Norichika Tsukamoto, a Revolutionary Fighter

 

Starts for his 4th entry in Weight Division Tournament!
Last year, due to his damage in his chest bone caused at the World Cup, he could not participate in the All-Japan Tournament last year.
The following is an interview with him at Tsukamoto Dojo in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo.
To “be strong” rather than to “win” – To make myself rounder, by cutting off my weak points!

Q: I heard you decided to participate in the Weight Division Tournament, right?
A: Yes, I just wanted to increase my experience, as I wish to be “strong” rather than to win. For this purpose, entering in a tournament is the best. I’m sure we can get something very important only by doing so.

Q: What do you mean by “wish to be strong rather than to win”?
A: “Wish to win” can sometimes mean that any means, even an unfair means, is allowed for victory. In that case, the goal is too close at hand. But if you get strong enough, then you won’t be defeated in any tournament. Since I’m aiming at the World Tournament, I wish to be strong enough.

Q: If victory is your biggest goal, then you’re not always strong enough, even if you win in a certain tournament. Is that what you mean?
A: That’s right. To be strong, you should never escape. For example, it’s not good to stick only to a certain technique, even if you are good at it. Formerly I used to do that way. But now, I’m consciously trying not to use only stepping but trying to win by punches. I just want to overcome all my weak points to make myself rounder.

Q:?Make yourself rounder?
A: To be round, instead of being partially sharp, is stronger, I guess. Some time ago I used to fight, thinking, “I never want to be defeated by this person.” That’s because I was too stiff mentally. Now I’ve found that’s no good. I realized that I should fight with myself, not with my opponent.

Q: You mean you shouldn’t escape, don’t you?
A: Yes. If you escape, you’ll not be able to win. More than that, if you escape in training, you’ll be attacked by great pressure at a tournament. A bit of escape will result in multiplied pressure in actual fighting. So, it’s the best never to escape. Very simple, isn’t it?

Q: It’s simple to say, but actually it’s difficult.
A: Really it’s difficult. But we have to do so. For example, if you neglect close body attack training, you’ll have a bad pressure at actual fighting, thinking, “What shall I do if he attacks me on the body?” Once I couldn’t sleep well thinking that way. On the contrary, if I have completed all such training before a competition, I can persuade myself by thinking, “I’ve done everything I could do. If I should be defeated, it means my opponent is stronger.” And I’ll have no repentance.

Q: Regretfully, at the World Cup last year, you had damage in your chest bone and were defeated at the semi-final. You could not enter the All-Japan because of that damage. Have you already recovered?
A: I’m all right. At the World Cup, in spite of my defeat, I got a great deal as a result of my utmost efforts in preparatory training. That experience fired me up so much on the contrary, so that I wish now to fight with top foreign fighters such as Daniel (Torok), Donatas (Imbras). I really want to fight in a tournament, anyway.

No Other Way than Efforts
Q: Has anything changed during the past one year?
A: Last year I could decrease my weight down to 98kgs. Now I can move myself more speedily, that is, my body can move more lightly with the same weight.

Q: What kind of training is needed to control the heavy weight?
A: Quantity of training, I guess. There’s no shortcut. Acquiring techniques also needs efforts.

Q: Techniques needs efforts, not sense, you mean?
A: If you’ve got your techniques by your sense, you’ll forget it easily, as it will not be your own in a real sense. The only way is to repeat the technique many, many times. To my little students, I’m always telling that there’s no other way to become strong than making efforts. A so-called “genius”, such as Ichiro, must be a genius of making efforts. No one can reach a high level without efforts, I’m sure.

Q: Perhaps you’ve not yet seen the tournament table (as of March 12) for the Weight Division Tournament. Many of the fighters entering in Weight Class will aim at “defeating Tsukamoto.” Experienced fighters such as Naohiro Nomoto, Hideaki Koizumi, Shinji Sakamoto, etc. are going to participate. What do you think is the reason why those veterans are still active in such a tide of generation exchange?
A: One of the reasons is their experience. Of course, they are not only strong both mentally and physically but also they have their own techniques for winning.

Q: At the Weight Division Tournament two years ago, you had enormous fighting with Nomoto at the semi-final, and you won at the final extension by 3 – 2. Right?
A: It was really hard. I think that was a draw in fact. Perhaps he, too, must have the same feeling.

