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Paul Fenech Sensei teaches a class in the Randwick Dojo

Interview with Sensei Pascal

Published: 28th April 2006

Here is our interview with Sensei Pascal Lecourt, a direct student of the late Master Kase for over 30 years.

Q. What sets Kase Sensei’s karate apart from the other streams of Shotokan around today?

His karate is traditional and its from Yoshitaka Sensei and Funakoshi sensei. During the war, many seniors such as Nakayama, went to China to fight but Kase stayed in Japan and he continued training with Yoshitaka. During this time, Yoshitaka developed his style from his father, and after the war was over, the seniors returned to Japan, but there was a singnificant difference between the senior instructors that had left Japan to the modern teachings of Yoshitaka. During many years, Kase did his own research and also had inspiration from the samurai and developed many different open hand techniques such as Shuto and Haito.

Different breathing, quick and slow, different application for kata, moving outside, inside back and front foot, reaction - sen no sen, dia and Go no sen. During 50 yrs after the war, he continued to teach his way, kase Ha, especially in Paris where he lived.

Q. What were the defining moments in your karate career - the events or achievements that have had the most impact on you?

In my early days, I had a bad reputation for fighting at school and in the street. When I started karate, discipline was important, and the structure was good for me. I met Sensei at 17 years of age which stabilized my life and I focussed on my future. He was a perfect man, he had defined rules and was friendly, but strong and hard. There was no concessions for anyone.

Q. If someone were looking for a martial art for reasons of self-defence, would you recommend Shotokan, and why?

It depends on what they want and how much they want to develop. If they are after short term, boxing is simple and you can develop a punch quickly. Karate has so much more to learn, kicks, punches, open hand etc etc. Sensei kase once told me if you want to be efficient now, buy a weapon, if you want to be efficient for your life, you can start karate.

It’s important to understand that Shotokan is a tradition, and many years of hard physical training and understanding is important to achieve a minimum level. Once you achieve this level, self defence will come naturally. Most self-defence courses are short term programs designed to give you a basic knowledge.

Q. I’ve heard that Kase Sensei said the ‘big movements’ of Shotokan are a way to eventually be able to use small movements with the same amount of power - can you explain how this works?

Most people that practice use only one part of his body, eg: boxing uses arm-shoulder and weight. For us, we use 100% potential of our body, especially the hip. Sensei Kase says, take the power from the universe and from the ground, mix inside your self and expel this energy. Ten (universe) Chi (planet) jin (our body) we must try to keep this energy for strength. This is why it’s different and we can exert maximum energy from any short technique. You can see the similarities between other forms such as kudo, and kendo.

Q. It’s been said that much of the bunkai of Okinawan kata was lost in the process of its transference to Japan, and that kata and bunkai are generally given much higher importance in Okinawan systems. Is kata bunkai a focus of Kase’s Shotokan, and did Funakoshi pass this on originally?

Yoshitaka Sensei passed on this bunkia and kata applications down to sensei Kase and he expanded on bunkia Kumite and its applications. He Specialised on Oyo kumite (interpretation, adaptataion), Omote, ura, Go and go Ura, kata. Sensei Kase continued the teachings of kata Bunkai because he believed it was important to ones knowledge to understand and develop kata Bunkai.

Q. There are several kata taught in Kase Sensei’s system that aren’t taught in other Shotokan schools. Why is this, and what makes these kata important?

Sensei kase wanted us to see every possibility of kata. Left and right side (Omote and Ura). Go and go ura is a much more complex way of doing kata. If you want to study Oyo and Oyo kumite, we have to look at all the possibilities for kata. Otherwise we can learn Oyo Bunkai kumite, then Oyo and finally Oyo kumite. This way, you will have a maximum effect of the kata in a real fight situation.

As for other styles not doing these katas, maybe we should ask them why they don’t do them!

Q. What does the future for traditional karate? Is change inevitable?

I hope the people will understand that martial arts and the life is the same idea, and with one we can improve the other. Nobody knows the future, but since Wednesday 24th November at 5:25pm, my life has changed. Three days before this time, I was at sensei’s side, to take him to his final destination. On Wednesday, I held his hand till he passed away. I was with his family. It was a terrible moment and I made him a promise to continue his way, his research and his expression, for the rest of my life. If I can’t, I will stop teaching. This is my future and it’s important to pass on to a another generation, and one day to discover a very beautiful way.

Q. What is the most frightening point in your life for karate?

In 1985 when I had many physical problems, I went to Japan with Sensei Kase to his home. I had many problems with my knees and my back. At this time I had to make a decision, to go by a doctors opinion and have knee surgery, or, to continue suffering. I asked Sensei Kase’s opinion and he strictly told me to continue training and avoid the operation. It was a crucial decision in my life as it could literally determine the future of my karate. My choice was as sensei suggested, to continue training and change my ways to correct my injuries. In the time ahead, I spent much time watching sensei Shiria and observed his flowing motions and subtle movements. It was perfect for me and today, all my injuries have vanished without surgery.

This interview took place in Sydney, Australia. 28th April 2006. You can also read a report on Sensei Pascal’s recent seminars.

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