Interview with Jonas!

Jonas after his Shiramizu welcome party!
(From Arakawa Sensei's blog)

Richard here,

Here's a short interview with the current intern, Jonas.

Where are you from exactly?

I'm from a small town called Krylbo in Dalarna county of Sweden. Dalarna is a quiet place with lots of forests and lakes, and with very few big cities.

When and how did you first get interested in Japan?

I got interested in Japan when I was still very young, maybe around 6 or 7 years old? I remember seeing stuff like Starzinger and Tottoro on kids TV in Sweden. Even though the dialogue was dubbed to Swedish, the theme songs were still kept in original Japanese, and I found the sound of the language very beautiful. Some time later I saw The Karate Kid and decided that I wanted to start learning karate. Also I must admit that Nintendo was also a big influence, as 10-something years old I remember thinking that working at Nintendo in Japan must be like the best job ever.

What was your first impression of Japan?

Before coming here I always thought of Japan as a very spiritual and mystical country.

When did you first come to Japan?

I think it was around 2009.

So after your first visit, how has your impression of Japan changed?

It's more noisy and busy than I expected. (both in bad and good ways). Also, after staying here for some time now, things that I used to think of as very strange and foreign has become normal to me and this has made me realize that wherever you go in the world people are still people. "Sekai wa hitotsu"

How many times have you been to Japan now? What have you done each time?

Counting this time, I've been here 4 times already! The first time I came to travel, I bought a 2 week JR Rail Pass and visited lots of different parts of Japan. Second time I stayed at a guesthouse in Ikebukuro and studied Japanese. Third time I went to Sapporo Tokai University as an exchange student through my university in Sweden. And now I'm in Saitama as a karate intern!

After you graduate from your university, what do you hope to do?

I want to live and work in Japan. If possible I hope to get a job working with music, since it is my biggest interest.

How is learning karate again?

It's hard! My body aches and my head hurts from trying to remember everything. But it is really interesting to see how karate is taught in its motherland.

Is there anything similar or different to how you did karate before?

Yes, when I was young I practiced Shotokan karate and I can definitely notice some stylistic differences. Also in Japanese there seems to be more weight on small details when training than I remember in Sweden.

While being an intern, do you have any challenges for yourself?

I was told that if I do my best I might be able to get a to the level of green belt. That would be really sweet!

Every intern so far has tried to add something new or improve on something for the internship position? Do you have anything you would like to do to enhance it?

Hard to say now, since it's only been 2 weeks since I arrived here... but I will do my best!

How are the people at Shiramizu?

Very friendly and helping. I was quiet nervous when I first came here, but as soon as I had met everybody I felt like I was in a very good community.

Any advice you have for other people in the future planning to apply for the internship or just come to Japan on their own?

Be prepared for cultural differences and be open to changes and I think you will have a great time.


Jonas

Welcome to the latest Karate Intern, Erica Jones!

Erica just after she arrived at Narita Airport - the customary arrival photo

Peter Here!

Shiramizu's latest intern has now arrived! Erica Jones touched down at 4pm Tuesday May 3rd, at Narita Airport. We met at the airport and took the very swanky Keisei Skyliner train service back to Nippori (after all, it was Golden Week and we deserved a little luxury!), before swapping to the local trains and getting her to the intern apartment. We also did a little whirlwind tour of the local supermarket, so she knows where to get her snacks from!

Here's her opening interview!

1. Welcome to Japan! A softball question first, where are you from?

I'm from the United States of America- Dayton, Ohio to be exact. The Midwest has a boring reputation, but Dayton's claim to fame is being the birthplace of the Wright Brothers- inventors of the airplane and therefore, a pretty big reason why I can be in Japan today!

2. Have you been to Japan before and if so, why?

I visited Japan two years ago for about 6 months to study Japanese language, history and culture at Sophia University in Tokyo.

3. How did you find out about the internship and what motivated you about it to apply?

Ever since my college days, I would scour through the local Craigslist to try to find some kind of bargain in the "for sale" section. I guess I'm kind of a weirdo, because after leaving Japan, I continued to occasionally look at the Japanese craigslist postings as well. Looking at the "for sale" section would lead me to casually look through the "jobs" section and I happened to see the internship posted there. I didn't know what to think at first, as Craigslist can sometimes house sketchy things, but I was actually motivated to apply by reading this blog and learning about the fantastic experiences past interns were having. It seemed like such a unique and challenging opportunity that I thought I absolutely had to apply...and I'm glad I did!

