Interview/Writer: Daniel Mardon
Photographer/Translator: Yuko Takahashi
Daniel Mardon, “The karateka-therapist
Physiotherapist and longtime martial-arts practitioner, Daniel Sensei lives in Okinawa. One of his passions is to find unique Dojo with strong personalities that will leave an imprint forever.  With his wife Yuko Takahashi, who is a great Karate historian, they let us discover many hidden aspects of Okinawa Karate…
This special series of articles proposes to explore the original spirit of Karate.  Today, the subject is:  

Meetings in the Ryūkyū Islands

The name Okinawa prefecture was given to the Ryūkyū Islands after the kingdom was annexed by Japan in 1879. The reign of the last sovereign Shō Tai (1843-1901) saw a considerable increase in meetings with travelers from abroad, particularly from Europe and the United States, besides witnessing the definitive end of the kingdom.   It was in fact his father, Shō Iku (1813-1847) who had the first contact with Western countries and it was with France that the first official exchanges began.

On April 26, 1844, the “Alcmène”, a French ship, arrived in the port of Naha with the priest Théodore Augustin Forcade and his assistant Kō on board. Father Forcade (1816-1885) was the first Catholic missionary in Okinawa… Due to its strategic position, this archipelago has always been visited by experienced sailors from the four corners of the world.  On May 4, 1787, Captain Jean-François de Galaup, Count De Lapérouse, sent by our King Louis XVI, had already landed on the island of Yonaguni.  Contrary to the classic maxim saying that when you know history, you know geography, I like to say that geopolitics also makes history…

On the frigate with the Chief Commander of the “Mission De Défense” and the representative of the American Legion

Ceremony at Unten Bay on the tomb of 2 marins deceased in 1846

Early February 2025…

Being the Delegate for Okinawa of the “Souvenir Français” which is somewhat the equivalent of the “American Legion”, I was informed that a French naval group, consisting of several ships from the “Marine Nationale”, is currently deployed in the Pacific.  Part of the escort of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle [the force supply ship Jacques Chevallier and a multi-mission frigate (FREMM)], will make an operational stopover on the island of Okinawa around mid-February. Mr. Séguéla, General Delegate of the SF for Japan, who is also the Consular Advisor, gave me the mission to quickly coordinate a series of memorial ceremonies that could be made public. 

I was also told that among the crew of specialists from the French Navy are men and women who regularly receive martial arts training and that 30 sailors and 2 senior officers from the “Mission De Défense” will take part in a day of cultural discovery dedicated to Karate at Shuri Castle.

Since Yuko Takahashi and I are also permanent correspondents in Okinawa for several Karate magazines, it is therefore also our responsibility to cover this Franco-Japanese event…

Ageshio Japan, the specialist in Karate tourism who is the organizer chosen for this event, had also warmly invited us to actively participate, knowing that we always get physically involved during our reports.

Master Uema Takeshi, son of Uema Yasuhiro 10th Dan and grandson of Uema Joki (1920-2011 founder of the “Shubukan”), will lead with his team of assistants, this open-air seminar which will be held on one of the lawns surrounding Shuri Castle. The weather has been quite rainy recently, a room adjoining the castle is reserved in case of bad weather and significant logistics are deployed for this rare and unique event.

I am also informed at the last minute, about the surprise presence of a celebrity who will not only participate in the Karate seminar, but will also give one of his famous commando combat trainings…. His method training is very popular in France, but very difficult to access. The reason is that this personality is a professional soldier and the trainer of the iconic French Foreign Legion!  His nickname is “Major Gérald” …
The action starts very early on that Sunday morning and under a beautiful unexpected sun with a temperature of 21 C.  I omitted to say that this special day includes the participation in the Okinawa marathon…. Our athletes from the French Navy will limit themselves to 10 kilometers in order to save some energy for the rest of the day which promises to be very hard.

Daniel and Major Gérald meet

Major Gérald getting out of the locker room before training

Daniel & Major Gérald pose for the Légion étrangère photographer

14:00 Shuri Castle 首里城芝生広場 Shibafu Hiroba (lawn).

