Karatekas told to up fighting spirit<\/p>\n
NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): Shotokan master and president of the
\nShotokan Karate-Do International Federation (SKIF) Hirokazu
\nKanazawa expressed hope that Indonesian karatekas would foster
\ntheir fighting spirit.<\/p>\n
Kanazawa said Indonesian karatekas basically had breakneck
\nmovements, but such an ability on its own would not produce
\nharmony between body and spirit, which is essential in the sport.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesian karatekas have good physical stamina. But they
\nfall short of the fighting spirit. Both are good for developing
\ncharacter,\" he told The Jakarta Post and Kompas dailies on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
The 68-year-old Kanazawa is attending the 7th SKIF world
\nchampionship at the Bali convention center at the Sheraton Nusa
\nIndah hotel. Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri will open the
\ntournament on Saturday morning.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is deploying 28 karatekas to this event. As of
\nWednesday, 800 karatekas from 33 countries had arrived at the
\nvenue.<\/p>\n
Kanazawa has dedicated his life to the sport. He said he had
\ntrained with other types of martial arts before he decided to
\ntrain for karate with his first teacher, Nakayama, at a training
\ncenter at Takushoku University in Tokyo.<\/p>\n
\"At first, I thought all martial arts were the same. Then I
\nvisited many sports clubs at the universities in my country, and
\nfinally I saw karate training at Takushoku University. That was
\nin 1952,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"When I first came to the training sessions at the university,
\neverybody already had good skills. I doubled up on my exercises
\nto catch up with them. I went to the dojo at night to practice
\nsome movements. I trained in the dark. I found out that this kind
\nof exercise can improve your visualization skills,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said he had trained with another master, Gichin Funakoshi,
\nwho introduced karate in universities. He practiced with
\nFunakoshi for six years before he died.<\/p>\n
Years afterward, Kanazawa's career improved and he was
\nappointed as the Japan Karate-do Association's (JKA) chief
\ndirector of the internal division.<\/p>\n
But he withdrew in 1978 from the association following a
\ndifference in opinion.<\/p>\n
\"Many karatekas who want to get their certificates as
\ninstructors have to train for karate for three years in Japan. I
\nwant to encourage everybody, particularly from outside this
\ncountry, to get the certificate in order to popularize this sport
\nin their respective countries. But JKA had a different opinion.\"<\/p>\n
He then developed his own organization, popularly known as
\nSKIF. The karate style, which emphasizes a balance in body,
\nspirit and nature, has established federation in 104 countries.<\/p>\n
Kanazawa said he was pleased that karate would be exhibited
\nfor the first time in the 2004 Olympic Games.<\/p>\n
\"I think it's a good start. But it'll be difficult for the
\ngeneral public to differentiate karate from other martial arts
\nsports like judo, tae kwon do or maybe wushu. For our athletes,
\nthe Olympics is not the ultimate goal in practicing karate. Some
\n90 percent to 95 percent of our karatekas want to develop their
\nbodies and spirits,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said he would propose his elder son, Nobuaki Kanazawa, to
\nbe his successor. \"He's a member of the Japanese national team
\nand a professional instructor,\" he said, adding that his third
\nson was also a karateka while his second child was a businessman.<\/p>\n
Kanazawa has set up hundreds of dojo in Japan with its main
\nheadquarters in Tokyo. (ivy)<\/p>",
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