Starting in January

Initial classes of the JKA of the Golden Gate will begin in January. Previously announced plans for a December start-up proved to be too ambitious, given the holidays. Details will be posted here shortly. Insurance, a critical issue for any martial-arts instructor, has been settled, and the search is narrowing for a space that is appropriate, affordable, and convenient for students in the East Bay as well as in San Francisco and the Peninsula.

One of the reasons why December proved difficult is that I was away in New York for a week. Most of the work involved my writiting career, but I also attended the December instructor training and dan exam held by Mori Sensei, chief instructor of JKA Shotokan Karate-Do International. Recently JKA headquarters in Tokyo elevated Mori Sensei to 9th dan, and we had a party to celebrate.

From Left: Oleg (Brooklyn), Doug Luft (Albany), Bob Esquerre (New York, retired), Tony DeCaprio (New York), T.J. Stiles (New York 1986-2006, now San Francisco), Jacob Levitt (New York), Mori Sensei, Mano Dallas (Stony Brook), Alex (New York, retired). Photo by Ed Nau; all rights reserved.

This photo was taken of some of the longest-surviving of Mori Sensei's students. Bob Esquerre was training in New York even before Mori Sensei took over the dojo in 1968; he was a mentor to me when I showed up as a raw shodan in 1986. By mentor, I mean not only technically, but in terms of etiquette and expectations; he taught me a great deal about the spirit of Mori Sensei's dojo.

Karate-do is a serious thing. I think it's unfortunate that many today think of it as merely an activity for children. It is difficult, exacting, and dangerous if not practiced with discipline, respect, and close supervision. It is a life path, as captured in the word "do," or "way." This is the essence of what I have learned under Mori Sensei, above and beyond technical instruction, and it's why I wish to keep teaching.