Rest in Peace eternal, Demura Fumio Dai Sensei of the Genbu-kai International. Martial arts author, teacher and pioneer. Our deepest condolences on this sad loss, such an inspiration
I was Blessed to meet and sit down and talk with Demura Sensei at The Arnold Fitness years ago….I noticed him sitting quietly by himself in the busy lobby of the Columbus Convention Center. Nobody seemed to recognize him,or maybe they didn’t want to disturb him but I on the other hand couldn’t pass up the opportunity to respectfully greet him…..I humbly bowed to him and introduced myself…..To my astonishment Sensei extended his hand and asked me to sit…….It was a short conversation but I will never forget it….HE thought enough of me to share some of his quiet time…..My youngest son was with me and he took a photo of Demura Sensei and I, which I treasure to this day…..
Your “voice” is amazing… you made me feel like a part of your family watching this… I really didn’t want it to end… you have a way of reaching people and touching them…. Your imagery!!! Unparalleled!!! This is not my world yet you made me feel part of it… So sad to see it go…. The city councilmen should watch this… Thank you 🙏🏼 ( humbled by your talent)
Anyone who is lucky to have a sensei, guru, spirit guide or master in their life will appreciate this intimate "love letter" to a blessed and beloved teacher. Thank you Curt for bringing you vision of the Last Dojo to life. We are all grateful.
Demura Sensei is a amazing mentor and master instructor. People can learn from his humility, not just karate instructors, Excellent story on this living legend
You couldn't have said it better. I was one of his many students in that dojo in which your description is right on that I chuckled. It had a unique scent, especially with 60 plus students in attendance, Sensei's voice militaristic. Unlike so many martial art actors, Sensei never stopped teaching. Ahh, the memories!
So We’ll Done I Love it. The DoJo is Beautiful This To Me is The Martial Arts I Never Met Master Sensei Demura. But I No He is One Of The Greatest I Can Feel It I Truly Have Total Respect For The Master Sensei. Sincerely Sensei Pete Siny
"Through out the world", I'm a big follower of Sensei Demura from Malaysia! I'm a Tae Kwon Do student but inspired by Sensei Demura! A lovely Sensei! May God bless him
Well done and a fitting tribute to a living legend. Most of us who came up in the karate community over the past 30+ years have been heavily influenced by Demura Sensei.
I live in Australia and used to live in London so have admired you from afar for a very very long time. Though I never had the honour and privilege of meeting you, you will always be someone I hold in the highest regard. R.I.P. Sensei Demura. 👊🙏😔
I have so many memories of that dojo from all of the years training there in the 80s and 90s. Thank you so much for documenting this, Sensei Ford. I saw recently that the dojo had moved and I'm so glad you were able to document the old dojo and all of its character. Your description and narration brought back a wave of nostalgia and was the perfect tribute to a legendary dojo and legendary sensei.
What a wonderful tribute and interview with one of the martial arts world's remaining Masters! I still have all of Master Demura's original books on kobudo by Ohara Publications.
I was fortunate to study under Demura Sensei for about a year in the late 90s. I remember 3 things: 1) The respect Demura Sensei showed to me and my Sensei, David Blair, a JKA Shotokan teacher. 2) Demura's energy made karate practice fun - that surprised me at the time and, 3) the exposure to Shito Ryu through Demura Sensei ignited a passion in me to discover my karate's roots in Okinawa.
I remember reading articles about Master Fumio Demura in the martial arts magazines back in the eighties when I was just getting started in martial arts. Good to see this up close and personal look at him all these years later. The film seemed over in an instant, though I see twenty minutes passed, so it must have been good. There was character in that Dojo! What a shame the city took it.
What a wonderful video, this brought back so many memories for me. I learned from Sensei back in 1987 when I was 8 yrs old all the way until I was 17. I remember giving Sensei my 1st tournament trophy and he displayed it in that dojo. I owe a big part of who I am to him and his training. R.I.P Sensei from your top student " Andro" in his words lol.
Thank you so much for sharing this with us all. Such an amazing man, I too still have some of Sensei Demura books somewhere. What an amazing mini doc. 🙏🙏🙏
This was so good! It gave me a feeling that's hard to describe. So heart-felt, touching, spiritual..... Thank you Sensei Ford for this beautiful piece. Much respect.
