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SKC Now on Facebook!
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Yes, your dojo can now be found on Facebook (FB). I plan to use FB for news, schedule changes, general information, pictures, and possibly video. I will still post information on our website, but most of it will be on FB.
If you already have a FB account:
Do a search for Skc Sherine Nohara and send me a Friend Request. Please pick the account where I’m pictured in my gi with maroon curtains in the background – that’s the school’s account. After I accept your request, I’ll send you an invitation to SKC’s group.
If you DON’T have a FB account:
Okay! Welcome to the modern world! The first question usually is: What the heck is Facebook? FB is a website for social networking – meaning, you can talk story with your long-lost (and not-so-lost) friends and family. You can do a lot of things on FB: post news, pictures, chat with friends, etc. You can think of it like a “public email” where everyone can see each other’s comments and make their own comments.
How to set up your account:
1. You need to have an email account – you won’t be able to set one up without it. If you don’t have one, a lot of websites offer free email – you can visit Gmail, Hotmail, or Yahoo.
2. Go to http://www.facebook.com/ and start up an account – it’s very easy, just follow the instructions.
3. Once your account is set up, go to the upper right corner and click in the box that says Search.
4. Search for Skc Sherine Nohara – that’s the account for all our classes.
5. On the right opposite my picture, click on Add as Friend.
6. I’ll accept your request once I get it, and send you an invitation to join SKC group on FB; please accept.
I’ll be posting comments etc – it’s for us to keep you informed, but it’s also an open forum for students to talk to each other. I know most of us are unused to something like FB, but give it a try, it can be a lot of fun. I was a little uncomfortable with it at first, but it’s kind of neat because it allows me to keep in touch with mainland family – I can see them too because a lot of them post pictures. Just jump on and give it a try, click on stuff, it won’t bite! If you have any questions, you can talk to me in class or just email me at senseisherine@skckarate.com (which will still be my main point of contact).
Hope to see you on FB soon!! (posted 5/23/09)
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New Blacks!
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SKC is proud to announce several black belt promotions that happened in the last year. Our sempai’s have stepped up their training and we’ve seen a lot of great things from them: refined techniques, greater power and snap, deep hara, and over all clean and crisp basics.
It can be tough to be a black under SKC, but all the work put in will make the rank all the more worthwhile. We’re blessed to have such great students and teachers: great in their techniques but also their dedication to the art and to our school.
Congratulations!
(posted 7/27/11)
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Sempai Megan Oshiro, shodan
1st Degree Black Belt, 7/2/11
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Sempai Christian Hara, nidan
2nd Degree Black Belt, 11/20/10
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Sempai Nathan Choquette, nidan
2nd Degree Black Belt, 11/20/10
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Sempai Jennifer Loui, shodan
1st Degree Black Belt, 11/20/10
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Sempai Chris Roller, nidan
2nd Degree Black Belt, 10/26/10
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New Title for our Chief Instructor
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Effective immediately, please refer to Sensei Paul as Imada Kancho.
We are lucky to have Mr. Takao Ishigaki training with us and he's brought some unexpected and welcome information, along with the honor of having him train with us. He trained in Japan and with the Japan Karate Association (JKA) during the time when JKA was seriously expanding nationally and internationally. He trained with those men who are considered today's karate greats, including Mr. Tetsuhiko Asai under whom Imada Kancho received his JKA black belt certification from.
After some discussion and consideration, the title of "kancho" was decided upon. Kancho refers to a person who is the head of his own organization. You don't hear of this title too much since many karate schools are under such organizations as JKA or SKIF etc. Since SKC isn't affiliated with any other group and founded by Imada Kancho, this is the most appropriate for his position as organization and dojo head.
Also, the title of "sensei" literally means "teacher," but in Japanese, it's a more broad term that can be used for other occupations. Doctors, for instance, are often referred to as sensei, as well as any kind of teacher in any institution, from grade school to college. He's been "Sensei Paul" for many years so it might be a little strange to some of you who've been with SKC for a long time. We've been wrestling with this idea for quite some time because we needed a title that reflected his position more accurately.
