This week in history (24 Mar – 31 Mar)

On 30 March, 2003 Shotokan Karate master, Keinosuke Enoeda, died from stomach cancer

Born on 4th July 1935 in  Fukuoka, Japan, to a family descended from the samurai, Enoeda attended Takushoku University, where he trained under Masatoshi Nakayama. He was a graduate of the JKA’s Instructors Course and was also a former JKA All-Japan Champion in kumite.

As a part of a group that included fellow JKA instructors Taiji Kase, Hirokazu Kanazawa and Hiroshi Shirai, Enoeda toured the USA, Britain, Europe and South Africa. The group gave a number of demonstrations which led to requests for JKA instructors to teach in the countries they visited.

Eventually settling in the United Kingdom, Enoeda was pivotal in the growth of Shotokan Karate in the United Kingdom. He was a long time member of the Karate Union of Great Britain (KUGB).  Many of his students, including Pauline Bindra, Andy Sherry, Terry O’Neill and Frank Brennan would go on to become major names in the the Shotokan World.

Enoeda was survived by his wife and his son and daughter.

On 31 March 1927 Tetsuji Murakami was born.

Described as a “Karate Missionary” Murakami was one of the first Japanese instructors to settle in Europe. He taught Karate across Europe and North Africa.