The Tokyo Talk
When Emiri Iwamoto tightened her karate belt for the first time as an elementary schooler, she had no idea that she would become the face of the martial art as a world champion. Iwamoto’s journey has been a testament to resilience, ambition, and the constant pursuit of greatness. Today, she is not only a world champion, but a trailblazer in the world of karate, paving the way for the next generation of karate athletes.
Emiri Iwamoto was born and raised in the northernmost prefecture of Japan, Hokkaido. Her love for karate bloomed at a very early age, stepping foot into a dojo for the very first time at just eight years old. From the moment her father introduced her to karate in second grade, she fell immediately in love with the sport, choosing to pursue it throughout her youth. As a child, she had yet to know that a world champion title was in her future and the impact she would make on the world of karate.
As Iwamoto grew older, her childhood love for karate transformed into a profound dedication to the sport. With dreams of reaching the highest levels of competition, she was well aware that succeeding in the sport required more than just skill. Each day, with the utmost commitment towards her craft, she trained for nearly ten hours, with her weeks revolving around perfecting her craft, practicing in both Hokkaido prefecture and Okinawa, where her coach was located. “As a karate pro I always practiced,” she says. “I would wake up around 8 AM, practice from 11 AM – 4PM, eat a snack, and practice again from 7 PM – 10 PM.” The dojo became Iwamoto’s second home to prepare for world championships, a place where she would meticulously perfect each skill that would eventually propel her to the number one ranks in karate.
In addition to her dedicated and tireless practice – a testament to her championships and trophies – Iwamoto honed her performance through the perfection of a routine that would best benefit her body. Emphasizing the importance of routine, Iwamoto describes the mental and physical habits that she has used to prepare herself for a match since she was a university student. “When it comes to the routine, it doesn’t matter if it’s a big game or a small game,” she says. “The most important part is the day before the competition.” She notes sleep as being a key contributor to performance during a competition, crafting a quintessential sleep schedule for the most optimal execution of her craft. She perfectly harmonizes having enough sleep for her body without overdoing it in a harmful way. “If you oversleep your body is going to be heavy,” Iwamoto describes, expressing the need for a perfect medium. “I also wake up four hours before the competition because I believe you need at least 4 hours of warming up. If you wake up late, your body doesn’t adjust immediately.”
Nerves – an all too common phenomena, even for a world champion. Even with hours of practice and the perfect pre-game routine, nervousness was something that struck Iwamoto before her important karate matches. However, Iwamoto did not want her nerves to be something that got in the way of the performance that she had so tirelessly perfected, and thus she found a solution. “I started to analyze why I get nervous,” Iwamoto explains. Through her own mental analysis, she found that her anxiety and nervousness stemmed from the results and thoughts like “What if I lose?”. Upon this discovery, she changed her mindset and her way of thinking. “I started to focus on my own performance and not the result and things that I couldn’t control,” she says. “As I focus more on my performance rather than any other thoughts, I was able to be less nervous and produce the best quality karate.”
From hours of demanding practice to creating the perfect sleep schedule for competitions to controlling her nerves, Iwamoto’s persistent dedication to karate proved to be invaluable, propelling her to incredible achievements in the world of martial arts. In 2017, she was named the number one ranked karate athlete and won the Premier League three times – a demonstration of her commitment, skill, and passion. In addition to her impressive world champion status, she solidified her status as one of karate’s most accomplished athletes by becoming the number one Asia champion. “There were many moments when I felt achievement as a karate athlete,” Iwamoto says. “But [these] are probably my most rewarding moments.” These accomplishments reflect not only her extraordinary talent but her unwavering determination and work ethic that has defined her career.
Despite passion and talent, Iwamoto’s rise to the top was not an entirely smooth path without roadblocks. Looking back on her incredibly successful karate career, Iwamoto notes the difficulties that she had faced on her journey to a world championship. “It was certainly a financial challenge,” Iwamoto explains, describing the fees and finances necessary to compete in high level competitions. High level competitions such as those of the Premiere League put a “financial burden” on karate athletes as there is no financial aid available, forcing athletes to find sponsors to support their endeavors. “It was really challenging to find a sponsor,” Iwamoto admitted. “Even though I really wanted to attend, it was hard to afford.” Nevertheless, the financial difficulties that she faced never extinguished her passion and drive to succeed in the sport that she loved. Her persistence eventually paid off, allowing her to compete in the highest levels and achieving incredible milestones.
