Tag: Japanese

Yosuke Yamashita

I think it would be a fundamental point for every practitioner to study the history of Karate in more depth. Yosuke Yamashita Known as the “Samurai of Puerto del Sol“, Yosuke Yamashita was a pioneer of Goju–Ryu Karate in Spain. He was at the forefront of the development of Goju–Ryu in Europe. His many students …

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Atsuo Hiruma

When I started, it was quite hard, with rigid muscles. Now it has softened a lot, like Kung-Fu type, you have to achieve speed and power, but without going overboard in the latter. Atsuo Hiruma One of the few men to have trained with both Gichin Funakoshi and Shigeru Egami, Atsuo Hiruma was the first …

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Norio Kawasoe

Known for his crisp and precise techniques, Norio Kawasoe was a much-respected instructor who was frequently invited to teach courses worldwide. Norio Kawasoe was born on 11 April 1951, in Saga, Japan. He began practising Shotokan Karate at Saga High School. In 1970 Kawasoe enrolled at Takushoku University. He joined the university’s Karate club, training …

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Katsuya Kisaka

Known for his aggressive fighting style, and exceptional kicking ability, Katsuya Kisaka was the Chief Instructor of the JKA New Jersey dojo for over 40 years. Katsuya Kisaka was born in Hiroshima, Japan, on 21 July 1937 On 6 August 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Kisaka’s home city of Hiroshima, during …

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Rikuta Koga

A stalwart of European Shotokan Karate, Rikuta Koga has been at the forefront of developing Shotokan Karate in Europe. A popular instructor known for his technical ability, he is a frequent guest instructor on courses around the world. Rikuta Koga was born on 3 August 1941, in Fukuoka, Japan. In April 1960 Koga enrolled at …

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Toshio Yamada

Considered one of the best Shotokan practitioners of his generation, Toshio Yamada was largely influenced by Taiji Kase and Hirokazu Kanazawa. A quiet man, he was not one to give interviews. He let his teaching and Karate, do his talking. Toshio Yamada was born on 18 April 1950, in Osaka, Japan. Yamada enrolled at Takushoku …

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Kenji Kurosaki

In my eyes, Kyodo is the purest of all martial arts, an archer is of all budokas the one who cares least about winning or losing. For him, only Budo exists. Kenji Kurosaki Known as a pioneer of kickboxing and Muay Thai in Japan, Kenji Kurosaki’s contribution to the history of Kyokushin Karate has been …

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Shiro Asano

Technique comes to some students quickly and to others slowly. But, with more training, everything grows. Students must ‘nichi nichi no keko’ – train harder, over and over again. Shiro Asano A no-nonsense karateka and a man of few words, hard training has been a way of life for Shiro Asano. He has always been …

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Yukichi Tabata

Nicknamed the ‘Happy Giant’ because of his easy-going demeanour, Yukichi Tabata stood over 6 ft, which was tall for a Japanese man. A member of the Japanese National Team for many years, he had a reputation for being a very tough fighter. Yukichi Tabata was born in Japan in 1943. After graduating from university in …

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Yuichi Sato

I have to admit, when I felt my strength starting to diminish, I hated it and it was also a motivation for me. I don’t want to show weakness. The difference today is that I am no longer looking for an immediate result. I look for technical progress, hip, mobility, shoulder placement, what location, what …

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