September 6, 2026: The 33rd Memorial Service for Wataru Okawa Shihan

< Learning from Karate >

The Importance of Fundamentals and Continuous Improvement

On September 6, I had the honor of attending the 33rd memorial service for Wataru Okawa Shihan, founder of Kenseikan Karate, in Tokyo. He taught me during my university years.

I began practicing karate as a child at my father’s encouragement. Looking back, I realize that karate had a profound influence on how I lived my life after graduating from Waseda University. It taught me not only physical and mental strength, but also the attitude of becoming fully absorbed in whatever challenge was in front of me and giving it my very best. Management, like karate, requires a strong foundation in the basic “Kata” and a growth mindset that continually seeks improvement.

I believe that the spirit of “Bushido” holds significant importance for today's leaders in Japan. Business executives must constantly introspect, ensuring they have nothing to be ashamed of, reviewing whether their actions and words might evoke customer discontent or cause embarrassment to their employees.

It was deeply meaningful to reunite with fellow Kenseikan alumni and look back on our university days. 

https://tedsogo1996.blogspot.com/2026/09/september-5-6-2026-remembering-wataru.html?m=1

< Oct. 1981: Kenseikan Demonstration >

At the time, Osanai-senpai, who held the rank of 4th dan, was a great role model and someone I greatly admired as a newly promoted 3rd dan.

The Meaning of 「空 (Kuu)」 in Karate

One of the teachings of Kensei-Kun (拳誠訓) is 「空の思想に徹すること」, which I understand as deeply embracing the Zen Buddhist philosophy of 「空 (Kuu)」.

“Kuu” cannot be fully translated simply as “empty.” In our karate training, it meant reaching a state of complete immersion in what we were doing, whether striking, kicking, or practicing kata, to the point where we lost ourselves and even our sense of time. Master Okawa (大川渉師範) taught us that this temporary state of being completely “in the zone” was a momentary experience of Kuu.

For me, this teaching goes far beyond karate. The ability to let go of the ego, concentrate deeply on the present moment, and become completely absorbed in a challenge can become a fundamental strength in one’s professional life. It can enable us not only to perform at our best, but also to think creatively when facing difficult challenges.

I believe that Kensei-Kun was not merely a set of instructions for learning karate. It was a philosophy for developing the qualities needed to become a leader in society through the daily practice of karate.

“Kuu” is not something that can be fully understood through words. It is something each person must discover and refine through practice, in the dojo and, ultimately, in life.