pre-arrival interviews with our new interns sometime in the coming weeks.
Richard
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Applications for the Internship 2009 now being accepted!
Spread the word!!!
For our fifth year in a row, we are now ready to accept applications for the next intern at the Shiramizu Karate Club in Japan for one year starting from June 15, 2009 to June 15, 2010! Shiramizu is located one hour from central Tokyo.
The application deadline for those wishing to be Intern #5 is December 15, 2008, but applications received earlier will be given preference.
Originally, the internship was only open to Canada Wadokai members in the CZWKA, but we now accept applications from anyone with some karate experience from any style, who meet the minimum requirements below.
The main determining factors we are looking for are someone who exudes positive enthusiasm and someone who would like to get involved in as much as possible here in Japan! Plus they must be able to commit to the one full year, no exceptions!
Teaching English conversation classes are included as part of the internship so that the intern can make enough money to cover living expenses. Applicants therefore must be able to speak English at a native-English level.
Minimum requirements:
Age: Between 20-30 years old (the working holiday visa in Japan is set at the age range of 18-30yrs, but the legal adult age in Japan is 20yrs old therefore the internship is set from age 20).
Education: Minimum English-as-the-main-language high school graduate, but some post-secondary education of any type is preferred. English language teacher training is an asset.
Work experience: Experience working with children in some way. Actual English teaching or tutoring experience a bonus.
Karate experience: Any level of karate experience is ok, but Wadokai members will be given preference (in some previous years, no Wadokai members applied).
Nations included in the working holiday visa program: Since being a native English speaker is a requirement for this internship, applications will be accepted from people who hold passports from the English-speaking countries on the Japan Working Holiday Visa list (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the United Kingdom).
Note to US citizens interested in the internship:
It's unfortunate the US is not included in the working holiday visa program. I do not know why, but one of the reasons I have heard floated about is that there is not enough political interest on the US side to join this visa program because it would have to be reciprocal. Over the past few months we have received emails from Americans interested in the internship and my suggestion to them has been to contact their federal government representative to look into the US joining the working holiday visa program. If enough people do this, maybe there will be a change in federal policy and the US will approach Japan to join.
Anyone seriously interested in applying to be the next intern can email me a request for the application package which explains everything in detail.
We look forward to hearing from interested applicants soon!
Richard
karateintern at gmail dot com
For our fifth year in a row, we are now ready to accept applications for the next intern at the Shiramizu Karate Club in Japan for one year starting from June 15, 2009 to June 15, 2010! Shiramizu is located one hour from central Tokyo.
The application deadline for those wishing to be Intern #5 is December 15, 2008, but applications received earlier will be given preference.
Originally, the internship was only open to Canada Wadokai members in the CZWKA, but we now accept applications from anyone with some karate experience from any style, who meet the minimum requirements below.
The main determining factors we are looking for are someone who exudes positive enthusiasm and someone who would like to get involved in as much as possible here in Japan! Plus they must be able to commit to the one full year, no exceptions!
Teaching English conversation classes are included as part of the internship so that the intern can make enough money to cover living expenses. Applicants therefore must be able to speak English at a native-English level.
Minimum requirements:
Age: Between 20-30 years old (the working holiday visa in Japan is set at the age range of 18-30yrs, but the legal adult age in Japan is 20yrs old therefore the internship is set from age 20).
Education: Minimum English-as-the-main-language high school graduate, but some post-secondary education of any type is preferred. English language teacher training is an asset.
Work experience: Experience working with children in some way. Actual English teaching or tutoring experience a bonus.
Karate experience: Any level of karate experience is ok, but Wadokai members will be given preference (in some previous years, no Wadokai members applied).
Nations included in the working holiday visa program: Since being a native English speaker is a requirement for this internship, applications will be accepted from people who hold passports from the English-speaking countries on the Japan Working Holiday Visa list (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the United Kingdom).
Note to US citizens interested in the internship:
It's unfortunate the US is not included in the working holiday visa program. I do not know why, but one of the reasons I have heard floated about is that there is not enough political interest on the US side to join this visa program because it would have to be reciprocal. Over the past few months we have received emails from Americans interested in the internship and my suggestion to them has been to contact their federal government representative to look into the US joining the working holiday visa program. If enough people do this, maybe there will be a change in federal policy and the US will approach Japan to join.
