Teachers and Teachers

 

Translated with Bing Translate

https://note.com/motoburyu/n/n73fb5de12dae

 

 Teachers and Teachers

Motobu-ryu

September 8, 2023 00:26 AM

 

Since last Saturday (November 2, 2019), members of the Columbia chapter have visited Osaka and are practicing together at the Daidokan. One day I took them sightseeing. At that time, I was asked by them about the difference between a teacher and a teacher.

 

Both teacher and teacher are words that mean teacher. The difference is that the teacher is widely used, while the shihan is somewhat archaic and is today used exclusively in the world of martial arts and other traditional performing arts.

 

Furthermore, in order to become a teacher, you do not necessarily need a license or qualification. However, in many martial arts and schools, it is common for a master to become a master only after being granted a license.

 

The following questions were also asked: "Do you use the name "sensei" for people who are in higher ranks, such as 7th or 8th dan?" To this, I replied, "Each school and dojo has different rules, so it is better to check first and then call him a teacher."

 

For example, in Motobu Gotente, when Uehara Seikichi was alive, the teacher was used only for Uehara sensei. He was not allowed to call other high-ranking disciples a teacher, even in ceremonial terms.

 

Now, in Motobu Gotente, the teacher is in the licensing system. Therefore, if you are not granted a teacher's license, you will not become a teacher. The photo below shows the teacher's license granted by Soke (Motobu Tomomasa) by Uehara Sensei.

Teacher's license granted by Uehara Seikichi

to Motobu Tomomasa, March 23, Showa 62.

 

During his lifetime, Uehara only issued his teacher's license to one student in Okinawa and four students on the mainland. The only person in Okinawa who was granted a teacher's license was the late Mr. T. Mr. T was a wealthy self-employed man, but was later arrested for injuring a customer with a kama, excommunicated the school, and had his teacher's license revoked. Therefore, none of Uehara-sensei's Okinawan disciples were awarded a teacher's license.

 

After Mr. T was released from prison, he even went abroad to teach under the name of "license everyone's biographies." Of course, there is no license system for Motobu Gotente. I felt sorry for Mr. T because he died suddenly after returning from an overseas seminar, but I am still tired of receiving inquiries from overseas about Mr. T's license from time to time.

 

In his later years, some of his disciples wanted him to be granted a teacher's license, so he went to beg Uehara while he was in the hospital. However, Uehara-sensei never allowed it. Uehara-sensei was betrayed by his disciples many times during his lifetime, including Mr. T, so he must have carefully assessed the personalities of these disciples.

 

Incidentally, Soke was also awarded the license of "Chief Master" by Uehara Sensei. Uehara-sensei had no mercy for ambitious disciples, but the Soke family was deeply trusted by Uehara-sensei because he never had a rank or license.

 

Soke came to study at Uehara-sensei's request to return the Motobu Gotente to the Motobu family, so he never wanted a rank or title.

 

By the way, I also received the following question from a person from the Colombian branch. "Did you know that there is a dojo in Colombia other than us that claims to be the official dojo of Motobu Gotente?" When they showed me the photo, it showed me a former student of Professor Uehara. It seems that the Colombian in the dojo is a student of this former apprentice.

 

I replied: "This former disciple has not received a teacher's license from Uehara-sensei, so he cannot teach or have disciples, and he is no longer affiliated with our organization."

 

Perhaps Professor Uehara foresaw this kind of situation. Therefore, Professor Uehara probably did not grant him a teacher's license.

 

Source:  "Teacher and Master" (Ameblo, November 9, 2019).