Arizona Karate Association

In his book, “A Passion for Success”, Kazuo Inamori, philanthropist, Japanese entrepreneur, and the founder of Kyocera Corporation, KDDI
Corporation, and chairman of Japan Airlines writes about simple philosophy that has powerful real world effects. Inamori hired a very good
Japanese – English translator in order to publish his book in the English speaking markets. I have read Inamori’s books and I use his text
because his philosophy is the same as mine. We share the same thinking and feeling of life and our purpose in this world.

As Inamori writes, “When we were young, we tended to defy our parents, teachers, and elders when they tried to teach us about life. My own
parents had a favorite saying: “The young should experience adversity even if we have to buy it.” And I had a favorite response: “The young
should never experience adversity, even if we have to sell it!”
We all go through stages of rebellion in our adolescence. But we should never forget what our parents and elders have taught us.
Starting the journey of life on our own is like rowing a boat onto an ocean without a compass.

As we mature, we should be prepared to recall what we have learned from our elders and use these lessons as a compass to guide our lives.
My philosophy, I hope, will serve a similar purpose. Some people might feel defiant or uninterested in what I say. But when you encounter
obstacles in your life or career, you will need some type of value system to guide your decision making.
I learned every element of my own philosophy through the trials of my work, worries of my life, and serious, in-depth thinking. I believe that
sooner or later you, too, will experience similar situations in your life.”

How does this apply to Karate-do? Well, the “Do” in Karate-do is a road; the destination or aim. That is the most important point. The Japanese
call the destination Shi, or target. You must decide your destination or aim. The road is not an interstate or clearly marked. It has many twists
and turns and can be difficult to maneuver. There are three (3) ways that one can view life’s journey:

1 – There are those that have no aim in life and do not understand that there is a path. These are people who go nowhere.
2 – Then there is the average person. These people have aims and look for a road map to find the path to their destination.
3 – Finally, there is the martial artist. The martial artist knows the ultimate destination is death and also knows that the path to this destination
is not on any road map. The martial artist is like the person rowing the boat on the ocean. The path is only revealed in glimpses and requires
constant rowing to get to the destination. One makes mistakes, wrong turns, but one keeps going; daily practice, training, and experience lead
to understanding the road.

Just as being on the high seas, one will encounter bad weather, rough seas, rain, and strong winds just like one does in day to day life. Karate-
do teaches and enhances one’s determination and allows one to proceed steadily and to ultimately reach one’s destination.

Shojiro Koyama