Tag: Takayuki Mikami

Tetsuhiko Asai

In the past not everybody could do Karate in the standard way, particularly after the war, there was a closed-off mentality, a physical hardness in karate, aiming primarily to build spirit, rather than effective martial arts technique. Many people in Shotokan had, and still have, closed minds thinking this is the only way to do …

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Moments in history: The JKA tour of 1965

For many people around the world, the Japan Karate Association (JKA) are synonymous with Shotokan Karate. The technical excellence of their instructors are well respected, regardless of the style of Karate practised. Masters like Nakayama, Nishiyama, Okazaki, Kanazawa and Enoeda, to name a few, are held as the pinnacle of Shotokan Karate. Gichin Funakoshi introduced …

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Osamu Ozawa

There were some differences but not between the masters such as Yamaguchi, Funakoshi, Mabuni, et cetera. All those differences lay between the young students and not the masters. Osamu Ozawa Osamu Ozawa is one of the most respected Japanese masters to have taught in the west. Until his death, he was the highest-ranked Shotokan master …

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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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Hiroshi Shirai

Breathing is very important in karate. You should first start with breathing exercise very slowly. Inhale 30 seconds exhale 30 seconds. After you inhale slowly and exhale fast, inhale fast, exhale slowly, and the opposite way around. You also can go to the forest, to a quiet place, close your eyes, and just breath slowly …

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Takayuki Mikami

Water can adapt itself totally to its environment and still maintain its identity. Calm water reflects a total picture and troubled water reflect confusion. So approaching a problem with a calm and adaptable mind is very important to making the wise choices. Takayuki Mikami Takayuki Mikami has had a lot of firsts in his Karate …

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This week in history (9 December – 15 December)

10 December On 10 December 1933 Shotokan master Takayuki Mikami was born in Nigata Prefecture Japan. He was the first professional Karate instructor to be sent by the JKA to teach Karate full-time in another country. Mikami arrived in Tokyo in 1952  to study Japanese Literature at Hosei University. Being a farm boy in a …

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This week in history (29 July – 4 August)

30 July On 30 July 1949 KUGB stalwart, Robert Poynton, was born.  A member of the famed Liverpool Red Triangle Karate Club, he started training in 1965 aged 15. He was awarded his 1st Dan by Keinosuke Enoeda in 1968. A top competitor in the 1970s, he successfully transitioned into an administrative role in the …

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This week in history (3 June – 9 June)

3 June On 3 June 1922 the earliest known Japanese newspaper article on Karate was published in the Tokyo  Nichinichi  Shinbun. The title of the article was “The Mystical Martial Art – Karate: (Chinese Fist) from Ryukyu (Okinawa Prefecture). Wonderful Technique to Defend from an Opponent with Bare Hands. Kodokan to Study“.  ******************************************** On 3 …

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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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