As usual, I arrive already dressed with my Do-Gi pants and a T-shirt, while the Japanese arrive in full outfit with their black belt.  Karateka are part of the landscape in Okinawa and no one cares.  Among the numerous tourists (who never miss a visit to Shuri-jo), I spot a well-disciplined group of Westerners with bags. I recognize some of them that I had met at the cocktail party on the frigate and others from the memorial ceremony in which I had actively participated with a long speech.  It was held a couple of days ago on the grave of 2 of our sailors from the past, which is located on a peak in the middle of the jungle above the splendid bay of Unten.

I greet and direct them to a pavilion near the castle where the word “Vestiaires” (locker rooms) is posted in French.  Then a small group of 5 middle-aged men comes forward, among whom I recognize Major Gerald.  No doubt, the French Legion is present…

A Karate-Gi is also waiting for Major Gerald, but all the belts are white!
I am not happy because I am against the philosophy of some Dojo which consists of down-grading Karateka under the pretext that they come from elsewhere.
Major Gerald has already put on his Do-Gi immaculate like a Képi-blanc and has humbly blended in with the group, playing also modestly despite they’re not beginners…

Fortunately, I always keep my first black-belt as a fetish at the bottom of my bag.  That belt from my 20th birthday, which has however become a little short.  I hand it to Major Gerald, telling him rather immodestly:
– “This belt featured in Hollywood, especially in the first Ninja movies in early 80’s, on me fighting my Master Sho Kosugi!”
He hesitates, saying that it is all good and that he is more of a Kickboxer.   I insist by telling him that he largely deserves it.  Good idea because it suits him perfectly…

After a few Kata demonstrations by several assistants of Uema Sensei, we assisted in a show of welcoming dances typical from Okinawa folklore.

Suddenly, Master Uema Takeshi appears and we are asked to line up along with his assistants on the still soaked lawn from the recent rains.  He requests that we take off our shoes. Bare-foot is not very usual for foreigners, but that’s the way things are done here. 

The festivities start without warming up at a high pace with a series of Ki-hon (blocks, tsuki, keri).  I forgot to specify that Uema Sensei teaches Shorin-Ryu Kobayashi which comes from Shuri-Te (The Hand of Shuri).  Our soldiers have the privilege to practice this style on the very place of its creation….

Our Shotokan, which descends from Shorin-Ryu, is little known in Okinawa, especially in the form that it was taught to us.  The reason being that Shotokan rather comes from Japan.

After half an hour, the main course arrives with the learning of the famous Kata “Naifanchi”.  We know it in France under the name of “Tekki-Shodan” and it is not a Kata for beginners/white-belts.  Uema Sensei is very mobile and as well as his assistants comes to correct each movement by hitting us all over the body to check our solidity. This lasts until everyone has integrated the Kata.  Practicing the Japanese-Shotokan version for half a century, it is therefore a treat for me.

On the contrary, what will follow [with Major Gerald] will be much more difficult for me…

The Karate class ends with a beautiful martial salute.  Master Uema and his assistants step aside and leave the place to Major Gérald… It seems that only the members of the Defense Mission will participate.

Major Gérald, who has been very discreet until now, takes over and with a military tone of voice, asks us to take off our jackets and belts.  This public demonstration of muscles being quite unusual in Japan, it is with a smile on their faces that the Masters watch us kicking off with a warm-up made of small steps forward, backward, left, right at very fast speed and all under the orders of the Major.

After these hors d’oeuvre, we follow with a rough series of “burpees” accomplished with push-ups belly on the ground before the squat and the final jump.  These squats and jumps force me to cheat after five repetitions and to skip the jumps to do more push-ups.  Major Gérald is now adding a series of hooks and uppercuts to the burpees which make me happy and more at ease….

No doubt, this training is quite something and it reminds me of my tender years!  The only problem is that I no longer have the health of a soldier at 66 years old, with my hip prosthesis, my cervical stenosis (which can lead to paralysis) as well as my calcified spine and lungs.  But hey, the important thing is to participate as Baron Pierre De Coubertin had paraphrased!  This beautiful session takes me back to military training, but also to my very beginnings as a kid practicing Savate/Boxe-Francaise in a sordid house basement of my gloomy Paris’ suburb.

