Teaching Karate-Do

Interview with Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura,
founder and Chairman of the World Seido Karate Organization

By Christopher Caile

Nakamura still speaks with somewhat of a Japanese accent. His use of words and sentence structure in this interview has been retained as much as possible to give a better sense of the person and flavor of his speech.

Caile: Do you think with the rise in popularity of karate that karate-do is still understood and taught today?

Nakamura: What I would like to say is that modern karate is now quite popular compared to the past. There are more people studying karate, more people teaching and more schools compared to before, not only in America but in Japan and elsewhere too. One good thing is that now people have more places to study karate. But, at the same time, I’m a little afraid of the kind of quality of teaching. Something is missing. The spiritual and mental aspect is getting less and less. This has happened as karate has become more popular and taught in more and more places. People are just taking karate as a kind of exercise, for self-defense, as a type of aerobic exercise that is also good for a diet. Others just see a flashy way, or way that looks good, but the mental spiritual aspect is getting less which I think now is a very dangerous situation. This means that while there are now many karate dojos, or schools, available, the instructors, what we call shidosha or sensei, are teaching only karate, but not karate-do. This is the big difference compared to the past.

My experience is that karate should be for, not just how to fight or defend yourself, but it should also be more rounded to include mental and spiritual aspects. Particularly what we call traditional karate should include physical, mental, and the spiritual. They should be well balanced but right now, even though there are many instructors available, they are teaching only how to kick and punch and missing “do.” Now since modern karate, also more emphasis on competition and tournaments. Result is people always more pay attention to who is going to be grand champion, or who is going to fight who and say, “maybe he is going to win” or “she is going to win” — a kind of game is only concern. Just only who is strong physically, who is strongest. People are paying most attention to the way people compete.

Nakamura lectures his students on karate-do and other subjects in one of his weekly meditation classes.

Meditation held before Kaicho’s Nakamura’s lectures.

Caile: So how do you teach karate-do versus regular karate and what do you emphasize?

Nakamura: So the way we call dojo, it means a place you find out about yourself, place you find enlightenment, place you find your way, your sincere way. It’s not a gym, club, a place of socializing or getting a date, but place to study own self, to learn techniques but also gain spiritual and mental knowledge. I hope each student studies karate, their dojo is also like a second home. Each time you come you feel so comfortable, but also appreciate and feel more serious too, similar feeling to when you go to church, or when you go to special ceremony place. You feel like, kind of dignity.

It’s also very important, the way as teacher to make a good program, what we call curriculum – it means the way you study. You have to make sure you have a good system. Each level has a certain amount of material a person has to learn, step by step, instead of all right way. In some systems right away after you a little bit understand basics, you begin fighting. The dojo is not just to produce fighters. The karate dojo is not like a factory for producing strong fighters. This way so often people get injured, they get discouraged or uncomfortable, then discontinue training. That’s why it’s very important, way you set up the system the proper way so people continue. Then everyone can benefit.

A more recent lecture spiritual lecture by Kaicho Nakamura held at Seido Karate’s spiritual center and dojo (Johshin Honzan) ,located in Elmsford, NY.

Karate is not just fighting but also how you control your mind, which is your temper, your discipline and your morals. We request student have to take meditation class. At end I give a simple lecture about karate-do attitude, spirit, practice or way to live. In these classes students learn and have a better chance to understand themselves, to look at themselves, more inside and see what they are, what is missing, and reflect also on other people. Maybe they realize, “I’m still immature and that I have to grow and to continue to polish myself.” As a teacher I am concerned individually because each student is physically and mentally different. Conditions not exactly same for everybody, and some physically not well. But karate should be for everybody, so especially in Seido we open to everybody, even mentally learning disabled people, homeless children, deaf students, blind people – there is room for everybody, even some domestic violence situation people. Still they can study karate to develop more inner strength to take care of your life.

So in the Seido system during promotions we ask students to write down their thoughts on training, our organization and philosophy, and what they have learned. At the black belt level, students talk to other students and teachers about essays they have written. We expect their words to be genuine and sincere and to come from their heart. We also stress etiquette, not just in the dojo but extended to everyday life too. It teaches respect of others, and it is also mental training toward a way of the spirit. Those who have difficulty with etiquette show their difficulties inside, maybe ego, lack of self-respect or other problems. Courtesy and manners require self-control, discipline and sensitivity to others — what is necessary to change one’s self, what is necessary to take control of one’s life and future.

