Testimonies from those fascinated by jiu-jitsu. Vinyl Archive Kohei Ohkita

Those with quick ears must already know that the martial art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) has been gaining a lot of heat. Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ), a martial art, is suddenly gaining a lot of popularity. In the U.S., Google offers jiu-jitsu classes as an in-house welfare program, and it is also popular among so-called white-collar workers. Here in Japan, people from all walks of life, including fashion people, graphic designers, stylists, lawyers, and architects, go to dojos and sweat profusely on the mats. The level of addiction is excessive, with many practicing three or more times a week, and some even going to the dojo every day. In other words, they are mass producing "jiu-jitsu addicts. And if you look around the jiu-jitsu scene, no one familiar with jiu-jitsu would disagree that the "Carpe Diem" dojo stands out in terms of popularity and ability. We spoke with three people who enjoy jiu-jitsu about the appeal of this dojo, which has a partnership with Reebok, a company with which martial arts and fitness have a strong affinity, Yuki Ishikawa, who leads Carpe Diem, the originality that only jiu-jitsu has, and the relationship between jiu-jitsu and their work. Our first interview is with Kohei Ohkita, designer of "Vinyl Archive".

Photo_Shin Hamada
Text_Mayumi Yamase
Edit_Shinri Kobayashi

Details are important in both clothing and jiu-jitsu.

I guess you were attracted to Jiu-Jitsu because of its simplicity and quick results, as opposed to work.

Great North:Yes, I agree. But at first I thought that might be true, but now I think it's a fun part of jiu-jitsu that it betrays you in a good way. Even if you work hard, take private lessons and practice intensely, even if you take all kinds of insurance, when you win, you win, and when you lose, you lose. Of course, in a competition, you can only show what you have practiced, but there is also a strong element of luck. When I competed in a tournament once before, I lost quickly in the first match. . even though I had lost weight and moved down one weight class. I calculated that if I was in a lower weight class than my best, I would be able to win. Then, I made a mistake in the weight cut, and within two minutes of the start of the match, I had no power, and I wanted to quit.

After that, it was interesting in a way. Ah, I realized how proud I was (laughs). . It was frustrating. I feel that changing the way you play the game itself has something in common with your work. In jiu-jitsu, the word "detail" is often used, and the details of the techniques are important. The same can be said for clothing. No matter how flashy the clothes are, you can tell when you put them on. Well, I may be saying something different after a while (laughs).

Have there been any changes in your life since you started Jiu-Jitsu?

Great North:Since jiu-jitsu is a thinking sport , I have more time to think. . so I like the time I spend on the train, and so on. . I also started to pay more attention so that I don't make the same mistakes I made before. . For example, when it comes to clothes, it's basic, but I don't make mistakes in ordering. . For example, in a jiu-jitsu match, I would make sure I don't get knocked out of position too easily. It's just a normal thing. When you get used to it, you start to overlook the smallest details, but I have the feeling that this will reset itself. If you stay in the same place for a long time, you become proud of yourself, so I try to look for new places as much as possible.