Category: This week in history

This week in history (21 October – 27 October)

25 October On 21 October 1941 Edward Arthur Whitcher he was born in Dagenham, Essex. Whitcher started training at the  dawn of Karate in the United Kingdom. He was the first British subject to be promoted to 3rd Dan from the Japanese Karate Association (JKA), at their Tokyo headquarters in 1971. ******************************************** On 25 October 2013 …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-21-october-27-october/

Moments in history: The 1990 World Shotokan Championships

In 1972 at the WUKO World Championships, the Japanese team, containing many members of the JKA walked out of the tournament. They were unhappy at some of the officiating against their competitors. As a result of the walkout, Japanese officials and competitors were sanctioned by the World Union of Karatedo Organisations (WUKO) and the Federation …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/moments-in-history-the-1990-world-shotokan-championships/

This week in history (14 October – 20 October)

17 October On 17 October 1974 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 …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-14-october-20-october/

This week in history (7 October – 13 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 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 Imperial …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-7-october-13-october/

This week in history (30 September – 6 October)

4 October On 4 October 1924, Motokuni Sugiura, a former Chief Instructor of the JKA, was born in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Sugiura was promoted to 1st Dan by the age of 20. At university he had been taught be Gichin Funakoshi and his son Yoshitaka. After he graduated in 1944 he joined the Tsuchiura Navy …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-30-september-6-october/

This week in history (23 September – 29 September)

24 September On 24 September 2004 noted martial artist Teruo Hayashi died from lung cancer in Osaka, Japan. Described as one of the last great Japanese Budo masters,  Hayashi is the founder of the Hayashi-Ha branch of Shito-ryu Karate. He trained under some of the greats of Japanese and Okinawan Karate, including Seiko Higa, Kenko …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-23-september-29-september/

This week in history (16 September – 22 September)

21 September On 21 September 1980 Ronnie Christopher was promoted to 1st Dan by Keinosuke Enoeda. One of the best competitors of his generation, Christopher won numerous titles nationally and internationally. He was part of the British team that won the 1990 Shoto Cup in Sunderland, England, defeating the previously undefeated Japan in the team …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-16-september-22-september/

This week in history (9 September – 15 September)

9 September On 9 September 2015 Goju-ryu master, Teruo Chinen, died in Spokane, United States. Born in 1941, Chinen trained as a teenager under Goju-ryu founder, Chojun Miyagi. He later trained extensively under one of Miyagi’s main students, Ei’ichi Miyazato. Chinen first travelled to the United States in 1969, initially for what was meant to …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-9-september-15-september/

This week in history (2 September – 8 September)

4 September On 4 September 1931 Kenneth Funakoshi, a distant relative of Shotokan Karate founder, Gichin Funakoshi, was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. Hirokazu Kanazawa, a former Grand Champion in Japan, had arrived in Hawaii in 1960 to represent the Japan Karate Association (JKA) as Chief Instructor at the behest of Masatoshi Nakayama. Funakoshi who was …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-2-september-8-september/

This week in history (26 August – 1 September)

26 August On 26 August 1941 Karate instructor and humanitarian, John Van Weenen, was born in Enfield, just outside London. He was the second of six children. In 1964 Van Weenen along with his brothers Jeff and Garry emigrated to Australia settling in Adelaide. He and his brother Jeff began Karate training under Moss Hollis, …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-26-august-1-september/