Apr 29 2019
30 April On 30 April 1957 the British Karate Federation (BKF) held its very first grading. Two students, Trevor Guilfoyle and Gerald Tucker, were graded to 6th Kyu. The grading took place on the lawn of 12 Maybush Road, Hornchurch, Essex. The grading was conducted by Vernon Bell. 1 May On 1 May 1949 the …
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Apr 22 2019
24 April On 24 April 1965 a JKA group of instructors consisting of Taiji Kase, Hirokazu Kanazawa, Keinosuke Enoeda and Hiroshi Shirai gave their second authorised demonstration at the Hornsey Town Hall, London. The group had been invited to the UK by Vernon Bell‘s British Karate Federation (BKF), who were now affiliated to the JKA. …
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Apr 08 2019
8 April On 8 April 1944 Michael Randall, who was training in Karate prior to the arrival of the JKA in Britain, was born. Randall joined the British Karate Federation (BKF) in 1964. As a member of the BKF he had the opportunity to train under Tetsuji Murakami and Hiroo Mochizuki. After the arrival of the …
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Feb 25 2019
27 February On 27 February 1948 Terence (Terry) O’Neill, one of the best karate-ka 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 …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-25-feb-3-mar/
Feb 18 2019
20 February On 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 mesmerise in equal measures. 21 February On 21 February …
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Feb 11 2019
11 February On 11 February 1966 Jack Green, instructor of the British Karate Federation’s Blackpool dojo was graded to 1st Dan under Keinosuke Enoeda. He was the third man in Great Britain to be awarded his 1st Dan, after Andy Sherry and Joseph Chialton had been graded the previous day in Liverpool. 17 February On …
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Jan 28 2019
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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Jan 21 2019
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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Dec 31 2018
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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Dec 24 2018
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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