Shinji Tanaka

A 9-time SKIF Japan Champion, Shinji Tanaka is a much-in-demand international instructor. An instructor at the SKIF Hombu, he is known for his immense technical ability.

Shinji Tanaka was born in December 1967, in Kansai, Japan. His father was a Karate instructor affiliated with the JKA and taught in the Shiga Prefecture.

In 1972 Tanaka began learning Karate at his father’s dojo, at age 5. He trained at the dojo until he was 18 years old.

Tanaka’s father had a deep respect for Hirokazu Kanazawa. In 1982 he left the JKA and became affiliated with Kanazawa’s SKIF (Shotokan Karate International Federation).

In 1990, after leaving Seta High School, Tanaka joined the Navy instead of enrolling at university.

In the Navy, Tanaka continued his Karate training. He was selected to be a member of the Navy’s martial arts demonstration team.

Tanaka demonstrated Karate while other members of the team demonstrated Judo, Kendo, and other martial arts. He and the team gave demonstrations at embassies when their ship was sent abroad. The demos aimed to showcase martial arts as a cultural heritage of Japan. The team also taught courses in the countries they visited.

The 5th SKIF World Championships were held in Yokohama, Japan, in 1994. Tanaka won a bronze medal in the Individual Kumite event behind Manabu Murakami and Nobuaki Kanazawa.

In 1995 Tanaka left the Navy after five years. He enrolled on the SKIF trainee course at the SKIF Hombu in Tokyo. His sempai was Manubu Murakami.

It was during his training course that Tanaka began teaching. After graduating from the course, Russia was the first country he visited as an instructor.

In 1997 the SKIF World Championships were held in Milan, Italy. Competing in the Individual Kumite event, Tanaka won a silver medal.

The following SKIF World Championships were held in Durban, South Africa. Competing in the Individual Kata event, Tanaka won a silver medal.

Shinji Tanaka has appeared in many of Hirokazu Kanazawa’s instructional books and videos alongside Nobuaki Kanazawa and Manabu Murakami, performing kata and kumite techniques.

Tanaka is a much in-demand instructor, frequently travelling around the world to conduct, training, courses, and seminars.