Anyone seriously interested in applying to be the next intern can email me a request for the application package which explains everything in detail.
We look forward to hearing from interested applicants soon!
Richard
karateintern at gmail dot com
Monday, January 7, 2008
2008 Internship applications deadline extended!!!
The 2008 internship position is still up for grabs! The deadline is extended until January 31st.
We've had some very interesting people talk to us about the next internship starting July 1st this year, but it seems several good candidates really won't be able to start until 2009!
Therefore, the 2008 position is still open! If anyone has that strong desire to learn karate in Japan while making money to cover your expenses, then for sure contact us right away!
Click below for main details!
http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6607603304728006576&postID=6590682999287049577
Even if you are curious about the position, but perhaps not sure if you would qualify, email us anyway so we can discuss the position in more detail. A positive character is the first and foremost important thing we are looking for!
Richard
We've had some very interesting people talk to us about the next internship starting July 1st this year, but it seems several good candidates really won't be able to start until 2009!
Therefore, the 2008 position is still open! If anyone has that strong desire to learn karate in Japan while making money to cover your expenses, then for sure contact us right away!
Click below for main details!
http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6607603304728006576&postID=6590682999287049577
Even if you are curious about the position, but perhaps not sure if you would qualify, email us anyway so we can discuss the position in more detail. A positive character is the first and foremost important thing we are looking for!
Richard
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Anyone may now apply for the 2008 internship (as per the requirements)!
Spread the word!!!
We are now ready to take applications for the next intern at the Shiramizu karate club in Japan for one year starting from July 1, 2008.
The deadline for applications has been extended. Anyone interested should contact us about receiving the application package.
Originally, the internship was only open to Canada Wadokai members in the CZWKA, but we will now accept applications from anyone with some karate experience from any style (who meet the minimum requirements below).
The main determining factor we are looking for is someone who exudes positive enthusiasm and who would like to get involved in as much as possible here in Japan! Plus they must be able to commit to one year for sure!
Teaching English classes is included so the intern can make enough money to cover living expenses. Applicants there for must be native English speakers.
Minimum requirements:
Age: Between 20-30 years old (visa limit is 18-30yrs, but the legal adult age in Japan is from 20yrs old so the internship is set from here).
Education: Minimum English-as-the-main-language high school graduate, but some post-secondary education of any type is preferred. English language teacher training is an asset.
Work experience: Experience working with children in some way. Actual English teaching or tutoring experience a bonus.
Karate experience: Any level of karate experience is ok, but Wadokai members will be given preference (in some previous years, no Wadokai members applied).
Nations included in the working holiday visa program: Since being a native English speaker is a requirement for this internship, applications will be accepted from citizens who are from the English-speaking countries on the Japan Working Holiday Visa list (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the United Kingdom).
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/index.html
Anyone seriously interested in applying can email me for the application explanation package.
Thank you!
Richard
karateintern at gmail dot com
We are now ready to take applications for the next intern at the Shiramizu karate club in Japan for one year starting from July 1, 2008.
The deadline for applications has been extended. Anyone interested should contact us about receiving the application package.
Originally, the internship was only open to Canada Wadokai members in the CZWKA, but we will now accept applications from anyone with some karate experience from any style (who meet the minimum requirements below).
The main determining factor we are looking for is someone who exudes positive enthusiasm and who would like to get involved in as much as possible here in Japan! Plus they must be able to commit to one year for sure!
Teaching English classes is included so the intern can make enough money to cover living expenses. Applicants there for must be native English speakers.
Minimum requirements:
Age: Between 20-30 years old (visa limit is 18-30yrs, but the legal adult age in Japan is from 20yrs old so the internship is set from here).
Education: Minimum English-as-the-main-language high school graduate, but some post-secondary education of any type is preferred. English language teacher training is an asset.
Work experience: Experience working with children in some way. Actual English teaching or tutoring experience a bonus.
Karate experience: Any level of karate experience is ok, but Wadokai members will be given preference (in some previous years, no Wadokai members applied).
Nations included in the working holiday visa program: Since being a native English speaker is a requirement for this internship, applications will be accepted from citizens who are from the English-speaking countries on the Japan Working Holiday Visa list (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the United Kingdom).
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/index.html
Anyone seriously interested in applying can email me for the application explanation package.
Thank you!
Richard
karateintern at gmail dot com
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