Karate Kenkyū Shitsu

[Film] “Karate Kid” Becomes a Sensational Hit in the United States

The Late Miyagi Chōjun Served as the Model

Robert Visits Okinawa to Conduct Research for the Second Film

The karate film Karate Kid, whose central character was modeled on an Okinawan karate practitioner, has become a sensational hit in the United States. Within just one month of its release, the number of moviegoers exceeded ten million. Newspapers including the Chicago Sun-Times acclaimed it as “the best film of the year,” and it has also received high praise from critics.

The film centers on the emotional bond that develops through karate between an elderly second-generation Okinawan and a young boy, while throughout the story the “spirit of karate” is brought strongly to the forefront.

A release date in Japan has yet to be determined. Those involved have expressed growing interest in the film, saying, “It will make the name of Okinawan karate known throughout the world.”

The film is set in Los Angeles. The story concerns Miyagi, an elderly American-born, second-generation Okinawan and a master of karate (modeled on the late Miyagi Chōjun, founder of Gōjū-ryū), who teaches karate to a boy being tormented by a group of bullies. Through the rigorous training, Miyagi and the boy gradually develop a deep emotional bond. Eventually, the boy surpasses the group of bullies both mentally and physically, and in the final scene defeats their leader. In a sense, it might be described as a karate version of Rocky.

The film began screening at one thousand theaters across the United States in late June of this year. It quickly became a major hit, attracting ten million moviegoers to date and generating approximately 1.2 billion yen in box-office revenue.

Robert Mark Kamen (36), who wrote the original screenplay for the film, recently visited Okinawa to conduct research for the second film. Kamen, who has twenty years of experience in karate, studied Gōjū-ryū in New York. Because of this connection, he said that he naturally envisioned the late Miyagi, a great pioneer of karate, as the model for the main character.

“What I sought to capture in the film was something of the spirit, purity, and profound depth of karate. It is completely different from ordinary action-oriented karate. When I came to Okinawa for the first time, I was deeply impressed to find that traditional karate had been preserved here.”

During his stay, he energetically conducted interviews with leading masters of Okinawan karate, regardless of style. Every karate practitioner he met was determined to preserve and foster traditional karate—karate as budō.

Kamen said, “This was in complete accord with my own philosophy of karate, and I was deeply moved. After listening to what they had to say, the image I have for the second film has also developed considerably,” expressing confidence in the forthcoming sequel.

The film will include scenes in which the elderly man and the boy visit Okinawa and encounter authentic karate in its homeland. Regarding the possibility of filming on location in Okinawa, Kamen said, “I hope that will happen.”

The director is John G. Avildsen, who made Rocky a hit.

Source:

Okinawa Times, August 4, 1984, p. 7.

Afterword:

I also had the good fortune to interview Robert Mark Kamen. The first part of the interview has already been published (Link), while the second part will appear on August 14, 2026.

This short newspaper article was published following Kamen’s visit to Okinawa and clearly states that his trip was undertaken as a research visit for the second Karate Kid film.

The article incorrectly describes Mr. Miyagi as having been born in the United States to Okinawan immigrant parents. This aspect of his background was, however, revised in the second film. We also know today that Karate Kid II was ultimately not filmed on Okinawa. Although filming on location in Okinawa was apparently being considered at this stage, the Okinawan scenes were instead filmed in Hawaii.

During my trip to Okinawa, a report began circulating announcing the death of Gakiya Yoshiaki Sensei. I also received private messages informing me of the same.

I had already heard about Gakiya Sensei’s alleged passing some time ago. I had the good fortune to train under him in 2008, 2009, and 2010, although I would never describe myself as one of his students. I first heard about his supposed death in 2025, and I asked several Okinawan sensei about it. I received different answers. Among other things, I was told that he was said to have passed away even before Yogi Josei Sensei.

This reminded me of a personal experience involving my grandparents that I would like to share here. At the time, my grandparents lived on a farm. The mailbox where the newspaper was delivered was more than a kilometer away from the house. My task in the mornings was first to collect the eggs from the chicken coop and then make my way to the mailbox to pick up the newspaper.

