Mr Mekaru Kenichi (铭苅拳一 - Ming Yi Quan Yi) was Born In Okinawa But Lived for a Time in Brazil Before Spending 25 Years in China Promoting the Practice of Traditional Okinawan Karate-Do!
Translator's Note: Master Mekaru Kenichi was born in '旧大里' (Jiu Da Li) Village in Okinawa during 1947 (that is the 'Old Big and Wide' Village) - as the island was still recovering from the cataclysmic (1945) Battle of Okinawa! His surname '铭苅' (Mekaru) appears to be a District of Northeast Naha City (perhaps named after a tortoiseshell) - whilst his first names of '拳一' (Kenichi) possess a definite martial connotation meaning a 'Single Fist' or a 'Fist that Unifies', etc! Times were hard when he was young and life was difficult - but Mekaru Kenichi and his clan were held together by their Karate-Do mind and body discipline - knowing full well that its inner structure was historically from China! During the early days of his life, his biography relates how even as a young child he was holding the 'Horse Stance' and participating in general 'Tang Hand' training with no particular 'name' or 'style' association (a typical situation amongst many traditionally minded Okinawans at the time)! In 1958, when he was 11 years old, his family emigrated to the Sao Paulo area of Brazil to join the already substantial Japanese and Okinawan population already living their and doing well with lots of open space to build and plenty of work opportunities! During 1977, when Mekaru Kenichi was 30 years old, he met Mr. Kakazu Yoshimasa - who had come to Brazil to participate in an 'Open' fighting competition! Upon his return to Okinawa - Mekaru Kenichi followed him and became his martial arts disciple! When returning to Mr. Kakazu Yoshimasa's Dojo in Naha City, he was tasked with mastering the 'Kobayashi Ryu' (小林流) - style of Okinawan Karate-Do - a branch of the 'Shorin Ryu' (少林流) fighting style - which uses the Chinese ideograms that read 'Shaolin Lineage'. - as there is a belief that this style of Okinawan Karate-Do was originally linked directly to the Shaolin Temple tradition of China. Kobayashi Ryu was founded by Chibana Chōshin (知花朝信) [1885-1969]. His family practiced the 'Chinese Hand (唐手 - Tang Shou) - and refused the Japanese order to change the name to 'Empty Hand' (空手 - Kong Shou) for decades! Master Mekaru Kenichi became a very great Master of the Kobayashi Ryu style and was renowned for travelling the world and relentlessly teaching anyone who wanted to learned genuine, Chinese-based Okinawan Karate-Do! This led to him eventually entering China and working very hard to introduce the modern Chinese people to a martial art that belonged to them - but which had been transmitted to another culture hundreds of years ago! Master Mekura Kenichi dedicated 25 years of life to China before retiring and leaving a place in 2013 (aged 66) he had called 'home' for quarter of a century! The record books now show that Mekura Kenichi was the first person to introduce an Okinawan Karate-Do style (Kobayashi Ryu) into an independent and thriving Mainland China during 1988! ACW (23.8.2022)
Master Mekura Kenichi Demonstrates 'Basic Kata Number One'!
Mr Mekaru Kenichi first visited China in 1988 – where he is well-known for performing what would become known as his inaugural Karate-Do cultural exchange performance at the Shanghai Wushu Academy! The reaction from the thousands in attendance at the time was very appreciative and supportive! Since then, people from all walks of life in Shanghai became very interested in learning the martial art of Karate-Do, and this positive reaction gave him the idea of developing the teaching of Karate-Do in Shanghai!
In 1990, Mr Mekaru Kenichi was introduced by the Brazilian President in a letter and recommended by the Japanese Consulate in Shanghai. With the help of Mr. Zhu Rongji (朱镕基) the Mayor of Shanghai at that time - he was contacted by the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal Commission for Sports - and entirely at his own expense, established China's first officially recognised Karate-Do training class held at the Shanghai Physical Education Training Hall. At that time, a large number of willing practitioners flocked in an endless stream to the classes, and the registration was extraordinarily high! To help with the training process, the Japanese government provided 300 Karate-Do training suits (termed ‘gi’) for free - for the newcomers to use!
In Japan, karate is taught as part of the School Physical Education Curriculum! Therefore, Mr Mekaru Kenichi wanted to establish Karate-Do as a sport in China’s Primary and Secondary Schools and Universities in China, so as to popularise this martial art amongst the youth! In 1992, he taught for free and borrowed 100 further sets of Japanese Karate-Do uniforms for which he distributed for free. He founded the Fudan University Karate Association and opened the first Karate-Do training class to be held in a Chinese university and was hired as the Honorary President and Chief Instructor of the Association (which provided him with a small room to live, three meals a day and a small stipend). From this firm foundation, he opened a Karate-Do training course and served as the Head Coach for the Shanghai Metallurgical College.
