Disrespecting Karate

[Proskater]

I got this e mail from a friend. I was suprised cultrally unknowlegable he was.

Caucasian man befuddles Japanese practitioners of Shotokan Karate by using the word "Kyokushin" as Kiai.

 

TOKYO, JAPAN (Kyodo) – An American man travels to Japan to further his knowledge on martial arts, only to offend the Japanese.

 

Sean Baker, a 28 year old Idaho native began his practice of martial arts at the age of 16 under Howard Jones at Winns Tae Kwon Do in Idaho Falls. Howard Jones a two time state champion in Tae Kwon Do saw promise in Baker’s abilities and advised to take a step further in his training, possibly traveling to Japan. Baker, a second degree black belt, was confident in his Tae Kwon Do abilities agreed to do so, leaving to Japan in May.

 

“Of course I have confidence! When instructor Jones told me I had a promising career, it was just icing on the cake to something I already knew,” said Baker. When asked about going to Japan for more training in Tae Kwon Do which is a Korean martial art, Baker replied, “Well, martial arts are all similar; I don’t speak that Oriental stuff anyways, so I see Japan as the same thing, maybe something cool is that they have the best cars around.”

 

With a strong background in Tae Kwon Do, Baker’s idea was not necessarily in the practice of Tae Kwon Do; instead, he decided to train in Kyokushin Karate to turn himself into a Mixed Martial Artist. Recently in Japan, there has been a surge of Mixed Martial Arts competitions such as Pride FC which began in 1997 organized by Dream Stage Entertainment. “By learning that full contact Kyokushin, and my skills of Tae Kwon Do, I’ll be in a competitive class with any fighter that wants to face me” said Baker.

 

The faces of the Japanese Shotokan Karate practitioners started to contort when Baker arrived at Kimura Shotokan dojo to train. “He just came in with a gym bag and started to change on the mat, that’s something we never do and is very disrespectful” Masashi Yamamoto voiced. “First I didn’t know what to think because he didn’t even bring a Karate gi, instead it was a Tae Kwon Do gi” said Sanshin Hashimoto a long time Shotokan practitioner.

 

“Yea, I don’t even speak that language and so everyone was staring at me. They all bowed and gave me a warm welcome, but I don’t know why they had to stare when I was changing – interesting customs these Orients have” said Baker.

 

The real shock came to the Shotokan practitioners when everyone started ‘kata’ which is a practice of forms. During this, Baker yelled out ‘kiai’ a very short loud burst of one syllable sounds. Kiai is a part of Shotokan and is considered a technique by many masters. Instead of one syllable bursts, Baker repeated “Kyokushin” (another form of Karate) with each Kata movement.

 

“At this time, we did not think of Mr. Baker’s action as humorous or odd any longer, it was disrespect and by pushing his way through the lines to get into the dojo, it was my duty to open his eyes to his doings. First of all, our dojo is Shotokan Karate, not Kyokushin, and we do not change in the middle of the mat and leave gym bags open and exposed for people to trip on” said Sensei Kimura.

 

“I wanted to show them that I was going to be a Mixed Martial Artist, but they kicked me out of the dojo, they don’t even speak English, so I gave them what I thought by saying [expletive].” “That’s when I left that place and headed back to Idaho, when I asked some Chinese guy at the supermarket about Japan, he told me that I was rude. But we do that in our dojo.”

 

The Japan Times: June. 14, 2003

 

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[kotegashiNeo]

I apologize but this typical american Mcdojo behavior, lack of respect and manners. Not a suprise coming from a man who is a legend in his own mind.

[senna_trem]

But this is a joke, right? Where did your friend get it from?

[Proskater]

But this is a joke, right? Where did your friend get it from?

 

I dont know, but Ill ask him and let you know.

[P.A.L]

2nd dan TKD going to japan to learn KK and becomes a MMA fighter and ended up in a shotokan dojo, pretty stupid.

[jedimc]

Wow hes dumb, I mean wouldnt it be a privilege to train in a japanese dojo.

[Hawkeye]

Oh, my. I guess that this kind of story just serves to reinforce the importance of learning about the place you are going if it is different than where you are. A little homework (and humility) might have saved a lot of grief.

[isshinryu5toforever]

That sounds almost too hillarious to be true. I knew some people were ignorant, but that bad?

[Shorinryu Sensei]

I used to do tech support for Hewlett/Packard...yes, I believe people can be that stupid!

[June1]

Shorinryu Sensei: LOL!

 

Yeah, that article sounds quite fake to me.