When I returned, the first thing my grandparents would look at was the obituary section of the newspaper, and they would talk about people they knew. Both of them were already over 70 years old at the time. Most of those who had passed away were acquaintances rather than close friends. When it came to close friends, they did not have to learn such sad news from the newspaper; they would be informed by telephone by relatives or people close to them.

I remember a conversation with my instructor, Jhonny Bernaschewice, in November 2024, during which we spoke about his last meeting with Gakiya Yoshiaki Sensei. In 2014, Jhonny travelled with a group of students from Naha to Nago to visit Gakiya Sensei and receive a training session at his dōjō. After returning to Europe, Jhonny received an email asking him to refrain from visiting Gakiya Sensei again.

Each of these visits was very difficult for Gakiya Sensei. On the one hand, he was of course happy to see his students again, but on the other hand, it was very painful for him that he was no longer able to train himself—something he had dearly loved to do and that had brought him great joy. Those who trained under Gakiya Sensei will understand the passion he had for training.

In 2024, I asked Yogi Josei how Gakiya Sensei was doing, and he replied that he did not know, as he too was no longer in contact with him. Gakiya Sensei had therefore largely withdrawn from public life.

At this point, I do not know exactly where the alleged report of his death originated, but it came from Okinawa. During my trip, international practitioners also heard this alleged news of his death, and it was quickly shared on social media without first being verified.

Just as my grandparents used to look through the obituary notices in the daily newspaper to learn about the deaths of acquaintances, there are similar ways of obtaining such information in Okinawa. Examples include the obituary notice for Yogi Josei Sensei or the recently published sad announcement of the passing of Takushi Seiki Sensei.

I pray for Gakiya Sensei’s well-being and, at the same time, would like to urge everyone not to accept and spread everything they read on social media without careful consideration—especially when it concerns something as serious as the death of another human being.

The Karate-dō Kun of Kyoda Jūhatsu became known through the work of Hokama Tetsuhiro, who visited Iraha Chōkō sensei, a student of Kyoda Jūhatsu and the renowned calligrapher who wrote the Karate-dō Kun. Hokama sensei also visited an exhibition where Iraha displayed various examples of his calligraphy from throughout his career.

The Karate-dō Kun consists of five precepts. However, there are actually five additional precepts, bringing the total to ten. These additional five precepts have remained unknown until now, but I will soon present all ten precepts in their entirety.

The TOGKF (Traditional Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Federation) is still a relatively young organization, yet the roots of the association itself already go back to 1979, and today it is represented very strongly on an international level. I personally have never been, nor am I currently, a member of the organization. Nevertheless, I have many friends within the TOGKF, and this is exactly how the connection I would like to write about came into existence.

It all actually began because I had already been friends with one of the members on Facebook for quite some time. As fate would have it, both of us happened to be in Naha, Okinawa, in January 2024, and we were even staying at the same hotel. After my very first night struggling with jet lag, we met early in the morning at the hotel and briefly spoke with one another. I had just returned from shopping — in Japan many supermarkets are open 24 hours a day — while my friend Thomas Krekel was already on his way to work.

During the trip we met many more times, and one morning we eventually arranged to have breakfast together. In the end, there were five of us sitting together, including another Gōjū-ryū karateka. During breakfast, Thomas told us that it would be a great pleasure for him if we could write a seminar report about the upcoming TOGKF Hawaii Gasshuku — a gasshuku intended to commemorate Miyagi Chōjun’s journey to Hawaii 90 years earlier.

I immediately agreed, though with one condition: instead of writing only one report, I wanted to write two — one report about the TOGKF gasshuku itself, and another about Miyagi Chōjun’s actual journey to Hawaii in 1934.

The gasshuku eventually took place in April 2024, and the report was published in January 2025 — almost exactly 90 years after Miyagi Chōjun had left Hawaii again in 1935.

90th Anniversary of Miyagi Chōjun‘s Visit to Hawaii – A Martial Arts Demonstration – Part 1: Miyagi Chōjun – A Journey from Okinawa to Hawaii with Karate Demonstration and Seminars in 1934 (in English)

90th Anniversary of Miyagi Chōjun‘s Visit to Hawaii – A Martial Arts Demonstration – Part 2: TOGKF Hawai‘i Seminar in 2024 (in English)

The report was received very positively within the TOGKF, and shortly afterward I was invited to the 3rd European Gasshuku of the TOGKF. I was asked whether I would be willing to give a historical lecture about Miyagi Chōjun and Gōjū-ryū during the event — a request I was naturally very happy to accept immediately.

