Japanese Disciple And Kerala Guru Keep Spirit Of Kalaripayattu Alive

ETV Bharat / state

Japanese Disciple And Kerala Guru Keep Spirit Of Kalaripayattu Alive

The 74-year-old martial arts grandmaster Masanobu Sato holds an 8th Dan black belt in Karate and a 9th Dan in Kobudo.

Kannur: Masanobu Sato, a 74-year-old martial arts grandmaster from Japan, has been travelling thousands of miles to a quiet corner in Kundayam Koval in Kannur for the last 11 years. He comes to learn Kerala’s ancient martial art of Kalaripayattu under the guidance of Akhil Gurikkal.

Not a stranger to the disciplines of martial arts, Sato holds an 8th Dan black belt in Karate and a 9th Dan in Kobudo while serving as the chief of a Tenbukan Dojo Association. Yet, despite his global reputation, he finds himself humbled each time he steps into the earthen Kalari ground in Keral