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It was around my second year of junior high school, under the old prewar school system, that I started training in karate. In those days, everyone thought of a bushi as someone who was just a strong fighter. Yet, even as a child, I somehow perceived that this opinion was incorrect, and that being a bushi meant more than just being physically powerful.

As a lad, I was fortunate to have met a prominent teacher and his great senior disciple. Because of their profound understanding of karate, so too was I able to achieve a deep perception of budo (martial ways). In other words, I was able to confirm my childhood beliefs that a bushi was more than just a physically powerful person. I came to understand how devoting one’s life to karate develops an indomitable spirit and unshakable faith. This is necessary for a bujin to live a just life and is similar to Buddhist beliefs.

I became a policeman at the age of twenty-six because it suited me, and I kept enthusiastically practicing judo, kendo, and karate. During that time I often visited prominent senior bujin, not really caring whether they were from the Shuri-te or Tomari-te traditions. In addition to enhancing my understanding of karate in general, I also managed to pick up many descriptions of old bujin from the Ryukyu Kingdom.