Fall 2025 – Seiwakai Karate Silicon Valley Newsletter By Johnpaul Williams – Director, Seiwakai Karate Silicon Valley Gojūkan Classes begin September 3, 2025! Join us for a new season of Gōjū-Ryū Karatedō training in Menlo Park. Register online, view the calendar, and see highlights from Japan and our recent promotions.
2025 Seiwakai in Daisen and JKF Gojukai in Sendai – Seminars & Competition By Johnpaul Williams – Director, Seiwakai Karate Silicon Valley Gojūkan Our Menlo Park travelers have returned from the annual summer expedition to Japan! We proudly participated in the weeklong seminar in the Omagari Daisen region of Akita
Seiwakai Karate Silicon Valley – June (Summer) Newsletter 新たな季節、新たな精神 — New Season, Renewed Spirit Cross-posted to email and on our website: www.gojuryu.net Summer, Summer, Summer Time 季節の変わり目には新たな意志と共に稽古に励みましょう。 暑さの中にも鍛錬の道を忘れず、汗と共に精神（こころ）を磨いていきましょう。 As the golden sun of summer stretches over California and Japan, our dōjō (道場) stands vibrant with purpose. Summer is a time
May / June 2025 SKSV Grading (Shinsa) Results By Johnpaul Williams – June 4, 2025 Karatedō is a profound journey fraught with obstacles and setbacks, yet filled with goals and milestones. Fortunately, rigorous Karate training inherently builds tenacity, mental pliability, and formidable physical fortitude. Congratulations to all those who successfully
Seiwakai Karate Silicon Valley – April / May Newsletter New Season, Renewed Spirit (新たな季節、新たな精神) Cross-posted to email and on our website: www.gojuryu.net Welcome to Spring 季節の変わり目には新たな意志と共に稽古に励みましょう。 As the days grow longer here in California and the cherry blossoms bloom in Kyoto, our dōjō (道場) enters a season of true renewal.
Traditional Karate vs. Commercial Martial Arts: Why Authenticity Matters By Johnpaul Williams – Director, Seiwakai Karate Silicon Valley Gojūkan In today's diverse martial arts landscape, individuals face an essential choice between enrolling in a traditional Japanese Karate dōjō (道場) or opting for a generalized commercial martial arts club or mixed
Seiwakai Karate Silicon Valley – Winter 2025 Newsletter New Year, Renewed Focus (新年、新たな目標) By Johnpaul Williams – Director, Seiwakai Karate Silicon Valley [caption id="attachment_2531" align="alignright" width="300"] Traditional karate tournaments are back, and SKSV is in the house![/caption] As we step boldly into the new year, our dōjō is alive with
[caption id="attachment_2236" align="alignright" width="300"] January 2025 Greeting from Seiwakai Karate Silicon Valley[/caption] Happy New Year to all and welcome back! January 1, 2025 by Johnpaul Williams. As we step into a new year, our dojo is buzzing with excitement. The start of the year always brings a wave of new
December 1, 2024 by Johnpaul Williams. Are you looking for a kids’ martial arts program in Menlo Park that builds self-defense skills, confidence, and respect? Look no further than Seiwakai Karate Silicon Valley (SKSV)! As one of the leading karate schools in the Bay Area, SKSV is dedicated to empowering
The Illusion of the Solitary Warrior: How Martial Arts Develops Teamwork By Johnpaul Williams – Director, Seiwakai Karate Silicon Valley Gojūkan In popular culture, martial arts is often depicted as a profoundly solitary journey—a lonely practitioner meditating on a mountaintop, focusing entirely on personal strength, isolated skill acquisition, and stoic
Ōssu, Ōss, Ōssss! 押忍: “The Ō word.” Unveiling the Essence of “Ōss”: From Karate Dojo to Linguistic Exploration... All Gojuryu Network (www.gojuryu.network) & SKSV (Gojuryu.net) cross-post By Johnpaul Williams - April 1, 2024. The Ōssu Conundrum: Navigating Nuances of a Nonconventional Japanese Martial Arts Vocabulary In the world of traditional