In the meantime, I also had the opportunity to watch a demonstration by TOGKF members during the 49th Nihon Kobudō Enbu Taikai. This event takes place every year at the famous Budōkan in Tōkyō, and every two years TOGKF members are also invited to perform there.

My lecture at the gasshuku brought me a great deal of positive feedback, something that made me very happy despite my nervousness. At the same time, it was also my very first live lecture, and naturally it left me with a strong desire to continue giving presentations of this kind in the future.

As already mentioned, I am not a Gōjū-ryū karateka — my lineage is Tō’on-ryū, a style which also has historical connections with Higaonna Morio sensei. Higaonna sensei once visited Beppu in order to see Tō’on-ryū for himself, and he later wrote a short report about it which was published in Gekkan Karate-dō. In addition, when the 4th Sōke of Tō’on-ryū first began practicing karate, his earliest steps were taken at Higaonna sensei’s Yoyogi Dōjō in Tōkyō.

During a shared dinner in Beppu on February 14th, I told Ikeda sensei that I would soon be giving a lecture — news that made both him and the other participants very happy.

At the gasshuku in Halle, I also presented Kuramoto sensei with a photographic gift showing Higaonna Kanryō sensei — the patriarch of both Gōjū-ryū and Tō’on-ryū — in extraordinary detail and clarity. I sincerely hope that the image will find a beautiful place within the dōjō in the future.

The image itself was extracted from a group photograph that remains in the private possession of the Kyoda family. It was Kyoda Jūhatsu sensei himself who preserved this image from the flames of war. Naturally, I hope that the property and legacy of the Kyoda family will continue to be respected and protected — although unfortunately that hope was quickly diminished. But envy is perhaps as old as sin itself.

Therefore, I kindly ask people to keep the following in mind: if anyone happens to encounter an extremely detailed version of this photograph — one where even the cords of the suit can be seen in absolute clarity, perhaps even colorized — then the image was obtained illegally. And that is simply a fact.

But I am drifting away from the main story.

The gasshuku itself was a truly wonderful event, organized in an exceptionally professional manner and leaving no wishes or questions unanswered. During the seminar, I had the pleasure of meeting many new friends. I was able to hear fascinating stories about how Gōjū-ryū karate spread throughout countries such as Belgium, South Africa, Moldova, and many other parts of the world.

I especially connected very quickly with the Polish community. One reason for this was my teacher, Jhonny Bernaschewice, who was very well known in Poland, gave countless seminars there, and continues to be deeply respected.

I am already looking forward to maintaining many of these new friendships and acquaintances, and I sincerely hope to see many of them again very soon.

If anyone is interested in organizing a lecture together with me in the future, please feel free to contact me personally. I work independently of any organization and maintain friendships across many different Gōjū-ryū associations.

The year is not yet halfway over, but many highlights have already occurred in the first months; unfortunately, there have also been a few delays.

My major trip to Japan was planned for January/February. I had the opportunity to train as a guest for one day at the Kōmeikan Dōjō under Miyagi Tōru Sensei and was also able to gain a brief insight into Sanseiru. In addition, I was once again given the opportunity to write a report on this year’s Nihon Kobudō Enbu Taikai, which naturally required attending the demonstration as a guest.

Subsequently, I had the opportunity to train for six days under the personal guidance of Hayasaka Yoshifumi Sensei. After that, I traveled directly to Beppu to train under Ikeda Shigehide Sensei. There, I had the strenuous but rewarding fortune of passing my Shodan examination. After Beppu, I traveled to Kumamoto for three days—there, a reunion between the Sōke of Tō’on-ryū and the grandson of Kyoda Jūhatsu was on the agenda. On that occasion, I had the great honor of viewing Kyoda Sensei’s photo album.

