2026 Berlin Seminar
- 6月30日
- 読了時間: 9分
The two-day Berlin Seminar led by Ushiro Sensei was held on June 20-21, 2026. Marking its 11th year, this European seminar was also attended by Enomoto Shihan, drawing participants from Germany, Hungary, Poland, Italy, the USA, and Japan.
Since all attendees were dedicated practitioners of Ushiro Karate, Ushiro Sensei set the theme as "Keiko (training) in pursuit of depth." The training began with an exploration into sensing the invisible movement of elementary particles, using two elementary school students from the German branch as examples. Through these children, Ushiro Sensei demonstrated the profound difference between raw physical strength and the energy of Ushiro Karate, as well as the immediate impact of holding an object charged with this energy.
The participants then split by country to practice basics (Kihon), Ten no Kata, Sanbon Ido, and Sanchin under the direct guidance of Enomoto Shihan, all under Ushiro Sensei's watchful eye. The first day progressed with Ushiro Sensei illustrating the overarching energy of Ushiro Karate to the entire group, while Enomoto Shihan meticulously guided each individual section.
The second day focused primarily on Naifanchi and Passai. Throughout the day, Ushiro Sensei had every participant experience the fundamental difference through a single touch (Isshoku): the conflict, collision, and depletion inherent in modern sports karate, versus the harmony, integration, and generation of energy found in Ushiro Karate. He then pointed out the precise next steps required for each practitioner's personal development.
While adults struggled to validate the concepts because they tried to analyze them purely intellectually, the children not only mirrored what they were shown flawlessly, but they were also able to transmit energy to the struggling adults, enabling them to execute the movements. Ushiro Sensei repeatedly questioned the participants on the "why" behind this phenomenon.
When a child performs Sanbon Ido alongside them, even a line of adults can move the target. (Video)
Ushiro Karate is Bujutsu, and the mindset required to learn it is fundamentally different from that of modern sports. Observing the adults approaching their training through the lens of sports-centric values, Ushiro Sensei provided strict, uncompromised guidance. He demonstrated to all present that true energy is generated only through correct posture and Kata, and that mastering Kata liberates the body, allowing authentic techniques to emerge naturally.
The true joy of an international seminar lies in comrades with shared aspirations gathering from all over the world to share meals and live under one roof. Not only on the training floor but also during the social gatherings, Ushiro Sensei and Enomoto Shihan answered a wide array of questions. They ensured that every single moment of this rare opportunity—available to most participants only twice a year—became a profound learning experience.
With the encouraging words from Sensei, "A master trusts his students. Students trust their master," and "Because of who has gathered here this time, I can convey everything openly without reservation," the participants absorbed the sheer depth of Ushiro Karate into their very core at their respective levels.
As everyone promised to reunite at the next seminar in Hungary, the event concluded with each participant deeply experiencing the reality of Sensei’s words: "Make the body the gateway to knowledge."
Impressions
●Michael Koethe German Branch Chief
"This seminar was truly, truly special—arguably one of the best. Though 'the best' means something different to everyone, the bond among us has grown much, much deeper. The teachers gave us something profound. That bond is making massive, massive progress.
The seminar itself was about the group and the energy flowing within that group. Sensei taught us the sheer depth of his Karate, and I am truly grateful for that. He also poured an immense amount of energy into the children. That is why I want to say it was the best, and that I am deeply thankful.
For me, the takeaway from this seminar is that I must become much, much more serious. It was a truly wonderful time, and the new venue was fantastic. I hope everyone had a great time here. I love you all. I believe we have taken a massive step forward.
There are fine details we need to improve. We know our weaknesses, and we can work to overcome them to become better, more serious, and more sincere. I believe we are on the right track. Above all, I learned the importance of living a more harmonious daily life. Thank you very much."
●Jens Ackermann German Branch
"I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Enomoto Shihan and Ushiro Sensei for coming to Germany as the Japanese team. As always, it was a great pleasure to spend time with everyone, and especially to enjoy such a wonderful seminar at this new sports facility. Once again, we received a tremendous amount of new inspiration from Ushiro Sensei and Enomoto Shihan.
I am happy, and I am very pleased with the total number of participants who joined us. The energy of the venue was incredibly positive and harmonious. This is extremely important. I only hope this state of being stays with us for a long time. Thank you very much."
●Emanuele Argentino Italy Sub-Branch Chief
I am extremely satisfied with this seminar because, after many years, I was finally able to meet Enomoto Shihan. For me, this was a great honor and a wonderful gift, as I believe Enomoto Shihan serves as the bridge between us and the advanced realm of Ushiro Sensei. I hope to have many more opportunities to train with Enomoto Shihan in the future.
These two days have been incredibly fruitful for me. Through training with Shihan, I was able to notice fine points that will help further improve our training back at our dojo. Therefore, once I return to Rome, I want to continue my training based not only on Ushiro Sensei's teachings but also on those of Enomoto Shihan. Thank you very much for this opportunity.
●Ferenc Fris Hungary Sub-Branch Chief
I felt a unique yet mutually supportive energy between both teachers, Enomoto Shihan and Ushiro Sensei, each possessing their own distinct individuality. I am truly happy to have participated in this seminar, and I am also very glad that I was able to bring six others with me. By the time we host the next European seminar in Budapest this autumn, I believe this small team will have pushed one another to a much higher level. By October, we should be able to establish a solid "foundation."
By "foundation," I mean that it will become crystal clear what aspects we need to be guided on next. This applies not only to me; Gergely will certainly learn the most going forward, but the same goes for the other young practitioners. I consider facilitating this to be my mission.
