Natural disasters make grade
Bruce Gatward-Cook may love Japan, but it sure doesn’t feel the same way about him.
The 57-year-old Taranaki man has managed to avoid two natural disasters in Japan while visiting to be graded in martial art Shorinji Kempo.
‘‘Every time I’ve gone there, Japan’s turned on a major event, almost like to try and stop me doing it,’’ he said. ‘‘I don’t think that Japan hates me; it just seems very ironic that both times I go for a really significant life event it’s like it’s saying, ‘A major event’s going to happen to prevent you from doing this’.’’
Shorjini Kempo is a Japanese martial art that is not only physical but philosophical. Gatward-Cook said it also teaches people to the best person you can be in society.
It has over 600 physical techniques and there are only five branches in New Zealand: three in Auckland, one in Blenheim and one in New Plymouth.
Gatward-Cook has trained with Peter Monk, branch master at the New Plymouth branch, and was the first foreigner to live and be trained at the headquarters in Japan.
To receive a new qualification Gatward-Cook had to go to Japan to be graded by the top sensei, last going in 2011 for his third dan, just hours before the Japan tsunami struck.
‘‘The first time, there was a tsunami the day I flew in. That was extraordinarily difficult,’’ he said.
This year while on Shikoku Island for the grading, it was cancelled just a few days before due to Typhoon Trami, but at the last minute the grading was moved forward to miss the typhoon.
‘‘So we went in, did the grading, jumped on the bullet train and got out, basically to get away for the typhoon.’’
The grading is a three-hour examination which tests character, philosophical knowledge about Shorinji Kempo and physical ability.