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There is a popular saying, “Don't judge a book by it's cover”, unfortunately, I don't agree with that statement. If I pick up a book and the cover reads, “A Complete and Exhaustive Analysis of Ant Hill Construction”, then, by definition, I shouldn't need to ever purchase another book on the same subject. If it says “Complete and Exhaustive”, it should be. The newly released book, Karate, The Japanese Way, by Mark Groenewold, is just that, a book about the way karate is being presently practiced in his home dojo in Kanazawa, Ishikawa-ken, Japan. It is a refreshing, present day (circa 2002), inside look at how the author is being taught “Karate, The Japanese Way”.
A lot of books on karate are written years after leaving the “nest” (the dojo and instructor of first influence) or after establishing a teaching career of their own. This book, Karate, The Japanese Way, is written as an ongoing journey that the author, as a non-Japanese person, Canadian to be exact, is experiencing while still living and training in Japan.
Mark Groenewold is candid, pointed, witty and, at times, extremely humorous in his dialog and explanations of the inner workings of a Japanese dojo and culture. His experience in grading for his black belt (shodan level) allows you a peak at his personal life that easily places you in his shoes before, during, and after his examination. He illustrates the experience so well that when he hurts, you hurt, when he sweats, you sweat. Everyone's black belt grading is always memorable, but Mark Groenewold's grading experience is put into words so well that I believe anyone who is a candidate for black belt should purchase the book just to read about his `unique' grading experience.
The forward of the book is written by Taniguchi Takao, 6th-dan-Japan Karate Association (JKA), Mark Groenewold's primary instructor. He comes across as an honest and open individual that does not fabricate kind things to say about the author or the work done in the book - it's apparent he really means what he says. I particularly liked his statement,
“Although the karate techniques in the photographs of this book are JKA style, they may differ slightly from what a student may learn at the Honbu (Tokyo headquarters of the JKA). It is important for people reading this book to understand this key point. Although this book may help you learn about karate, the instruction and instructors of the Honbu take precedence.”
I like the statement for two reasons:
Reason one . . . by way of allowing instruction and instructors of the Honbu to take precedence, he acknowledges the need for leadership and regulated standards.
Reason two . . . by saying that the photographs of the book are JKA style, but may differ slightly from the Honbu, he indirectly acknowledges that no two dojo's or teachers, even within the same organization, are the same, and there is nothing wrong with that! Mark Groenewold is fortunate to have a senior instructor who teaches and shares such a perspective. The time will come when the author will leave the nest. I'd be interested to see how he applies this ideal if he ever moves back to Canada and starts a club of his own. I guess we'll have to wait until he publishes, “Karate, The Japanese Way - In Canada”, to find out.
Karate, The Japanese Way, is chock full of information that demystifies western thought about a Japanese dojo and cultural etiquette. I have heard it said from very senior instructors from Europe and the western hemisphere that some non-Japanese try to act more like Japanese then the Japanese. The insights Mark Groenewold illuminates from first hand experience about the Japanese dojo and culture leads one to believe there is much truth to that statement. Some non-Japanese dojo's use Japanese commands and terms to facilitate a training session (and I don't think that's all bad by the way). After reading this book you may find yourself reconsidering when and how you choose to use those commands, terms and mode of behavior within the dojo . I applaud Mark Groenewold for doing such a fine job with such misunderstood topics, the dojo and cultural etiquette.
I have so many good things to say about this book, but have already found myself going well beyond the length of what I intended to write. The following comments in `bullet form', which I wrote as I read the book, are of the many topics I wish I had more time and space to write about:
In conclusion, is there anything I didn't like about the book, well, yes, but so little that it didn't deter from the quality of this fine work. In all fairness, it would have been nice to have known what happened to the individuals who graded with the author. The story begs for this and the reader is left only to wonder. Also, when discussing sparring, Mr. Groenewold breaks up what to expect when sparring from the process of learning the `standardized' method of sparring into two different sections. As a reader, I would have preferred to have seen these two concepts married together and not spread apart in two different areas of the book. But all in all, this book is a fine addition to everyone's library, you should own it. This book does exactly what the cover says. From Mark Groenewold's ongoing `real time' perspective of life in a Japanese dojo and culture, it is Karate, The Japanese Way.
David Gomez
4th Dan, American JKA Karate
Association-International
Senior Instructor, Georgia Karate Academy, Inc.
Vice President, Perfect Form, Inc.
Adjunct Karate Instructor, Gainesville State College
PO Box 997
Watkinsville, GA 30677
Local: 706-769-3730
Global: 1866-769-4670
Fax: 706-769-4670
email: gka2@bellsouth.net
www.essential-shotokan.com
www.georgiakarateacademy.com
www.americanjka.com
This review is Copyright ©2003 by its author.
This page is Copyright ©2003 Mark Groenewold
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