RON NAKAMOTO, 4TH degree

  Allow me to introduce myself; my name is Ronald Nakamoto. I am forty two years old and a native Californian. I have been in the martial arts since the age of nine. At nine, my father said, “Son, you are not going to sit around and watch television or be lazy; lets get you into something.” -- that something turned out to be martial arts -- thus began my lifelong love and passion with martial arts. 

I first started learning Tang Soo Do under Mariano Estioko out at McClatchy High. I was there long enough to make it to yellow belt and then ended up leaving due to their scheduling issues. That ended the Tang Soo Do chapter of my journey and began the Kenpo ‘life’.  

       Eventually, we moved out to a small new development called Rosemont on the farthest reaches of eastern Sacramento along the 50 corridor. Once we settled down, we found a young American Kenpo karate instructor by the name of Arnold Inouye – ‘Arnie’ to his students. One of the major highlights, while training in this system, was being able to go to Sierra College for a seminar put on by Grandmaster Edmund K Parker. I was fortunate enough to get a portrait of him, drawn by his son, signed by him personally. I still, to this day, have the signed print hanging in my current dojo. 

       In the beginning, my dad, brother and I were going to his beginning class one hour a night for four nights a week. Eventually, at blue belt level we started going to beginning and advanced class so then it became two hours a night for four nights a week, whew!

      Finally, at eighteen, I was given my first-degree black belt. Then life hit and in November of 1986 I joined the United States Marine Corps. Throughout my military stint I practiced very little, but on occasion had to utilize kenpo to help me out of situations. Eventually, I got out in 1990 and went to trade school, met a girl, was promoted to second degree black from my instructor and eventually got married.  

       Right after I got married in 1993, my wife said she wanted to learn kenpo, so I decided to start teaching. Do not laugh, but my first students were my wife, my mom, and my aunt. (Gotta start somewhere, I guess.) Anyway, using my parent’s huge three-car garage, my class eventually grew to 20 kids ranging in age from six to sixteen and an adult class that grew to approximately 12 students. So, with my father as technical advisor and my brother assisting me, I ended up teaching the classes. I guess I was the patient one. Finally, I was promoted to 3 rd dan by Professor Arnie Inouye, who was, and still is a 7 th degree. My father, Donald Nakamoto a 5 th Dan, passed away in 2002 and is greatly missed. I teach Kenpo not only to honor my father but because I love teaching. I am at my best when I can show someone what Kenpo is about how to apply it accordingly.

Currently, I teach at Sacramento Kenpo Karate with Amy, where I was warmly welcomed and invited to return.

I look forward to continuing my kenpo studies, on my own and through the continued assistance of Arnold Inouye, Amy Long and Tara Turnbull, as well as others.