Article about new Shotokan dojo in TOkyo

[vapor]

I came across this article about a new dojo that opened in Tokyo.

Metropolis - Body & Soul - IchigekiFitness Club

(Not sure why the link shows up with ICHIGEKI, because that isn't what the article is about)

The price for membership is a bit different that the typical dojo!

(Metropolis is the largest English language publication in Tokyo)

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[orisha66]

Osu!!
as soon as i seen that tiny photo, i knew exactly who was leading the class.
I know Yahara Sensei, He is very good. He is also my favorite of the former JKA elite.
I dont know how much the yen is but those numbers is something that i never ever thought karate classes would have.
But Yahara is definantly one who tries to live by the code of the Samurai.

[vapor]

To calculate some of the fees into US$

Joining Fee:
Premium level- $13,600
Executive level- $8,500

Annual Fee:
$1,700

$340 per hour for 10 lessons...

Executive level memberships are about half of the above...

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[orisha66]

Can you say LOCO
He's good but not that good, even if i did have that kind of dinero.

[orisha66]

Though, I wouldnt mind being on the receiving end of that Dojo

[orisha66]

And not seek other desires

[vapor]

It is a bit odd that they charge that much, but they are catering to a very select target audience...

If you opened a dojo in Beverly Hills, you would charge accordingly.
Their location is in a similar type of neighborhood in Tokyo.

The pricing is actually in the ball park to what health clubs at big 4 and 5 start hotels in Tokyo charge for usage of their facilities.

(Yes, you could just as easily go down the street to the regular gym, but then who would park your car for you, and no one likes to bring their sweaty clothes and towels back home...join the health club at the Four Seasons, and everything is taken care of for you...)

The weathly want to be treated differently...this is allowing them to be treated differently!!

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[Shokei Marcsui]

Originally Posted by orisha66

And not seek other desires

I will look upwards for wisdom and strength...

[orisha66]

Osu!
makes much sence.
you are right about that. the elite would want to be treated in a way that they would'nt have to deal with cirtain things.
One instructor told me once that you could be really good teacher and charge a small price and the sensei down the way charges a high price and is not that good...and would have more students with poor karate while you die broke with good karate.
The more i teach, the more i see this going around.
But Yahara Shihan is cream of the crop and he does security like myself.

Ahh, Probably Yakuza
No joke, i actually heard that and with a benifactor like that....Hmmm?????
But i'm not the one to be starting rumors, so you didnt hear that from me

[kakatootoshi]

Hitotsu, wareware wa, shogai no shugyo o karate no michi ni tsuji, Kyokushin no michi o matto suru koto.

Mokuso!

OSU!

[Shokei Marcsui]

I think it sounds cool when they say "Hitotsu, wareware wa," in the dojo kun videos.

Don't know why I do.

[orisha66]

Osu!
find the true way until the end

[neph]

Thats crazy money, But I guess they have to cater for the wealthy people too (much like upclass gyms in the west)

[Olrac]

Who said that owning a gym won't make you rich?
20.000 yen is 120 euro!!

[vapor]

You only make money as long as you have people who perceive value...

A couple years ago, at one of the ad agencies that I worked at, we were asked by the Marriott hotel in Nagoya Japan to help them get more people to join their gym....they were priced in the same general range as te costs in that article....but at the time there were a lot of neighborhood gyms, and chain store gyms that were doing heavy promotion that you could join for $100 per month.....and the facilities were nice....good locations....the Marriott just couldn't keep enough people on their books to compete with that.

We did a small promotion, and got some customers to join, but it was a hard battle....

People's perception on what you should reasonably pay for a gym membership changed, while the hotel gym tried to stay with the same business plan...

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[StarKodama]

I just got done reading this in Metropolis magazine! But both me and my bf have no idea what the heck the students are doing in the top picture. (It's bigger in the printed magazine than on the website so you can see a little better) Is that supposed to be sanchin dachi?! And what are they doing with their arms?!

Also, all classes are 1-on-1, right? Doesn't it seem a little dubious then that there are so many black belts, and the group black belt class that meets twice a week? If the students are paying that much $$$$ to go to the school, it's only natural that they might expect a little more in return (ie, going through the belt ranks at a faster pace). I mean, in my dojo's 6-year history there have only been 3 black belts....

[Kris]

Originally Posted by StarKodama

If the students are paying that much $$$$ to go to the school, it's only natural that they might expect a little more in return (ie, going through the belt ranks at a faster pace). I mean, in my dojo's 6-year history there have only been 3 black belts....

So, it is a sort of gold plated McDojo! Haha..

[vapor]

Gold is so common....

It is a platinum plated McDojo!

vapor