New Karate Queen and friends
Factory tours are a fun sightseeing activity in Japan, and a lot of travelers like to pick out places that not only show you how their wares are made, but also give you a chance to sample them for yourself. Usually that means production centers for snack foods or beverages, but today it’s taking us to a place where we won’t be tasting what the company makes, but smashing it with our fists. Fukui gets heavy snow in winter so homes in the prefecture need roof tiles that can stand up to both weight and wetness. This has been the case for generations, and at one point there were dozens of companies crafting Echizen kawara. Factory tours are available by prior reservation and begin with a video presentation introducing the basic production process, after which visitors are led into the facility to see it for themselves.
What can be guaranteed, though, is that you’ll be able to smash some tiles with your fists. Now, while there’s ordinarily an undeniable appeal to the idea of channeling your inner karate master and delivering some ceramic-splitting strikes, you might feel a little guilty after having just taken a look at the care and craftsmanship that goes into their production. Worry not, though, because for the tile-smashing part of the tour, Echizen Seramika uses factory seconds, tiles that have been judged not good enough to sell as building materials. Our female reporter, Natsuno’s first attempt, at Karate chopping the tiles remained uncracked. Thankfully, the guide stepped in here with some advice. Rather than punch straight down with her knuckles, he advised her to keep her thumb facing upward and pound down with an overhead swing and that did the trick!
Our male reporter Seiji opted to try the “Wishing Breakthrough 8 Plates Challenge” for 3,500 yen, before filling out his details on a form and listening to advice from staff on how to best complete the challenge. Those who take part in the “Wishing Breakthrough 8 Plates Challenge” are required to write their wish on one tile, which is then placed at the bottom of the 8-tile stack. All the stakes were on him, and the plates below him, so he took a moment to clear his mind like a karate professional. In this Zen-like repose, Seiji raised his fist in the air…and pummelled it down through the 8 tiles. How did it go? Take a look at the video below. We haven’t seen Seiji grin like that in a long time, and even after staff told him eight tiles is the sweet spot for guaranteeing success in most cases, Seiji’s smile didn’t wane. He’d used the force, and his fist, to produce more action than his body had in years, and now he was looking forward to becoming an international Rock Star.
Kute Karate Kwips
Not to brag, but I defeated our local chess champion yesterday in less than 5 moves.
Finally, my high school karate classes came in useful.
A huge guy walks into a bar, approaches a little guy and karate chops him in the back. When the little guy gets up, the huge guy says, “That was a karate chop from Korea.”
“A little later, the huge guy walks back over to the little guy and karate chops him in the back. The huge guy says, “That was a karate chop from China.” The little guy leaves the bar, comes back and hits the huge guy on the back. The huge guy lies unconscious on the floor. The little guy tells the bartender, “Tell him that was a crowbar from Sears.”
My neighbor’s son was constantly being beaten at school, so she put him in Karate Classes.
Now he is beaten both at Karate and at school.
I just beat a black belt at karate…
My next challenge is a green sock.
September 14th Birthdays
1978 – Danielle Peck, 1988 – Kirsten Haglund, 1971 – Kimberly Williams, 2000 – Emma Kenney
1978 – Ron DeSantis, 1991 – Shayne Topp, 1989 – Jesse James, 1947 – Sam Neill