4. Being a karate beginner, what are you initial impressions about this 'amazing martial art of ours'? - no pressure, answer freely :)

I'm definitely still developing my thoughts on this, and my answer will be a bit multi-facted, but so far I've found that the people I've interacted with are extremely welcoming and eager to help others to learn, and that Karate itself consists of thoughtful, systematic and controlled movements. Also, when I went with Arakawa Sensei to watch the tournament (第４７回東日本大学空手道選手権大会, 47th East Japan University Kumite Championships, May 5th, at the Nippon Budokan), I was surprised at how everyone was much smaller than I imagined "ripped" karate practitioners would be. So my other big impression is that Karate is about making what you've got work for you in a powerful way. As a smaller person, that thought is encouraging to me, and I also feel like it acknowledges the uniqueness of each human body.

5. You've now been Japan a few days, is it different or the same as when you were here before?

So far, I've spent more time in Saitama than Tokyo whereas before I spent most of my time in central Tokyo, so I suppose I can't say for sure. However, the people are just as polite and the trains are just as crowded as two years ago so maybe it's the same! But, while the overall environment has stayed consistent, what I'm doing this time around is radically different, so I feel like I'm experiencing Japan in a different way.

6. Last question, anything you would like to share with us, perhaps some of the non-karate related things you would like to try while you are here?

Well, I'm very excited that I was selected as this year's intern and I look forward to working with everyone. As for non-karate related things I'd like to try, learning calligraphy, and making a trip to Fuji-Q are at the top of my list!

Exit Interview- Louise, Intern 2009-2010

Louise & Erica at the Shiramizu 'Goodbye Louise & Erica, but Welcome Pete' Party!
(June 2010) from Sensei's blog

Pete here!

While I was busy distracting Erica with her exit interview, Louise made good her escape back to New Zealand. But such is the power of the internet she could not escape my ever-impending questions (evil laugh)...

Pete Williams: So, after a year of Japan, how has your image of Japanese life changed? What are your positives and negatives?
Louise Fisk: Maybe now I understand the Japanese world view a bit better, how it is based on obligations to and respect of others, and how important the good opinion of others is to them.

In some ways this is very good, because it generally creates a society which is on the surface polite, respectful, law-abiding and safe, especially compared with many other countries. And I think it is comforting to live within set social boundaries.

But I also think that the weight of obligations is very heavy on the Japanese, always having to worry about if you're doing the right thing, and worrying about what people think of you.

PW: What has been your crowning achievement for the year? Is it the same as your most treasured memory?
LF: I actually think that my greatest achievement is something that's accumulated quietly throughout the whole year. That is, a step up in the level of my karate, especially my speed and kihon. Most of the lessons at Shiramizu were very much the same: kihon standing on the spot, stepping kihon, kata then kumite drills. We also had to keep up with the high school students we often trained with who,were very fast, so I feel the combination of these two factors as well as Arakawa Sensei's valuable teaching helped me to achieve better karate.

My most treasured memories (there are several of them) are of the Shiramizu people supporting each other, while working, training or having fun together. For example, during the Shiramizu club tournament, and at the parties we had together. I am honoured to have been included in the Shiramizu clan.

PW: Did you get to see much of the rest of Japan? Where is your favourite place?
LF: In the public holidays and weekends I tried to travel a bit, though mostly within Honshu. I went north to Akita Prefecture, to a few mountains around Tokyo and the Kanto area, and on my big New Year trip I went west to Nara and Hiroshima, among other places. In Golden Week I also visited the northern part of Kyushu and looked at volcanoes there.

My favourite place is a beach on the northern Kyushu coast, about an hour's drive from Fukuoka. It has the softest sand, very clear water and lots of cool granite rocks at the end to climb on.

PW: What was the low point of your year?
LF: Catching influenza was pretty low. I seemed to get sick easily in Japan, maybe because I have a different Southern Hemisphere immunity, and was not used to being in contact with so many kindergarten kids.

