Tag: Vernon Bell

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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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 (29 January – 4 February)

On  29 January 1962 one of the founders of the French Karate movement Jim Alcheik was assassinated, aged only 31. Alchiek widely regarded as one of the greatest martial artists to come out of Europe. He held a 4th Dan in Aikido, a 2nd Dan in Karate, a 2nd Dan in Kendo and a 3rd Dan …

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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 (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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This Week in history (6 November – 12 November)

6 November On 6 November 1964, Pathe Pictorial released a color film showing Vernon Bell’s British Karate Federation (BKF) students training at the Kentish Town dojo. The film lasting three minutes, was shown in cinemas across Britain. Eddie Whitcher can be seen in the film. At the time he was a blue belt. 7 November On  7 November 2008, …

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This week in history (23 October – 29 October)

26 October On 26 October 1957 the Federation Internationale De Karate (FIK) was formed at the headquarters of the French Karate Federation, located at 34 rue de la Montagne Sainte Genevieve, Paris. Present at the creation of the FIK was Vladimiro Malatesti (representing Italy), Vernon Bell (representing Great Britain), Jurgen Seydel (representing Germany), Henri Plee (representing …

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This Week in history (9 October -15 October)

10 October On this day, 10 October 1928, Shotokan Karate master, Hidetaka Nishiyama was born. Nishiyama attended famed university, Takushoku, studying economics. In 1949 he was named the captain of the karate team, after joining earlier that year. In the early 1950s, Nishiyama was part of a group, including Masatoshi Nakayama and Isao Obata, selected …

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This week in history (14 August – 20 August)

August 14 On 14 August 1934 the founder of American Goju-ryu Karate, Peter George Urban, was born in Jersey City, USA. Serving in the US Navy, he was stationed in Yokohama, Japan and in 1953 began studying Karate as a student of Richard Kim. In 1954 he was transferred to Tokyo. There he was introduced …

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