Human Tornado - Taira Sensei Interview (Blitz Magazine)

Citation

Stone, Ben; Keenan, Bryson. Human Tornado - Taira Sensei Interview (Blitz Magazine)

Contributors

• AuthorStone, Ben; Keenan, Bryson

Cited by (1)

Taira Masaji

Goju-ryu, Aikidō · 1952 · Kume Island

Description

Interview with Masaji Taira (primary, his own words) conducted during his first visit to Australia at the invitation of Bryson Keenan, published in Blitz Australasian Martial Arts Magazine (images by Charlie Suriano; page restored from an archived copy dated 2017-02-23). The interview dates to around 2011-2012, as it notes "In 2012, Taira Sensei hopes to run seminars in Melbourne, Newcastle and either Brisbane or the Gold Coast." Taira discusses his teacher Eiichi Miyazato (who taught by example, was an instructor at the Police Academy, and insisted the kata passed from Miyagi Chojun not be changed), his own police career and its interplay with his karate, and his teaching methodology: bunkai application practices that follow the kata sequence, advanced kata versions with kihon versions kept unchanged, hojo-undo (chi'ishi), kakie drills, and a "spiral" rather than linear view of progression. He states Goju-ryu has given him much since youth and he wishes to continue the legacy of Miyazato and Miyagi Chojun.

Tags

karate · goju-ryu