Shorinji Kempo of Asheville

We at Shorinji Kempo of Asheville regret to announce that we are no longer practicing. Unfortunately, we never recovered from the pandemic of 2020. It is our hope that circumstances change so that we can someday, again share the practice of Shorinji Kempo with our community. This announcement is long overdue; we apologize for that.

Shorinji Kempo was founded 74 years ago today, October 25, 1947, by Doshin So in the town of Tadotsu, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan.

少林寺拳法は74年前の今日、1947年10月25日、日本の香川県多度津で宗道臣により創始されました。

https://www.facebook.com/1064853700266582/posts/4428220657263186/?sfnsn=mo

【開祖生誕110年記念連載「人間宗道臣を感じて」】
第一回　
宗道臣生誕１１０年新企画「人間宗道臣を感じて」連載のお知らせ

おかげさまで、少林寺拳法創始者・宗道臣にまつわる高段者の回顧記が大好評のうちに終了いたしました。
それに続く、新企画がスタートします！題して「宗道臣を感じて」
この企画では少林寺拳法創始者・宗道臣の遺した愛用品や思い出の写真にまつわるエピソードを娘である宗由貴相談役に語ってもらい、皆様に「素顔の宗道臣」を感じていただきたいと思います。
さて、少林寺拳法創始者・宗道臣（開祖）というとみなさんどんなイメージをお持ちでしょうか。
終戦後、国も人も荒れ果てた日本を憂いたった一人で「人づくりによる国づくり」を目的に少林寺拳法を創始した開祖。
明治生まれの武道家で教育者…というと、古風で寡黙だとか、数多くの指導写真やエピソードから豪快かつ質実剛健な男性というイメージかもしれません。
しかし、実はとってもおしゃれな人。キリンレモンと洋楽が大好きで、ジーパンを愛用したり、新しもの好き！なんですって！！
家ではよく笑いよく泣いて、家族や弟子の前で時には甘える一面も…実に人間味あふれる人なんです。
そんなチャーミングな開祖の素顔が伝わったら幸いです。お楽しみに！

Information about a new series of articles, “Feeling the personality of SO DOSHIN,” a New project for the 110th Anniversary of the Birth of SO DOSHIN

Thanks to your support we finished the series of articles on the memoirs of SO DOSHIN, the founder of Shorinji Kempo, by high-ranked instructors with good reputation. New articles will be available under the title “Feeling the personality of SO DOSHIN.” In this series, we asked Advisor, Ms. Yuuki So who is a daughter of SO DOSHIN, to talk about her memory of his favorite items and pictures, so that you can feel his real nature.

What do you associate the founder (kaiso) SO DOSHIN with?

After the World War II, both the country and people’s hearts were in turmoil. Kaiso founded Shorinji Kempo for the purpose of rebuilding the country by nurturing people in such situation.
When it comes to martial artists or educators who were born in Meiji era, you may have the image of an old-fashioned and reticent person. You may also have the image of a large hearted and simple person with a sturdy spirit.
However, he was actually a fashionable man. It is said that he liked drinking KIRIN LEMON and western alcoholic beverages and wearing jeans and was fond of novel things.
He used to laugh and cry often at home and there was another side that he even liked to be spoiled by his family or disciples. He was full of emotions.

We will be happy if you can see a side of him you had never seen before. Stay tuned for updates!

#少林寺拳法 #金剛禅 #開祖 #宗道臣 #110

【宗道臣生誕110年記念連載】第15回 長田 正紀 Masaki Nagata
少林寺拳法創始者・宗道臣にまつわる高段者の回顧記を連載いたします。
＊＊＊＊＊
１９６７年、私は、自衛隊を退職して、本部道院の住み込みの修行者となりました。私は、退職金を取り崩して生活をし、修行に励んでいました。しかし、半年間が過ぎると、退職金も少なくなってきたことから、住み込みの修行を辞めようと決心しました。これが最後と決めていた大会に出場した後、開祖に、「もうちょっと続けてみないか。お前は見どころがあるから。」と声をかけられました。
私は、生活費がないことを正直に話すと、開祖は、「ポケットマネーをだしてやるから」と言って、修行に専念できるように配慮してくれました。
それから、私の技が、日に日に上達していくことを自分でも実感しました。
そして、翌年の新年の行事である「鏡開き」の席で、私は、開祖から「長田と山下の演武は、まるで中国嵩山少林寺の「白衣殿の壁画」をみているようだ」と、嬉しい言葉を頂きました。拳士として最高の勲章ともいえるこの言葉を、私は、生涯忘れることはありません。