PW: Erica said she found the Shiramizu sensei like family and friends as well as respected teachers. Have you become close to them too? Who will you particularly miss?
LF: Yes, the Shiramizu dojo has become a lot like another family. They welcomed us with open arms and always looked after us extremely well. I think this is truly outstanding when you consider that they do this for a new foreigner or set of foreigners every year.

There are too many people who are special to me at Shiramizu to list all of their names, but we had the most contact with Arakawa sensei, and our two dojo mothers, Yoshihara sensei and Yamazaki sensei, so I will miss seeing them and our conversations together.

PW: So with all that contact with Arakawa Sensei has he challenged, or changed, or even reinforced your perception of karate? If so, how?
LF: Training with Arakawa Sensei has reinforced my perceptions that karate is a discipline that should develop a person mentally and emotionally as well, not just a sport that is only about physical development. Maybe it is because that is how the Japanese are generally, but Arakawa Sensei was big on respect to your teachers, seniors and classmates. This was shown through proper greetings as well as behaviour. I liked this aspect of Shiramizu, because I felt it created an environment where people were training their hardest in order to lift their classmates as well as themselves, through competing with each other but also supporting each other.

PW: With this in mind, what are your plans for your future? Does it involve a deeper relationship with karate, or teaching children?
LF: My year in Japan has certainly strengthened my plan to continue training karate or some form of martial arts for the rest of my life. There always is something more to learn, and my progress this year has encouraged me that I am still learning and am still able to learn. Teaching children is a big responsibility, but at the moment I don't want to settle down in one place and take up that responsibility as I have plans to continue exploring the world.

PW: Finally, how awesome is the current intern, and what advice can you give him to make his year go more smoothly?
LF: Ha, ha, oh certainly, your awesomeness is off the scale. In the short time we worked together, I noticed that you have the right attitude and openness of mind to learn all the new things and ways of thinking in Japan.

I'd advise you to learn as much spoken Japanese as you can, which will make communication with the staff at your jobs and at the dojo much smoother. This also makes it easier to make friends, which is my other bit of advice: make as many Japanese friends as you can. Then they can show you around, tell you things you'd maybe not find out otherwise, and you can become more of a part of the country you've adopted for a year.

PW: Yep, I'm following your great advice already!

Introducing (drum roll please) ... Pete Williams!

Louise here,

First of all, I'd like to make a huge apology to Pete Williams, the world and any web-surfing aliens. I actually interviewed Pete back in February, but it's taken me this long to post it. He's going to be taking over from Erica and me in June, so let's hear it from Pete.

Please tell the readers a little about yourself……

My elbow; that’s quite small. Wait, that’s not what you meant, was it?

Hello! I’m Pete, 27 years old (28 in April), I have lived practically all my life in the southwest of England, having grown up, passed university, and been employed there. I graduated in 2005 with a degree in Illustration, after originally starting a degree in German and Italian. It turned out to be a smart move as I’ve been the Graphic Designer and Copywriter for an international motorcycle import company for four years now; however they’ve also got me translating websites into German as well!

I love Karate (of course), reading, travel, languages, art and drawing, music, animation and games. I’m a massive Ghibli fan and partial to the odd anime series (Cowboy Bebop being a particular favourite). Coming from the South-West means that I’m naturally a bit of a hill-walker and beach-goer too!

Pete being silly 1

When did you first start karate and what grade are you currently at?

I would say that I properly started when I was 13 - I did a little when I was between seven and nine, but didn’t take it as seriously, silly boy that I was! My first style was Bujinkai Karate, founded by shihan John Smith. It’s a combination of Wado and Goju principles with Kickboxing and other styles incorporated too. I became shodan in this style August 2000.

I first came across Wado Ryu at university - of all the styles practiced at Exeter this looked by far the most comprehensive, friendly and down-to-earth. The instructor was Paul Hammond sensei, and I’ve studied with him up to this day - he’s a really great teacher and a good friend. Today I’m shodan under the British Wadokai Federation, headed by Gary Swift kyoshi, who is a warm and inspiring teacher too. I count myself very lucky to have met the people that I have throughout my Karate studies.

Pete at 15 years old

Why did you start karate in the first place and why did you stick with it?