My boxing provost (as they said at the time), was Jean Mastrangelo, who had also been elected “Mr. Paris 1966” in body-building…. Major Gérald looks a lot like him physically and also in many ways!  Same passion, same teaching methods with similar expressions, even if the words have changed a lot since the 70s…

It’s quite emotional for me after all these years and successive lives!  This brief bout of exile blues, which we rather call here; “the Legionnaire’s blues”, quickly fades with the rest of the captivating training that ends at sunset.

Karate-training conducted by Uema Takeshi Sensei

Series of tsuki, blocks & kicks under the supervision of several Okinawa Masters

Instruction of “Naifanchi” (Tekki-shodan) Kata

With Uema Takeshi Sensei, Shubukan Director

Daniel Sensei’s conclusion and analyse : 

This series of events was a total success with a great inter-army spirit and honoring our Japanese partner.  In addition, strong bonds of friendship were created between France and Okinawa… This return to my younger ages trainings confirms that Karate is indeed an art that can be practiced by everyone and at any age and that it is indeed : 無限 “MU-GEN” (Without limits)…

There is always a possibility of shining in one of the facets of this martial art, which is absolutely not the case for kickboxing that I loved so much and which requires youth and high-level physical condition!

“Dento” (traditional) Karate focuses on internal energy, while Kickboxing or modern combat sports rely much more on external force.  The concept and philosophy of strengthening body & mind are also quite different.  This is particularly true for the Okinawan styles where toughening is done with practices such as Makiwara, Kote-kitae, full-body strikes applied by the Master or a partner, forced breathing and all the “tortures” that are part of it.
It is truly appropriate to call it 鍛錬 “TAN-REN” (Severe training, discipline)

In essence, physical shape and physical condition seem to be less of a quest in Karate.  However, it is automatically present since Karate is a very demanding exercise that of course requires athletic ability.  Karate is rich in techniques in which the limbs and especially their extremities (hands & feet) are sharpened to become piercing weapons.
–“Your hands are knives and your feet are axes!” Used to repeat my first Sensei in France…  In kickboxing, they are hammers.  This explains the difference in conditioning.

For warriors, we could say that Karate represents the sniper’s bullet with all the necessary mental and physical control, while for combat sports, it is more like a discharge of buckshot or a shot from a machine gun.  Both are lethal and no one can deny it…

Sport Karate, with its rules, offers the perfect alternative to marry art and sport and to indulge in demonstrations of prowess and gymnastics.  We can therefore better understand the reason for its popularity among young people and why Sport-karate can only grow…

Briefing from Major Gérald before his training-class

Instructions & training under the command of Major Gérald

In front of 守礼門 “Shurei Mon” (Shuri Castle’s gate)

From the physical therapist advice : 

It is pointless to deny the realities of biology and particularly its branch that represents physiology.  Some of my Karateka and sports friends might not like to hear that, but we must admit that there comes a time when we are no longer able to compete with younger people…
We know that testosterone production declines from the age of 30 and that it can decrease by up to 40% from the age of 60.
Given its anabolic effect (stimulating protein synthesis which generates muscle mass), this creates a chain reaction that involves power, endurance and physical capacities in general.
Fortunately, many of us suffer from it to a lesser extent, thanks to our years of sport or our genetics.

Contrary to what some say, muscles are not “replaced” by fat, but muscle fiber shrinking and the decline in metabolism make us proportionally fatter as we age.

A big problem also concerns the disappearance of white muscle fibers in favor to the red ones.  Our thick white fibers with fast contraction, highly innervated and rich in glycogen, become exhausted with age unlike the red ones which are slow-twitch and especially postural.
This is why we become slow as we age.  If white fibers can turn into red, the opposite is not possible.
Fast, violent and anaerobic training strengthens them, but in no case can change red into white!

Also, muscular exercise stimulates the production and secretion of myokines which have stimulating effects on the immune system, inflammation and glucose absorption.