The following year, he aimed at establishing Karate-Do classes throughout the whole country yet again! This time he was successful, and he managed to establish fully functioning Dojos in Chengdu, Kunming, Xi'an, Shenyang, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Qingdao, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and other major cities – attracting the huge number of 80,000 ethnic Chinese students!
Mr Mekaru Kenichi was appointed by the Okinawa Fist Study Association of Japan to promote traditional Karate-Do all over the world! He has taught in major cities in dozens of countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy. After 20 years, the number of students around the world has reached 35,000! He has stated, however, that as China is the birthplace of Karate-Do – China remains the country with the most potential for development. In order to spread and develop Karate-Do in China, he would rather give up the materially superior conditions of other countries, relocate to a remote part of China for meditative study, and invest whatever money he could raise and donate it to the Chinese people - to be used for the promotion of Karate-Do!
After years of hard work by Mr Mekaru Kenichi , the regular practice of Karate-Do has developed rapidly throughout China – a process which has proven especially strong in Shanghai. Today, dozens of colleges and universities, including Fudan University, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade, Donghua University, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, and Peking University, have all established regular Karate-Do associations and offer Karate-Do courses (including medicine and weaponry). At the same time, many fitness clubs have also launched Karate-Do as a form of fitness exercise, training tens of thousands of students!
On April 25th, 1999, China's first official Karate-Do body – the ‘Shanghai Wushu Association Karate Committee’ - was established through the authority of the World Karate-Do Federation! Through the introduction of Mr. Wang Zhaoji (王肇基) - the Director of the Karate-Do Committee of the Shanghai Wushu Association - Mr Mekaru Ginkari was hired as the first Consultant Head Coach. This appointment was confirmed at the inauguration ceremony, where enthusiastic Karate-Do students were called upon to hold a demonstration and competition! Mr Shimizu Seno - the Deputy Consul General of the Japanese Consulate in Shanghai - also came to the Shanghai Wushu Academy to watch the inauguration ceremony! At the invitation of Mr Mekaru Kenichi important members of the World Karate Federation and All Japan Karate Federation attended the inauguration ceremony – including director Arakawa Tong and director Hasumi Keiichi! These Karate-Do experts personally guided Chinese students in their Karate-Do practice – and helped explain the competition rules as established by the World Karate Federation! Everyone who attended, regardless of rank, ethnicity or origination, all chose to support China by joining the Karate-Do Committee of the Shanghai Wushu Association!
