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Generations:
Rod N. Omoto
by Bud Pomaika'i Cook
Rod Nobuto Omoto, at an iaido demonstration in 1974. All photos in this article are courtesy (c) 1999 of Rod Omoto.
What is it like to be part of two cultures, two worlds, at war with each other?
Rod Nobuto Omoto was born in 1918 in Wahiawa on the island of Oahu in Hawai'i. As a child he was inspired by "chambara" movies, Japanese silent films of samurai stories. This innocent event sparked his lifelong relationship with the Way of the Sword, kendo. He went to Kyoto, Japan, just before the outbreak of World War II to attend the Budo Senmon Gakko, (also called the Busen), a national school for training young men to become professional teachers of kendo. The school was located at the Butokuden, the famous training hall in Kyoto, Japan.
The outbreak of the war put him in a difficult position, not allowed back into his home country of the United States as an "undesirable alien," and not fully accepted into Japanese society because he was from Hawai'i. In a manner consistent with his character, he practiced kendo with the Japanese soldiers during the war, and then worked for the American forces as a translator afterward.
In 1960, sponsored by his sister in Oregon, Omoto returned to the U.S. with his family as an immigrant. He earned a degree from Oregon State University in engineering. He then moved to Tacoma, Washington, where he raised his family. Today this vibrant seventh dan kyoshi (master instructor) continues to train with a vigor surpassing those far younger than him.
This interview was conducted in his home in the late-winter of 1996 by writer Bud P. Cook. Portions of the interview have been edited for length or other reasons by Furyu.
What are the characteristics or qualities you would most hope that people develop through their training in kendo?. . .I don't want to be like an evangelist on the radio or television talking to thousands and millions of people. How many people would really be influenced? Like Shinran Shonin [the founder of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism], he didn't care. If somebody was there to listen to him and to know the Buddhist way of the Pure Land, he was intent on that one person. If that person understood he said, "Hey! I got my job done." Quality is what is important, not quantity. I wouldn't say, "Get it! Get it!" Yes, in kendo sometimes I will deliberately miss, offering an opening, and if they (the students) do not respond quickly enough, then next time I will stay in the proper place and they won't be able to come in. They will experience the differences for themselves. This way I can train them without saying anything. So, we talk about "Ki, ken, tai, itchi" (spirit, sword, body are all unified) and how you got to apply it in your daily life.
If they question me about daily life, then I can sit down with them. If they want, I give it to them. Really, if they want to "steal" [techniques] from me, then I'll give it to them. From my previous training the lessons from my sensei are in me, I apply those philosophies when I talk to you, or anyone else. When I talk it is from my hara [guts]. If you don't understand, you have a problem, I don't.
A group photo taken at a budo tournament of kendo and judo, April 8, 1931, sponsored by the Honganji Temple in Hawai'i. Omoto participated in the tourney and is in the back row.
Is helping a person with their character an explicit part of training for you as a teacher?
Now we go into the relationship between a student and teacher. I am the sensei and I say, "I'm gonna teach all of you through kendo about your character. I'm gonna build your character."
That attitude is not the true way of training. We train, train, train. . .You don't know what you are doing this for, so I ask the question, "What are you doing this for?" Throw the question so they will receive it, and wow!
"Am I doing this just for the sport. . ." or, "Am I doing this to. . .?"
Now they have the question, now it's their challenge. I'm not going to tell them. It's the principle of katsujin ken: the sword that gives life. I'm going to make my life, and if you see something worthwhile it's to your benefit. You've got it!
The mental or religious training in kendo, to develop character instead of winning tournaments, is my. . .goal.Could you describe Budo Senmon Gakko, the training you received, the atmosphere of training?
It was a professional school to train individuals out of high school to be good kendo instructors for when they would be sent back to their home prefectures. Students came from all over Japan. Every morning from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. we would do asa geiko, morning practice.
For the first year we only trained kirikaeshi [repeating side cuts, a basic exercise], that's for the whole year. People who came from high schools were the very tops in kendo, that's why they came to this school. So, they're really bored, "Do only that? I used to train kote (wrist), men (head). . . , or whatever, but no more."
All you do is hit the men, and if you don't like it, go home. Then 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. was breakfast. Then 8 a.m. to noon were lectures consisting of Japanese language, Chinese characters (calligraphy), and the old Japanese language. . . From noon to 1 p.m. was lunch. From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. was keiko [practice] again. Then, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. was what they called "voluntary practice." The fourth graders, (senior students), if they had some commitments, or if they went to keiko somewhere else because they were asked, they could be excused. All the students knew if you didn't attend "voluntary practice" you didn't belong to the Busen, so everybody's there!After 4 p.m. everybody would go home to study.
