(the good old days)
In Trenton New Jersey, in 1967, I started my martial arts spirit and enlightenment. I was trained by three Japanese instructors, Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki , Sensei Katsuya Kisaka, the 1965 All Japan Kumite Champion, who was to become Sensei Okazaki’s assistant, and Sensei Hajime Yokota, at that time, a black belt in judo, and brown belt in Shotokan Karate, who was training under Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki .
At first only Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki was teaching. He was very kind to me and associated very well with my parents. I was 15 at the time. Sensei Hajime Yokota was his assistant and a great friend. He helped me a great deal to understand everything. I was very close to him also. Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki had his book on Shotokan at the dojo, so my parents bought it for me and I have treasured it for all these years with a few other souvenirs I managed to hold onto. Sensei Hajime signed the book for me and wrote my name in Japanese. Later that year, Kisaka Sensei showed up and was teaching also. Christmas of that year was a big learning experience for me. I had my first sushi, danced with a Japanese girl to the 60's music, got my first Japanese kiss and girl friend. Definitely, a reason to stay with the JKA. Short lived that she was, I was hooked on Japanese at least for the time being. After some time I did not see Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki any longer. I really missed him a lot. Then some time after that, I did not see Sensei Hajime Yokota any longer. I missed him a lot too. Only Sensei Kisaka was teaching after that. I moved around a lot in my early adult years and it was almost impossible to find a Karate Dojo, a Shotokan Karate dojo, or a Japanese Dojo, so I kept going back to see old friends, to watch tests, and see tornaments.
Honor ~ Path ~ Death
The most powerful things I learned from my training with the Japan Karate Association, all my Japanese friends and acquaintances, and the Japanese culture...
Let Nothing Block Your Path And Die With Honor
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PERFECTION |
For I am the ...
KAMINOKAZE NO RYU
The Divine Wind Dragon
I am extremely happy and proud to have been trained by my instructors and be a part of the Japan Karate Association.
I went on to discover Chinese traditions because I liked and was very interested in what I had been watching on the Green Hornet with Bruce Lee and later I saw a movie commercial for The Big Boss starring Bruce Lee. I went and saw the movie and then I knew it was time to move on.
My last membership card.
The Book
 
The box and jacket.
The jacket has Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki on the cover on the right executing a flying side kick and arm block.
 
The book itself and autograph page.
Sensei Hajime Yokota signed the book for me since he was my closest friend.
He wrote the characters for the sounds of each letter of my name James.
The copyright and publish page.
Twenty-sixth printing. 1966
Manufactured in Japan ~ (Perfect)
This book was for sale at the dojo because it was Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki's book.
I got it a year later in 1967.
The thank you mention.
I'm really happy Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki is in half the pictures in the book,
and that he and the Japan Karate Association are mentioned.
Japan Karate Association's teachings of character.
 
Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki is on left. Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki is on right.
 
Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki is on right. Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki is on left.
I'm so glad I'm part of this history. 
Bowing to Funakoshi Gichin.
Only 10 years after his death, I remember bowing at the beginning and ending of each training session to a picture of Funakoshi Gichin ( it was a different picture ) with Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki directly below, and then later, Sensei Katsuya Kisaka.
Tournament Poster (18in. by 24in thick board)
My last tournament.
I went back many times to attend parties, eat sushi, attend testing events and tournaments.
Here are some of the practices and terms from that time.
the duck walk ( all the around the dojo )
chi stance ( and getting kicked in the stomach while in the stance )
push ups (on the knuckles)
punching standing posts (with a thin cloth cover )
warm ups (exercises)
bowing (greetings)
Kiai (key-aye): Focusing shout
Ki (key): Mind, Spirit, Energy
eating (sushi)
Aikido (demonstrations and light training)
Ninjutsu (demonstrations and light training)
Jujitsu (demonstrations and light training)
Judo (demonstrations and light training)
Kumite (sparring)
spirit training
kendo shinai ( the bamboo sword ) (demonstrations and light training)
kiba dachi ( the horse stance )
kata (forms)
Gankaku ( the "Chinto Crane form, originated in China) for balance
Sochin ( meaning "Tranquil Force" , another Chinese originated Dragon form ) for stance and power
Chinte (the Rare Hand or Unusal Hand form, also originated from China)
Jutte (simular to Sais, the three pronged or double hooked hand weapon)
Gojushio Sho ( a wide varity of advanced forms)
Unsu (Cloud Hands, the most advanced form)
Kanku sho (the major open hand form meaning contemplating the sky ) easier to perform
wazari (high point) the high score
KarateKa (kah-rah-teh-kah): Karate student
Sempai (sehm-pye): Senior student
Sensei (sehn-seh-ee): Instructor
counting to 10 ( Japanese) : Numbers
Ichi (ih-chee): One
Ni (nee): Two
San (sahn): Three
Shi (she): Four
Go (go): Five
Roku (roo-koo): Six
Shichi (Shih-chee): Seven
Hachi (Hah-chee): Eight
Ku (koo): Nine
Ju (joo): Ten
The following information and pictures were obtained from the internet.
Sensei Kisaka arrived in Philadelphia in 1965 under Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki , shortly after he won the All Japan Kumite Championship. Within a year or so his methods had a great deal of impact on the membership of the Philadelphia club, many people had dropped out of training because of him. As a result, Okazaki Sensei sent him to Trenton, NJ in 1967 to take over a small club there, he was to be on his own to become independent of Okazaki Sensei and just be under JKA. Nishiyama Sensei and Nakayama Sensei flew to the east coast to attempt to mediate between Okazaki Sensei and Kisaka Sensei but it did not work. Sensei Okazaki’s assistant, Hajime Yokota, also was going back to California.
This is Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki in front. |
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Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki on right.
This is Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki in front.
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Sensei Emeritus Hajime Yokota
Sensei Yokota (center) with Sensei Okazaki (left) and Master Nakayama (right)
My instructors, Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki, Sensei Hajime Yokota, and Sensei Katsuya Kisaka are authentic, old school, traditional, Shotokan karate teachers. They have direct lineage to the purest interpretations of Shotokan's founder O-Sensei Gichin Funakoshi.
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Sensei Katsuya Kisaka |
The Japanese Sword
Shoot Wrestling ~
Yori Nakamura shows Shooto Lockflow #1
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