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The Sunday Telegraph; Keeping active

The Sunday Telegraph features Shiranamikai students practising two meters apart, in a pictorial on remaining active. The caption reads… Keeping active. With cafés and attractions shut, in Primrose Hill, London…a martial arts class takes place.

Shiranamikai Karate has been featured in ‪The Sunday Telegraph’s ‘keeping active’ pictorial. Students were pictured practising two meters apart and completely in line with guidance at the time. The caption reads…‬

Keeping active‬

‪With cafés and attractions shut, in Primrose Hill, London…a martial arts class takes place – making sure they keep their distance from each other‬.

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News Outside The Dojo Special Club Sessions & Kyu Gradings

Happy Christmas 2019

Wishing you a Very Happy Christmas from everyone at Shiranamikai!

Our next karate sessions will be 4pm on Saturday 28th December 2019 at Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre, and 10am on Sunday 29th December 2019 at North London Collegiate School.

Come and join us – everybody is welcome!

We then start 2020 on Saturday 4th January when all our classes are back to normal.

🎅🏻
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News Outside The Dojo Special Club Sessions & Kyu Gradings

Japan Matsuri London 2019

Shiranamikai members performed a karate display at the 2019 Japan Matsuri in London’s Trafalgar Square, the largest outdoor Japan-UK cultural event bringing together the best of music, food, dance and of course, martial arts!

We did our best to illustrate core elements of JKA Shotokan karate, demonstrating Kihon (fundamentals), Kata (set pattern sequences) and Kumite (partner work). We also saw a lighthearted interaction between one of our most experienced members and one of our most junior, with a little help from her friends!

This year was an occasion where the best of Japanese culture met the test of UK weather so we’d like to thank everybody who braved the elements to stay and watch our performance – we really appreciated your warm welcome – and hope you enjoyed the whole festival as much as we did 🌂🥋🇯🇵🇬🇧

Japan Matsuri 2019 also marked the official launch of the Japan-UK Season of Culture, celebrating the unique bond between our two island nations as Japan plays host to the Rugby Work Cup and the 2020 Olympics.

See you next time!

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Outside The Dojo Special Club Sessions & Kyu Gradings Uncategorized

Karate at Hyper Japan 2019

Shiranamikai participated at the 2019 Hyper Japan exhibition at the London Olympia in Kensington.

Our club members demonstrated the three pillars of Shotokan karate under the Japan Karate Association: kihon (basics/fundamentals), kumite (partner work) and kata (forms). Katas shown were Heians: Shodan, Nidan, Sandan, Yondan and Godan, followed by Bassai Dai and Sochin. We also incorporated some light-hearted bunkai (application of technique) from Heian Godan.

During our performance of ippon kumite we could hear something big going on at the J-Culture stage on the other side of Olympia: Kuni-Ken, a tsugaru shamisen duo, were performing their own version of ippon! Literally, their title track “Ippon”. What a coincidence!

Thanks to everyone at Hyper Japan. See you next time!

Music by KUNI-KEN
Available on Spotify, iTunes store etc. Check them out!

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News Outside The Dojo Special Club Sessions & Kyu Gradings

Shiranamikai 10 Year Anniversary Celebration

‪Shiranamikai started 2019 on a high by celebrating the club’s 10-Year Anniversary. Ohta Sensei, our association’s Chief Instructor, visited to deliver a two hour training session with lots of basics and kumite followed by Heian Sandan, Tekki Shodan and Bassai Sho!‬

‪Afterwards we enjoyed dinner together where there was an unexpected presentation with an eloquent speech, a beautiful hand-drawn card filled with paper cranes (and touching messages!), and an incredibly thoughtful gift… club instructor Austin Biesty was so overwhelmed that he forgot to take any photos!

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JKA Courses News Outside The Dojo

Japan Karate Association in England 2018 Winter Gasshuku

Shiranamikai members participated in a 3-day winter gasshuku (training camp) hosted by The Japan Karate Association in England.

Tutorage was by special guest instructors Imamura Tomio 7th Dan and Hanzaki Yasuo 7th Dan from the Tokyo Sohonbu, alongside Ohta Yoshinobu 7th Dan, England’s Chief Instructor. In turn, they were supported by Senseis Adel, Roy, Gary and Giuseppe of England’s technical division.

Kata choices for brown and black belts were Friday: Chinte / Meikyo / Empi, Saturday: Jitte / Bassai Sho / Kanku Dai and Sunday: Jion / Bassai Dai. Ohta Sensei also had a section for those who were grading with alternative kata choices. Other Kyu grades were able to focus on the Heian katas while exploring applications.