Shortly after returning from Japan, I came across an announcement: the local sports club in my village was seeking a new karate instructor. After sending a brief message to Japan to request permission, I thankfully received a positive response. Following a short interview with the sports club, everything was arranged, and I will begin on May 21.

In the meantime, I was also invited to another seminar and championship, namely the German Judo Championship in Duisburg. The event is held under the theme “100 Years of the German Judo Championship”: everything began in 1926 in Cologne and is now being celebrated 100 years later. I am very pleased to be part of this celebration.

In addition, I had the opportunity to edit two books. One has already been completed and can be ordered—I will report on it later—while the other is not yet fully finished.

My/our translation of the biography of Miyagi Chōjun is still in progress and will hopefully be completed soon. However, another book may be published beforehand—I will present it soon. The Gekkan Hiden series is also continuing, and two further articles have already been submitted. The Ōshiro Toshihiro interview is currently in print and will soon appear in Toshiya.

For now, however, I am focusing on the final preparations for the TOGKF European Gasshuku, where I will deliver a lecture on the history of Gōjū-ryū.

Some time ago, I translated the obituary of Kyoda Jūhatsu sensei, written by his senior Okinawan student, Iraha Chōkō sensei. In this text, Iraha reflects upon his former teacher in a tone marked by both respect and warmth.

Within the obituary, Iraha recounts a meeting in Beppu. I would therefore like to present his words to the reader directly.

„After the training, we would take a moment to rest, and eventually, my teacher would offer me a cup. As I listened to his voice again after such a long time, with each cup we shared, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. Conversations of the old days resurfaced, and the lonely hometown transformed into the legendary realm of Wuling (FN 1). I was deeply moved by my teacher’s profound affection, feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude. My wish for his health and well-being only grew stronger.“

According to Kyoda’s grandson, Iraha visited Beppu on numerous occasions and remained vividly remembered by him. Iraha sensei also supported him in his study of kanji.

In the text, Iraha makes reference to Wuling—an allusion to a utopian realm whose origins lie in the classical Chinese fable of the Peach Blossom Spring.

This passage is of particular interest, as Beppu has come to hold a similar significance for me: a place in which I can devote myself entirely to training, communicate exclusively in Japanese, and, to a certain extent, withdraw from the distractions of the outside world.

It is my sincere hope to return to Beppu in the near future and to continue my training there.

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FN 1 – Iraha referred to the story of the Peach Blossom Spring (Táohuāyuán Jì, 桃花源记), a famous Chinese fable written by Táo Yuānmíng 陶淵明 (365-427) during the Eastern Jin dynasty (317-420). It tells of a fisherman from Wuling who accidentally discovers a hidden utopia while following a stream lined with blooming peach trees. Inside this secluded valley, the people live in harmony with nature, free from the troubles of the outside world and unaware of political upheavals. For an English translation of the text, see Birch, Cyril (1965): Peach Blossom Spring, pp. 167–168, in Anthology of Chinese Literature – From Early Times to the Fourteenth Century.

After my return from Japan, I devoted considerable attention—among many other subjects—to the study of White Crane Boxing, consulting both early Japanese and Chinese sources. It would still be premature to state that I am definitively planning a journey to Fujian; however, an initial, albeit tentative, idea has already begun to take shape in my mind.

At times, curious coincidences arise: only recently, I asked a friend who had just returned from Yongchun whether he knew the exact addresses of certain locations there. Just one day later, a documentary was published that presents precisely these places. Although I had already been aware for several years that they are located in Yongchun, their exact positions had remained uncertain to me until now. At present, however, I am considerably better informed.

Even though the idea has not yet been fully consolidated, it is clear to me that this journey will take place at some point in the future.

Before such a journey can be realized, however, careful preparation is required. None of my previous travels has ever taken place without thorough planning, sometimes extending over several months. Each individual day is meticulously structured, and in many cases it is advisable to have alternative arrangements—what one might call a “plan B.” Time is a valuable resource, especially when traveling, and I do not take kindly to wasting it. For this reason, every aspect must be carefully considered and organized in advance. Travel days, in my experience, are therefore often scheduled for Sundays (at least during my stays in Japan).

