All Wado Karate Forum

My Sensei trained with his sempai, Suzuki Sensei back in the 50s, and had this story to tell. At this time in his training, my Sensei went everywhere with iron geta. Suzuki Sensei took him up to the edge of a canal, then instructed him to kick sokuto as hard as he could over the water. Needless to say, his first attempt thrust him into the canal. :) He told me that Suzuki Sensei was on the short side, but a tough, fearless fighter willing to take on anyone. One of his few draws was against a six foot plus Chinese American Sandan. Compared to contemporary karateka, the early Japanese masters seemed to be cut from a different bolt of cloth.

I think they've been around long enough to know what works when they teach. They've also lived during a different time period where there may have not been similar situations that we may experience. I believe I read in Mr. Suzuki's book that he worked at a casino type place as a bouncer and at one point defended himself against a bunch of yakuza. Now exactly how many of us will experience something like that in our lives.

Based on when I have tried to ask my sensei about such things and the responses my peers have had to their questions, the responses about what happened in the past are very matter of fact, and at times you may end up drawing a bit more breath that you needed.

When I ask about the future, then that is a whole new thing altogether. Those darker experiences, let's call them, belong to a generation. It is telling that that generation, or at least in the people I have trained under, have not made it their task to give you the same... in recent times.

There has been no let up in their will and spirit when it comes trying to pass their knowledge onto us, as we struggle away and give them frustration in return. A strong tongue lashing and a stern look, when we know of these past experiences, is enough to get us back on our journey.

karateman7 wrote:I think they've been around long enough to know what works when they teach. They've also lived during a different time period where there may have not been similar situations that we may experience. I believe I read in Mr. Suzuki's book that he worked at a casino type place as a bouncer and at one point defended himself against a bunch of yakuza. Now exactly how many of us will experience something like that in our lives.

HI k7,

Yakuza are just people too. kikioji-mikuzure-futanren.

oneya

Ah, I didn't even think of it that way.

I still leave impressed by that story, though :) But in a different light.

Suzuki sensei's fighting skill has always been impressive K7.

oneya