Dojo is a family. The most important lesson which we all should appreciate and understand. Budo is for everyone, we are all a family. Thank you, Sensei William. Beautiful and warm interview. Wish you all the best, greetings from a brother of Matsubayashi-Ryu Salvatore from Germany. 🙇🏽♂🙇🏽♂🙇🏽♂🙇🏽♂🙇🏽♂🙇🏽♂🙇🏽♂🙇🏽♂
You did Great Martial Arts Report.. on Demura Fumio. I enjoyed it Very Much. Thank you. Dr Sung owner of KumSung Martial Arts..good friend of All the Great People you Interviewed.
I have been out of the loop for over half a century now, my choice. Someone recommended this video for me to watch so I could catch up with the art. I started in 1969 at Camp Pendleton with someone who was stationed in Okinawa. My regards to Fumio Demura, Master Sensei and to you for a very well done documentary Senor Ford.
Thank you for sharing this video on this legendary man. I, too, read about him in all of those publications. As I enter my 60s these things become more special.
My first encounter with him was when I started training under Ryobu Kai (Yamazaki Kaicho's organisation). I later saw him, again, in Las Vegas, prior to a tournament, when I became a student under Fujishima Hanshi. I was, recently, made aware of his passing. A tremendous loss. Even though he is sorely missed, I am glad to know that his legacy lives on with his students. Oss!
I only knew about Demura Sensei in one of my BB magazines from the 80's. He reminds me of my Sensei Shiroma san. I remember a conversation when I was in Okinawa between Sensei Shiroma and Sensei Iha (RIP) talking about Sensei Demura, and how famous he was. (I belong to Shorin Ryu Shidokan dojo and got my BB ranks from the Late Grandmaster Miyahira in Okinawa.)
I attended the dojo in 2012. It took a lot of effort to get to the USA at the time A lot of setbacks Even though I was from a different school Shihan Demura was always welcoming What a lot of people don’t realise is that Demura returned the effort by in 2013 coming to the Uk and running a series of seminars in Norwich Demura had not long recovered from a heart attack and technically died we even advised him against He was determined Amazing human being I totally understand this video I am truly sad the dojo has had to close I am truly grateful to say I trained there.
Thank you it’s was and it is great deep spirit Tori at the enter, dojo is good door to discover by day one good thing to do for me but not only, one good thing for other for univers. This little movie is great. Thank you again
Wow. Your best video. Thank you for this. Sensei Demura a true American legend. One, I too first saw thru Black belt magazine and was amaze by his strict perfect moves. So sad to lose this landmark. Thank you for sharing.
I was so very blessed to be able to attend a training Seminar (back in the 80s) in Boshido! Master Demura taught it at one of our AAU Karate-do National Tournaments. I believe it was in Orlando FL! He was and is so amazing!
SENSEI DEMURA ANECDOTES…. Yesterday we all had learned the news that Sensei Fumio Demura had sadly passed away. I wanted to take a few minutes here to pass on 2 brief anecdotes regarding Sensei, and how I came to meet him and how he almost made my Wife Susan Marie a big Hollywood star. Firstly and very quickly I first met Sensei Demura at his Santa Ana Dojo in 1973 during a visit to California. During that time we were visiting family and coincidentally, his dojo was just a very short walk away from where we were staying. One day I walked down to the dojo during the day time walked in and met, who I believe that the time was some sort of janitor or cleaning person who was vacuuming the lobby area. I asked about if it was possible to train with the regular class and was told yes to come back later that evening. Upon my return that evening with my gi, and then purple belt, I began to warm up on the mat with all of the other students. Several minutes later the dojo sensei emerged from the back changing area, and I recognized him immediately. It was the janitor who was actually in fact Sensei Demura. Of course at this point, I did not realize who he was at the time, nor his significant importance to many of us in the future.  The second anecdote occurred many years later in January, 1989 during a seminar in New York, in which Sensei Demura was the featured instructor. Afterwords, we took him out for a celebratory dinner, and as it turned out, Susan Marie sat next to him on the dais. During their time speaking, nothing had anything to do with karate per se however, Sensei was so taken with her and told her that he was going back to California to start filming Karate Kid 3 once again as Mr. Miyagi’s stunt double and believed that she would be the perfect girlfriend for Daniel . About three weeks later he called saying that unfortunately, the role had already been cast, but he believed that Susan Marie would have been an outstanding choice. Of course I agree.  OSS!
It's amazing, The rice pounding is also a daily routine in the Philippines for farmers, the wood used in pounding are heavy woods about five to sic feet round and tapered in the middle and we have a large 200 to 300 pound stone with a concave bowl shape to pound it on = Great Exercise.
Shihan died yesterday :| I was going to test for my shodan-ho in july, and he was going to oversee me and other testers then. But he's gone, so what happens to genbu kai now?. I just hope he's reunited with his loved ones up there.
