Tag: Hiroshi Shirai

This week in history (15 April – 21 April)

15 April On 15 April 1987 Shotokan Karate legend, Masatoshi Nakayama, died in Tokyo, Japan aged 74 years. Nakayama guided the JKA through its difficult early days and through his hard work made it into one of the biggest and most respected Shotokan associations in the world. Many of the students trained by Nakayama describe …

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Hidetaka Nishiyama

Martial arts philosophy is not based on victory or fighting, but rather on finding a way to avoid violence through having the ability to defend yourself if needed. In Karate, through self-defence techniques we develop the awareness and sensitivity to the person facing us, we learn to feel the danger and go around it. Hidetaka …

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This week in history (24 Mar – 31 Mar)

On 30 March, 2003 Shotokan Karate master, Keinosuke Enoeda, died from stomach cancer Born on 4th July 1935 in  Fukuoka, Japan, to a family descended from the samurai, Enoeda attended Takushoku University, where he trained under Masatoshi Nakayama. He was a graduate of the JKA’s Instructors Course and was also a former JKA All-Japan Champion …

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This week in history (4 Feb – 10 Feb)

4 February On 4 February 1949, Michael Nursey, a founding member of the English Shotokan Karate Association (ESKA) was born. Nursey started training in Karate when he was eighteen, under Keinosuke Enoeda and John Van Weenen. After achieving his 4th Kyu Nursey continued his training with Hirokazu Kanazawa, Shiro Asano and Michael Randall.  Nursey gained is 1st Dan in …

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This week in history (26 November – 2 December)

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 …

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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 (16 April – 22 April)

On 20 April 1966 Edward Whitcher becomes the first British student to be graded to black belt by Hirokazu Kanazawa under the JKA. He has been described as the finest Shotokan karate-ka produced by Britain. He started his Karate training with the British Karate Federation in 1963. Whitcher was a founding member of the Karate Union of …

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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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Cover Star: Tetsuhiko Asai

Tetsuhiko Asai was one of the most unique legends to come out of the Japan Karate Association (JKA). Extremely nimble, he employed ducking, jumping and spinning techniques against his opponents, making it very difficult to defend against his attacks. He is a former JKA All Japan Karate Grand Champion, defeating the likes of  Hiroshi Shirai …

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