I retired from Self-Defense Forces in 1967 and became one of trainees at the Hombu Doin while living there. I was striving with my training and eating into my savings from my retirement money. However, after half a year, I decided to quit my training there because I was about to run out of the retirement money. After participating in a taikai that I decided to attend at the last minute, the founder said to me, “Why don’t you continue your training a little bit longer. You have potential.” I honestly told him that I had no savings for living expenses. He said “I will pay for that with my money” and showed his kind consideration for me so that I could concentrate on training.
From that day, I realized that my techniques improved day by day.
Next year, In Kagami biraki, one of new year’s ceremonies, I was happy to be given these words by the founder “Embu by Nagata and Yamash*ta is just like seeing a mural painting of the Baiyi Dian at the Songshan Shaolin Temple.” I can never forget the words that can be said to be the highest praise to a kenshi for the rest of my life.

#少林寺拳法 #金剛禅 #開祖 #宗道臣 #110

Great make-up class today!

We reviewed defensive responses to multiple tsuki (punch) offensive attacks starting from jodan (head-level). These techniques belong to the Ten'o Ken family.

Everyone had great energy and hokei is starting to look pretty sharp. Although we all can't be together in these trying times, it's important to stay active and work together to improve what we can.

Gassho!

https://youtu.be/hc16PiokfU8

Shorinji Kempo (JAPAN) Uwa zuki, gyaku zuki and other techniques Shorinji Kempo (JAPAN) Training and practice

“Neglect myself and to whom can I turn?”
No excuses when it comes to staying healthy and active during quarantine!
If there’s no room, then make room! 🙃
Another great virtual class for ASK

To All Branch Masters and Kenshi
of the World Shorinji Kempo Organization

In many countries around the world, extraordinary measures such as border closures and home quarantines remain in order to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. Many of them set the end of such measures to the beginning of May. We only hope that these harsh measures will end at the set dates. However, we do not see many good news and the possibility is high that they may be extended. Due to such circumstances, we wonder many of you are forced to live with less freedom not only to stop practicing Shorinji Kempo for a long time.

If there is any branch master or kenshi who is not well, we sincerely wish for speedy recovery.

If there is any branch master or kenshi who continues to work to support people’s lives, who is a healthcare professional, or who works in the field related to preventing the spread of the virus, we would like to express our deep appreciation and respect, and pray that they will keep themselves safe and healthy.

Under such a still difficult circumstances, we see wonderful activities; many kenshi are connected beyond their own branches or even country borders via online meeting applications or alike to stay together, exercise together, and cheer up each other. Some of you may already participate in such activities. Such wonderful efforts remind us that we have comrades of Shorinji Kempo in so many countries and continents, and that we can support each other.

What we need is to “Stay Home” for a little longer. All branch masters may have already been doing something for their kenshi who follow you. There may be some kenshi or their family who feel depressed. Even if it is via internet connection, or even if it is a short time, being connected to someone and doing physical exercise together, that would affect their minds positively, as a human is “Shin Shin Ichinyo” (Body and mind work together).
It would be wonderful if Shorinji Kempo can contribute to maintaining the bonds between people and their health.

Let’s believe that the human wisdom will end this pandemic in the near future. Then, let’s make the World Taikai next year an opportunity for many of you to talk about the wonderful power of Shorinji Kempo and its potentiality. For that purpose, let’s do our best now to maintain healthy body and mind.

Kesshu.

Kouma So, President
Kazuhiro Kawashima, Secretary-General
and Secretariat Staff
of the World Shorinji Kempo Organization (WSKO)

[TOPICS]
Please read three topics below and contact WSKO Secretariat if you have any questions.

1. Operations of the WSKO Secretariat
Like many other countries, Japan where the WSKO Secretariat is located is seeing more severe consequences of the novel coronavirus, and its government announced the state of emergency recently.
Based on the declaration, the WSKO Secretariat staff has been working from home since April 20. However, we have re-arranged our network system so that the staff can receive/send messages at [email protected] from home every day.

Due to the temporal closure of branches around the world, we are receiving less registration documents and orders for goods, but please feel reassured; we are open for documents and applications by e-mail as usual, and for any inquiries.
However, please understand that we have stopped mailing the membership cards, Kyu and Dan certificates and learning materials due to the suspension of the postal service in many countries. When the services are back in normal operation, we will start mailing them in the proper order.