It stays in your heart and you continue training the best way you can, I personally understand how it was a important to you to achieve your Shodan from Demura Sensei. Just don't dwell on it, honour him by continuing training and practicing what you learned and maybe seek out a instructor to grad you to Shodan but take your time. Rank isn't as important as we sometimes think, but like I said I do understand how it was to you in this situation. Karate lives in on in our hearts it's not whats around our waist. I went through the same situation in my 43 years in Karate. Respect 🥋
On the one side it's a bit dismaying that all this focuses on US (like in US movies it seems the center of the world is New York), but a point from Demura (around 10:50) is relevant: in Japan they see only Japanese people, in US it's a mix and everyone is welcomed; as per "styles": every style is ok. I think this is the strength of US: accepting the "foreign", as anyone is a foreign.
Rest in Peace eternal, Demura Fumio Dai Sensei of the Genbu-kai International. Martial arts author, teacher and pioneer.
Our deepest condolences on this sad loss, such an inspiration
I was Blessed to meet and sit down and talk with Demura Sensei at The Arnold Fitness years ago….I noticed him sitting quietly by himself in the busy lobby of the Columbus Convention Center. Nobody seemed to recognize him,or maybe they didn’t want to disturb him but I on the other hand couldn’t pass up the opportunity to respectfully greet him…..I humbly bowed to him and introduced myself…..To my astonishment Sensei extended his hand and asked me to sit…….It was a short conversation but I will never forget it….HE thought enough of me to share some of his quiet time…..My youngest son was with me and he took a photo of Demura Sensei and I, which I treasure to this day…..
Great man. A living Legend, last of his kind. Original, traditional, current and relevant.
Thank you for capturing this moment in time which will forever live on in your short film "The Last Dojo". Much respect sir!
Your “voice” is amazing… you made me feel like a part of your family watching this… I really didn’t want it to end… you have a way of reaching people and touching them…. Your imagery!!! Unparalleled!!!
This is not my world yet you made me feel part of it…
So sad to see it go….
The city councilmen should watch this…
Thank you 🙏🏼
( humbled by your talent)
It was such an honor to train there. Thank you brother for making and sharing. Saw GM Demura in Burbank after he fell ill and it broke my heart.
Anyone who is lucky to have a sensei, guru, spirit guide or master in their life will appreciate this intimate "love letter" to a blessed and beloved teacher. Thank you Curt for bringing you vision of the Last Dojo to life. We are all grateful.
My condolences to his family and friends on his passing. A great teacher.
Very Much In The Moment. What A Beautiful. Expression. Total Respect. Sincerely Sensei Pete Siny
Many thanks!
Demura Sensei is a amazing mentor and master instructor. People can learn from his humility, not just karate instructors, Excellent story on this living legend
You couldn't have said it better. I was one of his many students in that dojo in which your description is right on that I chuckled. It had a unique scent, especially with 60 plus students in attendance, Sensei's voice militaristic. Unlike so many martial art actors, Sensei never stopped teaching. Ahh, the memories!
So We’ll Done I Love it. The DoJo is Beautiful This To Me is The Martial Arts I Never Met Master Sensei Demura. But I No He is One Of The Greatest I Can Feel It I Truly Have Total Respect For The Master Sensei. Sincerely Sensei Pete Siny
"Through out the world", I'm a big follower of Sensei Demura from Malaysia! I'm a Tae Kwon Do student but inspired by Sensei Demura! A lovely Sensei! May God bless him
Well done and a fitting tribute to a living legend. Most of us who came up in the karate community over the past 30+ years have been heavily influenced by Demura Sensei.
I live in Australia and used to live in London so have admired you from afar for a very very long time. Though I never had the honour and privilege of meeting you, you will always be someone I hold in the highest regard.
R.I.P. Sensei Demura. 👊🙏😔
He’s a legend. He will be missed❤
This was so beautiful, so touching, heart felt, I almost felt what William felt, Thank you Sensei Ford, this was truly a blessing
I have so many memories of that dojo from all of the years training there in the 80s and 90s. Thank you so much for documenting this, Sensei Ford. I saw recently that the dojo had moved and I'm so glad you were able to document the old dojo and all of its character. Your description and narration brought back a wave of nostalgia and was the perfect tribute to a legendary dojo and legendary sensei.
What a wonderful tribute and interview with one of the martial arts world's remaining Masters!
I still have all of Master Demura's original books on kobudo by Ohara Publications.
