December 15, 2012
Jesse goes to the National Karate Championships
Jesse here,
On the weekend of the 8th and 9th of December, the All-Japan Karate Championships were held. This is an annual event, with the final being televised on national TV.
Because the two Seiritsu international teachers are karate coaches, they of course had tickets and, thankfully, had a spare one for me. I arrived at around 11 in the morning and the womens kumite (sparring) was drawing to a close.
As I sat there watching the best karate practitioners in Japan give it their all, I didn’t have a clue what was going on. However, lost as I was, it was all very impressive, the sheer speed of the kumite and the refined and deadly grace of the kata (presentations of fighting patterns) wowing my untrained mind. Once Peter arrived, he told me roughly what was going on. I still didn’t understand it that well.
Oh well, one day I’ll have a clue as to what is going on in a karate tournament.