Rikuta Koga

A stalwart of European Shotokan Karate, Rikuta Koga has been at the forefront of developing Shotokan Karate in Europe. A popular instructor known for his technical ability, he is a frequent guest instructor on courses around the world. Rikuta Koga was born on 3 August 1941, in Fukuoka, Japan. In April 1960 Koga enrolled at …

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Michael Randall

You will only get out of Karate what you put into it and that is the most important lesson. There are no secrets in Karate, you have to live it and experience it to discover all it has to offer. Michael Randall Known for his technical ability and his attention to detail, Michael Randall was …

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Toshio Yamada

Considered one of the best Shotokan practitioners of his generation, Toshio Yamada was largely influenced by Taiji Kase and Hirokazu Kanazawa. A quiet man, he was not one to give interviews. He let his teaching and Karate, do his talking. Toshio Yamada was born on 18 April 1950, in Osaka, Japan. Yamada enrolled at Takushoku …

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Greer Golden

One of the first non-Japanese Shotokan instructors in the United States, Greer Golden was a great communicator. He was well respected by his students and peers alike. Greer Golden was born on 12 March 1937, in Washington, DC. He and his family moved to southwestern Florida, where he grew up playing in the great outdoors. …

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Nick Da Costa

If you can control distance, you can control the fight. Nick Da Costa One of the most successful British Kyokushin competitors, Nick Da Costa competed in what many people consider to be the golden age of Kyokushin Karate. Nicholas Antonio Constantino Da Costa was born in January 1961 in London. Growing up, he was a …

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Kenji Kurosaki

In my eyes, Kyodo is the purest of all martial arts, an archer is of all budokas the one who cares least about winning or losing. For him, only Budo exists. Kenji Kurosaki Known as a pioneer of kickboxing and Muay Thai in Japan, Kenji Kurosaki’s contribution to the history of Kyokushin Karate has been …

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Shiro Asano

Technique comes to some students quickly and to others slowly. But, with more training, everything grows. Students must ‘nichi nichi no keko’ – train harder, over and over again. Shiro Asano A no-nonsense karateka and a man of few words, hard training has been a way of life for Shiro Asano. He has always been …

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This week in history…(15 January – 21 January)

15 January On 15 January 1963 Akiyoshi (Shokei) Matsui was born in Chiba, Japan. Of Korean heritage, he was named Moon Jang-gyu. Considered by some to be a “Kyokushin Karate genius“, Shokei Matsui was the youngest man to become Kyokushin World Champion. A tough competitor, he won 50 out of 56 fights. He is also …

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Yukichi Tabata

Nicknamed the ‘Happy Giant’ because of his easy-going demeanour, Yukichi Tabata stood over 6 ft, which was tall for a Japanese man. A member of the Japanese National Team for many years, he had a reputation for being a very tough fighter. Yukichi Tabata was born in Japan in 1943. After graduating from university in …

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Yuichi Sato

I have to admit, when I felt my strength starting to diminish, I hated it and it was also a motivation for me. I don’t want to show weakness. The difference today is that I am no longer looking for an immediate result. I look for technical progress, hip, mobility, shoulder placement, what location, what …

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