Nov 25 2019
25 November On 25 November 1948 the founder of the Okinawan Karate style Uechi-ryu, Kanbun Uechi, died aged 71. Born into a family of farmers, in 1897 Uechi fled his native Okinawa to avoid conscription into the Japanese army. He travelled to Fuzhou (Fuchou) in the Fukien Province of China. Looking to learn martial arts, …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-25-november-1-december/
Oct 07 2019
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 …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-7-october-13-october/
Sep 09 2019
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 …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-9-september-15-september/
Jun 03 2019
3 June On 3 June 1922 the earliest known Japanese newspaper article on Karate was published in the Tokyo Nichinichi Shinbun. The title of the article was “The Mystical Martial Art – Karate: (Chinese Fist) from Ryukyu (Okinawa Prefecture). Wonderful Technique to Defend from an Opponent with Bare Hands. Kodokan to Study“. ******************************************** On 3 …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-3-june-9-june/
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. …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-22-april-28-april/
Jan 14 2019
20 January On 20 January 1909 Gōju-ryu legend, Gōgen Yamaguchi, was born. Nicknamed the Cat, he was famed for his feline-like speed and prowess. Yamaguchi was a direct student of Gōju-ryu Karate founder, Chojun Miyagi. He began training with him in 1929. ******************************************** On 20 January 1938 Cyril Cummins, a pioneer of Shotokan in Central England, was born. Cummins began his Karate training in 1964 at the Kyu-Shin-Kan School of Judo Ltd, Located …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-14-jan-20-jan/
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 …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-24-december-30-december/
Nov 26 2018
26 November On 26 November 1988 the 3rd Shotokan Karate International (SKI) World Championships began at the Utsunomiya Grand Hotel, in Japan. Hirokazu Kanazawa gave the opening speech to the Championships. In the men’s kata final K Kato defeated M Murakami. Both men performed the kata Unsu. The woman’s individual kata title was won by S Mukai of …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-26-november-2-december/
Oct 08 2018
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 Master 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 …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-8-october-14-october/
May 14 2018
On 15 May 1947 Steve Cattle was born. Until his untimely death, aged only forty-seven, he was one of the longest practicing Shotokan practitioners in Britain. He was also a keen historian of Karate. Nicknamed ‘Stumpy’ as he was only 5ft 6in, Cattle began training in Judo in 1961, eventually reaching the rank of 2nd Dan. He …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-14-may-20-may/
Recent Comments