Grand Opening
On Saturday, September 21, 2024, the Ueshiro Carleton Karate Dojo officially opened. While our first PE class met on Tuesday the 17th, Saturday’s class was our first opportunity to train together with the Ueshiro Northfield dojo, and celebrate this new beginning.
Class opened with a few brief words from Sempai David Huyck — Shihan of the new dojo — and Sensei Steve Hatle — Shihan of the Ueshiro Northfield Shorin-Ryu Karate dojo — before continuing with warm-ups and kihon. We broke briefly to capture a photo of the group, and another moment was taken while Sempai Huyck showed his gratitude to Sensei Hatle with the gift of a hakaku bo (octagonal bo), that Huyck made from a white oak taken down on his property. Counting the rings on the tree, it was found to be around 120 years old — its beginnings in the days of renown karate-ka like Anko Itosu and Bushi Matsumura. The bo is a token of appreciation for Sensei Hatle’s leadership of the Northfield dojo, and a symbol of the history passed down to us through our Karate.
Class continued with basics and Fukyugata Ichi for everyone. The newest white belts did an excellent job of observing and “doing the work” to learn this first kata. The advanced students then performed a sequence of kata demonstrations, starting with Fukygata Ichi, then Pinan Sho-Dan, Naihanchi Sho-Dan, and finishing with Wankan. The series served as a reminder of how far we’ve come as a group since the Northfield dojo opened in 2008, with Sensei, Sempai, and Deshi demonstrating the kata we have been training for many years. And it connected us back to our shinden, the kata they brought to us, and the deep knowledge of our Karate history.
Domo arigato gozaimsu, Hanshi, Kyoshi, Sensei and all Deshi for your continued commitment to Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu Karate, and for your support for our new Dojo. All are welcome to visit us and the Ueshiro Northfield dojo any time you are in Minnesota. Zenshin!
A special domo arigato gozaimasu to Julie Lawrence for her wonderful photos of the day.
