There was a Karate tournament called World Oyama Karate Fighter’s cup in San Francisco on June 14th、2009

5 fighters perticipated from our Dojo, such as Joey Shichirui, Ryan Lee, Wakuya Hino, Hiromu Sugimoto and Erin Hino.

Although that was their first outside tournament, they all got the first place in each category.

Give it up for all the fighters and we appriciate your support.

Ossu.

 What a Class!!! I was looking for a martial arts class where I could learn sparring and fighting techniques. I found that and much more…Kenji Yamaki is very polite and courteous, and will help you with any techniques you are learning. He is also concerned about safety and takes steps to avoid injury. Since being there I have learned coordination, Kata’s, movement, defensive techniques, kicking and punching, my stamina has improved, and I am now sparring!!! I also have lots of fun, practice with students of all ages and levels, learning some Japanese, and I keep improving every time I go. His students are top notch and help me and encourage me everyday in class to do better and keep learning, and I thank them very much for that. Kenji Yamaki brings years of experience and knowledge to the dojo, along with sensei Toshiki who is an excellent teacher with kids and adults provide a well rounded, fun, and exciting karate class to be enjoyed by students of all ages and levels. When you stop and think about it you have a World Karate Champion from Japan come and find his way to Los Angeles, California to teach his style of Karate. All you have to do is find your way to the dojo. See you there! OSU!

Shawn Kyles

Actor

Yamaki Karate hosted 2 Christmas parties in its new Torrance Dojo.  One was for kids’ class students and their parents held on December 12^th. Another was for adults’ class students held on December 18.  I attended both parties as a parent of 2 children taking Yamaki Karate and as an adult student learning Yamaki Karate.  Both parties were pot luck and there were a lot of delicious foods to celebrate and enhance the party.

There are Bingo games and gorgeous prizes for those who had highest attendance records for the year for both parties.  There are also chopsticks and beans game in kids party and of course, prizes for those who picked and transferred several dozen dry beans with a pair of chopstick from one dish to another dish with fastest timings.  At the end of party, a cute Santa Claus (guess who!?) passed out gifts to all the children on behalf of Master Yamaki.  All the children enjoyed the party, prizes and a Santa!

The main event of adult class party was the mini “talent show” from each student.   There are dancing, monologue, singing, samurai swords fighting and a personal imitator to mimic MLB baseball players.  Some were professionally talented and AWESOME. Some showed more of their efforts than their talents. OSU to those who showed the efforts! The party was very friendly, heart warming and relaxed. We all enjoyed the party.  There was no cute Santa in adults’ class party but, we all received challenging motivations for the coming year as a Christmas gift. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!!

By John S. Lee (Ryan Sagara Lee’s dad) 

Hello, my name is Ryan Watanabe and I have been training at Yamaki Karate for 2-3years. I am 13 and am currently in the 8th grade. Karate has been a good way for me to learn how to defend myself from dangers and also it is fun to interact with people before and after classes. I am currently at 3 kyu, or known as green belt senior. I may be able to take brown belt test but I do not know when. This is what I have been able to achieve through hard training over the years. I have done karate since I was in 5th grade and have enjoyed this more than just a sport but as a life goal.
Karate isn’t just fighting. It is a way to feel more relaxed and good about yourself. This will also give you self confidence and not make you scared. At the moment, I help anyone that needs trainig, help little kids, and teach others. I am also the oldest in my class. I like to help others in need, but also like to train myself for future belt tests.
In the belt test, you will have to basically do three things. First is that you must know the basic training. Second, you must know the moving part of the test. And last is something called “katas”. Katas are something that involves moving in distinct movements that are fixed so you must memorize. When you are white belt, you do not need to do katas. Every belt has harder katas and you must learn fast and steady if you want to be at a good pace. Not all people are at the same level and it takes training to become what you want.
After the belt test, there is a Karate Tournament. Anyone is allowed to choose if they do not want to spar or if they like. I like to spar because it helps my stamina and makes me get stronger. I try to fight bigger people because you do not learn anything from fighting someone weak.
I like karate also because the Sensei’s(or teachers) are very nice and good. They are only strict to help you learn. This also makes you understand your mistakes. They do not yell at any students and are nice.
The two sensei’s that are there are Shihan Yamaki and Toshiki Sensei. It is very hard to get to next belt and Toshiki Sensei is the first one to get a black belt at are dojo. He has been doing it here for 5years. Toshiki Sensei is very strong and can break through two wooden baseball bats with his kick. Yamaki Sensei can break through bricks with his karate chop and also is very strong.
My goal at karate is not simply just to become a black belt. It is also helping others in need, learning new things each day, and also watching others get stronger too. Raising a belt doesn’t mean you are better or stronger than others. It simply means that you understand your job to show others what to do. My goal also consists to be strong like my sempai’s and sensei’s. They truly are strong and I want to be great like them.

by Kentaro Kishi

On November 2, Yamaki Karate held a demonstration by students who are attending in kids class. More than two hundred guests enjoyed their karate performance, and it result successful.

The program went thoroughly as following schedules.
1. Basic Practice
2. Moving Practice
3. Kata Practice
4. Self Defence
5. Combination Practice with punch mitt
6. Tameshi-wari (Board Breaking)

At the end of Tameshi-wari, 2 pretend Japanese mafias appear on the stage, started the battle with hero, and it ended when the hero beat them down. The show entertained all guests.

Before the program end, Master Yamaki made a thanks speech to the guests, and presented the cup cakes to the attendees.

