Tag: Gichin Funakoshi

This week in history (7 May – 13 May)

On 8 May 1941, Terence ‘Terry’ Stanley Victor Wingrove, an early practitioner of Karate in Britain, was born in London. Wingrove started practicing Judo and Jujitsu in 1957 under Vernon Bell, who later invited him to take part in a Karate lesson with the British Karate Federation (BKF) in 1959. He was eighteen at the time. …

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This week in history (30 April – 6 May)

On 30 April 1957 the British Karate Federation (BKF) held its very first grading in Britain, on the lawn at 12 Maybush Road, Hornchurch. Two students, Trevor Guilfoyle and Gerald Tucker were both graded to 6th kyu. On 3 May 1931, Shotokan master and legend, Hirokazu Kanazawa, was born in Miyako, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. Kanazawa, a student of …

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This week in history (23 April – 29 April)

On 24 April 1965 the second authorized demonstration given by the JKA in Britain took place at the Hornsey Town Hall, London. The event was organised by Vernon Bell. The JKA party were led by Taiji Kase, who had trained at the original  Shotokan dojo; and also contained Hirokazu Kanazawa, Keinosuke Enoeda and Hiroshi Shirai, who were …

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This week in history (9 April – 15 April)

On April 11, 1907, Minoru Mochizuki, the founder of the Yoseikan dojo, was born in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Mochizuki was one of the few men to have been a direct student of the three great Budo masters, Jigoro Kano, Morihei Uesiba and Gichin Funakoshi. An accomplished martial artist, Mochizuki held a 10th Dan in Aikido; a …

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This week in history (26 March – 1 April)

On March 26 1915 Ankō Itosu died. Itosu, who was a direct student of Sokon Matsumura, was responsible for the introduction of Tode as a form of physical education into the elementary school system of Okinawa in 1901. Itosu had a number of notable students including Gichin Funakoshi, Kenwa Mabuni, Chosin Chibana and Kentsu Yabu. …

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Cover Star: Taiji Kase

Considered one of the best ever Shotokan practitioners, Taiji Kase trained under some of the greatest Shotokan master. This included Gichin Funakoshi, Yoshitaka Funakoshi, Shigeru Egami, Genshin Hironishi and Masatoshi Nakayama. It was Kase that led the JKA delegation, including Hirokazu Kanazawa, Keinosuke Enoeda and Hiroshi Shirai, that gave a series of demonstrations introducing the …

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This week in history (19 March – 25 March)

On 20 March 1928 Gichin Funakoshi gave a Karate display, with fifteen of his students, at the Sainei-kan Training Hall located within the Imperial Palace grounds.The demonstration was given after an invitation by the Imperial Household. ******************************************** On 20 March 1955 The Japan Karate Association (JKA) was founded. Masatoshi Nakayama was appointed the Chief Instructor of the JKA …

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This week in history (5 March – 11 March)

On 6 March 1921 Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan Karate, led a Karate demonstration in front of Crown Prince Hirohito. The demonstration was performed at the Great Hall of Shuri Castle, in Okinawa. Crown Prince Hirohito had visited Okinawa while en-route to a visit to Europe. The ship’s captain Norikazu Kanna, was an Okinawan by …

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Cover Star: Osamu Ozawa

Osamu Ozawa is a legendary Shotokan master. In 1944 he was promoted to black belt by Shotokan founder, Gichin Funakoshi. Having moved to the United States in the 1960s, Ozawa hosted the first Traditional Karate Tournament in Las Vegas. This initial tournament only had thirty competitors. It would go on to become one of the …

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This week in history (26 February – 4 March)

On 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 JKA, he earned …

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