Tag: JKA Instructors Course

Yuko Hirayama

Budo, for me, is to face and confront yourself. Yuko Hirayama One of the few female JKA instructors, Yuko Hirayama is one of the only women to complete the JKA Instructors Course. She is the highest-ranked woman teaching at the JKA Hombu. Yuko Hirayama was born on 18 June 1969 in Yokohama, Japan. She was …

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Norihiko Iida

Masatoshi Nakayama, the former Chief Instructor of the JKA, once said of Norihiko Iida: Iida’s changing techniques are admirable. They bring to mind the mysterious technique of twirling one’s fingers as if to hypnotise a dragonfly. One never thinks he will fall for the trick, but in the end, he succumbs A powerfully built man, …

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Masao Kawasoe

Most people don’t understand the central role the hips have to play in Karate. Karate is about the hips first and then the other parts of the body coming into play picking up energy along the way. Masao Kawasoe The former Chief Instructor of the JKA, Masatoshi Nakayama, once said of Masao Kawasoe: Through his …

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Yutaka Yaguchi

I would be very sad if all I thought about was winning or losing. Winning or losing is not important, but learning the mental aspects are the real challenge and benefits of training. I place more emphasis on the mental aspects of training because this will take my students beyond just sport Karate. Yutaka Yaguchi …

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This week in history (28 Sep – 4 Oct)

28 September On 28 September 1897, Shinkin Gima was born in Shuri, Okinawa. Growing up he studied Karate under both Yasutsune Itosu and Kentsu Yabu before attending university in Tokyo. In 1922 he met and began training with Gichin Funakoshi. He was Funakoshi’s first black belt and would eventually reach the rank of 10th Dan. …

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James Field

Through teaching I learned that Karate is for everybody, not just athletes and competitors. Everybody can get something out of it… James Field A pioneer of American Shotokan Karate, James Field is one of the first four Americans certified to teach Shotokan Karate in the United States. A technical martial artist, he was also a …

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Yoshiharu Osaka

Sports Karate is so popular but the career span is only 10 to 15 years, you retire by 35 maybe? but traditional Karate is life long, you also practice and benefit in your 70’s, understand body limitations, appreciate the mental aspects, how mind and spirit are together. Lifetime dedication is so important. Yoshiharu Osaka Watching …

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This week in history (2 March – 8 March)

2 March On 2 March 1955, Henri Plee was a founding member of the Federation Francais de Karate et Boxe Libre. He became the Federation’s first General Secretary. On 2 March 1960, Gichin Funakoshi’s eldest son, Yoshihide, died aged 71. Yoshihide Funakoshi is not as well known as his more talented younger brother Yoshitaka (Gigo). …

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