Because it’s cool! Seriously though it was just after the wave of everyone starting Karate and then giving up (‘The Karate Kid’ had been released in the UK a few years before - funnily enough I didn’t even see that film until I was 15!). There was a Karate class in my primary (elementary) school and I wanted to see what was going on; it was taught by Bob Etherington sensei, who had a lot of patience and a great sense of humour! I went twice a week for two years, and then gave up when I couldn’t get into a tournament. But for the four years I wasn’t involved I always felt that there was something missing, and I was constantly kicking air (and sometimes siblings) and practising what Kata and Ippon Kumite I knew at the time. Then my parents, sensible folks that they are, suggested, seeing as I was doing it on my own, that I go back to classes, and I haven’t looked back since.

Karate became one of the most important things in my life. When taught correctly, it has an amazing ability to give you both confidence and humility, which has helped build me up to be the person I am today. Karate has also helped me through difficult times, and has introduced me to some great friends. I couldn’t imagine living without it now.

Pete being silly 2

What do you believe is your greatest achievement in karate and why?

Crikey, big question. My greatest personal achievement would possibly be coming second in the Bujinkai National Championships in 1999 - I was a blue belt and only 17, and won against some older and much more experienced competitors.

However I think the proudest I have ever been is at the University Karate Championships while acting as coach when my team-mate was on the mats. He was getting frustrated and losing the bout, but I could see that changing his tactics to a more circular pattern would expose his opponent’s fighting style. I managed to calm him down, and point out the weakness. He ended up winning the fight and I was really happy for him!

When did you first think of coming to Japan?

I’ve always wanted to go to the Far East, but what really whetted my appetite was reading ‘Angry White Pyjamas’ by Robert Twigger, which I read during my first year of university. It chronicles his year studying Aikido and training in the Tokyo riot police course, as well as exploring around the country. That book made it firm in my mind that not only did I need to visit Japan, I needed to train there too.

Pete being silly 3

Please describe your image of Japan.

I think it could be both the busiest and most peaceful place in the world; where inner cities bustle and buzz with neon electronica and modern technology, but lush hillsides wait in the country, drenched in fable and tradition. A bizarre and unique oxymoronic harmony between right now and timeless. The people are welcoming, well mannered and friendly, yet know how to have a party!

What do you hope to achieve in your year as intern?

I’d like to make new friends and feel like I’ve truly experienced Japan and dedicated myself to the internship programme. I hope to achieve a lot of personal development in my understanding of tournament karate as well as Wado Karate-do and have a long term relationship with the Shiramizu dojo, along with everyone I meet. I also hope that I can give something of myself to the internship, building upon it in my own personal way, and take back enough knowledge to set up my own dojo. A competition medal wouldn’t go amiss, either!

How do you think the karate training will differ from your own country?

I would think that the classes will be much bigger, and more dedicated. As Carl, intern V4 and a fellow Englishman, has mentioned previously, politics has played havoc with Karate in England, diminishing numbers, promoting apathy and sadly splitting associations. I’d like to think that we’re over the worst of it now and that we can now steadily start to rebuild, but I am very much looking forward to training in Japan.

Where do you hope to visit in Japan?

The Ghibli Museum!!!

Actually there are a lot of places on my list, from Mt. Fuji to Shinjuku, to lakeside onsen, to Nagano… let’s just say there’re a few red circles in my Lonely Planet guidebook.

Pete being silly 4

Is there anything specifically Japanese that you would like to learn while in Japan? i.e origami

I would definitely like to learn some Japanese cuisine, like sushi. I think origami is too delicate an art for my sausage-fingers, but musically I’m very interested in learning the shamisen. If learning the Japanese language is Japanese-y enough for this question, then I’d like to learn that too!

What do you think you will miss the most while you are here in Japan?

People mostly, family, friends, colleagues. And to some extent I'll miss the work I do, but I'm wanting to help out with some Karate-related graphics and web stuff over there. I'll definitely miss my piano, though. Hopefully I'll be so involved with what I'm doing at the internship that I won't have time to think about the things I miss. If you spend most of your time thinking about what you haven't got then you're not really looking at what you have in front of you.

Sensei Swift's group in Plymouth (Pete is 3rd from right)

Is there anything else that you would like to say…………………..

