Following up on my pronunciation post, I’d like to share what was perhaps my most frustrated encounter with terminology pronunciation. A rising kick that rhymes with squeegee. You know, those cleaning wands with a wiper blade that fuel station attendants use to wash your windshield (if you still can find an old-fashioned station). For those unfamiliar with this tool, the …
Japanese Pronunciation
It has been a bit of a hobby of mine to try to pronounce Japanese karate terminology correctly. Ironically, the word “karate” often reads “kah RAH tee” in my head. Once one has even the most basic understanding of Japanese pronunciation, this will grate terribly on one’s nerves. There’s so much wrong with that pronunciation that it could be a …
Promotion Tests
As most of you know, we have a promotion review regularly about every three months. This is just a time when we formally take stock of where we are and what we need to work on. It’s also a time where we can get together and train with people we might not otherwise have a chance to meet. Training together …
Mokuso – A Student’s View
A mentor of mine once said, “Religious people commonly think that we are physical beings on a spiritual journey. But, I believe they have it backwards. We are spiritual beings on a physical journey.”
Basic Etiquette
Entering and Leaving the Dojo (Training Hall) Before you enter or exit the dojo, you should face into the room, bow, and say “Osu” in a purposeful tone. This is how we express respect and appreciation for our school and the sweat that we shed to make ourselves better students and people. Jewelry For the sake of safety and neatness, …
Mas Oyama’s Eleven Mottos
Mas Oyama summed up his entire martial arts philosophy in eleven mottos, known as the Zayu no Mei Juichi Kajo, which are central to his teaching: The Martial Way begins and ends with courtesy. Therefore, be properly and genuinely courteous at all times. Following the Martial Way is like scaling a cliff – continue upwards without rest. It demands absolute …
Kyokushin School Oath
Dojo Kun (School Oath) Kyokusin dojo kun was written by Mas Oyama with the help of Eiji Yoshikawa, the author of Musashi, a book about the life and times of Japan’s greatest warrior, Miyamoto Musashi. The book provided much of Mas Oyama’s inspiration during his mountain training days. We will train our hearts and bodies for a firm, unshaken spirit. …
The meaning of “OSU!”
In our school of karate, “OSU” is a greeting, and is used to replace words and phrases such as “yes, good, I will, and excuse me.” The word “osu” comes from the Chinese Kanji characters “Oshi Shinobu”, 押忍, which means “to persevere while being pushed.”
Mas Oyama
Sosai (President) Masutatsu Oyama, the founder of Kyokushin Karate, was born in southern Korea in 1923. While living at his sister’s farm in Manchuria at the age of nine, he began his lifelong journey along the Martial Way when he began studying the southern Chinese form of kempo know as “Eighteen Hands”. When Mas Oyama returned to Korea at the …