Way I believe, to study karate-do is the way of your life, but as karate-ka each karate-ka has responsibility to be more open, to use whatever you learn from karate-do to apply in your every day life – the way you control your emotions, your temper, morals, discipline, how you behave. To the extent you are using, you are becoming more true karate-ka. That means a strong, true karate-ka is not just how many tournaments you compete and how many times you get to be champion, first place, or grand champion. It is not. People think, “How many times I have received Grand Champion, that’s why I am a great karate-ka.” Sometimes people feel like this. But how strong you are inside which means how you dedicate your life, how you carry on your discipline, that is important. That’s why it is so important to maintain and show discipline in the dojo. Especially in Seido, we have so many different types of people, handicapped people, learning disabled, all different, but still those people seriously learn karate. Then we all more realize and appreciate what we have and how lucky we are.

Caile: What about spirit?

Nakamura: Through study of karate students can develop a non-quitting spirit. It doesn’t matter if you are a woman, your sex or age, but as long as you study karate you can develop a strong spirit, a non-quit spirit. This because throughout our life there is always something happening, but each time something happens you take it as a challenge, and even if you fall down you take it as your challenge. You say, “This is a way I can grow. This way that I can enrich myself.” Then with positive attitude, can face problems, can face obstacles. You can kind of fight back. You develop an attitude as how to carry on and live life. A good punch is fine. A good kick is fine. But what really is really important is your strength inside. That is what allows to meet life’s challenges. That is what people respect — how you dedicate yourself, how you dedicate you life.

Caile: You mentioned before that karate-do leads to enlightenment, what do you mean by enlightenment?

Nakamura: Yes, enlightenment, word has so much of a big meaning. In a way, we don’t realize the reality of our daily life. Even with important things, we don’t pay attention. So, kind of funny — when we study hard and train hard in karate-do it sometimes, kind of, hits you. “Why I so much complain and blame people when the problem is the way I am inside.” That is a great thing, a great understanding. You can say this is one type of enlightenment because you find out where lots of problems really are. In yourself.

In my meditation class lectures I talk about old Japanese saying: “It is easier to find thief in a mountain than thief in your heart.” When thief runs away to a big mountain and somewhere hides, he is difficult to find. There are hundreds and hundreds of acres, caves and crevices. But really more difficult to find thief in own mind. That thief takes from you, denies something that is yours. That thief is our ego, something that always tries to grow. It robs spiritual progress, hinders learning and making of deep relationships. Ego builds walls inside and tells us, we must protect ourselves, or that we already know so we don’t have to listen. So easier to find thief in mountain than ego in mind. It is true. We think we have no ego problems, but as we cannot spot thief in mountain, may not see ego in our own mind. So we must constantly guard against.

Caile: So what do you think about so many karate-ka no longer wearing plain white uniforms that symbolized “do” and instead using those that are multi-colored?

Nakamura: Sometimes people, too much commercialize. They have different color uniforms, patches all over, stripe all over, flashy– but you know, its not how you look, how you impress or enjoy the color. Pure simplicity, that is such an important thing. That’s why our uniforms are white. The way we study karate, each time we do kiai with strong punch, strong kick — There is an expression in Japanese, “Ichi Geki Hissatsu,” meaning, “To kill with one punch” It means not really killing someone else, but killing own ego. That’s why important to have good etiquette and show respect. It’s not always easy but by doing we control ego. It’s important. Make sure your ego is little. Make sure your ego cut. Make sure it not grow. Polish self and help in dojo. Do little things, like helping clean floor after class. This is still part of each one’s training. Respect yourself, respect others and make sure dojo clean for people who come later. Help dust off, polish, mirror clean, spotless if possible. Make sure floor no dusty.

Caile: So in Japan, with so much emphasis on competition and being strong, is real karate-do being lost?