That mission means making an effort to pass this on to as many people as possible, rather than keeping it to ourselves after bringing it back home. Therefore, I am very happy, and I am looking forward to the afternoon and the conclusion of the event with great excitement. Thank you very much.
●Gergely Fris Hungary Sub-Branch
Once again, I was able to experience so many things. I was thrown many times and experienced various sensations. I am truly grateful that Sensei cared so much about me, and that I could genuinely feel the core difference between sports karate and Bujutsu karate. I came here with high expectations, having practiced diligently back home. However, through this seminar, I realized that I had been getting ahead of myself, and that everything was just happening inside my head. I should have approached my training with much more sincerity.
Sensei demonstrated the difference between sports kumite and Bujutsu kumite, and taught us how to integrate that into our daily training. Therefore, I must raise my own level and bring myself closer to what Sensei is showing us. This experience made me realize that there are aspects of my training at home that I need to adjust. I also learned a tremendous amount from the bunkai practice with different partners. I want to take much of this back home and approach my training more seriously. It was truly wonderful. Thank you very much.
●JW (11 years old), Germany Branch
It is very difficult to explain in words, but to be honest, I used to have some doubts about things like "Ki" even at Michael Sensei's dojo. However, at this seminar, I was able to learn at a much deeper level, and I thought it was amazing.
(How did it feel to throw adults?)
It was a strange and fascinating experience. If I told my classmates that I can throw adults, I am sure they would never believe me. We ourselves didn't think we could throw adults either. What I found even more unbelievable and surprising was that energy could be transmitted through just a piece of paper torn from a book. I was very shocked.
●Enomoto Shihan
What I was looking forward to most for my first Berlin Seminar was feeling firsthand the passion of the European practitioners that I always sense through videos. Therefore, I was incredibly excited when I stepped into the gymnasium. Once the two-day seminar began, I could feel a kind of "wall" from every branch—a barrier that arose precisely because of their growth over the past ten years. Because Sensei evolves at such a rapid pace, there was a sense of bewilderment among them; they felt a dilemma between their strong desire to keep up and the sheer difficulty of doing so. At the same time, I saw the look of deep emotion in everyone's eyes whenever they witnessed Sensei's new demonstrations. In those expressions, I felt their energy instantly shifting into a straightforward, positive mindset. I have experienced this myself—it is a feeling where "despair and hope" arrive together. However, I believe that this very state is proof of Europe's growth.
This time, there were two children from Michael’s branch in Berlin, Germany. Even before the seminar started, I saw them practicing together, discussing this and that. It made me realize that children in any country possess the capacity to feel Sensei, the openness to accept him, and a pure honesty. Watching them was a great learning experience for me. I felt that a seminar held at a branch with children offers a truly invaluable experience. Regarding the wall that we must overcome, if we can realize what there is to learn from the presence of these children, the next step will become clear. I believe that is our challenge moving forward. Despite the long hours and the language barrier, these children stayed and trained without leaving after the morning session. While many adults tend to watch from a analytical perspective, wondering "What on earth is Sensei doing right now?", the children watched what Sensei was doing with absolute focus, felt it, and acted upon his advice immediately without hesitation. And the more they executed it, the more they grew from that very moment. I strongly felt that if adults could learn from the children's attitude of watching and learning without being hindered by language, we would be able to charge forward without hesitation.
Furthermore, seeing them tightly holding on to the torn piece of Junkan Muten (Circulation Without End) as something precious, and the joyful expressions on their faces when they received Sensei's book, made me deeply feel that "children truly understand." Learning later from an email sent by their parents that even after returning home, they could not stop talking about karate and kept practicing Kata, I could feel their unstoppable excitement. In comparison, I felt that children in Japan are on the verge of losing their energy. This made me incredibly happy, and I simply wished that Japanese children could become like them. If children become like that, energy will gradually return to Japan, and I realized that making this happen is my mission. The fact that Japanese children are not like this is due to my own lack of study and ability; this seminar allowed me to see my own challenge with absolute clarity. At the same time, I understood perfectly how to overcome it. In that sense, this seminar provided a massive step up for me.
Something that amazes me every time is that, no matter the circumstances, Sensei never compromises and never wavers when delivering what is essential. Even when the room goes completely silent, he will thoroughly say what he believes is important. Previously, I had only vaguely felt that unless we go to such lengths, it holds no meaning. This time, seeing Sensei's uncompromised and unwavering presence, I realized that children who watch him will surely grow up with that same foundation, and I am truly looking forward to seeing how that manifests when they become adults. Lately, my personal challenge has been addressing the concern that Japan is becoming a country where children cannot live with hope. To face this, I believe change happens by noticing my own shortcomings and making the effort to correct them once noticed. You cannot change unless you notice. Therefore, I will focus on noticing. In that sense, the two children showed us an incredible example. They made it easy to see where one stumbles or stops. I felt that these two children effortlessly smoothed over the areas where I could not break through on my own.
We often think we understand Sensei, only to realize we do not—it is a continuous cycle. Sensei is always moving further ahead; the more we think we have caught up, and the closer we get, the further away he seems. It is exactly as they say. My goal under Sensei is to refine myself so that I can achieve a natural state (Shizentai) with no openings (Suki). In that regard, I realized that overseas seminars serve as an important catalyst for this purpose. Additionally, compared to the overseas practitioners, it is vital for the Japanese practitioners—who have the privilege of receiving Sensei's instruction every month—to realize that this opportunity is by no means something to be taken for granted.
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