2. Special Dan Examinations in FY2020
Among the UNITY Study Sessions scheduled in FY2020, some have already been cancelled. The examinations scheduled in Japan have also been canceled for the time being. Please understand that we do not announce any schedules for Special Dan Examinations to avoid inappropriate announcement under the circumstances where many countries including Japan are trying to deal with this extraordinary situation.

3. WSKO Membership Fees and Examination Fees (SHORINJI KEMPO UNITY) We made an announcement on this matter on March 24, 2020.
We will send you the invoices as scheduled in the mid-May. If you have any request regarding payment, please contact the WSKO Secretariat.

End.

[Japanese]

少林寺拳法世界連合
支部長、拳士の皆さまへ

世界各国では、コロナウィルスの感染拡大を抑制するため、未だ国境閉鎖や外出禁止等の厳しい措置が実施されています。各国のロックダウンは、5月初めを期限としている国が多く、その期限をもって厳しい措置が解除されることを願うばかりです。しかし、いまだ明るいニュースは少なく、延長される可能性が高いかもしれません。その影響で、長期間にわたる少林寺拳法の練習休止はもとより、不自由な生活を余儀なくされている方も多いのではないでしょうか。
もし、体調を崩された支部長または拳士がおられたら、早くご健康を回復されることを祈念いたします。
そして、皆さまや拳士の中に、人々の生活を支える仕事を今でも懸命に続けている方、医療に従事している方、その他感染拡大抑制に関わる仕事に就かれている方がおられましたら、WSKOは感謝と敬意を表すと共に、健康を損ねることの無いように祈念しています。

さて、未だ厳しい状況ですが、オンライン会議のアプリケーション等を使用し、支部や国を越えて少林寺拳法の仲間が集い、体を動かし、励まし合う素晴らしい取り組みが行われています。皆さまの中にも、参加されている方も多いと思います。この素晴らしい取り組みは、各国、各地域に多くの少林寺拳法の仲間がいること、お互いが支え合える存在であることを改めて実感させてくれています。
今必要なことは「Stay home!」であり、もう暫く耐えなくてはなりません。その上で、全ての支部長は、皆さんを慕う拳士のことを思い、何らかの行動をしていると思いますが、もしかしたら気持ちが沈んでいる拳士やその家族がいるかもしれません。Onlineであっても、僅かな時間であっても、人と繋がり、体を動かすことができれば、人は“身心一如”ですから、心に良い影響があるはずです。
少林寺拳法が、人々の絆と健康の維持に貢献できれば、それは大変素晴らしいことです。

人類の英智により、いずれこのパンデミックが終息することを信じましょう。そして、来年の世界大会では、多くの皆さまと共に、少林寺拳法が持つ素晴らしい力と可能性を語り合う機会にいたしましょう。そのためにも、今は健やかな体と心を保つために、各々が出来ることに最善を尽くしましょう。
結手

少林寺拳法世界連合（WSKO）
会　長　　宗　　昂馬
事務総長　川島　一浩
事務局一同

　
追伸
下記３件お知らせします。ご不明なことがあればWSKO事務局までご連絡ください。

1.WSKO事務局の業務体制について
WSKO事務局がある日本でも、コロナウィルスの影響は深刻になっており、先日、政府が緊急事態宣言を発出しました。
その宣言に基づき、4月20日より、WSKO事務局のスタッフも在宅勤務にしました。
しかし、スタッフが在宅勤務であっても、通常通り、eメール（ [email protected] ）の送受信ができるようPC環境を整えて、毎日メールチェックしています。
世界的に、支部での練習が休止されていることもあり、各種手続・物品申込等は減っていますが、いつも通りメールでの手続・申込は受け付けています。各種問い合わせも受け付けていますので、どうかご安心ください。
なお、各国の郵便が停止している都合により、会員証、合格証書、允可状、教材等の発送は、現在、保留していることをご理解ください。
郵便が再開され次第、順次発送していきます。

2.2020年度の特別昇格考試について
今年度に予定していたUNITY講習会の中で、既に中止しているものもあります。また、日本で予定されていた特昇も当面中止しています。
日本を含めて各国の状況が落ち着かない中、特昇のご案内をすることは不適切と思いますので、皆さまへの連絡は控えていることをご理解ください。

"Half for one's own happiness, and half for the happiness of others." So Doshin

Unofficial SK Asheville mascot roaming the makeshift dojo.

Shorinji Kempo Asheville Branch held both its first virtual practice and first all ages practice yesterday afternoon! Everyone got to connect while keeping social distancing precautions and did a great job!

Encouraging you to stay active and remain connected. Although we cannot be together physically for awhile, it is still our unity and communities that make us strong!

🙏