Reviews constitute a central component of the marketplace operated by Amazon. They influence how products are perceived, which items appear more prominently in search results, and the degree of trust potential buyers place in an offer. Alongside authentic reviews, however, there also exists the problem of purchased reviews, which can distort the evaluation system.

For the purpose of illustration, a simplified model using the three categories F, C, and E may be employed.

F – “Five-Star Feedback”

In this example, the letter F stands for Five-Star Feedback, that is, highly positive reviews awarding five stars.

Typical characteristics include:

• a very high star rating

• strongly laudatory descriptions

• recommendations directed toward other buyers

Such reviews frequently arise from genuine satisfaction. Nevertheless, precisely these kinds of evaluations are also the ones most commonly purchased or artificially generated, since they exert the strongest positive influence on the perceived quality of a product.

Connection with Purchased Reviews

Certain sellers attempt to make their products appear more attractive by compensating individuals in return for writing a positive review.

Typical forms include:

• monetary payments

• free products

• discount codes provided in exchange for a review

Practices of this kind violate the policies of Amazon; nevertheless, they continue to occur on online marketplaces.

C – “Critical Comment”

The letter C represents a Critical Comment, that is, a review expressing criticism.

Characteristic features include:

• a lower star rating

• indications of problems or defects

• detailed criticism

Critical reviews are particularly valuable for buyers because they reveal potential weaknesses of a product. At the same time, they can serve as a counterbalance to excessively positive or manipulated reviews.

In some instances, sellers even attempt to have critical reviews removed or marginalized, since such evaluations may negatively affect sales.

E – “Experience Review”

The letter E denotes an Experience Review, meaning a review that describes the user’s personal experience with the product.

Typical contents include:

• everyday usage

• long-term observations

• concrete examples of practical application

Reviews of this kind are often regarded as especially credible because they contain detailed information and do not resemble mere advertising statements. For this reason, it is frequently easier to determine whether such a review is authentic or potentially artificial.

How Purchased Reviews May Be Identified

Buyers frequently consider several indicators in order to recognize potential manipulation:

• an unusually large number of F-reviews within a short period

• very similar wording across multiple reviews

• extremely brief or overly general texts

• a pronounced imbalance between positive and critical evaluations

Platforms such as Amazon attempt to identify and remove such reviews through technical measures and moderation.

Comparison with Academic Scholarship

A useful comparison can be made with academic research and scholarly publications. In scientific work, the correct citation of sources is of fundamental importance. Authors are expected to document precisely which sources they used and where specific information originates. Incorrect quotations, missing references, or inaccurate bibliographic data are considered serious scholarly errors.

In addition, the academic world possesses systematic mechanisms for tracking how often a work is cited. Databases and search systems such as Google Scholar record how frequently a book or article is referenced by other publications. This process, often referred to as citation tracking, allows researchers to follow how frequently a work is cited and how scholarly discussions develop over time.

Through such systems, academic literature forms a traceable network of references. Scholars are able to see both the sources used in a publication and later works that cite it. Consequently, the reliability and influence of a work can be evaluated more systematically than is typically the case with ordinary consumer reviews.

Compared with these academic standards, online product reviews are far less rigorous. While scholarly writing requires precise references and verifiable documentation, reviews on commercial platforms generally do not undergo such scrutiny.

Personal Note on Writing Reviews

Personally, I write very few reviews. My guiding principle is not to lie and not to write embellished or artificially positive evaluations. If I were to write reviews more frequently, I would analyze the respective book down to the smallest detail and evaluate it accordingly.

This would also include examining the accuracy of translations and the reliability of the scholarly apparatus. If, for instance, passages of text were translated incorrectly, entire sections had been omitted, or completely incorrect source references had been provided, these issues would necessarily be reflected in the evaluation.

Under such a methodical and critical examination, it would naturally be unlikely that a product would receive a Five-Star rating.

The Problem of Review Bombing

Another phenomenon that illustrates the limitations of online review systems is review bombing. This term refers to coordinated actions in which large numbers of users deliberately submit extremely negative ratings within a short period of time in order to damage the public perception of a product, book, film, or game.

Such campaigns are sometimes motivated not by the actual quality of the product but by external controversies, ideological disagreements, or organized online reactions. In these cases, the numerical rating may reflect collective protest rather than a genuine evaluation of the work itself.