These karate courses also offer a chance to catch up with friends from other clubs in the association and when not practising, the time to do other things, like on our Saturday side trip to Hever Castle!

After the last training session on Sunday, there was a Dan grading. Congratulations go to Ollie and Alex on passing their Shodan grading. Well done guys, you’ve worked long and hard. Your black belts are well deserved!

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News Outside The Dojo Special Club Sessions & Kyu Gradings

Shell-A-Nami-Kai Beach Training, Summer 2018

Arriving in Rye on Thursday afternoon was well-rewarded with lunch at Fletcher’s Cafe. Visiting Rye Castle was insightful, with a fascinating, brief history on what used to be one of the most notorious prisons in England. We received a thorough drenching afterwards while exploring the wider grounds and took refuge in a haunted inn(!) before our dinner in Webbe’s Fish Cafe where we met up with the wider group.

Overall there were a few red faces (and feet) at Shell-a-nami-kai this year, the result of the fantastic weather we had. Training was light, relaxed and great fun. The kata of choice this trip was Jion with appropriate basics and applications to make it easier to learn.

After training Friday morning we headed to Dungeoness, stopping for lunch at the superb roadside Snack Shack which served fresh fish of the day, and The Old Lighthouse which offered fantastic views for everyone unaffected by vertigo. The pre-radar Denge Sound Mirrors were next, with us getting as close as we possibly could, lightheartedly brainstorming how we might get even closer. In the evening it was back to the cottage and negotiate elbow space in the kitchen as we all mucked in to prepare dinner.

Our last session on Saturday morning was followed by a quick and tasty bacon bap and cup of tea at Salts Farm Cafe before heading back to London for our afternoon training session.

Training on the beach, fun outings, superb meals and great friends! That’s what Shell-a-nami-kai/Sand-A-Nami-Kai and karate is all about :-) and with theses great British summers looking set to continue, why not put aside a few days in August and join us?

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News Outside The Dojo Special Club Sessions & Kyu Gradings

7th Karate Summer Camp, August 2018

Shiranamikai’s summer camps are a week of learning and development sessions that aim to help students of all levels improve techniques while exploring advanced katas and applications, in a relaxed dojo environment.

This summer we studied Heian Shodan, Empi, Heian Yondan, Gojushiho Sho and Sochin. Those who attended the whole week received a certificate and on the last day we enjoyed our traditional club lunch together!

Put the dates in your diary for next year: 29th July – 2nd August

By the way, that was maneki neko, lucky cat soft drink. Have you tried it? 👊🏻😺🥋

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JKA Courses News Outside The Dojo

JKA England Spring 2018 Gasshuku

Special guest instructors Imura Takenori 8th Dan, Kobayashi Kunio 7th Dan and Shiina Mai 4th Dan from the Tokyo Sohonbu, Sawada Kazuhiro 7th Dan from Belgium and Ohta Yoshinobu 7th Dan from JKA England lead the brilliant, spring May Bank Holiday Weekend, training camp.

Four days training can initially seem a little daunting but by taking one day at a time, you get to experience the various methods and personality of each instructor. We are all individual so sometimes a different take on basics or applications can click with one person more than another.

Shiranamikai members were present over the weekend as always which was great to see. Participating is a prerequisite for taking shodan but sessions are for everybody, not just brown belts and above. They present a fantastic opportunity to learn from highly experienced, world-class instructors, who you might not otherwise have the chance to see.

Imura Sensei has an imposing presence and he amazed students with his take on press-ups. Kobayashi Sensei linked a superb basics and kumite lesson with Gojushho Sho kata. Sawada Sensei has a wealth of knowledge and his classes have always been informative so it was great to see him back. Shiina Sensei is incredibly fast and strong and people always leave her sessions with a smile on their faces. And with Ohta Sensei, you’re looking at a technical masterclass every time.

So, plan your diary ahead and attend as possible in order to experience all that these world class instructors have to offer.

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Articles News Outside The Dojo

Karate Club Video Premier

Watching our new club promo together on the small screen at the big screen before it goes live. But how did the popcorn go from being ‘on the club’, to being all over the floor? Never mind, it was a fun thing to do!

Many thanks to all the staff at Odeon Cinema Swiss Cottage for being so welcoming and taking such good care of us. The newly refurbished IMAX screen will open in two weeks time – can’t wait!

And here it for those who couldn’t make it to training on Saturday:

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