Territorial Possessiveness in the Dōjō All Gojuryu Network (www.gojuryu.network) & SKSV (Gojuryu.net) cross-post By Johnpaul Williams - Feb 13, 2024 Introduction "At our club in the 1990s, I wasn't the 'King of the Dōjō'—that was a tacit moniker reserved for our Shihan (Sensei). I was the Big Man on Campus (BMOC)
Cross-posted from the All Gōjū-Ryū Network & SKSV. Originally published Feb 6, 2024. Author’s Note: Konjō (根性) as a concept, a demeanor, a theory, or an emotional state could easily be the subject of a standalone thesis. The following entry was initially written for inclusion in a thesis for journal
Return to training 2024 By Johnpaul Williams – January 11, 2024 Welcome back to training and again Happy New Year! If you hadn't seen the previous Happy New Year message, it is posted at - https://gojuryu.net/2024/01/03/2024-new-year-wishes/ We have returned to training however just as fast as it started, please remember that there
2024 New Year Wishes All Gojuryu Network (www.gojuryu.network) & SKSV (Gojuryu.net) cross-post By Johnpaul Williams – January 3, 2024 Dear Members, Families, and Friends of Seiwakai Karate Silicon Valley, [caption id="attachment_1689" align="alignright" width="300"] Alexandra Alan (MP) Takahashi Satoru (JP), Johnpaul Williams (MP), Shiho Azuma Williams (MP) and Sanjit Mandal (TV). USA representatives in Japan 2023.[/caption]
JKF Gojukai Newsletter (Kaihoshi) December 2023 (Japanese only) All Gojuryu Network (www.gojuryu.network) & SKSV (Gojuryu.net) cross-post By Johnpaul Williams – December 24, 2023 In the summer of 2023, we attended the 49th JKF Gojukai Taikai in Osaka Japan. The events and results of the convention and competition are reported in the semi-annual JKF Gojukai Newsletter which
Cross posted via email (club specific links included) Welcome and welcome back [caption id="attachment_1557" align="alignright" width="211"] Silicon Valley Gōjūkan dba SEIWAKAI KARATE SILICON VALLEY per JKF Gōjūkai registration[/caption] By Johnpaul Williams – September 12, 2023 To our new members, a warm welcome to our group. We typically send out informational messages to
説明が必要な不正確な日本の新聞 Inaccurate Japan Newspaper Report. All Gojuryu Network (www.gojuryu.network) & SKSV (Gojuryu.net) cross-post By Johnpaul Williams – March 11, 2023 Introduction 10年以上にわたり、私は背後に潜むこの問題について考え続けてきました。今日、日本の友人からのTwitterメッセージに刺激され、事実を明らかにする必要を感じています。 Background 2001年の夏、具体的には7月28日、合宿中に大曲大仙市の地元新聞社が港沢支局で私に取材を行いました。 The Misrepresentation 掲載された記事は、私が決して行っていない発言を私のものとしています。それによれば、私は米国人として、「子供のころはワルだったが、空手と出会ってからは問題がなくなった。二段昇段試験を控えて少し緊張している。が、きっと大丈夫だ」と述べたとされています。 [caption id="attachment_1325" align="alignright" width="297"] Shoganai - July 28th, the local newspaper in Omagari Daisen Akita, Japan, Minato-Sawa Branch.[/caption] Clarification and Correction 掲載された言葉とはまったく異なる私の実際の発言について明確に述べました。私は具体的に、「子供の頃、いくつかの里親の家にいて、いつでもどこでも空手に戻った。」と伝え、その後、トラブルに巻き込まれないためにポリス・キャデッツ（ジュニア・ポリス・オフィス・プログラム - 警察官バッジ番号185B）に参加し、デアンザ・カレッジの刑事司法訓練課程に入る前に、常設の道場を見つけました。さらに、「私の道場ではすでに三段で、ここでの二段の試験もそれほど緊張していません」と続けました。 Impact and Offensiveness 新聞記事の不正確さは私だけでなく、ホストの道場や藤原先生、そして関わるすべてのアメリカ人に不快感をもたらしました。こうした誤伝には、新聞社または翻訳者が露骨な人種差別主義者であるか、悪意を持って誤りを広めた可能性があるという懸念があります。 Awaiting
Intricacies between Goju-Ryu vs. Shotokan-Ryu Karate A cross-post from Seiwakai Karate Silicon Valley and the All Gojuryu Network by Johnpaul Williams - February 7 2023 Karate, a martial art that transcends physical discipline, encompasses various styles, each with its unique essence. Two such styles, Goju-Ryu and Shotokan-Ryu, stand out for their
