Just found out that Momilani Rec Center is having the PCCA Family Fun Day event next Saturday (August 19), which means an “end of summer” break from training so that you folks can buy last minute school supplies and clothes, go for a last chance summer picnic at the beach, or spend a couple of hours training at home (as if!).

As you know, we recently held exams for some of our blue and green belts.  In regular dojos, such testing is held every three months.  Such testing helps keep students focused on short-term goals on the long journey of Karate-Do, and the truth be told, often serves as an additional source of revenue for some commercial dojos.  In fact, over the years, we have seen the number of different color ranks grow and grow for some organizations.  Such places have added additional colors and even striping on the belts to differentiate amongst rank levels within the same color belts.  The cost to take exams in many places goes up and up, especially within the brown and black belts ranks, reaching into hundreds of dollars in some places.  At HIS Karate-Do, we try to keep costs low so that our members and families can enjoy quality training together at an affordable rate.  Your senseis volunteer their time and we operate on behalf of the Pearl City Foundation which, fortunately, allows us the use of their nice premises at minimal cost.  Yet, I firmly believe that we offer classes that are comparable to that of any other dojo – minus any heavy emphasis on sparring and competition.  This is possible because I am blessed to have fine instructors (and life-long friends) who are deeply motivated to share their knowledge of the art with anyone who wants to learn.  Your senseis probably get as much enjoyment and fun out of each class as you do, haha.

Anyways, I have mentioned that Sensei Peter has put in a lot of time and effort in designing our dojo symbol and working with Sempai Kevin in revamping the HIS Karate-Do website.  In addition, he has revised the exam syllabus, the exam form, and created our first ever rank certificates.  In the past, we always gave out the exam evaluation forms to the examinees as meaningful feedback on their performance strengths and weaknesses.  In addition, examinees will now, also receive a rank certificate (suitable for framing and placing on the wall, haha).  I’ve often said karate is not about rank or certificates.  Over the years, I’ve received dan rankings from five or six different organizations, which are lying somewhere, just gathering dust.  However, there is single certificate that I is nicely framed and will always hang on one of my walls…a dan certificate from the JKA, personally signed by the late, great master, Tetsuhiko Asai; my personal karate idol.  You see, the certificate can also permanently memorialize some of the many thousands of hours spent in dojos, learning something about this great art. Our hope for each of you, is that many years from now, after your karate training is but a faint memory, you will have achieved a similar physical reminder of great times and achievement.  BTW, Sensei Peter is also working on a HIS Karate dan certificate that we plan to give each of our black belts in the near future.