On this day….(March 4)

On this day, 4 March 1952, David Frederick Hazard, a well-respected Shotokan karate practitioner, was born in Bow, London. Dave Hazard began his karate training aged sixteen at the KUGB affiliated Blackfriars Karate Club, under the instruction of Keinosuke Enoeda. Like most martial artists who had started training at the time, Hazard had begun his …

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On this day….(March 3)

On this day, 3 March 1946, British Shotokan instructor, Robert Rhodes, was born in Leeds, England. Rhodes began his training aged twenty, at the Leeds Shotokan Karate Club (Leeds SKC), under the instruction of Ronnie Wade. As a green belt Rhodes started competing at the Karate Union of Great Britain (KUGB) National Championships where he …

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On this day….(March 2)

On this day, 2 March 1960, Gichin Funkoshi’s eldest son, Yoshihide, died aged 71. Yoshihide Funakoshi is not as well known as his more talented younger brother Yoshitaka(Gigo). Little is known about his karate ability. In his youth Yoshihide had trained under Master Yasutsune Itosu alongside his father. Master Funikoshi and his eldest son had a …

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On this day….(March 1)

On this day, 1 March 1962, the British Karate Federation (BKF) issued a club affiliation certificate to the Liverpool Karate Club. The club, formed in 1959 under Fred Giles, would eventually come to be known as the Red Triangle Shotokan Karate Club. Initially club members received instruction from Vernon Bell, Terry Wingrove and Tetsuji Murakami. However, …

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On this day….(February 27)

On this day, 27 February 1948, Terence (Terry) O’Neill, one of the best karateka ever produced in Britain, was born in Liverpool, England. O’Neill began his karate training in 1963 when as a sixteen year old he lied about his age, on his application to join the British Karate Federation (BKF). Under Keinosuke Enoeda and the …

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On this day….(February 24)

On this day, 24 February 1941, Shotokan master, Masahiko Tanaka, was born in Tokyo, Japan. Known for his great skill in kumite, Tanaka, a long time member of the JKA, won the 1st and 2nd IAKF World Karate Championships held in Los Angeles and Bremen. He also won the JKA All-Japan Individual kumite on two occasions. …

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On this day….(February 23)

On this day, 23 February 1966, Edward Whitcher and Robert Williams of the British Karate Federation’s London dojo are graded to 1st kyu by Hirokazu Kanazawa. They were the first students in Britain to be graded to 1st kyu by the Japan Karate Association.

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On this day….(February 22)

On this day, 22 February 1964, Hiroo Mochizuki, representing Yoseikan Karate, arrived in the UK for a three day visit. He was invited by the British Karate Federation (BKF) to conduct lessons at their London and York dojos. He also conducted a grading at the York dojo.

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On this day….(February 21)

On this day, 21 February 1956, the earliest known letter is written by Vernon Bell to Henri Plee. It is believed that Bell wrote to the Fédération Française de Karaté on becoming affiliated with them. On this day, 21 February 1995, Stephen Cattle died following an epileptic fit. He was only forty-seven. Until his untimely death Cattle …

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On this day….(February 20)

On this day, 20 February 1986, Kata World Champion Rika Usami was born in Tokyo, Japan. A student of Karate master Yoshimi Inoue, Usami won the 2012 WKF World Championship Kata final held in Paris, France. She is known for her grace, strength and speed that mesmerize in equal measures.

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