Aug 02 2020
….probably the finest Shotokan practitioner this country has ever produced. Clive Layton (“Shotokan Dawn Vol 2) Described as “Embodying the spirit of Karate-do”, Eddie Whitcher started training at the dawn of Karate in the United Kingdom. He was the first British subject to earn the grade of 3rd Dan from the Japanese Karate Association (JKA) at …
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Jul 28 2020
The way I judge people’s Karate and standard; the first thing I would look for is their ‘footwork‘, which obviously ties in with their ‘stances’. If their footwork and their stances are good, then I feel that they have been well taught and trained. Good stances and footwork produce good Karate, in my opinion. Frank Cope …
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May 11 2020
11 May On 11 May 1966, Hirokazu Kanazawa departed the UK for South Africa, much to the dismay of many of his British students. Kanazawa’s contract with the British Karate Federation (BKF) came to an end and was not renewed. He had built a fierce and loyal devotion from his students, especially those from the …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-11-may-17-may/
May 04 2020
3 May On 3 May 1931, Shotokan master, Hirokazu Kanazawa was born in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. A legend of Karate much has been written about Kanazawa. For many years he has been one of the most recognisable faces of Karate. Considered by many to be the greatest of the Shotokan Masters, he is arguably one …
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Mar 02 2020
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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Feb 24 2020
24 February On 24 February 1941, Shotokan master, Masahiko Tanaka, was born in Tokyo, Japan. Known for his great skill in kumite, Tanaka, a long-time member of the JKA, won the 1st and 2nd IAKF World Karate Championships held in Los Angeles and Bremen. He also won the JKA All-Japan Individual kumite on two occasions. On …
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Feb 17 2020
17 February On 17 February 1947, Nicholas Adamou was born. He began his Karate training, alongside his older brother Chris, in 1964 British Karate Federation’s London dojo. When Hirokazu Kanazawa began teaching JKA Shotokan for the BKF in 1965, Adamou and his brother become devoted students of his. Following the split from the BKF, the …
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Jan 27 2020
27 January On 27 January 1934, Raymond Fuller, one of the students present at the founding of the Karate Union of Great Britain (KUGB), was born. Fuller started his Karate training in January of 1964 at Vernon Bell‘s Horseshoe pub dojo, located in London. At the time the British Karate Federation (BKF) were affiliated with …
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Jan 20 2020
20 January On 20 January 1909 Gōju-ryu legend, Gōgen Yamaguchi, was born. Nicknamed the Cat, he was famed for his feline-like speed and prowess.Yamaguchi was a direct student of Gōju-ryu Karate founder, Chojun Miyagi. He began training with him in 1929. On 20 January 1938 Cyril Cummins, a pioneer of Shotokan in Central England, was …
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Jan 06 2020
6 January On 6 January 1967, Michael Randall gained his 1st Dan from Hirokazu Kanazawa. He was one of the first men in Britain to gain the rank of 1st Dan from the Japan Karate Association (JKA). At the time of writing Randall is one of a handful of people currently training to have trained …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-6-january-12-january/
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