Tag: JKA

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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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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This week in history (19 February – 25 February)

On 20 February 1986 Kata World Champion Rika Usami was born in Tokyo, Japan. A student of Karate master Yoshimi Inoue, Usami won the 2012 WKF World Championship Kata final held in Paris, France. She is known for her grace, strength and speed that mesmerize fans in equal measures. On 21 February 1956 the earliest known letter was written …

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Cover Star: Kenneth Funakoshi

A distant cousin of Shotokan Karate founder, Gichin Funakoshi, Kenneth Funakoshi was a longtime member of the Japan Karate Association (JKA), before leaving to form his own association, the Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Association (FSKA). A top instructor in all forms of Karate, he was inducted into Black Belt Magazine’s Black Belt Hall of Fame in …

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This week in history (12 February – 18 February)

On 17 February 1947 Nicholas Adamou was born. Adamou began his Karate training, alongside his older brother Chris, in 1964  at the British Karate Federation’s (BKF) London dojo. When the JKA’s Hirokazu Kanazawa began teaching Shotokan for the BKF in 1965. Adamou and his brother become devoted students of Kanazawa alongside Eddie Whitcher, Michael Randall, Mike Peachey, Will …

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This week in history (5 February – 11 February)

On 5 February 1964 Vernon Bell received his 1st Dan from the Japan Karate Association’s (JKA), following the British Karate Federation (BKF) formally agreeing to become the JKA’s agents in Britain. This was an honorary grade, as Bell never took a grading examination. On 9 February 1929 Shotokan master Taiji Kase was born in Chiba, Japan. Kase …

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This week in history (22 January – 28 January)

On 22 January 1964 the British Karate Federation (BKF) formally accepted the Japan Karate Association’s (JKA) invitation to become their agents in Great Britain, in response to a letter dated 19 December 1963. In the letter, written by Vernon Bell to Masatomo Takagi, the BKF agreed to the following terms with the JKA: The payment of …

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This week in history (8 January – 14 January)

On 8 January 1945 Pauline Bindra (nee Laville) who holds the distinction of being the first woman in Britain to earn a JKA (Japan Karate Association) black belt in karate, was born in Middlesbrough, England. Pauline Bindra has had a great influence on British karate. Apart from the personal accolades of being the first female black …

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This Week in history (18 December – 24 December)

19 December On 19 December 1963 Vernon Bell received a letter from Masatomo Takagi, the general Manager of the Japan Karate Association (JKA), requesting that the British Karate Federation officially act as the authorized representative of the JKA in Britain. Earlier that year Bell had received a letter from Takagi indicating that Tetsuji Murakami (Yoseikan Karate), who …

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This Week in history (11 December – 17 December)

12 December On 12 December 1965 Hirokazu Kanazawa held his first grading at the British Karate Federation’s Nottingham dojo. The British Karate Federation had arranged with the Japan Karate Association (JKA) for Kanazawa to reside in the United Kingdom for a year, teaching Shotokan karate. 13 December On 13 December 1947 Tsuguo Sakumoto was born in the Okinawan …

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