My Learning Experience at a Karate Birthday Party

As I opened my martial arts school one day, unlocking the door and turning on the lights, I began the routine work that led into a routine day. Classes began and ended as usual and, except for a birthday party for one of the kid’s classes, the day would have passed like any other.

We sometimes host birthday parties for the younger children and, as part of the party, we cut the birthday cake with a samurai sword. It’s just a bit of fun; the kids like it, and it’s a nice ending to the birthday ceremony.

At one of these birthday parties, a young boy came with his elder Japanese grandfather, who, upon entering the building, sat slumped in the corner and watched the birthday activities without much interest.

At the end of the ceremony, I prepared to cut the cake with the sword as usual, but at the sight of the sword, the old man in the corner began to take notice. His eyes were fixed on me, his back straightened as though his grade school teacher had walked by with a ruler, and he seemed to come alive at the sight of this sword.

I wondered what had made this man so alert and intent all of a sudden, since he followed me with his eyes when I crossed the room with the sword toward the birthday cake. When I pressed the sword into the cake, from the corner of my eye I could see the old man shrink to his old, disinterested self, no doubt disappointed by the meaningless display of the sacred sword.

From the instant that old man shrank in disappointment, I experienced a personal failure, and when I made the decision not to use a sword in an inappropriate manner, I experienced a personal victory. Without a single word having been exchanged between us, the old man had taught me so much. I now have a renewed respect for the sword and its meaning, especially in the way of the samurai. At the heart of this respect, I believe, is the desire to preserve the way of the past. As the world around us continuously changes, most of us who practice and teach the martial arts recognize the value of tradition and the importance of keeping it.

As martial arts instructors, teaching our students the traditions of martial arts culture is just as important as the training. Our duty goes beyond merely teaching moves; it includes philosophy as well, and part of that philosophy is respecting the tools we use to empower ourselves, among them the samurai sword.

Many Japanese warriors shed their blood on a thousand miles of battlefield to protect what was sacred to them, and the symbol of their dedication is the sword. The Bushido Code itself makes a strong point of samurai keeping their military equipment in working order and high regard, and asserts that Japanese culture is different from others in that “even lower-class people, such as farmers, merchants and artisans all treasure a rusty short sword.”

As a symbol, the samurai sword empowers its owner, and as a weapon, its deadliness is matched only by its beauty. Such an icon deserves respect, and, as such, shouldn’t be used to cut mere cakes at the behest of young students.

Now, reflecting on my past usage of the sword, I see it was disgraceful. Having been taught a lesson, however, I now know that certain things may seem commonplace, but the reason for that is based on a deep tradition, and we should never forget or violate that tradition.