Category: On this day

This week in history (28 Jan – 3 Feb)

29 January On 29 January 1962, one of the founders of the French Karate movement, Jim Alcheik, was assassinated, aged only 31. Alchiek is  widely regarded as one of the greatest martial artists to come out of Europe. He held a 4th Dan in Aikido, a 2nd Dan in Karate, a 2nd Dan in Kendo and …

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This week in history (21 Jan – 27 Jan)

22 January On 22 January 1964 the British Karate Federation (BKF) formally accepted the Japan Karate Association’s (JKA) invitation to become their agents in Great Britain’ This was in response to a letter dated 19 December 1963.  In the letter, written by Vernon Bell to Masatomo Takagi, the BKF agreed to the following terms with the JKA:  The payment of a registration fee …

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This week in history (14 Jan – 20 Jan)

20 January On 20 January 1909 Gōju-ryu legend, Gōgen Yamaguchi, was born. Nicknamed the Cat, he was famed for his feline-like speed and prowess.  Yamaguchi was a direct student of Gōju-ryu Karate founder, Chojun Miyagi. He began training with him in 1929.   ********************************************  On 20 January 1938 Cyril Cummins, a pioneer of Shotokan in Central England, was born.   Cummins began his Karate training in 1964 at the Kyu-Shin-Kan School of Judo Ltd, Located …

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This week in history (7 Jan – 13 Jan)

8 January On 8 January 1945 Pauline Bindra (nee Laville), who holds the distinction of being the first woman in Britain to earn a JKA (Japan Karate Association) black belt in Karate, was born in Middlesbrough, England.   Pauline Bindra has had a great influence on British Karate. Apart from the personal accolades of being the first female black belt in Britain and one of the highest ranked …

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This week in history (31 December – 6 Jan)

1 January On 1 January 1913 Motonobu Hironishi, an early student of Gichin Funakoshi, was born in Kyoto, Japan.  Hironishi began his Karate training in 1931 at Waseda University under both Gichin and Yoshitaka Funakoshi’s direction. He was a contemporary and good friend of Shigeru Egami at Waseda. Both men would go on to teach at the original Shotokan dojo located in Zoshigaya, Toshima Ward, Tokyo. Following Gichin …

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This week in history (24 December – 30 December)

25 December On 25 December 1938 Goju-ryu Karate master, Morio Higaonna, was born in Naha, Okinawa. Higaonna began his Karate journey by first studying Shorin-ryu Karate. He later changed to Goju-ryu Karate, studying under Ei’ichi Miyazato, the most senior student of Goju-ryu founder Chojun Miyagi. Higaonna was awarded his 1st Dan by Miyazato in 1957. He has gone on …

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This week in history (17 December – 23 December)

On 19 December 1963 Vernon Bell received a letter from Masatomo Takagi, the General Manager of the Japan Karate Association (JKA), requesting that the British Karate Federation (BKF) officially act as the authorized representative of the JKA in Britain. Earlier that year Bell had received a letter from Takagi indicating that Tetsuji Murakami (Yoseikan Karate), …

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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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