Moving Zen
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This is the book that I have heard so much about over the years but couldn't get a copy of for myself for love or money. Fortunately, for those like me, this book has been reprinted in 2001 and available for your enjoyment.
As I read this book, I was struck by a few things that I would like to share with you. First, I was surprised at the tone of the text. It seemed to shift between an honest acknowledgement of not knowing much, of being bewildered and confused of what is going on, and conclusions of things which often seemed premature and presumptuous. The account that we are given throughout the text when compared to the very nice text in the afterword to the new edition at the back is markedly different.
Of course it is understandable that a young guy in Japan, with a mere two years of karate under his belt here, draws all kinds of conclusions. And such accounts are certainly not without merit. In fact, compared to most people who are rather self-promoting, he is quite tame. But it is critical to keep in mind that when a Westerner shows up in Japan, not understanding much of the language or customs, and stays only for a couple of years, that their experience and the accounts thereof are not particularly trustworthy.
There is a quantum leap in understanding what is going on around you the longer you stay in Japan, get involved in the community (as much as you are able, that is!), and really learn Japanese. Two years is a good start, but far from making any real conclusions about much, I am afraid. I am quite sure that if C. W. Nicol were asked now about this matter, he may in fact agree that there are things that he could only assume to have had knowledge about.
But my quibbling aside, there are many fine things about this text that I thought were fun. I enjoyed the romantic accounts of dojo training, the accounts of training with many famous karate men, and the writing style of the author. This is really a fun read, and largely believable.
From my own perspective, one also removed by time and geography (Ishikawa is far from Tokyo), C. W. Nicol and I have different approaches to how to live and survive in Japan. For C. W. Nicol, in order to be happy in Japan, he strives to “become more Japanese”. He wears Japanese dress at home, enjoys Japanese food, and immerses himself as much as possible in the culture. For this reviewer, I do not try to become Japanese. I accept myself as never able to fit into the Japanese world. I am a foreigner, a “gaijin”, and am reminded daily of the differences between myself and my host nation. I learn the Japanese language as a means to communicate and understand, not as a means to transform my identity. Living in Japan has different affects on different ex-patriots. For C. W. Nicol, he finds “the Japanese man” within. For me, through living and training in Japan, I simply find “the man” within. Neither is necessarily better than the other as far as I see things. But the difference is interesting nonetheless.
Personally, I was really touched by C. W. Nicol's candid accounts of how karate has helped him become the man he is now. I appreciated that honesty and the sincerity of his convictions that karate training has helped him become a better man. C. W. Nicol is the man who pioneered the gaijin experience in karate dojos in Japan. I am very grateful to the man for his very interesting accounts of his experiences, and for providing inspiration for thousands of karate-ka who have followed over the past few decades.
This book is really a must-read for anyone who is interested in karate and training in Japan. Buy it and enjoy!
Mark Groenewold
Ishikawa-ken, Japan
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