Rites of Passage

by1Rudy1

1.7K followers

2 years ago

The rites of passage are a means of passing on tradition and history, one that is filled with rituals and protocols.

The following is about a rite of passage when the current Master of my martial arts, Butokukan Karate, stepped down after 55 years.

But first, a little Karate history...The short version...

Many karatekas (karate students), if they know their style's history, are familiar with some of the names associated with martial arts, one of them being - Yasutsune "Ankoh" Itosu, known as the creator of the Pinan (kata) forms.

Some of Itosu's students were Kenwa Mabuni and Gichin Funakoshi, among others.

Kenwa Mabuni taught karate in Osaka, Japan that became known as Shito-Ryu by 1932.

Gichin Funakoshi - created Shotokan Karate. He is considered the 'father of modern karate when he brought the Okinawan karate style to Japan, where it became known worldwide.

One of Mabuni's students was Yun Pon Gun. Gun left Osaka, Japan, in the 1930s, and took over the Shinpu-ren group in Kushimoto, Japan.

One of his students was Yoichi "George" Nakachi. He began Shinpu-ren in 1944 and made Nidan (2nd-degree black belt) in 1948. 16 years old!

In 1950, Yon Pun Gun left Shinpu-ren to his student, Nakatchi, and returned to his homeland of Korea. Master Nakachi continued teaching until 1959 when he moved to Seattle, WA. to attend Tenriko religion at the University of Washington campus.

In 1961, Nakachi started teaching shinpu-ren karate classes at Olympic College in Bremerton, WA. At this time, he met with Bruce Lee. They were both learning how to speak English and eventually met up a few times. Legend has it that it was these meetings with Bruce Lee that resulted in Master Nakachi's decision to change the Shinpu-ren style to Butokukan, in 1963, to incorporate more flowing Chinese styles.

(Image: Butokukan Crest)

Still with me?

Robert Hill started Shinpu-ren karate lessons with Master Nakachi at Olympic College in 1961 and received his Shodan in June of 1963. Shortly after, he was transferred to work in Boston. While he was away, Mater Nakachi changed the system from Shinpu-ren to Butokukan.

Imagine his surprise on his return home to Bremerton, when Bob Hill had to learn the new Butotkukan style, with new forms (katas).

In 1965, Master Nakachi returned to Kyoto, Japan, leaving the new Butokukan in the hands of Shihan Robert Hill.

In 2021, 55 years later, Soke Bob Hill finally steps down to crown the new Master, Shihan Tyron Asphy, who has a dojo in Seattle, WA.

All of us gathered in the Silverdale Dojo, the classes are held at the community hall. As we arrived, there was much greeting and reuniting for me and some other folks. Then Soke Bob Hill walked in, and I whispered 'Attention on Deck' and stood up.

I would guess that there were about 25+ Senseis (black belts) that participated in the tradition of adding your ki (chi) energy by way of snapping the belt, then hand off to the next sensei. We have a tradition at our rank tests where the black belts in attendance, line up and one by one, snap their ki energy into the belt and pass it to the next person in line.

We lined up according to rank, and for us shodans, the longest-held ranks found their place in line. Master (Soke) Bob Hill spoke a few words, about his past 55 years, about the people, and how he decided upon Shihan Tyron to take over as the next Shihan of Butokukan.

Soke Bob Hill reached into a black box and pulled out a red obi (belt). While standing there, he shared the story of when he first wore his new red belt, He did not want to wear the red belt at first, as the red indicated a higher level, and Soke Hill is a humble man. Yet, he finally gave in and began to wear the red belt.

Soke Bob hill unfolded the belt and refolded it to make it easier to snap. The first person he gave it to was our newest Sensei, one from my home dojo, Sensei Erica, who proceeded to snap the belt, and passed it on to the next person in line. This continued with each sensei until the red belt came back around to Soke Bob, who snapped it once more before handing it to Shihan Tyron.

It was certainly a profound moment in the history of Butokukan, and I am so glad that I attended.

The new Master, Shihan Tyron is one whom I have had the privilege of working out with a few times, and who plans to bring new insights to our JABKA Organization, (Japanese American Butokukan Karate Association). I'm hoping that some of the traditions we followed will return.

At a rank test, we always had a Q&A with the black belts asking the testing student all sorts of things, trivia, spelling, and historical questions.

The ceremony was filmed, and I hope to get a link to see it, one that is not FB-related, as I don't have a fb account.

I decided to go to the ceremony to get reintroduced into the fold of Butokukan. I am looking forward to getting back into working out with other black belts, as well as teaching the future black belts in classes here in the Northwest corner of WA (state...)

My goal is to receive my Nidan (2nd-degree blackbelt). Sometime in the near future.

Note: Some of the information presented here is from memory by what we were taught as students, and what we continued to share with our students. The document I used to assist in ensuring the proper order and spelling was our own JABKA history.

Rudy