Autobiography Part 13: Meeting the Masters through Draeger Sensei's Guidance

A: Welcome everyone to clip 13 of my autobiography. It's a continuation of my experiences with Draeger Sensei, a very important time in my martial arts journey. I feel it's important to share these stories before they are lost, so that people will know them even when I am gone.

Q: You mentioned a demonstration by Draeger Sensei where you met other sensei from various styles. Can you elaborate on that?

A: Draeger Sensei often brought Japanese teachers with him when he visited. They came for holidays and to train with him. I often saw judokas, even Japanese champions, traveling with him. In the mornings, they would train together on the tatami, focusing on mat work – chokes and grappling on the floor. I witnessed Draeger Sensei's incredible grappling skills firsthand. Even these young Japanese judokas struggled to escape his holds. They would often tap out when he choked them or applied arm locks and cross armbars. He was a fantastic grappler.

Many teachers visited, and I sometimes took these Japanese sensei to see Malaysia. They loved the seaside and coconut water. We would go to the countryside, where I would buy and cut open coconuts for them. They really enjoyed experiencing these things.

I also had the opportunity to meet Ikani Honu Sensei from Renshinkan Johin Karate. He was a student of Tamotsu Shinri Khan. I didn't realize it at the time, but Tamotsu was a student of Zenryo Shimabukuro, whose son, Zenpo Shimabukuro, is my teacher. It's incredible to trace that lineage back to Ikani Honu, the founder of Johin-ryu.

During a demonstration, Master Arumugam performed Indian martial arts for Ikani Honu, and Ikani Honu performed Wambo kata in the Aikido garden. I received a ko-pin (coat pin) from Renshinkan Johin Karate, which I still have, along with Ikani Honu Sensei's address.

Ikani Honu Sensei, in his later years, conducted seminars with Morio Higaonna Sensei (Goju-ryu) and Hirokazu Kanazawa Sensei (Shotokan). Kanazawa Sensei, who was then a 10th dan in Shotokan, learned the kata Chinto from Ikani Honu.

This Chinto kata is our Chinto kata, which he learned from his teacher Tamotsu. Tamotsu, in turn, learned it from Zenryo Shimabukuro Sensei. Today, in SKI (Shotokan Karate-do International), Hirokazu Kanazawa Sensei renamed this kata to Gangaku Dai (Big Gangaku) because they also have the Gangaku kata. He made our Gangaku as Gangaku Dai. Even after his death, people continue to practice this kata as our Chinto kata from Kan's lineage, from Kan Zenryo and so on to his teacher Tamotsu and Ikani Honu. Many people are unaware of this history.

I apologize for digressing from Draeger Sensei and delving into Shotokan Karate, but I felt it was important to mention that without Draeger Sensei, I wouldn't have met Ikani Honu Sensei. And without the Shudokan dojo, I wouldn't have met all these people. That's why I call it the Budo Academy, because so many martial artists visited Tambi Sensei and this dojo in Samarahan, Malaysia.

That's a little long for now. I will continue in the next episode, clip 14, and talk more about Draeger Sensei.

See you all again. Don't miss it! Bye.