In Japan, there’s a wonderful custom called “書き初め Kakizome,” in which people write out their goals and guidelines for the year in short phrases at the beginning of the year.
I’ve tried to write a phrase that could serve as a guide for this year’s International Submission Arts Wrestling Federation.
My calligraphy isn’t as good as Shihan Aso’s, but I tried it to inspire myself.
“継承発展 Keishou Hatten” Inheritance and Development
These phrases mean “to inherit and develop traditions.”
We must further hone and develop this wonderful legacy of Submission Arts Wrestling that we inherited from Shihan Aso.
This means that by correctly inheriting the techniques and philosophy of SAW and honing and improving ourselves, we can further raise the level of Submission Arts Wrestling itself, develop it as an organisation, and accurately pass it on to the next generation.
So, I would like to make these phrases our goal for SAW, not just this year, but for years to come.