Dear goodness poor readers, I've written an essay already!

I'll leave you by saying ta ta for now, I can't wait to see you all there, and a sage bit of advice that's kept me going through the years:
"If at first you don't succeed, avoid skydiving".

Update Interview with Paul (intern #2)

Intern #2 Paul with his girlfriend Natsumi.

Erica here.

For those of you faithful readers who have been following the blog since the beginning, you will remember Paul Atkin. For the recent blog readers, Paul was intern #2 (2006-2007). He’s from Kelowna BC, Canada (a town not too far from my hometown Vancouver!) and he has come back to visit for one month. I took this opportunity to meet up with him and spring an interview. So if you ever wonder what happens to the interns after they leave the internship, well keep reading!

What have you been doing since the internship?

I went back and I have been enhancing my karate dojo (Kelowna Shotokan Karate). My father retired and I’ve taken over the dojo. Since returning, I went from 30 students to 90. I have about 50 kids and I’ve also opened up a second branch location of the dojo.

Aside from the dojo, I competed in the Canadian ShotoCanada Shotokan Nationals. I got gold in kumite and silver in kata.

What brings you back to Japan? The Wado Kai Nationals?

I’ve come back to visit all the friends I’ve made here, plus visit with my girlfriend's family.

What do you miss most about Japan?

The kids that I taught and the sense of purpose that the Japanese people hold. That respect and loyalty are very prominent. I find that if I ever get off track at home, coming back here puts me right back.

What do you miss least?

The weather. The hot, hot heat. That’s it.

What was the most memorable moment/event for you?

I got take part in a Budo martial arts festival. Arakawa Sensei’s dojo was chosen to represent Karate at the Nippon Budokan for the Kagami Biraki Festival in January 2007 when I was here (see post when later interns Carl Intern #4 & Lawrence Intern #3 attended the festival). I went to watch the event, but I got to partake in it. There were sumo wrestlers and people representing Judo. They broke a huge mochi (rice cake) and pieces were passed around to everyone. I stood amidst all these Japanese people representing different styles of martial arts and it was such an honour to be able to be a part of it...being non-Japanese and all.

What advice or words of wisdom do you have for Louise and I?

Just always try your best. Remember that you’re carrying something that someone else had started and you are trying to make it better for the next person. If we keep finding the right people, I don’t see why that's not going to happen. Oh and never quit.

Thank you Paul for those encouraging words and the best of luck at the Shotokan World’s!

Coming soon: An interview with Carl Jorgenson, intern #4!!

Carl Came Back!

Louise here,

Carl, Intern #4.0 (2008-2009) has recently visited Japan again. I took the opportunity to interview him:

How long have you been away?

About 40 days and 40 nights…

What did you do while you were at home?

I was quite busy actually. Amy and I had selections for the England Wadokai National Team a few days after we got back to the UK. We were both selected for kumite and to our surprise and more so to our horror, also for kata.

The week after that, we entered the Central England Karate Championships, Amy got 3rd place in Team Kumite and I got 3rd in Individual Kumite. It wasn’t a bad result considering that we were accustomed to fighting in Japanese events.

I ran a three week summer school for my club, Hartlepool Wadokai and started teaching some of the things I learned whilst training in Japan. I also had a lot of meetings with schools and sports centres arranging new Branch Dojo to start in September.

My dad also waited until I got back to the UK to start some major building work in his big old house. Whilst digging in the back yard we found a lot of human bones. So, it turned into a really big drama with lots of Police. Eventually, a university professor turned up to tell everyone that our family aren’t serial killers. It then turned into a two day archaeological dig that I helped with. It was really quite interesting, it turns out that my parents house was built on an Anglo-Saxon Monastery dating to about 640AD, and that the bones we found probably belonged to medieval nuns who were some of the first Christians in England.

Finally, over the weekend, we moved back into our house and started fixing 18 months of damage done by our tenants.

A busy 40 days…!

Why have you come back to Japan?

Well, when it came time to buy the flights home at the end of the internship, it was cheaper to buy a return ticket than one-way. So, I decided to make the return ticket good to compete in the JKF-Wadokai Nationals. I really wanted to see if I could improve on my ‘best-16’ placing in last year’s kumite event.

