KAPUSKASING WADO KAI​ KARATE CLUB
(non-profit organization)
I've been practicing Karate for close to 30 years, all under Sensei Masaru Shintani.
Through all these years, I've received much intense training from Sensei.
I would often have him come up for clinics twice a year and Sensei would stay
for 2 or 3 weeks everytime, once in awhile even longer.
During his stay he would sometimes teach my karate class here in Kapuskasing.
Throughout the years I've put on tape all those clinics and workouts,
not to mention various tournaments.
My collection consists of over 60 tapes, each lasting 3 to 6 hours.
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My relationship with Sensei Shintani is of long standing.
Not only was it based on a mutual love of Karate, it was also a very personal one.
Before his death Sensei Shintani made me an 8thDan.
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In 1983 I asked Sensei for a lifetime keepsake of himself.
He said he had just the thing for me.
This is when he started to teach me Shindo.
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At first it was all offensive, this stands to reason because it was what he himself knew.
Sensei called this offensive style of Shindo,
the Way of the Aido,
or the Way of the Sword.
It's the way of the Samurai, very deadly.
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In 1989 after six years of training,
I became the 1st and only Black-Belt in the world trained in offensive Shindo.
Then I started to learn what everyone else now knows as Defensive Shindo.
I trained 5 years before I made my rank in Defensive Shindo.
About this time Sensei started to teach others in the Organization
what he thought was appropriate as training for Defensive Shindo.
Also in 1984 Sensei Shintani started to train me with the Bo.
Believe me the Bo has a beauty all of its' own.
Then in November of 1985 others in the north had their first course with the Bo during one of my clinics.
To my knowledge, it was the only one given during a clinic.
Before his death Sensei Shintani left me his Shindo weapon or Jo-Doh Stick.
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As he handed them to me he said,
"this is my most precious possession.
They are yours, you were my first disciple,
and the only one trained in the Way of the Matsumoto,
my Ancestors." (descendant of a Samurai Clan)
He also put his Belt & Gi on top of my dresser,
in the room he slept in and said,
"So much to do Paul, so very little time left.
You know most of my wishes and dreams.
I've left you with a lot of tasks to do for me.
I know you will do them,
I've tested you many times through all the years,
you've never let me down.
So I know you will do these things for me,
no questions asked.
You were always there for me when I needed you.
So may my Belt & Gi be a bond between us like it did between Otsuka Sensei and me.
Try to work in unity with all so as to preserve Otsuka Sensei's Way."
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As for myself personally, everyone seems to say to me,
"You're so blessed that Sensei Shintani went to see you for his last days. What a great honor!"
To you all I say,
"You are right but there is more than just honor to this blessing.
The cost was and still is high, maybe for me it will always be so.
Part of me died that week,
even as I listened to Sensei talk and explain about his past,
his dreams,
his wishes for the future,
many, many occurrences during his life,
how he solved the problems that came up.
I learned very quickly what a great man he was,
to overcome so many hardships and still come out on top.
Sensei asked me to write down many things,
especially when it came to things pertaining to his wishes for the future.
We had workouts together during these fateful days.
All these things are engraved in my mind, my heart, my soul, for the rest of my days.
They were the last days of a Great Master of Karate and I was part of it."
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There is so much Sensei left for me to do.
Some of these are already done.
Much is for a future date, yet to come.
All with very specific directions.
Sensei's wishes and dreams have now become my wishes and dreams.
I will work as hard as I have to, to see these are fulfilled.
For some of these wishes,
I will need the help and assistance not only from the organization
but from those who are affiliated or were taught by Sensei himself.
Sensei asked of me to remain neutral when it comes to politics in Karate.
He wanted of me to be able to help any and all that were taught by him,
not to be tied down by one organization or another.
To this end he had been preparing me for at least 6 years.
He has also left me instructions on how to go about it.
So be assured that there will be future information released
to announce what these will be when the time for them comes.
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