There was a belt test on ９・２８．
This time about 50students tested and it took about 4hours to finish the whole test.
Some did really well, and others got really nervous and messed up.
But I think everyone did a good job.
Especially the kids menbers  are really impressive.
Evereykid has grown and had more anbitious more than before.
I also learn a lot from them.
I wish everykid concentrates in their usual practice like the belt test.
Then, they can improve more lol.

Mac from the adult class tried the 10men combat as his black belt test.
Although that was a first serious fight for him, he did it really well.
I guess he trained really hard by himself beside the dojo practice.
I’m really happy because we finished the belt test without any injuries.

Here is Master Yamaki’s ward.
【If you get satisfied,　that’s the end of your life. 】
Master Yamaki is always ambitious.

I want to keep going because my goal is still far away.

 Ossu
 Toshiki

Hello everyone! My name is Hiroki Sonoyama. I am eleven years old and in the sixth grade.  I have been taking classes for three years so far and now I am a green belt! It just seemed like yesterday I started karate.  But when I started, I was all by myself for a while. During the three years, Yamaki sensei and Toshiki sensei have taught me very well. Also during the classes, we will usually learn some techniques that will help us defend ourselves. I aim to be a black belt and pursue my dream of karate. My mom, dad, and sister do karate too but still can’t beat me.

I assist Toshiki sensei in a class of 4 to 6 years old kids. Then continuously, I take a kids’ class. Even though I am a green belt, getting a new, higher belt isn’t everything. Every time you go up a belt, it gets more challenging, and you can’t goof off with all the other kids. For every belt, there is a thing called a “kata”. Every time you go higher a belt, the more katas you have to memorize. My favorite kata is called “Pinyan Four”. During my first few months, not a lot of people were there, so tests didn’t have sparring. But now, at the ending of a test, there is a sparring tournament. Since I wasn’t clear with sparring for the tests I would always lose. But now, it is my chance to shine!

As you can see, I enjoy karate because Yamaki sensei doesn’t yell at me, and it is a challenging and/or easy at moments.  

Hello.

My name is Mac.  I have been a student at the Yamaki Karate Dojo for six years.  I studied karate at two other dojos, but Sensei Yamaki is by far the best teacher I have had.  Every quarter, students assemble for best tests, and we will have our next best test on Sunday September 28th.  The students in the dojo are practicing hard for the best test (building their stamina, skills, and knowledge of kata, “basic forms”). The belt test is a great opportunity to see the skills of Sensei Yamake’s students from ages 5 to 50. 

The Yamaki Dojo is in many ways a community.  While Japanese is the primary language spoken, people from different cultures and ways of life assemble six days a week to practice their skills.  Karate is both a challenge to the body and to the mind.  After studying for more than 10 years, I find that I learn something new about myself very time I practice (no matter whether it is reviewing a technique I have practiced thousands of times or something I have just learned).  Karate is an opportunity to look inward, and the Yamaki Dojo is a comfortable environment for boys and girls, men and women, of all ages to come and learn.

I hope to see you soon.

Mac

I have been a student at Yamaki Dojo for little over a year. I chose this dojo because of the humility of Shihan Yamaki. 

   When I first visited this Dojo, Shihan humbly offered me to practice together with him in stead of trying to persuade me to join the dojo by showing his strength and pride.   

 I have known him as a fighter for long time since when I was in Japan. He was actually one of the fighter whom I looked up to. 

   I thought he was difficult person to be with because of his strength and apperance,. ( Excuse me, Shihan!)  

       But,Shihan was so different than I thought. He is of course strong, but he is very humble person. He is still trying to pursue higher level beyond our understanding. 

       He disciplines the most in the Dojo. He gets up at 4am every morning, and goes training. I don’t know who can do the same thing as what he is doing.   

Shihan also has a sense of humor and makes me laugh all the time. He is good at mimicking someone I know, especially those whom I used to look up to as fighters. 

  Because of Shihan’s humility and kindness, I believe everybody enjoys taking classes at the Dojo. Of course, I enjoy, too. 

   Shihan sometimes uses me to show or test his technique and it is pretty scary, but I am so privileged to be used by him because Shihan would not use me if I was weak. 

  When I first joined the Dojo, Shihan told me that anybody can make pogress until he turns fifty. I am now thirty seven years old, but because of the word Shihan gave me, I can keep pursuing both   mental and physical discipline.  

     I can recommend anybody to join our Dojo because we can enjoy karate together in stead of just burning ourselves out.     

  Everybody is friendly, so please come join us!     We hope to see you here at our Dojo and enjoy karate with us!       

My name is Katie Haruka Kawashiri. I am ten years old and I will be in the sixth grade. I’ve been taking lessons at Yamaki Dojo for two and a half years. In the two and a half years, Yamaki Sensei and Toshiki Sensei have helped me get the movements right when I get stuck, and taught me many techniques like kicking and punching combinations.   Right now I am a green belt with a black stripe, and my next belt is a brown belt.  My younger brother and father also take karate lessons at Yamaki Dojo.  They have colored belts too, but they are still weaker than me! 

   My goal for karate is to become a black belt, but getting a new belt isn’t the part I enjoy the most. Right after each belt test, there is a sparring tournament. Whoever wins the tournament get either a trophy or a medal. So far I got a medal and two trophies. During karate lessons all of the students practice sparring.  But before we spar, we also practice our “kata’s.”  Each belt has its own set of katas, and you need to memorize and perform them well in order to pass the test.  Some students like to learn katas because it’s challenging to them.  My favorite kata is a green belt kata called “Pinyan three.”  

 I like the way Yamaki Sensei teaches because he does not yell at you when you make a mistake.  That is why I enjoy karate because he makes it fun!