Seven members of the Elora Gorge Karate Dojo have returned from the International Dai Sensei Mei Toku Yagi Memorial celebration in Okinawa, Japan, held March 1 to 6.
“The Okinawa experience, as we are calling it, was an awesome trip. The junior students were our main focus,” said Sensei Bill Stimpson, owner of the dojo.
Francesca VanEsch (11) and Michael Corbett (13) were two of the youngest students invited to compete in the tournament.
“Our students competed in two events: single Kata and team Kata,” he explained.
“I told my students they were competing on a world stage so they were already winners. My only expectation of them was to go out and do their best” Stimpson said.
“Though they did not place in their competitions, I know they did their best, and I was very proud of their efforts. Both Michael and Francesca agree that it was a great experience just to compete.”
The event, held at the Okinawa National Theatre, was part of the celebration of the life of Dai Sensei Mei Toku Yagi, the master of the discipline of karate that Stimpson and his students practice.
“Our small group participated in a mass demonstration of karate, and that was a great honour. Our small dojo performed a group Kata Tenchi on stage before an audience of about 500 people,” Stimpson said.
Getting to see Japan, staying in both Tokyo and Okinawa, was a cultural experience for the team from Centre Wellington.
“We met great karate people from all over the globe,” Stimpson explained. “The language was not a problem. We had karate as our common bond. Some of our students understood the Japanese terms used in the dojo, but of course, some translations we just didn’t understand, so we helped each other out.”
For Stimpson, a fifth degree black belt with more than 20 years of martial arts training, was inspired by the opportunity to go to the birthplace of karate.
“My biggest thrill was to train at the Hombu Dojo with master Meitatsu Yagi,” Stimpson said. “You could feel the history of the building and the two hours of personal training was incredible.”
Stimpson said it was the trip of a lifetime, and he hopes his students gained a global perspective on their sport.
“The people were all so kind and helpful,” he said. “We estimated the time spent training in two weeks was equal to one month here at home.”
