In one of the last conversations I had with my master Tsunioshi Tanaka, we talked about strengthening the dojo, about how he wanted to recover soon from his illness to resume his activities. I told him that I was committed to Karate and would remain steadfast in training and the art studies to make him proud. “I’m already proud, senpai,” he replied.

It is good to know that the master recognized my effort, but the fact is that he had much more to teach me, so much so that it would take a lifetime. I was privileged to be with him, to help him in the best way I could and to listen carefully to his words. I’m just sorry that that time has passed so quickly, that I couldn’t have done more.

Four years ago, I accompanied him to the hospital and was with him on his last day. This one and the next day was two of the worst days of my life. But I know that he stays with me as long as I follow his example of living with sincerity, honesty and exploring Karate with an uneasy spirit of someone who can always improve.

While it hurts in my heart every day that he is not physically with us, I could not feel more pride and gratitude for the legacy and trust he placed in me and my colleagues. Our way of giving back is to ensure that he is not forgotten and that the seed he planted continues to be cultivated and bears fruit.

We continue with the dojo of the Tanaka Karate-Do Association because we believe in the work of our master and his valuable legacy. Because that way we can make the master proud and ensure that his name spans generations. And we do this with dedication and with sincerity in the heart that he valued so much. The work continues.

I am privileged to have trained and received the black belt from the shihan Tsunioshi Tanaka, a noble samurai and one of the great masters of brazilian Karate. It was an honor to meet him and live with him. He will always be a great inspiration in the attitude that I maintain in life and in the way I face studies in our noble art.

Thank you, master, for the teachings, the scolding, the conversations and the trust. I miss all this. Learning from you changed my life.

Oss, kaicho!

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Below, a video I edited for the Tanaka Karate-Do Association in honor of the master, in the first year of his passing:

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A brief summary of the trajectory of the master Tsunioshi Tanaka

Originally published on the website of the Tanaka Karate-Do Association

Tsunioshi Tanaka (田中恒義), 7th dan, was the founder and president of the Tanaka Karate-Do Association. He was born on February 14, 1934, in the city of Lins, State of São Paulo, and died on January 14, 2017, in the city São Paulo, State of São Paulo.

He had a degree in Physical Education from the Faculty of São Caetano do Sul, in addition to taking courses in the area of ​​Sports Science, such as “Psychomotor Education in Sport”, by USP, among others. He had over 50 years of experience in Karate. He was also a teacher of Karate as a complementary subject at the Physical Education college of São Caetano do Sul. He was director of the São Paulo Karate Federation (FPK) and affiliated to the São Paulo Inter-styles Karate Federation (FPKI).

He was the son of Masayoshi Tanaka and Tomo Tanaka, Japanese immigrants from the city of Masuda, in Shimane province, who disembarked with relatives at the port of Santos in 1931 to work in the fields in the interior of São Paulo. He was the second of six brothers. He first learned the values ​​cultivated in martial arts from his father, who was a Kendo instructor in his homeland.

In 1963, Tsunioshi Tanaka, together with several members, founded the Paulista Karate Association, later renamed Tanaka Karate-Do Association. At the time, Tanaka’s group was linked to the Brazilian Karate Association (ABK) and had Shikan Akamine (Goju-Ryu) as their master. Some years later, he was invited by Mas Oyama to represent Karate Kyokushin in Brazil, being the first introducer of this school in the country.

In 1970 he traveled to Japan to receive direct instructions at the Hombu Dojo. He also promoted events, championships and brought instructors to Brazil, in addition to Oyama himself on more than one occasion. for In 1974, he left Kyokushin due to disagreement with some matrix policies. The Association has continued as an independent organization since then.

Between 1994 and 2014, master Tanaka represented the World Seido Karate Organization, by Tadashi Nakamura, another former Kyokushin representative with whom he befriended during his visit to Japan.

Master Tsunioshi Tanaka was very concerned with taking care of his students and instilling Karate into life for each one. Not for violence and not for one to prove himself better than the others, but for each practitioner to be his best for himself and for the others around him.

He always emphasized the physical and psychological benefits of practicing Karate, trying to instill in the students awareness about it. He also spoke frequently of the moral aspects of the art, with valuable teachings to be applied inside and outside the dojo.

Throughout the Association’s trajectory, Kaicho Tanaka had his work recognized and honored on several occasions by heads of state, representatives of the political class and leaders of the eastern community. An example of this recognition was a tribute paid to the master by the Chamber of Deputies of São Paulo, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Karate-Do Tanaka Association.

His work continues through his students, who keep active the dojo where the Association was founded in the 60s, located in the Vila Prudente neighborhood, in the city of São Paulo, with training every day.