Job Discussion Forums

[DarkMagus]

I'm going to do this.

How much do they cost (roughly)?

Is it hard to learn if you can't speak Japanese?

Do they make fun of a gaijin who wants in on Karate lessons?

[fluffyhamster]

Costs depend on which style of karate you're planning on doing. Some of the more popular/aggressively advertised/franchised-out styles (perhaps with new flashy rented "dojo") have pretty big sign-up costs (e.g. annual membership, insurance etc. You might also need to buy a specific dogi with the style's name embroidered on it) and monthly fees, whilst a community center class consisting mainly of kids, in a now less popular style, might expect next to nothing financially (it is polite to ask though, rather than assume anything just because they haven't asked you!).

As for communication difficulties, if you are a newbie to not only karate but also Japanese, you may find it a bit tough at first, but most of the instructors won't mind so long as you're trying your hardest and appear to be progressing due to your (and their!) efforts. Probably knowing a bit of karate already and the terminology and etiquette of the style rather than Japanese ability per se (it isn't a language class with loads of time outs to chat!) is what will help more initially.

I've never encountered ridicule in a karate dojo (budoka generally aren't the type to do this), but you may find yourself paired up with people who like sparring hard if the style encourages some contact and you seem technically proficient enough and are a big guy. You're generally more likely to get "tested" in arts such as Judo, where "full" contact to the body (during throws, or submissions in groundwork) is unavoidable and indeed the intentional aim!

FWIW, whilst in Hokkaido I joined the Daido-juku (Kyokushinkai-like karate plus judo-like throws and groundwork), and it set me back around 30-40,000 yen to sign up, then at least 5,000 yen per month in training fees (I recall that the Kyokushinkai itself was even more expensive, but it wasn't so much the cost as the lack of the transition into groundwork that put me off. I eventually decided to concentrate just on Judo, because I had pretty good striking power from studying Shotokan, Shorinji kempo, Muay Thai, Wing Chun, Jeet June Do, Filipino martial arts, Choi Kwang Do, Savate, boxing etc). The karate dojo that I sometimes visited after that seemed to do mainly Wado-ryu, for comparatively much lower or zero costs...if I'd wanted to continue studying mainly striking-based arts I'd probably have gone with Shorinji kempo...Daito-ryu aikijujitsu also appealed somewhat (more joint locks and pins though).

You might also want to check out some of the mixed martial arts around (e.g. Pancrase, modern forms of jujitsu etc) if you'll be in larger, more central cities such as Tokyo.

[Timuli]

I don't do Karate but am part of a few gyms (Shootboxing, ama boxing and MMA) and this has been my experience so far:

How much do they cost (roughly)?

The gyms I go to as well as several other mma places I know cost around 10 000 per month (Even regular gym fees seem to be in that area). That's for unlimited training. If you look around, there are classes in community centres which should be way cheaper. If you can find university clubs that will be even cheaper (If they charge you at all)

Is it hard to learn if you can't speak Japanese?

No because there is always somebody with at least a basic level of English that can help you out. Plus you're learning by observing. Knowing Japanese will make your learning experience a LOT easier and better since you'll be able to understand the little things better.

Do they make fun of a gaijin who wants in on Karate lessons?

Again can't speak for Karate, but have found that they are happy and impressed that you want to do what they're doing. Several places don't "dislike" foreigners, but do dislike slackers. So as long as you're there and giving it your all, they will make you feel part of them. If you waste their time, they won't waste their time on you.

Again, this is just personal experience. Can't speak for anybody else.

[stillnosheep]

Never did Karate in Japan but one of my training partners whilst studying Ninjutsu was an ex Ontario Provincial Karate champion.

Ninjutsu budokans are often used to non Japanes students. Some sensei in Japan are non Japanese. Chances of ridicule are almost zero and joining fees, association fees etc tend to be much much lower than in Karate schools.

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

[fluffyhamster]

Sure, Shorinji kempo is about a 50/50 mix of hard (striking) and "soft" techniques, with more complex terminology and etiquette than karate...I doubt if people come to Dave's to get exactingly-worded information on martial arts. I said a 'mainly striking-based art' because I was more thinking of it in comparison to Judo and Aikijujitsu/Aikido (Shorinji certainly has more strikes and especially kicks in it than those two arts, the Kime no kata and Goshinjitsu etc of the Kodokan notwithstanding), and also because I have a lot of respect for the relative efficiency body mechanics/power generation-wise of Shorinji compared to karate (so I'd do it in preference to karate at least as far as its striking component is concerned, even though the time spent punching and kicking would likely be appreciably less than in a karate dojo).

But perhaps the most powerful art I've seen is Choi Kwang Do (Muay Thai has a great round kick and elbows, but CKD's punches and hand strikes are awesome, and its kicks aren't at all bad either!). Some guys that I showed Choi's videos to felt the guy holding the impact pads was exaggerating Choi's power...I'm not sure since I heard he made my friend's instructor PUKE the first time he did a side kick on a kickshield.

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/teacher/viewtopic.php?t=2709