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浅井哲彦師範の逝去について 【親族コメント】
About the death of Master Tetsuhiko Asai

浅井哲彦は2006年8月15日午後2時50分にこの世を去りました。2500人以上もの方々が世界各国から葬儀に駆けつけて下さり、又、沢山の弔問やFAXをただきありがとうございました。
大勢の方々のご心配及び、問い合わせがありました。また、浅井の空手人生に関して詳しく話して欲しいという要望が多かったので、この場を借りてお話しさせて頂きます。
先ず、故人の亡くなった経緯についてですが、その原因は肝臓を悪くし、2006年2月10日に手術をして6ヶ月もの間入退院を繰り返しました。

次に浅井の空手人生に関してですが、少し私の心が落ち着いてから本を書く予定ですので、本日は取り急ぎ葬儀の時にご挨拶申し上げた文に少し加えて此処に記します。

Tetsuhiko Asai passed away on August 15, 2006 at 2.50 pm. He had suffered liver damage and underwent surgery on February 10, 2006, and was repeatedly hospitalized for the next six months before his death. I greatly appreciate that over 2500 people from all over the world came to his funeral, and many others sent messages of condolence. Many people have expressed their sympathy and asked to know more about his life and his involvement in karate. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to talk about his life. I intend to write a book about my husband in the future, but here I will add some details to my address at his funeral.

葬儀のご挨拶

本日はお忙しい中、浅井哲彦の葬儀にご会葬頂きありがとうございます。
このような立派な葬儀の準備に係わった方々、及び理事、役員の方々ありがとうございました。
故人はご存じの通り自己の空手を極める事と後生の育成に人生を捧げておりました。
空手は故人の全てであり、空手以外の事は何一つ目に入れませんでした。
そして何時も「山にこもって、人は何処までやれるか突き詰めて見たい。それこそが肉体を鍛え精神を磨く事だ。」と云っておりました。
山にこそこもりませんでしたが、この45年の間、どんなに怪我をしても40度の熱を出しても稽古を休まなかった事は、その心身の鍛練を自宅で実践しているのだと私は見ておりました。
故人はその趣旨を世界中の門下生に指導し、多忙を極める中で健常者も身障者もこの素晴らしい空手を一緒に学ぶべく、車椅子空手を開発し、その普及の為にも、国内外へ自ら指導に赴いていきました。

このような人が一方では空手を離れると、周囲の人を楽しませようと冗談を言ったり、手品や、おかしな占いを披露して、人を笑わせるお茶目な面もありました。
故人は最近になって「今後の楽しみは只一つ、空手の技をみんなに残してあげる事だけだ。」と暇さえあれば机に向かって一心にその技を書き記していました。

この度の闘病で自分の病気が一向に快復しないのを見て、すぐに考えを切り替え、悟りを開いた様に「わしは生死観を超越した。死ぬ事に対する恐怖心などない。只、武道家として潔く死にたいだけだ。」と言い、一度も弱音を吐きませんでした。そして一度も苦しみも見せなかったので私は故人が亡くなるとは少しも思いませんでした。その静かにひたすら耐えていた光る目を私は忘れる事は出来ません。
それでも故人は、責任感の強い人で今年の諸外国の指導スケジュールを、自分で行かれない所は代わりの者を派遣して全てクリアしました。

全国大会の当日、一歩も歩けない様な危篤の人が、会場へ行くと、誰にも体を支えさせないで一人で会場までの長い距離を歩いていきました。
そして、身近にいた人の話では、審判会議室に到着し着席した浅井師範の背筋が急に伸び、いつものエネルギッシュな先生になったのを見て驚いたとのことです。
その後、全国から集まった100人程の審判員の方々は誰も浅井師範が重体と言う事に気付かず、1時間程の全国大会の審判についての打ち合わせや、質疑を投げかけ、それに対して師範は丁寧に応答したとのことです。

その後、さらに1時間ほどレセプションにも参加し、皆と普通に会話を交わし、笑ったりとても楽しそうに過ごしておりました。

そして無事に大会を終わらせ、みんなと顔を合わせた後、安心した様に昏睡状態に入り、間もなく逝ってしまいました。

故人は同じ道を歩む仲間達をこよなく愛し、一緒にいる時、稽古している時が至福の時でした。
また、「理事、役員の方々に支えられ良い指導員にも恵まれ我が会はとてもまとまっていて、本当に良かった。」と、いつも安心そうに言っておりました。
故人の魂はこれからも皆さんと一緒に稽古を続けていく事でしょう。どうか皆様もそれを感じ取って頂き、浅井哲彦の志を継いで空手道に励んで下さい。ありがとうございます。

2006年9月1日 浅井惠子

Today, I would like to thank everyone for attending the funeral of Tetsuhiko Asai, and the directors and administrators of the J.K.S. and persons in charge for making his farewell such a memorable occasion.
As you know, my husband devoted his life to mastering the art of karate and to inspiring his students. Karate filled every moment of his life, and he thought of nothing but karate. He always said that he wanted to stay alone in the mountains and to try to push himself to the limit, to train the mind and body. He never actually stayed alone in the mountains, but continued training in karate for 45 years, even if injured or had a fever, even of 40 degrees Celsius. I think he trained his mind and body in the house. Although he was very busy educating his students all over the world by spreading his spirit and ideas, he had time to develop wheelchair karate to introduce the wonders of karate to the disabled as well as to healthy people, and worked to promote this new form outside Japan. He seemed to be very serious about karate, but outside karate he was very amusing and funny, always joking and indulging in comical fortune telling, which made his company enjoyable.
He recently told me that his only pleasure for the rest of his life was to pass on his techniques of karate to future generations, and devoted every spare moment at his desk to carefully describing the technique. After he realized that his illness showed no signs of improving, he changed his mind and, like an enlightened mystic, told me that he stood aloof from the idea of death and living, had no fear of death, and wished only to die gracefully as a martial artist. He never expressed negative thoughts or showed any suffering, so I never thought he would die. I cannot forget his bright eyes, enduring patiently and calmly.
He had a strong sense of responsibility. He kept all of his teaching schedules overseas for the last year, sending another instructor if he could not attend. On the day of the national competitions, he insisted on going to the venue and walked a long distance without support, even in his critical condition. I heard a story from people close to him, that after he reached the judges room and took a seat, suddenly his back became very straight and he returned to his previous energetic condition, astonishing those present. None of the about 100 judges who came from all over the country realized that he was in a critical condition, so they conferred with or referred to him throughout the judges meeting for about one hour, and he responded politely.

Afterwards he joined the reception, and enjoyed talking and laughing with people for about an hour. At the end of the competition, he met the competitors, and so achieved a sense of fulfilment and completion. Soon afterwards he fell into a coma and died.
He really loved like-minded people joining in karate, and his happiest moments were spent training with them. He always told me, with a satisfied look, that he was very happy since J.K.S. was well organized, thanks to the support of the directors and administrators of J.K.S., and the excellent instructors teaching karate.
I think that his spirit will continue to train with all of you in the future, and I hope that everyone will be inspired by his presence to follow the path of karate in his footsteps.
Thank you very much.


September 1, 2006
Keiko Asai