So, with my ego well and truly making the calls, I asked Arakawa Sensei to enter me into the competition again this year.

Update on the competition: I managed to crash out of kumite in the first round which naturally gave my ego a battering. I really don’t know what went wrong, my preparation was good; I was in relatively good shape and I got into the fight early, leading most of the way but eventually losing 4-3.

Carl in action

In kata, I also didn’t make it through which I really didn’t expect. I thought my kata performance was the best I’ve ever done, until I lost my balance and wobbled a bit, which lost me the bout.

The trip wasn’t all a complete waste though, because I got to climb Mount Fuji and catch the sunrise with my karate sister, Louise Fisk (New Zealand Wadokai) who is half of this year’s internship. This is something that we really wanted to do during the internship but we didn’t have time.

Where is Amy?

You’re not the first one to ask that question….! Amy is busy making our home suitable for human habitation and is already back at work with the Police, earning money to pay for everything etc… She wanted to come too, but we had a game of ‘rock-paper-scissors’ to decide who got to come back, and I won with my secret move ‘Sensei Scissors’. Amy does send her love though and she’ll be back next year for the Wado World Cup.

What do you miss about Japan?

The biggest thing is the feeling when you’re training at Shiramizu; it’s hard to put into words. The dojo has such a great atmosphere; everyone is working hard but having a great time doing it. Also, because everyone is at such a high technical standard, it makes everyone, even a cave-troll like me, perform better.

What did you most look forward to going back home?

A garlic sauce vegetarian Pizza from Mario’s pizza place in Church Street. No really!

What was the best experience you had while you were an Intern?

The best experience would have to be when Amy and I climbed Nantai-san in the Nikko national park. We had such a great time doing it, and it was the first time in ages that we had spent the day together after working and training so much. You should read the blog post that I wrote about it.

What do you think of the internship looking back on it?

I’m glad I did it and had the opportunity to meet so many nice people. If I had never applied, I probably would never have been introduced to Arakawa Sensei or got to know him. I think he’s a really nice guy who’s created something special at Shiramizu. I hope to learn from his example and re-create that feeling at my own dojo.

I think the internship is ideal for someone fresh out of university/college, before they get settled into the workplace. I think, looking back on last year, I had too many responsibilities at home to step away completely for 12 months; it really doesn’t help that I’m a total control freak either! Towards the end of the internship, I ended up micro-managing my dojo from Japan, I also took on more responsibilities within Sakagami Sensei’s association in England. This in addition to my intern duties and training made me a very busy guy…!

What’s next for you then?

We have an England Wadokai Kata Squad training session on Saturday 22nd (I get home at night on Thursday 20th), so I have a day to get over my jet-lag! Then hopefully, if I’m still awake, I’ll be able to attend the Sensei Bob Nash (US Wadokai) seminar which he is teaching in England on the Sunday too.

After that, I’ll have a few days off then Amy and I will get ready for the British Karate Federation (BKF) Championships in Edinburgh on 5th & 6th September. We’ve arranged quite a few seminars at our dojo with some of our association’s top instructors, then we fly out to Dublin, Ireland on 20th October for the FEW European Wadokai Championships.
I’m planning to come back in July next year, to have a long build up at Shiramizu before transferring to Nagoya City for the Wado World Cup. I’d also like another crack at the JKF-Wadokai Nationals again (the week after the World Cup) if that’s possible.

See you all next year…!

NEW INTERN v5.5 - Erica's Interview

Carl here to post Amy's interview with Erica....

The two 'replacements' will be here in less than two weeks (at the time of writing this post), and since we've already introduced the world to Louise (Intern v5.0) we thought it was about time to introduce Erica Ip (Intern v5.5) who hails from the same dojo as Lawrence (Intern v3) in Vancouver, Canada.



University Graduation with my mom

Erica, please tell the readers a little about yourself……

I’m 22 years old, just graduated from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada, with a bachelor in Science for Food Nutrition and Health. I was born in Vancouver and I speak English, Cantonese and Mandarin. Before university, when I had time to myself I played volleyball, was in a band, enjoyed a good book and loved baking. In a nutshell, I’m somewhat of a nerdy athletic type all rolled up into one. Currently, I have started to learn the art of appreciating wine after a wine course that I took and TA-ed for (TA= teaching assistant). It really is a matter of exposure.

