Quick Talk Answers

1.  What do you think of kendo?

Kendo is great. It's a really cool martial art. I did it when I was in high school. It taught me discipline. It also made me very fit and strong. I think both my mind and my body became a lot stronger. It was pretty tough, but I really liked it. I might take it up again and join the university's kendo club.

2.  Would you rather be a black belt in judo or karate?

That's a difficult question. They are both different. People do judo so they can defend themselves. Karate is more for attacking people. I think I would rather do judo and get a black belt. Oh… one thing… my teacher told me we do judo and not play judo. The verb for all martial arts is "do," not "play".

3.  What do you think of the training for a martial art like karate?

I think everyone should train for a martial art. Training for karate is tough. I heard karate teachers are really strict. At the beginning, your muscles will be sore. You have to warm up for a long time. The warm up is also tough. You have to do lots of push-ups and sit-ups.

4.  How interested are you in Japan's national sport of sumo?

Sumo is an amazing sport. I love it. It's actually one of Japan's oldest martial arts. The thing I love most is the tradition. I love how the wrestlers throw salt up into the air and then slap themselves. I also love how a tiny guy can beat a really huge guy. I say tiny guy, but the tiny guys are much bigger than I am.

5.  Would you like your children to take up a martial art?

Definitely. I think martial arts teach children many important things, like discipline and respect. It's tough and the teachers are strict, but children learn a lot. They will also be very fit and they'll be able to defend themselves. I will encourage my kids to take up judo or kendo. I don't mind which one they do.

6.  What is the best martial art to go to see live or to watch live or on TV?

I think sumo is the best sport to watch live. That's because it's so exciting. Going to see it live is amazing. Each bout or match is so quick and dynamic. There is so much power and skill, and there are so many bouts. Watching it live on TV is also great. You get to see the build-up to each bout.

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