It is videos like these that makes me appreciate today's cinematography. Nothing lives forever, but memory is eternal. 😢
I was fortunate to study under Demura Sensei for about a year in the late 90s. I remember 3 things: 1) The respect Demura Sensei showed to me and my Sensei, David Blair, a JKA Shotokan teacher. 2) Demura's energy made karate practice fun - that surprised me at the time and, 3) the exposure to Shito Ryu through Demura Sensei ignited a passion in me to discover my karate's roots in Okinawa.
I just rewatched this video what an incredible man what an incredible story. Thank you so much for putting it together the way you did.
Your film conveys the spirit of this honorable man. His teachings go beyond martial arts. Thanks for sharing!
I remember reading articles about Master Fumio Demura in the martial arts magazines back in the eighties when I was just getting started in martial arts. Good to see this up close and personal look at him all these years later. The film seemed over in an instant, though I see twenty minutes passed, so it must have been good. There was character in that Dojo! What a shame the city took it.
What a wonderful video, this brought back so many memories for me. I learned from Sensei back in 1987 when I was 8 yrs old all the way until I was 17. I remember giving Sensei my 1st tournament trophy and he displayed it in that dojo. I owe a big part of who I am to him and his training. R.I.P Sensei from your top student " Andro" in his words lol.
April 24 2023
God Bless
Fumio Demura
Thank you so much for sharing this with us all. Such an amazing man, I too still have some of Sensei Demura books somewhere. What an amazing mini doc. 🙏🙏🙏
This was so good! It gave me a feeling that's hard to describe. So heart-felt, touching, spiritual..... Thank you Sensei Ford for this beautiful piece. Much respect.
Dojo is a family.
The most important lesson which we all should appreciate and understand.
Budo is for everyone, we are all a family.
Thank you, Sensei William.
Beautiful and warm interview.
Wish you all the best,
greetings from a brother of Matsubayashi-Ryu
Salvatore from Germany.
🙇🏽♂🙇🏽♂🙇🏽♂🙇🏽♂🙇🏽♂🙇🏽♂🙇🏽♂🙇🏽♂
Smile. Great advice!
Thank You greatly for this beautiful story of a great human being who just happened to be a truly Great Martial Artist.
Thank you so much for this interview with Dimura Sensei. You did a great job on this as you do in your other videos.
Lovely. All things fade in, all things fade out, yet in between there is magic.
You did Great Martial Arts Report.. on Demura Fumio. I enjoyed it Very Much. Thank you. Dr Sung owner of KumSung Martial Arts..good friend of All the Great People you Interviewed.
Amazing job!!!
Just WOW , thank you sooooo much sensei Ford for all you do for karate and humanity . 🤓🙏👍
Loved every minute of this. Great job.
Rest in Paradise Sensei Fumio Demura 🙏🏼
I have been out of the loop for over half a century now, my choice. Someone recommended this video for me to watch so I could catch up with the art. I started in 1969 at Camp Pendleton with someone who was stationed in Okinawa. My regards to Fumio Demura, Master Sensei and to you for a very well done documentary Senor Ford.
Thank you for sharing this video on this legendary man. I, too, read about him in all of those publications. As I enter my 60s these things become more special.
Thank You Sensei
I met him in Riverside when I took my test. RCC Karate was such an awesome group, respect to this man.
A Historical video on it's on.
Thank you for sharing this, Sensei.
My first encounter with him was when I started training under Ryobu Kai (Yamazaki Kaicho's organisation). I later saw him, again, in Las Vegas, prior to a tournament, when I became a student under Fujishima Hanshi. I was, recently, made aware of his passing. A tremendous loss. Even though he is sorely missed, I am glad to know that his legacy lives on with his students. Oss!
Wowwwwwwwww. That was AMAZING. Him laughing at the end was most epic. I felt that.
Beautiful
I only knew about Demura Sensei in one of my BB magazines from the 80's. He reminds me of my Sensei Shiroma san. I remember a conversation when I was in Okinawa between Sensei Shiroma and Sensei Iha (RIP) talking about Sensei Demura, and how famous he was. (I belong to Shorin Ryu Shidokan dojo and got my BB ranks from the Late Grandmaster Miyahira in Okinawa.)
I love this so much!!!!
I attended the dojo in 2012. It took a lot of effort to get to the USA at the time
A lot of setbacks
Even though I was from a different school Shihan Demura was always welcoming
What a lot of people don’t realise is that Demura returned the effort by in 2013 coming to the Uk and running a series of seminars in Norwich
Demura had not long recovered from a heart attack and technically died
we even advised him against
He was determined
Amazing human being
I totally understand this video
I am truly sad the dojo has had to close
I am truly grateful to say I trained there.