Nakamura: Still some people continue karate-do, but unfortunately often more the opposite way with people teaching only competition karate, but not karate-do. More and more people, they extremely just concerned with fighting aspects — who is going to be strong, who is champion, who will be next. It’s too much becoming like a game and less mental and spiritual. It’s missing karate-do. I’m not 100 percent against a tournament or championship. It’s OK. You can do it, but sometimes people think karate equals tournament, karate equals full contact, karate equals championship. Then if you are not involved, don’t compete or participate in tournament, people think you are not a strong karate-ka, or maybe you are not qualified as a good karate-ka. Some people think like, “How many times did you compete, did you compete all Japan tournament, or world tournament?. If you did not compete — “ahh, you must not be a strong guy.” You know, that’s ridiculous way of judgment. That’s really missing karate-do. It doesn’t matter if you didn’t get a place, that you didn’t get the grand champion. What matters is the way you dedicate your training and study of karate-do and dedicate yourself, how you help your community, how you contribute to your country or society — that’s a big difference.

Kaicho Nakamura, 9th dan, was formerly the top student of Kancho Masutatsu Oyama in the Japan Kyokushinkai organization. Already a top Japanese fighter he became internationally famous with his 1966 victory against the famous Thailand kick boxing (Muay Tai) champion known as the “Green Tiger” as part of a three member Kyokushinkai team that was victorious over their Thailand challengers. Soon afterwards he was made Chairman of the North American Kyokushinkai Organization and traveled the world giving demonstrations, clinics and seminars. Later he was awarded his seventh dan in the organization. In 1976 Nakamura founded and became Chairman of the World Seido Karate Organization (“Seido” meaning Sincere Way) and established the Seido Juku headquarters in New York City. It has grown into one of the largest and most respected dojos in the city. He is the author of many books on karate including Karate, Technique and Spirit, The Human Face of Karate, and One Day, One Lifetime, An Illustrated Guide to the Spirit, Practice and Philosophy of Seido Karate Meditation. Nakamura’s karate is noted for its focus on teaching of the mental and spiritual aspects of karate and for his belief that karate should benefit everyone, not just the young and the strong. In his dojos Nakamura stresses the importance of having a feeling of family and sense of mutual support rather than competition. This has not hindered the development of top tournament fighters, however, with many become national champions and grand champions. Unlike many karate organizations Seido is also noted for both the number of adult students (some still practicing into their 70’s) and women students . There are also special teaching programs for the physically handicapped. Nakamura, himself, projects a strong charismatic personality and image that would be intimidating if it was not punctuated by an engaging sense of humor and warmth. He voices strong beliefs about karate and his organization but also projects a genuine caring about his students. As a leader he has engendered a fierce loyalty and dedication among students. This has produced a base of long-time seniors many who have followed him for 20, 30 or more years and helped his organization grow worldwide.

About the Author Christopher Caile

Christopher Caile

Christopher Caile is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of FightingArts.com. He has been a student of the martial arts for over 65 years.

He first started in judo while in college. Then he added karate as a student of Phil Koeppel in 1959 studying Kempo and Wado-Ryu karate. He later added Shotokan Karate where he was promoted to brown belt and taught beginner classes. In 1960 while living in Finland, Caile introduced karate to that country and placed fourth in that nation’s first national judo tournament.

Wanting to further his karate studies, Caile then hitch hiked from Finland to Japan traveling through Scandinavia, Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and South and Southeast Asia — living on 25 cents a day and often sleeping outside.

Arriving in Japan (1962), Caile was introduced to Mas Oyama and his fledgling full contact Kyokushinkai Karate by Donn Draeger, the famous martial artist and historian. Donn also housed him with several other senior international judo practitioners. Donn became Caile’s martial arts mentor, coaching him in judo and introducing him to Shinto Muso-ryu under Takaji Shimizu.

Caile studied at Oyama’s honbu dojo and also at Kenji Kurosaki’s second Tokyo Kyokushinkai dojo. In his first day in class Oyama asked Caile to teach English to his chief instructor, Tadashi Nakamura. They have been friends ever since. Caile also participated in Oyama’s masterwork book, “This Is Karate.”

Caile left Japan with his black belt and designation as Branch Chief, the first in the US to have had extensive training in Japan directly under Oyama Sensei. As such, Oyama Sensei asked him to be his representative on visits to his US dojos to report on their status.

A little over a year later, Nakamura, Kusosaki and Akio Fujihira won an epic David vs. Goliath challenge match against Thailand’s professional Muay Thai Boxers in Bangkok, Thailand, thrusting Kyolushinkai and Nakamura into national prominence.

Back in the US Caile taught Kyokushinkai karate in Peoria, Il while in college and later in Washington, DC. while in graduate school. Durimg this time Shihan Nakamura had moved to New York City to head Kyokushinkai’s North American Operation.

