...Continued from page 7,
Nick Adamou
On another occasion, Kanazawa sensei sat on the floor with his legs
together, pointing upward at a forty five degree angle. His body was
also at a 45 degree angle to the floor and, at a ninety degree angle
to his legs, creating a 'V' shape, he asked any student to try to
push his legs or body down towards the floor. When a student came
up to him and tried, it looked as if he was pushing downward against
a solid object like a table or a wall. Another student was invited
up to help the first, and still no movement. Kanazawa sensei said
that he was able to channel the force of the push, down his body and
into the floor through his stomach, thus making the position that
he was sitting in even more stable.
On the last day, after the final class of the
course, I went along with around twenty five of the other students
to a pub nearby with Kanazawa sensei. Somehow and quite by chance,
I ended up sitting immediately to the left of Kanazawa sensei which,
as an eighteen year old, quite shy person, felt very awkward. During
the course of the evening, and after quite a few drinks, I started
to feel a bit more relaxed and, as everyone else had been asking
Kanazawa sensei so many questions about all kinds of things, I gathered
myself together, took another sip of beer and went to ask him a
question about karate. It's very strange as, at that very moment,
before I had the chance to say "Sensei", he turned to
face me, waiting for the question. How on Earth did he know that
I was going to say anything because it was very noisy, a typical
party atmosphere with lots of talking and laughter. When he turned
to face me, I was lost for words and took a gulp of beer. This kind
of thing happened about four times with the 'Master' facing the
opposite direction after having just listened or spoken to another
student and then, at the very moment I was about to say "Sensei"
he would turn to face me. Finally, I managed to ask him my question
which was about Yoko-Tobi-Geri (flying side thrust kick).
Steve Austin
I believe you said earlier that Kanazawa sensei's work permit lasted
only for one year and would expire around March 1966. During that
year, how many gradings did you take under him?
N.A.
I took three. The first from white belt to 7th Kyu as I've already
mentioned was in July 1965, then I graded to green belt 6th Kyu
on 8th November 1965 and on 23rd February 1966 I graded to 5th Kyu
purple belt.
S.A.
What happened when Kanazawa sensei's work permit expired?
N.A.
For his own reasons, Dr. Bell wasn't going to renew Kanazawa sensei's
contract with the BKF. This meant that Kanazawa sensei would not
be in a position to instruct us anymore. We were quite simply, devastated.
Whilst this was going on, I think Kanazawa sensei visited France
for some weeks and at the same time, some of the higher graded students
such as Eddie Whitcher, Mick Randall, Mick Peachey and so on, tried
to organise a work permit for Kanazawa sensei. It seemed that, if
this couldn't be achieved through the BKF, then it would have to
be arranged through a new organisation. A meeting was set up at
the Lyndhurst Hall dojo in which Dr. Bell, several BKF members from
Liverpool and most of the members from the Lyndhurst Hall dojo in
London attended. I never liked meetings and am not sure whether
I was at this one. If I was, I have to admit that I recall very
little of it. However, I distinctly remember, being at another meeting
which was held just a few days later with most of the members of
the Lyndhurst Hall dojo. Dr. Bell was not at this meeting. This
took place after we had trained and all gathered at the Admiral
Napier pub. Those present were Eddie Whitcher, Ray Fuller, Robert
Williams, Mick Randall, Mike Peachey, Pauline Laville (now Pauline
Bhindra), Chris Adamou, myself and many other students who's names
I've forgotten. After much deliberating to find a suitable name
which would encompass what the new organisation would represent,
Eddie Whitcher came up with; 'Karate Union of Great Britain' (KUGB).
When Kanazawa sensei returned, he became the chief
instructor of the KUGB in the south of England with Enoeda sensei
in Liverpool and the north. It was around this time that my brother,
Chris Adamou founded the Blackfriars dojo and I put up the first
month's rent for the new venue which was to become the honbu dojo
(Headquarters) of the KUGB in the south of England.
S.A.
Was the honbu dojo at Blackfriars the only KUGB dojo in the south
of England?
N.A.
Yes, but in a very short space of time, other clubs soon opened
up with Kanazawa sensei as the chief instructor of these. As a purple
belt, I was given the task of promoting the KUGB clubs that started
up in and around London.
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