PROJECT
『 DEATH GYM 』
Term: 2023.01.17 ～ PRESENT
Location: JAPAN
HOKKAIDO, WASSAMU
【 https://www.deathgym.com 】
"Wassamu is a small town of approximately 3,000 residents in northern Hokkaido. It is surprisingly accessible, located one hour by car from Hokkaido's secondary hub of Asahikawa, served by the JR Soya Main Line, and connected by an expressway interchange. The local climate has four sharp, distinct seasons: cherry blossoms in spring, rich greenery in summer, deep crimson in autumn, and heavy snow throughout winter."
Origin & Catalyst
In February 2022, when official U.S. obligations required me to leave Japan on short notice, I arrived at several decisive conclusions. That departure was the direct catalyst for closing Z-Fighter's Gym on the mainland. I was forced to confront the fact that years of unreserved goodwill and open-handed charity had gone unreciprocated and unrespected. More critically, I realized that I had made insufficient provision for my own mortality; had I died, my daughter’s financial security and daily care would have been left vulnerable. I resolved to cut off unreciprocated philanthropy and focus entirely on engineering a solid foundation and self-sustaining systems to ensure my daughter is protected under any circumstance.
Overview
Death Gym is an unmanned private training facility built with commercial-grade equipment. Unlike standard commercial gyms driven purely by profit, it rejects commercial fluff in favor of an environment preserved strictly for those who value discipline and mutual respect. By offering free or discounted memberships to local first responders (police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and Self-Defense Forces personnel), wounded veterans, and serious lifters, Death Gym provides an honest, focused space where people of quiet honor and purpose train.
Mission
Tangible Outcomes for Society
// In rural areas facing depopulation and aging demographics, young people often hesitate to attempt independent ventures due to entrenched social stagnation. Arriving in northern Hokkaido as a complete outsider with neither local lineage nor family connections, I built a sustainable livelihood and facility from scratch without relying on bank loans or government subsidies, using only my own intellect and labor. This provides concrete evidence to the next generation that disciplined will and self-reliance can build a path anywhere.
// First responders—including Self-Defense Forces personnel, police, firefighters, and paramedics—along with disabled veterans risk their physical safety to protect the public and deserve concrete gratitude in any healthy society. Even in prolonged periods of peace when their sacrifices are taken for granted, their service is not overlooked here. Prioritizing duty and honor over profit, Death Gym provides these civil servants and wounded warriors with complimentary or deeply discounted memberships, demonstrating tangible respect for those who protect the community.
// Built to pursue substance and discipline rather than superficial advertising or mass-market appeal. Within a rural town of 3,000, Death Gym provides equipment that matches or exceeds major metropolitan facilities at an accessible rate, giving local residents an uncompromising place to build mental and physical toughness.
// Supports the athletic culture and health initiatives of Wassamu and neighboring towns by maintaining 24/7/365 operations. Running continuously through harsh sub-zero winters, it serves as dependable community infrastructure for anyone taking personal responsibility for their physical readiness.
Tangible Outcomes for My Daughter & Future Children
// While maintaining good relations with the local community, I never compromise ethics or the rule of law to accommodate social pressure or bad precedents. Setting a worthy example for my children requires the resolve to state plainly: "Regardless of how things were done in the past, this is unethical and against the law". Uncompromising integrity and adherence to statutory law form the indispensable foundation needed to protect a secure, dignified life for my family.
// Demonstrates through continuous action the practical value of financial independence, resourcefulness, and diligent labor while keeping my duties as a father first. Showing my children how to build and sustain an enterprise through self-reliance rather than dependency is the most effective education I can give them.
// Unlike standard commercial gyms, Death Gym is an unmanned facility requiring uncompromising adherence to cleanliness, respect, and order. Access is an earned privilege, not an entitlement. Through a strict "Royal Member" standard and a zero-tolerance policy for rule violations, I preserve a clean, quiet space. This strictness is not born of hostility, but of necessity: it preserves harmony with neighbors and ensures this training facility—representing tens of millions of 円 in physical property and equipment—passes cleanly to my daughter as a debt-free legacy.