When reflecting on her career, Iwamoto points out that karate has possibly made a greater impact on her than she has made on karate. Karate has changed the way that Iwamoto thinks and acts, instilling principles and guidelines that guide her both through her athletics and her own mental health. Karate has taught her how to approach life in the most positive way, especially when dealing with difficulties and obstacles. Stress is an inevitable part of everybody’s lives — even world champions. Iwamoto explains that there are two types of stress. “One can be controlled by you, and the other one cannot,” she says. “If you overthink the stress you cannot control, it will affect you negatively.” Throughout her years of competitions, premiere leagues, media, and teaching, Iwamoto has navigated her way through both her karate and personal life in order to maintain something even more important than championships: mental health. “You must focus on the things you can control and keep thinking of the better direction.” Additionally the philosophies and principles of karate have transformed Iwamoto’s mindset. Karate is a sport deeply rooted in discipline and respect — values that Iwamoto has carried out into every part of her life. “I ask myself what I want to be,” she says. “I always set up my own goals then make every effort to achieve them.” This principle is one that she guides her life by, both inside and outside of sports. “Setting up what I really want to be motivates me,” she explains.
Having triumphed over obstacles and achieving an impressive roster of championship awards, Iwamoto has fueled her determination, drive, and passion for karate into a new endeavor of mentorship and empowerment. As a karate instructor at Waseda University and the founder of her own karate fitness dojo, she now dedicates herself to nurturing the next generation of athletes and spreading the love of karate. “What I truly want is for everybody to enjoy karate,” Iwamoto shares, emphasizing the importance of personal growth and perseverance. For Iwamoto, teaching is not just about sharing techniques and skills but about instilling values in her students that extend far beyond the dojo.
When reflecting on her mentorship and coaching of future generations of karate athletes, Iwamoto smiles. “Through teaching, I get to experience a new happiness that is different from competing,” she says. “It’s not just about results and whether you win or lose, but it’s about the journey and how hard we work together.” Iwamoto teaches numerous college students from beginners to students who have won high school championships, each with different goals for their future. Despite differences in skill sets and levels, Iwamoto creates a harmonious and comfortable space where every single student can further their passion for karate. “We all encourage each other to do the best when practicing together,” Iwamoto reflects. “Sometimes practice is tough, but enjoying ourselves means getting through tough times and being able to overcome obstacles and break through barriers to achieve success.” She emphasizes the importance of personal growth – an indispensable part of every human’s lives. Determination, hard work, and perseverance are factors that are more important than winning or losing, and the values that both her students and people in general should uplift to achieve their own goals and become open-minded, better human beings. “When you get older and look back, you will feel that you enjoyed your time if you work hard,” she shares.
Extending even further beyond her mentorship as a Waseda University karate mentor and instructor, Iwamoto is a trailblazer in the realm of entrepreneurship, creating her own dojo. When asked about her aspirations and dreams in karate, Iwamoto smiles and thinks about the goals for her own dojo. “I really want more people to have the desire to do karate and enjoy it,” she says. Iwamoto has harnessed the broad toolbox of skills that she has collected over the years and poured it into her space where anybody who wants to do karate can flourish happily. With her extensive experience in the karate world, Iwamoto hopes to blend the old and new traditions of the martial art and create the best environment. “I hope to harmonize and connect aspects of traditional karate with new customs to blend tradition and innovation,” Iwamoto says, sharing her goal for teaching. With very few professionals in the karate industry that have established their own company, Iwamoto is a pioneer who aims to share the wonder of karate that she has experienced to others as well.
Although karate has historically been male-dominated, Iwamoto is a changemaker and a facilitator of a shift in the sport. As a female world champion and a female face of karate, Iwamoto hopes to continue her legacy of women in karate. When asked about advice for girls who want to start the sport, Iwamoto’s best piece of wisdom is simply “just come to the dojo!”. “I want to cultivate more female karate athletes,” Iwamoto says – and that is exactly what she is doing through her own dojo. “When it comes to other dojos, they are mostly male which is why it can be difficult for females to start,” she explains. However, as a changemaker, Iwamoto has facilitated an environment that is easy access for female adults as well. “I am hoping that my dojo is expanded and easy to come to.”
The charm of karate is magnificent, and something that Iwamoto hopes to spread to everybody. “It is not a violent or scary sport at all,” she says. “It is something that anybody can do.” From mindset to body, every single human being can harness the principles and disciplines of karate to become the best version of themself. “It’s important to use your body properly,” Iwamoto explains. “And that starts from posture,” she says with a laugh. “There are many people with bad posture, especially because of cellphones.” Beginning with just sitting straight or standing tall, harnessing good posture is a step towards the best body possible. In terms of mindset, Iwamoto emphasizes the importance of mental health. “There are a lot of things that you cannot control in life,” she says. “Stop stressing about those things. If you minimize your stress you can achieve any goals or aspirations and you can focus more on what you want to do.” Iwamoto wants everybody to know that karate is more than just a sport — it’s a path to self-improvement, resilience, and living life with purpose. Beginning with body and mind, Iwamoto’s ultimate goal is to unlock the best version of every person.
To discover the world of karate, visit Emiri Iwamoto’s dojo: https://bishinkan.wixstudio.com/karate
To learn more about world champion, Emiri Iwamoto, visit her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilykarate/
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