Some of you unfamiliar with Japanese titles may feel a little confused by the position of his new title in comparison to his previous title of sensei. In Japanese, a person's title always follows their family name, however, teachers in Japan will often use their first name when teaching small children. So in reality, he should've been Imada Sensei from the very beginning, but he chose to Americanize his name a little for general accessibility to his students.
As for the others, although technically it should be Nohara Sensei, Marc Sempai, Chris Sempai, etc, please continue to keep the current names and titles as they are. The only official change will be Imada Kancho. So for those of you upper ranks who announce the dojo kun, don't forget, it should be "Kancho ni rei." If Sensei Sherine is teaching, it's "sensei ni rei." If one of the other blacks is teaching, you can say “sempai ni rei.” (Posted 1/10/09)
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Gichin Funakoshi Memorial
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On 9/16/08, Sempai Kevin Whang went to visit the memorial to Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957), the father of modern karate, located at Engaku-ji, a temple in the city of Kamakura.
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This black marker is to the left of the main memorial and it reads “Karate ni sente nashi” (There is no first attack in karate). This is probably one of Funakoshi Sensei’s most famous saying from his Niju-kun, or 20 Precepts.
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When asked of his impression of his visit, Sempai Kevin says, “Far away from the buzz of Tokyo is Kamakura. I describe Kamakura as a land of culture. It is a place of green nature, rice fields and forests, dotted with ancient temples and shrines. One of the temples is Engaku-ji which has a memorial to Gichin Funakoshi, founder of Shotokan karate. My impression of the temple and the memorial is reverence and respect for the founder of Shotokan karate. I feel privileged and honored to have the opportunity to go to such a hollowed and sacred place. When I prayed in front of the memorial I felt the spirit to continue and to advance my karate to the expectations and hopes of the founder. It gave me the boost of spirit to continue on my path of true karate.”
Thank you to sempai for his words and his photos! (posted 10/24/08)
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JKA Headquarters in Japan!
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JKA is a rather inconspicuous building that’s 4 floors tall and quite narrow (like many of Japan’s buildings are). Thank goodness Sensei had help finding the place because she would’ve never found it on her own!
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Sensei Sherine went to Japan during Nov 4-10, 2007 for business. It was a very tight schedule, but on the last day she was able to squeeze in a visit to the Japan Karate Association sohonbu (headquarters) located in Tokyo. She was allowed to watch most of a Saturday training mostly for blacks, kata only. Most of the students were older, in their late 40s-50s. They started with a basic warm up. Starting with Heian Shodan, they first did it slowly 2-3 times, then performed the same kata another 4-5 times, gradually increasing speed and power. This was done with each Heian kata, followed by kata bunkai (practical application). It was interesting to hear some of the same basic concepts being taught such as kime, rhythm, focus, and timing (well, all in Japanese, of course). It was too bad Sensei Sherine didn’t have the chance to train, but it was still a great opportunity to see the main headquarters and watch a class being run.
Posted (11/25/07)
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This is the entrance into JKA. Everyone must get there by train because there’s only a small parking lot in front with maybe 3 parking stalls.
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This is the trophy case on the first floor to the left of the entrance.
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This is located on the right side of the first floor, it reads (from right to left), “Karate ni sente nashi.” Roughly translated, “There is no first move in karate.” It means a karate-ka shouldn’t make the first attack and he should use it in defense only.
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To the left of this building directory is a carpeted area with shoe boxes. Once the shoes come off, you can go up the stairs to the upper floors.
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This weight room is about half of the 3rd floor, the left wall is lined with makiwara posts for punching. The other half is the “sub dojo” with wooden floors and mirrored walls.
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This is the front of the main dojo on the 4th floor – the photo is a little dark, but the room is very bright and the wood floors and walls are just clean and shining. There’s enough room for about 4 people across and at the Saturday training, there were about 4-5 rows of people. It’s a very, very nice dojo.
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This is the dojo kun in Japanese, read from right to left, top to bottom.
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Back on the first floor, Sensei Sherine standing next to a painting of the founder of modern karate, Gichin Funakoshi.
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