Category: Moments in history

This week in history (10 December – 16 December)

10 December On 10 December 1933 Shotokan master, Takayuki Mikami, was born in Nigata Prefecture Japan. He was the first professional Karate instructor to be sent by the JKA to teach Karate full-time in another country. Mikami arrived in Tokyo in 1952  to study Japanese Literature at Hosei University. Being a farm boy in a big …

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This week in history (3 December – 9 December)

3 December On 3 December 1941 Shoshin Nagamine gave a public Karate demonstration to members of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Force and an assortment of dignitaries, including the Police Chief Cabinet secretary and his deputy, plus members of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (Martial Arts section).  Born 15 July 1907 in Naha, Okinawa, Nagamine is the founder …

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This week in history (26 November – 2 December)

26 November On 26 November 1988 the 3rd Shotokan Karate International (SKI) World Championships began at the Utsunomiya Grand Hotel, in Japan. Hirokazu Kanazawa gave the opening speech to the Championships. In the men’s kata final K Kato defeated M Murakami. Both men performed the kata Unsu. The woman’s individual kata title was won by S Mukai of …

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This week in history (19 November – 25 November)

19 November On 19 November 1963 Shotokai master, Mitsusuke Harada arrived in England from Belgium following an invitation from Judo great, Kenshiro Abbe. Harada had started his Karate training in 1943 nder Gichin Funakoshi and Shigeru Egami.  Kenishiro Abbe’s organisation, the British Budo Council, had invited Harada to give a Karate demonstration at the Royal Albert Hall during the National Judo Championships, on 23 November 1963. Although billed as …

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This week in history (12 November – 18 November)

12 November On 12 November 1964 Julie Nicholson was born in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear.  Nicholson started Shotokan Karate under the guidance of John Holdsworth and Jeff Barwick, at the age of nine. She eventually came under the instruction of Keinosuke Enoeda.  She began her competitive career in 1976 eventually becoming a member of the KUGB (Karate Union of …

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This week in history (5 November – 11 November)

5 November On 5 November 1961 a Karate exhibition was held at the Honolulu Civic Auditorium, sponsored by the Hawaii Karate Congress. Several top Japanese martial artists, including  Goju-Ryu’s Kanki Izumikawa and Shotokan’s Hidetaka Nishiyama and Hirokazu Kanazawa, displayed their skills to an attentive crowd. ******************************************** On 5 November 1963 Masters Masatoshi Nakayama, Hiroshi Shoji, Keinosuke Enoeda, Toru Iwaizumi and Katsuya Kisaka arrived to teach Shotokan Karate in Indonesia. …

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This week in history (29 October – 4 November)

29 October On 29 October 1939 Shiro Asano was born in Tokyo.  A student of Masatoshi Nakayama, Asano attended the Takushoku University becoming a prominent member of the university’s famed Karate club. In 1957 he won the inaugural All Japan Universities Championship. This was followed by another win in 1958.  After graduating from university Asano enrolled on the Japan …

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This week in history (22 October – 28 October)

25 October On 25 October 2013 Scottish karate-ka David Coulter took part in the annual 100 Kata Challenge. The 100 Kata Challenge is a worldwide event to commemorate Okinawa Karate Day. Participants have to perform 100 repetitions of a Karate kata of their choice. 26 October On 26 October 1957 the Federation Internationale De Karate (FIK) …

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This week in history (15 October – 21 October)

17 October On 17 October 1974 Karate instructor Doug James ran his very first beginner’s class at the Harrarby Community Center. The name of his club was the Cumbria School of Karate. This club would eventually become the headquarters (Hombu) of his association, the British Karate-Do Chojinkai Association (BKCA). The BKCA comprises of clubs in Cumbria, North …

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This week in history (8 October – 14 October)

8 October On 8 October 1953 Gōju-ryu founder Chōjun Miyagi died, aged only sixty-five. Born on the island of Okinawa, Miyagi had begun his training in 1902 under Master Kanryo Higaonna. By 1915 Miyagi had become one of Higaonna’s top students. Miyagi’s Karate style of Gōju-ryu was introduced to Japan in 1928 via the Kyōto …

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