Interview with Kris Tanaka

 Kris Tanaka is quite an interesting person: a well-rounded, experienced in different fields author, scholar, a teacher, martial arts trainer, the list is long.

Since he released some interesting books, I have decided to ask him some questions.

There is always some sort of impulse or a moment of inspiration in our lives to put us on some sort of track where we can consciously take steps towards self-improvement and creation in the fields and outlets where we can truly find our calling. What was that impulse in your case?

There have been many such moments in my life that triggered different creative aspects of my writing. I don’t feel that any one incident is responsible for the journey towards self-actualisation. However, the strongest emotions that I have experienced have been the catalysts for poetry, and dreams have been the main inspiration in my writing.

You have an interesting background both in martial arts and, I feel a bit related meditation and spiritual work. How did it come into your life?

As the youngest brother of four, I often found myself at the bottom of the ‘scrum’ pile and grew stronger physically and mentally when trying to avoid conflict. For the physical side, I had the power, but not the control, and so my father, an amateur boxer in his youth, taught me the fundamentals of the art. Having learnt to box, it gave me the strength of mind and the presence to avoid fighting. When I discovered martial arts through the local bookshop, the patterns of movements seemed straightforward enough. I mimicked them, and that led me to the meditation side. Reading books soon became too restrictive, but there were no classes anywhere near where I lived. I had to wait until I was fourteen for a Wado Ryu class to open in my local community centre.

After six months, my sensei, a 3rd kyu, had reached his limit with me, and I began helping him teach! I loved teaching, but I was not learning anything new and became bored.

My pocket money and Saturday job allowed me to attend other classes in Southampton and later Poole, which were much better. Meditation was part of many of these lessons, and that encouraged me to pursue that element. Dating a Yoga teacher increased my flexibility and meditation, and I taught her some of my martial arts skills in return.

Working as an educator gives you definitely an interesting outlook on how the mindset of people have changed over the years and the reception of certain values exists or doesn’t? How do you feel a man of your experience or rather how can your experience and knowledge be useful for younger generations to be passed on to? I mean this in a sense of things beyond popular marketable mindfulness fad?

When I started to teach others, I realised that I was being taught at the same time, thus deepening my understanding at every stage. Students are always surprised when I teach enrichment martial arts and internal energy to year 12s. 

In my everyday teaching, currently Mathematics, my classroom control and rapport are enhanced by my prior learning. I try, but don’t always succeed, in exuding a calming presence. Often, there are discussions on being here in the moment, I like to call it Zen by stealth, where I try and get them to be in the moment rather than just in the room. I use humour where possible to help facilitate this.

What inspires you these days?

Others, as it has always been for me, nature plays a large role too.

Seeing what others can do, music, art, prose, and the physical. I am inspired by and in awe of those better than me; I aspire to exceed my previous expectations, not theirs. This is the way … and I said that before the Madelorians did.

You are working on a series of books in different genres but also with different messages? Can you please tell us a little bit about them?

Currently:

I am the process of completing book five of five, The Power Within, about a young man’s physical and spiritual journey through life. The book contains some facts that link to my life and those around me, and I leave it to the reader to try and decide which parts are fact and which are fiction. 

Phase Shift started from a dream in 2002, when I sometimes felt like I was there, but not there. Ignored by those around me, I just did not want to connect too deeply with anyone. Broken hearts need time to heal. The main characters are forced to exist, ‘living on the outside’, until the realisation hits them and the rest of humankind. The Phase Shifters are the next step in human evolution. I am writing the second book in this series.

The JR mysteries is coming along nicely and is based on the real story behind COVID-19.

The second book has already started and includes current events in 2025. 

Ikons is a 10-book saga based around the chakras, and how they can be used and abused.

How do you organise your creative work in terms of routine and gathering ideas?

Mostly, I have flashes of inspiration that I write down, based on what is happening in the world and closer to home, and these ‘snip bits’ coalesce into frameworks, and they go from there. I research from the Internet and other sources to include the factual parts of my books and the rest comes from my experiences and logic.

Plans for the future?

I have six children’s books, a few textbooks, one about easy Japanese, basic photography, another one about Mathematics as an art form, four other novels in the notes stage, and some self-help books including anti-bullying at school and in the workplace; and a book of poetry written over the past 40 plus years, with other textbooks with vague outlines. These are books on the ‘back-burner’ for when I get time to write them; most of the frameworks are there, waiting for me.