SAN DIEGO — The Friendship Bell on Shelter Island is a symbol of San Diego's close ties to Japan. Our sister city of Yokohama, Japan gave us the bell in the 1950s. In that same decade, karate was brought straight from Japan to Southern California.
"In Japan, kids train karate all day long, it's part of their school system. For us it's something really special for them to get to share with their friends and family,” Ellie Tow, a black belt instructor at Setting Sun Dojo.
She said she watches her students grow with each kick and flip.
"Seeing not only aspects of them learning self-defense but seeing that character development is also very important for us,” she said.
Student Ailani O'Rourke's mother says her girls have transformed thanks to the sport.
"My older daughter, she was very shy. I have seen her gain a lot of confidence,” said Satomi O'Rourke. “They are having a good time and have good energy."
Satomi O’Rourke was born in Japan and said karate has helped teach her daughters about their heritage. They've learned a lot over the past few years...
“My highest Kada is Heian Sandan,” said eight-year-old Ailani.
U.S. karate wouldn't be where it is today without a man named Tsutomu Ohshima. He learned from Master Gichin Funakoshi known as the founder of modern-day karate. Sensei Oshima took what he learned in Tokyo and brought it to the United States.
"Shotokan Karate was started in Southern California in 1955 by Tsutomu Oshima,” said fourth-degree black belt instructor Darren Pike.
Pike teaches at San Diego Shotokan. He was lucky enough to learn directly from Mr. Oshima.
"A lot of his students branched out and opened their own dojos throughout Southern California and probably thousands of black belts practicing and teaching all over the world as a result of Oshima Sensei,” he said.
Pike has now taught karate for more than 25 years. He holds Mr. Oshima's lessons near and dear to his heart. "Stressing the humanity of martial arts and trying to polish ourselves as better people,” he said.
He said he hopes to convey this message to his students.
"Our opponent isn't on the outside but it's on the inside. We are challenging ourselves and polishing ourselves through a hard practice. I think that's one of the things that could benefit society and where martial arts could help humanity moving forward,” Pike said.
Pike last saw Mr. Oshima at the black belt convention just before the pandemic. Mr. Oshima leaves quite a legacy behind as the founder of Shotokan Karate of America. The organization now has dojos around the globe and is keeping the tradition of karate alive
"You can have these people from different backgrounds, cultures, religions all coming together, friends, the camaraderie all come together in harmony,” Pike said.
Mr. Oshima finally retired at 88-years-old. He lives in California and will be 92 years old this year.
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