Review bombing demonstrates that online rating systems can be influenced not only by purchased positive reviews but also by coordinated negative campaigns. For this reason, numerical ratings alone rarely provide a complete picture, and careful reading of the actual review texts remains essential.

Possible Reactions to Review Bombing

When review bombing occurs, some sellers or authors attempt to counteract the negative wave of ratings in different ways. One possible reaction is the attempt to increase the number of positive reviews in order to rebalance the overall rating. This may happen by encouraging satisfied readers or customers to leave their own honest reviews.

In more questionable cases, individuals may attempt to purchase positive reviews or ask acquaintances and friends to write favorable evaluations in order to counteract the negative ratings. While such actions may temporarily influence the numerical rating, they also illustrate how vulnerable online review systems can be to manipulation.

For this reason, both readers and buyers should approach rating systems critically and focus not only on the number of stars but also on the substance and credibility of the written reviews themselves.

The photograph of Higaonna Kanryō has been known for many years. My wife and I intend to address this subject in much greater detail in the future. We have been able to analyze the photograph down to the smallest detail, and we hope to present its history in written form in due course.

For many years I had been searching for the original photograph, and in February of this year I was finally fortunate enough to find it. It was a long search—yet also a very interesting and rewarding one. During the course of this research, I contacted several experts who had previously published the image. In doing so, I received a number of responses, and these answers in turn led to further questions. One of the responses was even rather curious, as the individual in question had used two photographs from different sources and presented them to me as if they were one and the same image. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the search ultimately proved successful.

As an old saying states:
“From the spring one draws the purest water.” (Altmann VI, 405.)

And in the end, I was indeed able to find this very source.

The original image was carefully edited in order to obtain a single portrait of Higaonna Kanryō. White spots were retouched, and several stains on Higaonna’s clothing were likewise removed. Presumed moles on the face, however, were left unchanged.

Every journey eventually comes to an end—unfortunately. But I will return. After my professional life, there is even a plan to remain in Japan permanently—in a country that has grown very close to my heart.

For the present, however, it is time to return to Germany. Previously, the transfer at Frankfurt Airport was facilitated by an underground tunnel connection that functioned as a kind of infrastructural “bridge” between terminals. A comparable solution had long existed at Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport). There, passengers arriving at Terminal 2—the so-called ANA Terminal—who were continuing on an international flight did not proceed to the regular baggage claim area. Instead, they were directed to a dedicated bus transfer point. From there, shuttle buses transported them by the most direct route to the International Terminal. Upon arrival, passengers disembarked and were conveyed by elevator directly to passport control. The entire procedure functioned as a time-saving “bridge,” significantly shortening the transfer route.

In the meantime, however, this arrangement has become obsolete. Haneda Airport has established international departures directly from Terminal 2 itself—the ANA Terminal. As a result, passengers connecting to international flights no longer need to travel between terminals by shuttle bus. The previous “bus bridge” has effectively been replaced by an integrated terminal solution, further streamlining the transfer process and eliminating the necessity of inter-terminal ground transport altogether.

Currently, it is no longer possible for Japanese or European airlines to operate flights through Russian airspace. As a result, the journey from Tokyo initially headed toward Alaska, then continued in the direction of the Arctic Circle, and subsequently proceeded over Greenland. From there, the route carried on through the airspace between the British Isles on one side and Norway on the other.

After nearly fourteen hours, the aircraft finally reached Frankfurt am Main. From there, the final flight continued to Hamburg, and upon arrival, the journey concluded with a drive home in the car that had been left parked at the airport.

Yet before crossing this bridge, the journey began early in the morning with a taxi ride from the hotel in Kumamoto to the airport. From there, I took the first flight to Haneda, then continued on to Frankfurt—onward to Hamburg, and finally home by car. A journey that demanded approximately 24 hours of endurance. And yet it is a journey I undertake every year—one during which I meet many friends, maintain existing bridges, and build new ones. A journey into the world of Okinawa Karate and Okinawa Kobudō—indeed, a bridge between Germany and Japan’s traditional Budō culture.

Until next year—when once again it will be said: “It is more important to build bridges than to destroy them”…