Karate club's Japan visit honours late sensei

The team with their mascot Muffin

It's been almost a decade since we lost our esteemed head instructor Sensei Robbie Smith, a revered figure in the world of Wadō-ryū karate. With this milestone approaching, the senior students and committee of Hamilton Wadō-Kai agreed we needed to honour his dream of taking students to Japan to be immersed in both martial arts and the Japanese culture.

Since 2017, the club has sent senior instructors to seminars in Japan, and this year’s trip served as a humble tribute to Sensei Robbie, and a way to experience the essence of the culture he desired for us to understand.

Absorbing the uniqueness of Japan’s history can be challenging when your training schedule has little room for ‘me-time’. However, we were determined to seek all opportunities for learning and discovery, and with any luck, see the cherry blossoms bloom.

Visiting Sensō-ji Temple in Tokyo’s historic Asakusa neighbourhood gave us the right mix of history and reflection, not to mention souvenir shopping.

The noble gates of Kaminarimon (Thunder gate) and Hōzōmon (Treasure house gate) provided a glimpse of what was hidden within the temple grounds, and the long shopping street of Nakamise-dōri led us to the foot of Hondo (the main hall) where visitors pay their respects.

The architecture, combined with the historical details shared by our guide, offered incredible insights into the area's history, dating back to the mid-7th century. This experience allowed us to fully appreciate Japan's ability to honour its cultural heritage while embracing change.

A team photo at Tokyo Station (left) and looking down through the glass floor of the Tokyo Skytree observation deck

From the historical Sensō-ji Temple, firmly rooted to the land, our next visit provided an expansive view of modern Tokyo from the dizzying heights, 350m above ground, of the Tokyo Skytree observation deck. The stunning views of Tokyo, with Mt Fuji (Fuji-san) in the distance, were breathtaking.

A simple walk along Sumida River gave us time to come down off the literal high of the Skytree and prepare for our evening training session.

We remarked on the contrast between the serene natural beauty amid the bustling metropolis. On one side of the river there was peace and tranquillity where we met many people fishing, painting, walking their dogs, or just sitting contemplating. On the other side, there was the buzz of activity, futuristic architecture, high-speed trains and people rushing to be somewhere.

While Tokyo dazzled with its urban energy, the river provided us with the escape we needed to unwind and refocus.

Being the avid karate practitioners that we are, we visited many martial arts museums, but a one-of-a-kind experience the team were unprepared for was at TeamLab Planets, a digital art museum located in Toyosu, Tokyo. TeamLab is an arts collective that combines art, technology, and nature in a mesmerising and immersive way, making it one of our most memorable trip experiences.  

TeamLab's interactive art was a highlight of the trip

Unlike traditional museums, we were encouraged to wade through ankle-deep water in the dark to enter into a surreal world of sensory-rich interactive exhibits.

The nature-inspired digital technology transformed into dynamic artworks that responded to our movements and touch, creating a personalised and unpredictable experience for everyone.

We were propelled into a digital realm that blurred the boundaries between reality and imagination. It was exciting and overwhelming at the same time.

Another fun highlight was participating in ‘Mamemaki’, a bean throwing ceremony to ward off evil spirits in anticipation of the coming of Setsubun (Spring). Our young teens particularly enjoyed throwing the beans at the New Zealand seniors who donned the demon masks.

Engaging in the ceremony provided insights into the cultural practices and traditions firsthand and was a fun way to learn about and be part of the celebration.

After the bean throwing, we were advised to eat the same number of beans as our ages for good luck. Soybeans are considered to have purifying qualities that would cleanse us of any misfortune.

Members of the group donned masks for ‘Mamemaki’, a bean throwing ceremony to ward off evil spirits

Food in Japan is renowned for its diversity, quality, presentation, and attention to detail, and the team were extremely keen to sample some of the local delicacies, including the traditional dishes.

A meal we looked forward to trying was a traditional breakfast consisting of miso soup, steamed rice, grilled salmon, tsukemono (pickles), nori (dried seaweed), tamagoyaki (rolled omelette), and green salad.

The fermented soybeans (natto), while part of the breakfast set, wasn’t a favourite for some of the team, but the breakfast ended up being the preferred meal throughout our stay.

Seven days of training and sightseeing naturally had to come to an end, and as we enjoyed our last activity together, we reflected on our many shared experiences, strong bonds and tall-tales. We also pondered the similarities between the Japanese and Māori cultures.

We recognised the importance of respect, discipline, harmony, peace, understanding cultural context, and fostering connections with each other and other people. Things that are fundamental to our style of karate, and come organically to us as New Zealanders.  

We embraced Japan and it welcomed us with open arms. Even though we didn’t get to see any blooming cherry blossoms, we received so much more in return.

The Foundation's sports programme provides New Zealand sportspeople opportunities to grow more knowledgeable, connected and confident with Asia.

The Foundation's Community Sports Fund provides funding for community sports groups travelling to Asia for sports to include cultural activities to their itineraries.