Rest in Peace Sensei Demura
The focus and depth of this video is just outstanding!
Thank you it’s was and it is great deep spirit Tori at the enter, dojo is good door to discover by day one good thing to do for me but not only, one good thing for other for univers. This little movie is great. Thank you again
Really enjoyed that. Thank you.
Wow. Your best video. Thank you for this. Sensei Demura a true American legend. One, I too first saw thru Black belt magazine and was amaze by his strict perfect moves. So sad to lose this landmark. Thank you for sharing.
Rest in peace sensei..❤❤
Just great, I feel the deep atmosphere thank you for this sharing.
I was so very blessed to be able to attend a training Seminar (back in the 80s) in Boshido! Master Demura taught it at one of our AAU Karate-do National Tournaments. I believe it was in Orlando FL! He was and is so amazing!
Excelente.. seria bueno subir el video traducido a español..
Just learned that Sensei passed away today. RIP Master Sensei Demura!
SENSEI DEMURA ANECDOTES….
Yesterday we all had learned the news that Sensei Fumio Demura had sadly passed away.
I wanted to take a few minutes here to pass on 2 brief anecdotes regarding Sensei, and how I came to meet him and how he almost made my Wife Susan Marie a big Hollywood star.
Firstly and very quickly I first met Sensei Demura at his Santa Ana Dojo in 1973 during a visit to California.
During that time we were visiting family and coincidentally, his dojo was just a very short walk away from where we were staying.
One day I walked down to the dojo during the day time walked in and met, who I believe that the time was some sort of janitor or cleaning person who was vacuuming the lobby area. I asked about if it was possible to train with the regular class and was told yes to come back later that evening.
Upon my return that evening with my gi, and then purple belt, I began to warm up on the mat with all of the other students. Several minutes later the dojo sensei emerged from the back changing area, and I recognized him immediately. It was the janitor who was actually in fact Sensei Demura.
Of course at this point, I did not realize who he was at the time, nor his significant importance to many of us in the future. 
The second anecdote occurred many years later in January, 1989 during a seminar in New York, in which Sensei Demura was the featured instructor.
Afterwords, we took him out for a celebratory dinner, and as it turned out, Susan Marie sat next to him on the dais.
During their time speaking, nothing had anything to do with karate per se however, Sensei was so taken with her and told her that he was going back to California to start filming Karate Kid 3 once again as Mr. Miyagi’s stunt double and believed that she would be the perfect girlfriend for Daniel .
About three weeks later he called saying that unfortunately, the role had already been cast, but he believed that Susan Marie would have been an outstanding choice. Of course I agree. 
OSS!
Hi, was great to be at the Premiere. How are you? Working on any projects in 2024?
Yes we are! Stay tuned! 😉
Smiling is the secret!
A great master. A great man :)
It's amazing, The rice pounding is also a daily routine in the Philippines for farmers, the wood used in pounding are heavy woods about five to sic feet round and tapered in the middle and we have a large 200 to 300 pound stone with a concave bowl shape to pound it on = Great Exercise.
Shihan died yesterday :|
I was going to test for my shodan-ho in july, and he was going to oversee me and other testers then. But he's gone, so what happens to genbu kai now?.
I just hope he's reunited with his loved ones up there.
It stays in your heart and you continue training the best way you can, I personally understand how it was a important to you to achieve your Shodan from Demura Sensei. Just don't dwell on it, honour him by continuing training and practicing what you learned and maybe seek out a instructor to grad you to Shodan but take your time. Rank isn't as important as we sometimes think, but like I said I do understand how it was to you in this situation. Karate lives in on in our hearts it's not whats around our waist. I went through the same situation in my 43 years in Karate. Respect 🥋
Eminent domain is a cancer that we can all do without.
Rip to the greatest martial arts master of karate And Film like the karate kid saga mortal Kombat rising sun
RIP GM Demura AKA The Real "Mr Miagi"
Wow!!!
Love the dojo miss the man, love me a quarter pounder 50 feet away.
Beautiful video sir!
RIP
Arigato!
They took his dojo and he passed a short time later.....some people die of a broken heart
9:17 BASED
On the one side it's a bit dismaying that all this focuses on US (like in US movies it seems the center of the world is New York), but a point from Demura (around 10:50) is relevant: in Japan they see only Japanese people, in US it's a mix and everyone is welcomed; as per "styles": every style is ok. I think this is the strength of US: accepting the "foreign", as anyone is a foreign.
WELL DONE!!!!
Wish he was Miyagi ...in the remake