Already in the previous year, I had the good fortune to write a report on the 48th Nihon Kobudō Enbu Taikai. All the greater, therefore, was my pleasure to once again be able to write about this special event in the present year.
In contrast to the previous year, different ryūha were represented this time. This gave me the opportunity to become acquainted with new schools, to see the performers for the first time, and thus to gain fresh impressions and new insights.
In the field of karate, a group of the TOGKF under the leadership of Terauchi Kazuo was represented this year, as well as a group of the Itosu-ryū under the guidance of Sakagami Sadaaki. The program was further complemented by Motobu-ryū under the leadership of Motobu Tomoyuki, the new sōke of Motobu-ryū. Only recently, he had assumed leadership of the school from his father, Motobu Chōsei—the son of Motobu Chōki. The demonstration featured Motobu Udun-dī, a tradition that was returned to the Motobu family through Uehara Seikichi.
As in the previous year, I entered the Budōkan from the same side. The path once again led me across a bridge and through the Tayasumon (Tayasumon Gate) up to the Budōkan. In that moment, it became clear to me that this bridge was more than merely part of the route. It stood as a symbol of my own journey—from archives and books, from written sources and historical research, toward living encounters and immediate experience. Crossing the bridge thus became a quiet transition: from the attentive observation of the participants and their demonstrations to the later act of putting the experience into words, from detached viewing to conscious participation, from writing to living.
Inside the Budōkan itself, I encountered many familiar faces and followed the demonstrations with great interest—carried by the feeling of once again being in a place where the past and present of budō are naturally interwoven.
My special thanks goes to Ogawa Takashi, editor of Gekkan Hiden, for once again placing his trust in us and giving us the opportunity to report on this significant event.
Karate Kenkyū Shitsu 