In 1976 when Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura formed the World Seido Karate organization, Caile followed. Living then in Buffalo, NY, Caile taught Seido karate and self-defense at the State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo) for over 15 years where he also frequently lectured on martial arts and Zen in courses on Japanese culture.

Caile moved to New York City in 1999 to marry Jackie Veit. He is now an 8th degree black belt, Hanshi, training in Seido Karate’s Westchester, NY Johshin Honzan (Spiritual Center) dojo. In Seido Caile is known for his teaching of and seminars on kata applications. He also produced a 14 segment video series on Pinan kata Bunkai currently available to Seido members.

Caile is also a long-time student and Shihan in Aikido. He studied in Buffalo, under Mike Hawley Shihan, and then under Wadokai Aikido’s founder, the late Roy Suenaka (uchi deshi under Morihei Ueshiba, founder of Aikido and was Shihan under Tohei Sensei). In karate, Suenaka (8thdan) was also an in-house student of the Okinawan karate master Hohan Soken.

Having moved to New York City, Caile in 2000 founded this martial arts educational website, FightingArts.com. Twenty-five years later, in 2025, it underwent a major update and revision.

For FightingArts.com and other publications Caile wrote hundreds of articles on karate, martial arts, Japanese art, Chinese Medicine and edited a book on Zen. He also developed relationships with a cross section of leading martial arts teachers. Over the last four decades he has conducted extensive private research into karate and martial arts including private translations of the once secret Okinawan hand copied and passed on Kung Fu book, the Bubishi, as well as an early karate book by the karate master Kenwa Mabuni. He periodically returns to Japan and Okinawa to continue his studies and participate Seido karate events. In Tokyo he practiced (with Roy Suenaka Sensei) in a variety of aikido organizations with their founders – including private interviews and practices at the Aiki-kai Aikido Honbu dojo with the son and grandson of aikido’s founder, Doshu (headmaster) Kisshomaru (an old uchi-deshi friend) and his son, Moriteru Ueshiba and in Iwama with Morihiro Saito. On Okinawa he studied Goju Ryu karate under Eiichi Miyazato, 10th dan founder of Naha’s Jundokan, and also with Yoshitaka Taira (who later formed his own organization, who specialized in kata Bunkai. While there Caile also trained with Hohan Soken’s senior student, Master Fusei Kise, 10 dan as well as with the grandson of the legendary karate master Anko Itosu.

Caile’s other martial arts experience includes: Diato-ryu Aikijujitsu and Kenjitsu, kobudo, boxing, Muay Thai, MMA, Kali (empty hand, knife and bolo), study of old Okinawan Shoran-ryu & Tomari body mechanics, study of old Okinawan kata under Richard Kim, study of close quarter defense and combat, including knife and gun defenses, Kyusho Jitsu and several Chinese fighting arts including 8 Star Praying Mantis, Pak Mei (White Eyebrow), and a private family system of Kung Fu.

Caile is also a student of Zen as well as a long-term student of one branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chi Kung (Qigong). As one of two senior disciples of Chi Kung master Dr. Shen (M.D., Ph.D.) Caile was certified to teach and practice. This led to Caile’s founding of the The Chi Kung Healing Institute on Grand Island, NY. In Western NY, he also frequently held Chi Kung seminars, including at SUNY Buffalo and at the famous Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, NY. His articles on Chi Kung also appeared in the Holistic Health Journal and in several books on alternative medicine.

Caile holds a BA in International Studies from Bradley University and MA in International Relations with a specialty in South and Southeast Asia from American University in Washington, D.C. While in Buffalo, NY he also studied digital and analog electronics.

In his professional life Caile also worked in public relations and as a newspaper reporter and photographer. Earlier he worked in the field of telecommunications including Managing a Buffalo, NY sales and service branch for ITT. He then founded his own private telephone company. This was followed by creation of an electrical engineering company that designed and patented his concept for a new type of low-cost small business telephone system (which was eventually sold to Bell South). The company also did contract work for Kodak and the US space program. Simultaneously Caile designed and manufactured a unique break-apart portable pontoon boat.

Most recently Caile co-founded an internet software company. Its products include software suites with AI capability for control and management of streaming media, such as video and music, an all-in-one book publishing software product for hardcover, eBook and audio book creation and security software for buildings and government use.

For more details about Christopher Caile’s martial arts, work experience and life profile, see the About section in the footer of this site.