I would go back to Ogawa Kinnosuke's dojo [training hall], called the Kodo Kan. This is where I lived while I was a student at Busen. I would clean the dojo for Kinnosuke sensei. And then I would practice with the sensei. Next, I was busy as hell making shinai [split bamboo fencing weapons], fixing dogu [practice implements], and taking care of his kids. Since I was living there in the dojo, I took care of the dog, baby-sat sensei's children, prepared the bath and scrubbed Waka sensei's [the sensei's son] back; all kinds of things.
After walking the dog and closing up the gates I had my own time. Usually I studied until about midnight. So, my schedule was really like a "rat race."
Shimane, Tottori Prefecture's sixth annual tournament. The photograph was taken on April 29, 1955. Pictured are Ono sensei (front row, seventh from left) and Ogawa sensei (eighth from left). Omoto is directly behind and between the two.
Was the academic instruction tough?
To me it was really hard, because I didn't know enough Japanese, Hawai'i-style Japanese is not quite enough. It was really tough for me so I had to go to night school to learn the old Japanese, which I didn't fully grasp. But, because I learned these things, I was able to study Takano Sasaburo sensei's book on kendo and kata (forms), and Go Rin No Sho by Miyamoto Musashi, who is called a "Sword Saint."
There are many stories about other ways that training could be tough. How were relationships with the seniors of the school?
At the Budo Senmon Gakko the fourth graders would say, "Hey, the lower grades are getting slack, we got to give 'em kiai (spirit)." So, the head of the senior class would approach the principal, who was a military general, and say, "We want to shape up these under classmen." The General would say, "Okay, go ahead, do it!" We would all go up to the roof of the building and sit in seiza (proper sitting position, with legs folded under) position for two hours! The first grade in the front , the second grade next, and the third grade in the back row. The seniors would be standing in front the class watching everybody very closely.
There were only 20 students in each grade. The seniors would take turns giving lectures, and then they would pick on an individual student and say, "You didn't bow to me on a certain day, on the corner, come out here!" and wham! They called this kiai, to wake up the lower grades. In the Busen you had to be wide awake.
Pretty soon you got used to it. You learn that the same people are passing at the same time each day going to keiko. Each day you would see all the college people, and yet, the students from Busen walked different from everybody else, you could tell the difference. You don't really need to look over there to see someone to bow to, you feel it. So, when an upperclassman is coming, even if you are looking the other way, you can figure out now is the time to take off the hat, shout a greeting, and go!
Omoto (seated) in his Busen uniform, and his brother Brian T. Omoto.
So, training was 24 hours a day?
Yes, not only in the school. In kendo you have to be wide awake. Not only doing kendo, but in all of your life you must have sen, one step ahead, one step ahead. Sen is very important.
Would your seniors ever try to trick you or set you up?
No, they wouldn't do that. The sempai (seniors), they are truly your friends. They are only trying to make you different from other college students. "You're Busen now. You have to shape up," they'd say. He is thinking about you! --Not to set you up and push you aside. You have to be wide awake. If any sempai is coming around, you have to notice them.
This form of harassment wasn't being "mean"?
No, it's not mean, it's compassion. They hit you a compassionate strike--but it did hurt! That's why, when we partied, we're all friends. So, when they go to eat, it's always the same restaurant; they'll be there for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. When they go to the public bath, it's the same bath, at the same time, every day. So, you always know who is there, if you go in and make a courtesy bow to them, they're friendly. They are really good people. Even the sensei, they're not mean, they're trying to help you. They wanted us to be different from other college kids. This is what the whole school wanted.
Regrettably, the Budo Senmon Gakko shut down when the war started.
Omoto (center, front) with members of the Tacoma Kendo Club, 1996.
Do you think a school like this would be important in today's society?
I don't know. Because of the Western influence in Japan today, I don't think this would stand. It was so strict. So, I tell all my students that if I train them like I trained in Japan, they would all quit.
Is this because people are not as strong as they were 50 years ago?
They're stronger today in different ways.
Do you find people value this type of traditional training more, or less, than in the past?
People who are in contact with the traditional ways of training, who create a strong relationship with it, yes, they follow this type of training: mental, religious, spiritual training. But, most people who come in and say, "Oh! that's kind of flashy. A 120-pounder throws a 200-pounder, I want to learn that and go down the street and try it out!" This type of "quick grasping thing" is what goes on in people's minds.
But without a teacher, someone who gets into the philosophy, someone who shows them how to contribute to society, what good does this approach to training accomplish? If I can contribute to society, I am satisfied.This is the kind of feeling that goes on in my mind.
The author, Bud Pomaika'i Cook is a doctoral candidate at the Union Institute and can be reached at The Heart/Warrior Institute, 6305 B. Rich Road, Olympia, Washington 98501 USA.
Copyright ©Tengu Press and Wayne Muromoto. All rights reserved.
