Apr 23 2020
I first came across this concept in the 1993 Michael Crichton film, Rising Sun, starring Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes. In the film, we see the informal relationship between the sempai (senior), Connery and his kohai (junior), Snipes, as they try to solve a murder. The sempai/kohai relationship is an integral part of Japanese culture, …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/musings-the-sempai-kohai-relationship/
Apr 21 2020
Interview conducted by Neil Horton. Interview taken from World Budo Development Society Newsletter dated February 2020. I was delighted when Shihan Jacques Payet agreed to be interviewed by me for the WBDS Newsletter. He has a great deal of history and experience which is evident in the ensuing interview. He left his native France to …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/interview-shihan-jacques-payet/
Apr 20 2020
20 April On 20 April 1960, Luis Maria Sanz was born in Vallodolid, Spain. He has been described as “the last link between traditional and competitive Karate“. Luis Maria Sanz holds a notable place in competitive Karate, being the first non-Japanese man and the first Shotokan karateka to become WKF World champion in 1992. On …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-20-apr-26-apr/
Apr 13 2020
13 April On 13 April 1973, Miyuki Mimura became the next man to complete the 100-Man Kumite Challenge. However, there would be a 13-year wait until the next successful challenge completion. Perhaps the most unique challenge in all of Karate is Kyokushin Karate’s Hyakunin Kumite or 100-man Kumite Challenge. Devised by Kyokushin Karate founder, Mas …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-13-apr-19-apr/
Apr 06 2020
7 April On 7 April 1963 Yoshiaki Ajari a student of Hironri Ohtsuka, established the United States Wado-Kai Karate-Do Federation. Ajari had originally moved to the United States in 1957 to study Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley. On 7 April 2004, American Karate pioneer, Peter Urban died. Urban began training in Goju-ryu Karate …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-6-april-12-april/
Mar 30 2020
31 March On 31 March 1921, Tetsuji Murakami was born in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Described as a Karate missionary, Murakami began teaching Karate across Europe and North Africa during the infancy of the art outside of Japan. He was one of the first Japanese instructors to settle in Europe. Growing up Murakami was not interested …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-30-march-5-april/
Mar 23 2020
23 March On 23 March 1996, South African, Marius Schoeman, became the thirteenth man to complete the 100-Man Kumite Challenge. 25 March On 25 March 2017, Hiroki Kurosawa died from acute heart failure. He was only 54 years old. At his family’s request, he was cremated in a small private summer ceremony. One of the …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-23-march-29-march/
Mar 16 2020
17 March On 17 March 1990, the 7th World Championships (3rd Shoto Cup) took place at the Crowtree Leisure Centre, Sunderland, England. The two-day saw competitors from thirty countries taking part in seven events, i.e. four individual events and three team events. 18 March On 18 March 1964 Shotokan legend Keinosuke Enoeda was promoted to …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-16-march-22-march/
Mar 09 2020
10 March On 10 March 1945, the Shotokan dojo was destroyed during the bombing raid of Tokyo by American B29 bombers, during World War II. The bombing raid had started the previous evening. An estimated 1665 tons of bombs were dropped on Tokyo. Much of Tokyo was destroyed, with an estimate 100000 people losing their …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-9-march-15-march/
Mar 02 2020
2 March On 2 March 1955, Henri Plee was a founding member of the Federation Francais de Karate et Boxe Libre. He became the Federation’s first General Secretary. On 2 March 1960, Gichin Funakoshi’s eldest son, Yoshihide, died aged 71. Yoshihide Funakoshi is not as well known as his more talented younger brother Yoshitaka (Gigo). …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-2-march-8-march/
Recent Comments