“The biological clock”, this scary word, evokes a lot of the telomeres which are protective shields at the ends of chromosomes and which are partly lost with each cell division.  Muscle contractions do influence telomerase very positively.  Telomerase is the enzyme capable of reversing the aging process by synthesizing new sequences of telomeric DNA. [Sequence refers to skill]
Stairs, especially the descent, because it involves mainly eccentric contraction, would have a great beneficial effect on the telomeres in addition to proprioception…

Proprioception is the perception of one’s body or parts of the body and therefore connected to cognition and balance.

Kinesthesia is more about the perception of movements, like in a slow-motion Kata.

Finally, the lymphatic system, which is very important because it belongs to both the circulatory system and the immune system, is the first to undergo the phenomenon of involution (regression). It is gradually replaced by fatty or fibrous tissue. When circulation is disrupted by poor drainage of toxic fluids, it causes congestion with tissue swelling.
In areas that are poorly irrigated with sufficient nutrient and defense cell supplies, the development of diseases and infections is facilitated.

If old age is not in itself a disease, it contributes to it.

Exercise is very important to counteract aging as mentioned above.  It also stimulates blood and lymphatic circulation.  However, if this is obvious for blood, which is pumped by the heart, this is less true for the fluids of the interstitial tissue (pre-lymph) and lymph which have no pump of their own and are only drained by pressure on tissues.  Lymph drainage, with its specific techniques and pressure, induces a suction and a vacuum effect on tissues and takes away excess fluids and pathogens. 

Massages are therefore the missing link for many athletes who do not understand that sport produces a lot of waste and inflammation.

Exactly like a racing car must visit the garage more often, the athlete needs regular body care.
No Yoga, no vitamins, no magic tea, no machine can clean or break-down fibrosis in suffering tissues like does manual pressure when it is done by a professional.  Imagine cleaning a sink, a bathtub or a shower, without scrubbing with a sponge and without using a squeegee… 

My blue book below develops these concepts in detail and the fact that it is in Japanese is less of a problem these days with translation applications.  

Many thanks to all the martial arts enthusiasts who allow these fraternal and international exchanges.

Demonstration of proprioception which includes the concept of balance & cognition 

Experimenting kinesthesia which connects awareness and the perception of movement

Physiotherapy treatment at Tobaru Keicho Hanshi’s Dojo

Yuko Takahashi Sensei teaching to professional therapists at her “Healing Dojo”

Daniel & Yuko Sensei during their classes at Ryukyu Rehabilitation Academy to Physical Therapist students

Photo of participants to Shuri seminar

About Major Gérald:

Gérald Michiara, born December 10, 1972 in Biarritz (France), is a French athlete, former champion of boxing, wrestling, sambo, kick-boxing and full-contact. He made a career as a French soldier in the French Foreign Legion. Popular on YouTube, he participates under the name of Major Gérald in the videos of the French Foreign Legion channel.  At the same time, he hosts his own channel on the same platform and on TikTok.  Highly recognized and respected in France for his dual sporting and military commitment, he wanted to accompany the Marine Nationale to Okinawa, in the cradle of Karate. Whether it is conducted on land, at sea or in the air, combat is in the military’s DNA.

Biography of Major Gérald

---

Daniel Mardon; the Karateka-Therapist 

Creator of Aromapressure® method and physiotherapist with a valid US license, Daniel Mardon was born in Paris.   One of his specialties is to teach and to perform lymphedema and subcutaneous tissue-damage care, after radiotherapy for cancer patients at medical institutions and subcutaneous tissue-circulation stimulation before and after surgery.
He was also a therapist for two famous soccer teams in Paris.    Since 2005, he has focused on producing top-class hotel spas in Japan, as well as physiotherapy education and awareness-raising activities for health care professionals.  Author of several books, among his major publications includes “The Physiology and Bodywork of Physical Therapy ” (Published by BAB Japan) and DVD “Daniel Mardon Aromapressure® Method ” (Pony Canyon). He regularly appears on television and radio shows, and has featured in numerous media publications.

『身体療法の生理学とボディワーク』（The Physiology of Somatic Therapy and Bodywork）
Co-written by Daniel Mardon and Yuko Takahashi
On sale now on the BAB Japan website!