Karate

Etiquette
Handbook

Raymond Fujino Sensei
Kelvin Po Assistant Instructor

PRACTICES:
THURSDAY EVENINGS 6-7:30PM
SUNDAY MORNINGS 11:30-1:30PM

Table of Contents
Dojo Rules ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Tips for Training ........................................................................................................................................................ 4
Uniforms & How to tie your belt ......................................................................................................................... 5
Belt Tests ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Useful Japanese Phrases & Words in Karate .......................................................................................... 7-8
Contact Information ............................................................................................................................................................... 9

Dojo Rules

1. Always arrive on time. Respect our time and your own. Try to arrive 10-15 min early. If
late, do 10 pushups on the side and stretch quietly until sensei motions you to join class.
2. Always attend practices, unless unavoidable. In these cases, inform Sensei.
3. Bow when entering the dojo and when leaving the dojo.
4. Keep your gi (uniform) clean and tidy at all times. This involves properly tying your belt
(pg 5).
5. Remove all socks, shoes, jewelry, and other accessories before practice. Never wear your
shoes onto the tatami mats, even after practice. Keep nails trimmed short and observe
good personal hygiene.
6.

Have a water bottle prepared as water breaks are short.

7.

Before practice, the junior members must sweep the tatami mats and set up the shinzen.
If you see a more senior belt sweeping, offer to take over.

8. When practice begins, line up in a straight line in order of descending rank (i.e. black
belts closest to Sensei, brown, green, and white belts to follow).
9. Respect others and yourself. Use your practice time wisely and remember to practice at
home to take full advantage of class time.
10. Never give up! You are training both your mind and your body.
11. Always follow Senseis instructions without questioning his judgment and always
perform the training that Sensei or senior students ask of you quickly and respectfully.
12. Sometimes another class is waiting for the space when we finish. Out of respect for these
groups, vacate quickly in these instances.
13. Stay focused. Do not let your attention wander or engage in idle chatter.
14. Control your technique and gauge force appropriately to your partner.
15. Only the person in charge of your group is teaching. Do not take it upon yourself to stop
your own practice and instruct others unless directed to do so.
16. Register for class by the deadlines and pay dues on time. This helps ensure we maintain

our practice space. Rent and tuition have to be paid on time, this is no different.

Tips for Training

1.

Always remember the basics. They are the key to all that follows.

2. Keep an open mind. You may not understand some things now but everything has a
purpose.
3. Better to know a few things well than many things poorly.
4. Treat your uniform with respect and keep it clean. Launder regularly cold wash
and hang dry or it will shrink. The belt is generally not washed.
5. The gi jacket should be worn with the left side over the right. Right over left is only
used during funerals.
6. Belts should be worn so that the label is on the left. If there is embroidery the name
should be on the label side of the belt and style name on the right side (when tied).
7. Embroidery, if any, should be in Japanese only. If in doubt, please ask.
8. Be patient. Results are seldom immediate.
9. Strive to apply karates lessons to your everyday life.
10. During meditation, or mokusou, clear your mind of all distractions.
11. Give your best at all times. Karate can only give back what you put in.
12. Karate trains your mind, body, and spirit and goes beyond sport or simple fighting
techniques.
13. Seek understanding through practice rather than through explanation.
14. Shodan is the first black belt rank. It literally means first level and is only the
beginning of the journey.
15. Keep your ego in check. Be humble.
16. Strive for perfection in everything from simple bows to advanced techniques.
17. Maintain a beginners heart. As soon as you think you know something, you stop
improving.
18. Learn at the dojo, practice at home.
19. Practice seriously but also have fun!

Karate ni sen te nashi: There is no first attack in karate. Avoid conflict and
only ever use karate in self defense.
Karate begins and ends with courtesy.

Uniforms

1. Students may wear a plain white karate-gi
2. If an undershirt is worn, it should be plain white and low cut if possible. Women
may also wear plain tank tops or sports bras.
3. Keep the ties of the waist and jacket neat and tucked in.

How to tie your belt

1. Place your belt on your lower back with the logo on the left side. Have the right end
longer than the left end

2. Place the right end over the left end and wrap around your waist and then place it
over the left end.

3. Take the left end and tuck it over the entire belt.

4. Tie the left and the right end together into an arrow-head shaped knot pointing to
the left.

5. Ensure that that your belt is smooth and there are no bumps or crossing in the back.
The logo should be on the left end and your right end should either be blank or have
your rank stripes.

You can purchase your uniform at Mikado Martial Arts Supplies (701 E Hastings St) or
you can order a uniform at the clothing store in the SRC right by the UBC recreation
service desk.

Belt Tests

Sensei will administer belt tests when he believes that the student is ready. If the
belt test is passed, the student will advance to the next belt level. The first test is
free, but any subsequent tests will be $25, if passed. If the test is not passed, there
will be no charge.

BEGINNER LEVELS
10th kyu no stripe white
9th kyu one stripe white
8th kyu two stripe white
7th kyu three stripe white

INTERMEDIATE LEVELS
6th kyu one stripe green
5th kyu two stripe green
4th kyu three stripe green

SENIOR LEVELS
3rd kyu one stripe brown
2nd kyu two stripe brown
1st kyu three stripe brown

10th kyu to 1st kyu are the ranks that come before the first black belt.

Useful Japanese Phrases & Words

Throughout practice, there will be short phrases in Japanese that would be helpful
to familiarize yourself with.
Seiza Kneel (usually in order of seniority) with your feet folded underneath you
Mokuso eyes closed in order to meditate
Mokuso yame Cease meditating, eyes opened
Shomen ni rei Bow to the founder of our branch of Goju Ryu, Yamaguchi Gogensensei
Sensei ni rei Bow to Sensei
Otagai ni rei The meaning is bow to the others in the class, but for simplicity, we
bow to the front
Onegaishimasu Please teach me; I am willing to learn
Arigato Gozaimashita Thank you very much
Tsuki Punch
Uke Block
Sanchin dachi Short stance
Zenkutsu dachi Long stance
Shikodachi Horse/lower stance
Jodan Upper
Chudan Middle
Gedan Lower
Maigeri front kick
Mawashigeri - roundhouse kick
Yokogeri side kick

Hajime Start

Yame Stop
Kamae Fighting stance
Kamaete Get into fighting stance and prepare to start
Yoi Attention, move feet shoulder-width apart and prepare hands to bow
Mawate turn
Hai - Yes
Kiai spirit yell; gives you more power, especially when fatigued
Kata set of prearranged blocks, punches, and other movements
Bunkai practical application of kata
Kumite sparring
Kihon basics
Makiwara striking board
Gi uniform
Goju ryu hard/soft style of karate from Okinawa

Japanese Numbers:

Ichi - One

Ni - Two

San Three

Shi (Yon) Four

Go - Five

Roku Six

Shichi (Nana)
Seven

Hachi Eight

Kyuu Nine

Juu - Ten

Who we are
We are a karate dojo located at the University of British Columbia. We study Yamaguchi
Goju Kai Karate under Raymond Fujino Sensei (5th dan). We always welcome new students
and would love to train with you.

Contact Us

Student Recreation Center dojo

6000 Student Union Blvd
Vancouver, BC V6T 2E7
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/262020587297355/
or search UBC Nihon Goju Karate

Practice times and registration

Thursday: 6:00pm-7:30pm
Sunday: 11:30am-1:30pm

Registration: Deadlines for regular members are September, January, and May. See the
posted schedule for exact dates. New students welcome year-round.

***Students should attend both practices, but separate Thursday or Sunday registration is
available for those unable to do so.