InnerView:EnsonInoue

INTERVIEW WITH  ENSON INOUE

In the wake of March 11th’s earthquake and tsunami we found destruction, death, despair and hopelessness. For those of us who were safe,we are thankful that we weren’t there. Though safe and far away—for a moment all around the world, people wondered what they could do to help. Out of those people, still many continue to donate to charities, to offer prayers, to organize fundraisers; and to, in many ways, make oursleves available for other ways to assist Japan in their recovery from nature’s fury.

Committing thousands of dollars, thousands of hours, and traveling thousands of miles accumulated in 5trips to do more than his part to help the victims of Japan’s dreadful tsunami–One of those many, has gone the extra step straight to the heart of the situation. Powered by facebook, through his newfound venture in making customized bracelets, necklaces, and keychains, he was able to raise more than 30thousand dollars in barely 2weeks for the tsunami victims. An inconsistency with Paypal forced him to refund the finances. Though the bracelets were already sent out and most of the cash was already commited,  he happily used his own money instead to buy a mountain of donations for the needy. In Japan, his Pray For Japan tshirt sales continue to build funds,  In Hawaii, through GanbatteJapan his fundraiser with his brother Egan produced an uncontested 40thousand dollars, in Guam the Purebred/LloydIrvin Jiujitsu Academy donated over  a thousand fundraising dollars to help with. And in California, his friends and family with Purebred SanDiego continued the Pray for Japan campaign raising 8thousand dollars. All of which has been donated by him directly to victims and evacuation centers throughout northern Japan. This is Enson Inoue.

Last week, we were fortunate enough to visit Enson, who is like a brother, to see how he was doing, to share a few laughs (mostly by him), and to discover even more about the powerful phrase that is Yamato Damashii.

Not even 12 hours in Japan and we were already bound for Minami San Riku, on Enson’s 5th expedition north to watch him deliver donations and goods to evacuation centers for the survivors and victims of the recent natural disaster.

6hours later and  Enson is putting on his radiation protection gear because he was headed to the first power plant to , get this,” deliver food to the abandoned housepets of deceased and missing victims of March 11ths quake…

This was a pretty funky episode because it seemed out-of-place for anyone else, much less such a celebrity, to drive 800km to a destination to put his health at serious risk for animals that he didn’t even know…It would have been  much more convenient yet just as worthy to donate money to RedCross and to continue in the luxury that surrounds a well-noted celebrity. Out of place true, but honestly with Enson, not surprising. His face-to-face approach  and his great respect for life and living, has sculpted him to be a valuable light in what is for many, an incredibly dark situation.

Amid watching him spend over athousand dollars in gas and toll charges, spending more than 600dollars in a bookstore, another 600 in a grocery store—cramped inside a hummer full of donations of food, clothing, toiletries, and teddybears—(and realizing that this was his 5^th time around) I managed to squeeze out some questions and answers from a WorldMMA icon, a Pacific Islander pioneer, and an eternal student of life who seems to have found a higher purpose.

What makes you do what youre doing with the Evacuation victims?

It started by helping friends in the areas who were affected, then I met up with people at the evactuation centers. It felt like even the simple things I bought for the people like shoes, clothing, toothbrushes, nail clippers, changed a lot of peoples lives because of the situation that they were in.

I was thinking that the 6000yen that I might spend for a massage could do so much more for people…that same 6000yen can buy sashimi for four people, that same 6000yen can buy shoes for four people. Inlight of the victims, Having that calculation in my head made me more excited to spend my money to help the people here.

What role as a mixed martial artist/martial artist play in your decision to help people here and do what youre doing? As a mixed martial artist, I’m not sure if it’s directly helped. If anything, has helped me go through what im going though here,  seeing all the death and destruction…it helps to continue to go on. It’s almost  like losing a fight, feeling like the world’s over, like there’s no way to recuperate from the loss..and having suffered from so many losses and coming back, it helps me to come back everyday. It’s why I’m back for the 5^th time and it’s why I’ll be back again.

An incarceration a few years back, a month in prison, a return to fighting and victory in Astra, and 40day-on foot  pilgrimage  to 108temples in Shikoku, and now your most recent commitment to service the victims of the tsunami? How would you piece these incidents together in your life?

I feel like it’s a trail that God’s leading me on. The time in prison has taught me to appreciate the freedom to eat what I want, go where I want, and do what I want. The pilgrimage helped me to appreciate the simple things in life. Now, in doing this, this puts me on the other side in a perspective to see people appreciate freedom and simple things. Now im helping to deliver these simple things. The notoriety and voice that God has given me through MMA and as a celebrity has put me in a better position to create funds and touch more people that a normal person could to help others appreciate simple things. So maybe hes preparing me for this or maybe another mission that’s going to come up later

Many have known you to your connection to the term Yamato Damashii, please elaborate on what this means to you and what role it has played in Martial Arts and what you feel it plays with the victims of March 11’s quake and tsunami.

To me, Yamato damashii is a Spirit that never gives up, that never dies, no matter how hard it is to continue–that perseveres through any type of adversity. The term Yamato Damashii has a perfect seat in the house for this situation. Were talking about life here—true and raw life. May people here have lost nearly everything they have. Living with Yamato Damashii will help them go on. The term YamatoDamashii is definitely a word for 2011, for wat happened in March 11…notice all those 11s there?

Most of us have seen the coverage of March 11s tsunami. After witnessing things firsthand, what do you feel is important for people to know?

What we saw in the news is only the first 2or three days. The devastation isn’t over. This is the victims reality for years to come. These people here talk about rebuilding. It’s not even about that. Theres nothing to rebuild. They have to create a new town. The devastation is incredible. You can smell the death.

What has your experience taught you? How has it changed your view of things if so?

It hasn’t really changed anything. It’s refined things that ive learned in the past. It’s a reminder to appreciate the simple things. It’s a harsh reminder that the physical life is just a step in the staircase of eternity and the spiritual life. And even after death—life must go on.

For those who want to help, how can we best be of service?

Of course we can make donations to legitmate charities, other than that im a religious person and I truly believe in the power of prayer.

Other comments?

It’s an ongoing thing that were gonna try to help the people.. I’m only one person. If I can touch one life, im gonna continue. Appreciate the simple things in life.