Q: Next, what about Kiyohide Kuno, one of the new generation fighters? He’s from the same dojo as yours, isn’t he? He was ranked in the best four at the All-Japan Tournament last year.
A: Actually he’s strong enough, though he could not have shown the result. Yeah, Kuno is really strong.

Q: Then, what about Kenta Mori and Taishi Watanabe, who are also representing the new generation?
A: If I were not entering the Tournament, I’d support them. They are quite promising fighters. Both of them are very honest and making efforts. They are also strong-minded, as Shihan Midori’s students. I think they’ll be good leaders in future.

Q: Other promising fighters might be Shingo Fujita, Tsutomu Murayama, and from the Youth Group, Yuta Masaguchi and Takatsugu Naito. And Maxim Shevchenko from Russia, and Yuyu Kitajima from other group (Byakuren Kaikan) are also entering.
A: It’s good that the Youth Group was created to strengthen young fighters. I, too, taught them a lot at the Youth Camp. But once I’m on a mat, I’ll do my best to knockthem down. I never mind who my opponent is. Only I’ll do my best.

Our Peak is 60!
Q: So far you have overcome all the tournaments of World class and All-Japan class. Now, at the age of 32, what’s your goal now?
A: I might have overcome some tournaments in the past, but they have already ended. Being drunk with past victories is no use, because fighters are different now from what they were in the past. Their skill changes, too. My present target is to continue to enter tournaments and to win, just to see how far I can go forward. Of course I’m sure I can, and that’s why I’m going to participate.

Q: You aren’t just satisfied with your victory records, are you?
A: Never. Young competitors are participating one by one, and I feel they’re giving me chances to challenge them. Otherwise I’ll not be able to win them. It’s not very easy to continue to win, because everybody is making efforts, you know.

Q: Competitors with fine physique, power and speed are increasing.
A: Big but speedy competitors, from overseas are increasing. They can even use combination techniques. Their levels are much higher compared with those at World Tournament or World Cup. I think Donatas Imbras and Valeri Dimitrov seem to know much more now.

Q: Know much more?
A: Yes, they’ve understood some invisible things that cannot be verbally explained. For example, they seem to know how to use not only their outer muscles but also their inner ones. More than that, they seem to be free from excessive strain. Donatas, for example, was standing at ease even with a smile before starting the bout. No such a big fighter did that way before, you know.

Q: Yes, it seems that foreign fighters used to think outer powerfulness was more important.
A: They put all their power in attacking their opponents. But now, Japanese fighters seem to be more strained to defend the throne. Of course it’s our mission to defend the throne and Yamato Spirit is important, I know. But we cannot win only with such stiff purposes. Looking at the Olympic Games, I notice that foreigners know more about how and when to relax. Foreign fighters of Shinkyokushin are also becoming like that. In the past, people thought that only Japanese could understand Bujutsu (Martial techniques) or Budo, but now, foreign fighters seem to have understood Budo through their daily efforts in training.

Q: Do you mean that they’ve understood “Softness overcomes strength”?
A: That’s right. I think one more thing is important to become stronger. That is “to know the tide.”

Q: To know the tide?
A: That means “To understand the tide or atmosphere” of a bout. Very few competitors have reached that level, I’m afraid. But I think Suzuki, Donatas and Valeri have.

Q: In your dojo’s web site, I read “Age 60 is the peak for people.” You mean it’s impossible to realize it only with stamina or power, without training senses, I guess?
A: Yes, we’re training with that idea. Otherwise, it’s not interesting to continue Karate, is it? Some people begin Karate at the age of 40 or 50. Sure they can become strong enough. I myself have learned how to do that and wish to show it at tournaments.

Q: Has anything changed in yourself as a result of opening your own dojo?
A: Yes, something is different in myself. Formerly I just wanted to distinguish myself as a karate competitor. But now, I feel as if I were a commander in an army.

Q: Do you mean you’ve got a “sense of mission” or something like that?
A: Yes. My feeling is, if I were defeated all my students would die. So, participating in the Weight Division Tournament makes me feel as if I were going up to Osaka as a commander.

Q: Lastly, what’s your ultimate goal in tournaments?
A: It’s “Defeat with a single attack.” That will not hurt the opponent nor myself. I think Budo or Bujutsu (martial techniques) is to bring a battle to an end as soon as possible. I wish to seek for that goal as a Budo-ka, though it may be an idea. For this purpose, I will do my best, with a relaxed and natural attitude but even at the risk of my own life.