Seido, a form of karate born in Brooklyn NY in 1976 in a one-room dojo, a martial arts studio, tucked into a building chiefly dedicated to the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Last week Seido celebrated its 30th anniversary and students from about 40 countries traveled to NYC to take part in an annual seminar event and compete in a two-day tournament at Columbia University Seido is distinguished from most other karate forms by its blending of strict, traditional Japanese karate with Zen-like meditation. In addition to physical strength, it emphasizes students' moral character and emotional strength. Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura, the founder of Seido, explains that Seido is intended not only to challenge the most physically and emotionally powerful students, but also to help weaker students grow. He has taught blind and deaf students, as well as others with physical and mental impairments. This year, for the first time, those students are competing alongside all Seido students, divided into 26 teams, each including a range of abilities and nationalities. The white canvas pants and jackets put everyone on the same level. "This is the way it should be, everyone treated equally," Mr. Nakamura said, explaining that witnessing nontraditional students overcome their challenges often empowers other students to approach karate with a new passion. "They help each other, they appreciate each other." Mr. Nakamura founded Seido shortly after breaking ties with the karate style in which he had trained in since age 13, Kyokushinkai. He said he was sent to the United States in 1966 to promote the style, helping to spread it to more than 20 dojos across the country. The mantra is "three years to make a fist, three years to make a stance, three years to strike," holds strong. Patience, Mr. Nakamura said, is the Seido way.
Nakamura-kaicho has long been a hero of mine, both as a martial artist, and as a Buddhist. His organization is an example to all others.
I am lucky enough to have a Seido dojo in my home town of Christchurch New Zealand. The Instructor there is one Renzie Hanham, a very respected and capable man, 7th dan now I believe and also a founding member and convert from Kyokushinkai from the start. While I do not train in this art, I have several friends that are highly graded students of Seido. Very respectable school, open to all, reasonable fees, great dojo, and classes are 7 days a week. What more could you ask for? Congratulations on 30 years. Gan Ba Re.