When did you first start karate and what grade are you currently at?

I first started karate when I was 12, but at the time the dojo I joined, we (Pacific Spirit Wadokai) were with Shintani (the Shintani Karate Federation, which is a non Wadokai group in Canada) so I didn’t start proper Wado with Norma (Norma Foster, head of the official Wadokai Canada) until 5 years ago. I am currently a brown belt and was hoping to get my shodan before arriving in Japan, but the exam date got pushed back so perhaps I will grade when I get there...

Why did you start karate in the first place and why did you stick with it?

Karate was an afterschool program at our elementary school and my sister really wanted to take it, but she wasn’t allowed to unless I went with her. She talked me into it and that’s how I started. After taking it for some time I found that I really enjoyed it, not so much the fighting part, but the exercise and self discipline. There is always more to learn, more ways to improve and that is why I think I chose to stick with it.


A very old picture of when I first started Karate.
I'm the orange belt in the back row.
Hey! Lawrence is in this too.

What do you believe is your greatest achievement in karate and why?

I think my greatest achievement would that I have stuck with it for so long. Aside from my education, I don’t think I’ve done anything for more than 10 years. There have been times when my attendances in class were a little shady, but I have always been there and ready to learn, even with the transition in style.

When did you first think of coming to Japan?

The World Wado Karate Championships in Vancouver summer of 2008. I was a volunteer at the event and got to see all the amazing kata and kumite from all these people who had travelled to the event from different countries. I thought to myself that it would be amazing if I were half as good as they were. At that point, Lawrence and I were talking and he told me about his experience as an intern in Japan and told me that I should consider applying. A couple of weeks later, I decided that going to Japan on the internship would indeed help me along the road of becoming better at karate and more. So here I come!

Please describe your image of Japan.

My image of Japan is quite a mosaic. The initial thought is that Japan is very traditional with their rich history, rituals and beliefs, but then it is currently known for its advances in technology and the fashion scene. Then it goes to random images of cherry blossoms, geishas, Harajuku girls, tea ceremonies, samurai, sumo wrestlers, anime and the bullet train. Like I said random.

What do you hope to achieve in your year as intern?

I hope to learn as much as I can in karate to take back to Canada, but also the Japanese language and culture. Japanese was one of the options as a second language at my high school, but I chose to take French instead, which is the second official language in Canada. Little did I know back then that Japanese would have been far more beneficial to me today seeing as how half the population cannot speak both of the official language.

Aside from learning karate from its origin, I do hope to contribute any way I can. I’m not sure how I will be able to help, but I see this internship to be a dynamic equilibrium and not just a one way relationship where I am the only one who is taking from it.

Making it to Peak 2 on a hiking trip (Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains, BC, Canada)

How do you think the karate training will differ from your own country?

I have no idea aside from the fact that it will most definitely be way hotter (in the summer at least). I was training at Norma Sensei’s club in Burnaby where she likes to crank the heat up to around 30 degrees Celsius while we train, leaving all of us drenched by the end of the class. She comes up to me at the end and says, “You think this is bad? Wait until you get to Japan!” Aside from that, I think I will be training more in Japan than if I were in my own country because in Canada, I have many distractions such as work, school, friends and family, but in Japan, all I see myself doing really is training and working...and training.

Where do you hope to visit in Japan?

Definitely Tokyo, it looks like Vegas and Hong Kong put together! Think of all the awesome places for shopping!! I can’t visit all of them, but some of the shrines look so beautiful, though I am not spiritual, they are still captivating. I also want to visit Kyoto and Gion for its history because I’ve always been interested in the more traditional side of Japan. Who knows, maybe I’ll even try to learn the tea ceremony, although I hear that’s not too good for the knees....


costume party: Geishas

Is there anything specifically Japanese that you would like to learn while in Japan? i.e origami

Oops, I jumped the gun there, but aside from the tea ceremony I would also like to learn how to put on a Kimono. Those things are magnificent and apparently if put on the wrong way, it can signify deaths.

What do you think you will miss the most while you are here in Japan?

