Practice karate to stay young - Gibo Giyu

by Srian OBEYESEKERE

KARATE: Seventy-year-old Japanese karate grandmaster Gibo Giyu hailing from Okinawa, the home of karate, who was in Sri Lanka on a ten day visit recently, said that the influence of the art was such in staying fit that he had not developed a common cold for the last 40 years.

Gibo, a 9th Dan Black Belt in the hallowed Japanese art called Shorinkan Karate, and who is the director of the Okinawa Shorinryu Shorinkan Karate Association in Okinawa, further explained the values of the art saying that,”even if you are old you stay young in spirit and physique if you practice karate.

“The martial arts revolves around two basic and important components namely the pysique (body) and spirit (mind) to keep in good health. Altogether the importance of self defence is about self control. The art is a way of life,” emphasised Sensei Gibo Giyu who was born in Urasoe city in 1938 and started his karate career in 1957 at senior high school. He took to greater heights upon graduation from school, subsequently gainining employment in a shipping company and continued his karate in the lower decks of the ship he worked in.

Giyu, who was here on the invitation of his Sri Lankan counterpart Sensei Gamini Soysa, 8th Dan Black Belt whose Dojo is based in Boralesgamuwa, conducted several useful demonstrations, seminars, camps and officiated at a tournament held at the National Youth Centre Auditorium where Sensei Mahes Perera was adjudged the champion at open meet competed by several Indians too.

Grandmaster Gibo, who was accompanied by his chief instructor Sensei Morihiro Yagi, further said that there are over one million people in Okinawa who practice karate. Interestingly the art is so highly recognised by the Japanese government which has named several martial artists from Okinawa as intangible asset holders in recognising karatekas with longstanding experience through its education department. In fact, karate had been made a subject in some schools.

Commenting on the influence of the martial arts in films, grandmaster Gibo said: “It has a likeable impact on the cinema. Of course, it was a big performance under certain rules which envisaged that training for martial arts films is conducted under such a schedule meant only for the camera.”

Interestingly, Gibo, who is also a director of Okinawa Kobudo Kokusai Rengoukai, runs his own painting company called Gibo Paint Company, and is also Chairman of the painting companies union in Okinawa.

He was highly impressed with the enthusiasm shown by Sri Lankan karate students.

“In fact, the interest to practice the art among Sri Lankans is more than the Japanese, but the difference between the Japanese and Sri Lankans was that the former practised the art as a lifetime necessity.