During May 2000, following negotiations between Mr Mekaru Kenichi and the Japan Kyokushinkaikan - the first Sino-Japanese karate exchange competition (for college and high school students) was held (including full-contact sparring, Kata and weapons demonstrations), with many more high-spirited Sino-Japanese exchange competitions being held since then!
During February 2001, Mr Mekaru Kenichi invited the All-Japan Karate Women's Champion to Shanghai to participate in the exchange competition with Shanghai karate students – to offer advice regarding practice methods, Kata performances and actual combat (self-defence) experience!
Chinese Language Source:
铭苅拳一介绍
铭苅拳一介绍2012年01月15日 13:46:07
铭苅拳一先生于1988年第一次来到中国，在上海武术院进行了第一次空手道交流表演，当时反映极为强烈。鉴于上海各界人士对空手道十分感兴趣，在上海发展空手道的想法产生于他的脑海之中。
1990年，铭苅先生经巴西总统致信介绍及日本驻沪领事馆的推荐，在当时上海市市长朱镕基先生帮助下，由上海市体委外事处联络，在上海体育宫自费创办了中国第一个公认的空手道训练班。当时大批学习者络绎不绝，报名极为踊跃，全部免费借用了从日本带来的三百套拳士会空手道道服。
在日本，空手道是作为学校体育教育课程的。由此铭苅先生想在中国各中小学及大学内开展空手道运动，在学生中进行普及。1992年，他义务免费授课，并免费借用一百套日本空手道道服，创建了复旦大学空手道协会及开设了中国高校的第一个空手道训练班，并受聘为协会荣誉会长兼总指导；同时在上海冶金高等专科学校开设了训练班并担任总教练。
次年，他又把目标指向了全国，先后在成都、昆明、西安、沈阳、南京、杭州、青岛、广州、香港等各大城市办班传授武艺，学生总数8万人次以上。
铭苅先生曾受日本冲绳拳士会委派，到世界各国推广空手道。在美国、加拿大、墨西哥、巴西、巴拉圭、阿根廷、哥伦比亚、秘鲁、法国、西班牙、葡萄牙、意大利等数十个国家的大城市都任教过，历经20年，学生达3万5千人次。但还是发现中国是最具有潜力可发展的国家。为了在中国传播和发展空手道，他宁愿放弃其他国家的优越条件，来到中国进行考察，投入许多资金在中国空手道事业的开展推广方面，为了能使中国的空手道运动更好、更顺利地发展。
经过铭苅先生多年的努力，空手道事业在中国发展蒸蒸日上，特别是在上海。如今包括复旦大学、上海外国语大学、上海对外贸易学院、东华大学、南京理工大学、北京大学等数十所高校都成立了空手道协会，开设了空手道课程。同时许多健身俱乐部也已开展此运动，培训学员数万名。
1999年4月25日，经世界空手道连盟认可，中国第一个空手道委员会——上海市武术协会空手道委员会成立。在上海市武协空手道委员会主任王肇基先生的介绍下，铭苅先生被聘为首任顾问总教练，并在成立仪式上召集空手道学员举办了表演比赛。日本驻沪领事馆副总领事清水濑野先生也来到上海武术院观看了这次成立仪式。在铭苅先生的盛邀下，世界空手道连盟和全日本空手道连盟的最高干部局长荒川通和理事莲见圭一亲临上海庆祝空手道委员会的成立，观看、指导中国学生的表演比赛，并对世界空手道连盟的比赛裁判规则作了讲解。
上海市武术协会空手道委员会成立以后，铭苅先生在沪上的所有在册学员都加入了空手道委员会成为会员。
2000年5月，在铭苅先生与日本极真会馆的协商下，进行了首届大中学生中日空手道交流赛，以后又举办过多次中日交流赛。
2001年2月，铭苅先生又邀请了全日本空手道女子冠军来到上海，参加了与上海空手道学员的交流比赛，进行了练习方法、套路表演及实战比赛的交流。
阅读(274)|**(0)
铭苅拳一介绍2012年01月15日 13:46:07
铭苅拳一先生于1988年第一次来到中国，在上海武术院进行了第一次空手道交流表演，当时反映极为强烈。鉴于上海各界人士对空手道十分感兴趣，在上海发展空手道的想法产生于他的脑海之中。
1990年，铭苅先生经巴西总统致信介绍及日本驻沪领事馆的推荐，在当时上海市市长朱镕基先生帮助下，由上海市体委外事处联络，在上海体育宫自费创办了中国第一个公认的空手道训练班。当时大批学习者络绎不绝，报名极为踊跃，全部免费借用了从日本带来的三百套拳士会空手道道服。
在日本，空手道是作为学校体育教育课程的。由此铭苅先生想在中国各中小学及大学内开展空手道运动，在学生中进行普及。1992年，他义务免费授课，并免费借用一百套日本空手道道服，创建了复旦大学空手道协会及开设了中国高校的第一个空手道训练班，并受聘为协会荣誉会长兼总指导；同时在上海冶金高等专科学校开设了训练班并担任总教练。
次年，他又把目标指向了全国，先后在成都、昆明、西安、沈阳、南京、杭州、青岛、广州、香港等各大城市办班传授武艺，学生总数8万人次以上。
铭苅先生曾受日本冲绳拳士会委派，到世界各国推广空手道。在美国、加拿大、墨西哥、巴西、巴拉圭、阿根廷、哥伦比亚、秘鲁、法国、西班牙、葡萄牙、意大利等数十个国家的大城市都任教过，历经20年，学生达3万5千人次。但还是发现中国是最具有潜力可发展的国家。为了在中国传播和发展空手道，他宁愿放弃其他国家的优越条件，来到中国进行考察，投入许多资金在中国空手道事业的开展推广方面，为了能使中国的空手道运动更好、更顺利地发展。
经过铭苅先生多年的努力，空手道事业在中国发展蒸蒸日上，特别是在上海。如今包括复旦大学、上海外国语大学、上海对外贸易学院、东华大学、南京理工大学、北京大学等数十所高校都成立了空手道协会，开设了空手道课程。同时许多健身俱乐部也已开展此运动，培训学员数万名。
1999年4月25日，经世界空手道连盟认可，中国第一个空手道委员会——上海市武术协会空手道委员会成立。在上海市武协空手道委员会主任王肇基先生的介绍下，铭苅先生被聘为首任顾问总教练，并在成立仪式上召集空手道学员举办了表演比赛。日本驻沪领事馆副总领事清水濑野先生也来到上海武术院观看了这次成立仪式。在铭苅先生的盛邀下，世界空手道连盟和全日本空手道连盟的最高干部局长荒川通和理事莲见圭一亲临上海庆祝空手道委员会的成立，观看、指导中国学生的表演比赛，并对世界空手道连盟的比赛裁判规则作了讲解。
上海市武术协会空手道委员会成立以后，铭苅先生在沪上的所有在册学员都加入了空手道委员会成为会员。
2000年5月，在铭苅先生与日本极真会馆的协商下，进行了首届大中学生中日空手道交流赛，以后又举办过多次中日交流赛。
2001年2月，铭苅先生又邀请了全日本空手道女子冠军来到上海，参加了与上海空手道学员的交流比赛，进行了练习方法、套路表演及实战比赛的交流。
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