I will for sure miss my family and friends, but the thing I will miss the most would be familiarity. To be able to just know where you’re going and how to get there and knowing that even if I get lost in Vancouver I am capable of finding my way. But in Japan..well...that’s a completely different story...

Is there anything else that you would like to say…………………..

Ready or not, here I come eh?

NEW INTERN v5.0 - Louise Speaks up...

Carl here,

In as little as five weeks, the TWO new Interns Louise Fisk (from New Zealand) and Erica Ip (from Canada) will be arriving in Japan to take over from the British Intern Tag Team. So, us Brits thought it was about time to get to know the replacements a little bit better...

Amy interviewed Louise and I've been given the job of posting the answers (Amy was busy at work!).

Please tell the readers a little about yourself……

I’m 23 years old, and I was born and grew up in the 'raging metropolis' of Hamilton, now the fourth largest city in New Zealand (not that that is saying much in global terms). I like to eat chocolate cake and go wandering in the mountains, preferably at the same time. Sometimes I’ve been known to do monkey impressions, usually after several hours of walking without the benefits of chocolate cake.

When I’m not eating cake, falling off cliffs or dragging my knuckles along the ground, I earn a bit of money measuring trees, digging holes and boiling soil in acid (don’t treat soil like dirt by the way: your life depends on it).

I also occasionally become respectable and sit in front of a computer and produce serious, mature scientific reports.


Fig. 1: Working hard or hardly working?

When did you first start karate and what grade are you currently at?

I started karate in my second year of high school (where did that decade go?). I’m currently a 3rd Dan, having graded only a month or so ago.

Why did you start karate in the first place and why did you stick with it?

I thought that karate would be good for self-defence (not of course that I intended to get into situations where I’d need it). By sheer chance, Sensei Robbie Smith was running classes at my school. I didn’t find learning karate easy, and had to work hard at mastering techniques. I found there was and is always something more to learn and as I don’t want to miss out on anything, I’m still training.


Fig. 2: Garrr

What do you believe is your greatest achievement in karate and why?

Learning how to teach. I remember my first classes attempting to lead a kata, explain a technique or keep kids interested, and it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done (luckily the kids didn’t possess rotten tomatoes with which to give feedback). Now I find that, on a good day, teaching is one of the most rewarding things I do, and I believe that it is one of the most important things we as karate people do: passing on what we have learned.

When did you first think of coming to Japan?

My mother has at times told me that I’m disgracefully nosey, and at primary school I always dreamed about travelling the world and assuaging my curiosity about how other people in other countries lived. I can’t honestly say I specifically wanted to go to Japan then, but as I learnt Japanese at high school, Japan definitely became one of those exotic places I had to find out about for myself.

Please describe your image of Japan.

At the moment I imagine a very technologically advanced nation, with lots and lots of people packed together on whatever flat land there is available, and consequently with many social conventions allowing them to live together in such close proximity. I also imagine that beneath the modern world-wise surface there are depths of tradition that leak out all over the place, though possibly not always where a foreigner would expect.


Fig. 3: Me and my turpentine bush

What do you hope to achieve in your year as intern?

I would like to become part of the Shiramizu karate family, make friends and achieve world peace through a judicious application of martial arts training.

How do you think the karate training will differ from your own country?

I suspect that it will be more regimented, more focussed on perfecting basic techniques, possibly by repeating them over and over again. Hopefully it will have less of hitting people over the head with big sticks.

Where do you hope to visit in Japan?

I’d like to visit mountains. Mountains with lots of trees, mountains that smoke and blow up, mountains with sparkly rocks and mountains near the sea. I’d also like to visit small villages and towns. Out of the way places.

Is there anything specifically Japanese that you would like to learn while in Japan? i.e origami

I’d like to learn how to survive on trains in rush hour. It would also be cool to learn taiko drumming and kenjutsu, however they seem to be things that require a lot of time and dedication, time and dedication that I devote instead to karate.


Fig. 4: Morning commute, West Coast, NZ

What do you think you will miss the most while you are here in Japan?

I will miss my karate classmates making fun of my height. I will also miss having my brother around to explain why my computer is making funny noises.

Is there anything else that you would like to say…………………..

In a nutshell: ooga booga, mimble wimble, raarrrr.

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.

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.