英国空手白浪会 Shiranamikai
There was a great atmosphere during Ohta Sensei’s karate class at Shiranamikai this September with everybody trying their best and pushing themselves throughout his demanding kumite drills. Not a single brow was dry!
Congratulations to everybody who graded on achieving their next level!
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!
Ohta Yoshinobu, Chief Instructor of The Japan Karate Association in England, visited Shiranamikai to teach a special class followed by a Kyu grading this June. Karate instruction really doesn’t get any better than this!
It was a hot session and everybody did well with some strong performances by those grading; well done!
Shiranamikai had a very good day at the 2019 National Championship of The Japan Karate Association in England. There were some impressive displays by club members who can all feel very proud of their performance.
Many thanks to Sheila and Eri for being club coaches and helping us all get where we needed to go, and to Ana for all her support.
This was the first opportunity to display the new club flag, a 10th anniversary present from our members, our friends, our karate family in the UK and Japan.
We also picked up a few medals on the day…
🥇🥉Lennon: Gold in Kata, Bronze in Kumite
🥈Rahul: Silver in Kumite
🥇Thomas: Gold in Kumite
🥈Alex Meltsov: Silver in Kumite
🥈Itsuko: Silver in Kata
🥈Austin: Silver in Kata
Well done, guys!
It’s nice to win a medal but attitude and conduct is far more important. There was such great team spirit among everybody at Shiranamikai which all helped to make the long day pass quickly!
Out next big competition will be 7th December.
Ohta Sensei’s guests at The Japan Karate Association in England’s international course this spring were Ogura Yasunori 8th Dan and Ogane Yutaro 3rd Dan from the Tokyo Honbu, and Sawada Kazuhiro 7th Dan and Sergio Gneo 7th Dan from JKA Belgium.
Support was also provided by instructors from JKA England’s Technical Committee: Roy Tomlin 6th Dan, Gary Stewart 6th Dan, Adel Ismail 6th Dan and Giuseppe D’onofrio 5th Dan.
There was great feedback from everybody who attended. As well as the usual fantastic kihon and kumite sessions, advanced kata sessions covered technique and applications for:
Friday: Enpi, Jitte, Tekki Nidan & Sandan
Saturday: Kanku Dai, Bassai Sho, Sochin, Gojushiho Sho
Sunday: Bassai Dai, Jion, Nijushiho
Monday: Bassai Dai, Gankaku, Gojushiho Dai
The next big course dates are 1st-3rd December.
It was a top session this spring with Ohta Yoshinobu 7th Dan, Chief Instructor of The Japan Karate Association in England.
After some solid fundamentals practise and kumite drills, Ohta Sensei took students through each of their katas, offering feedback and pointers to work on.
Well done to everybody for trying their best. This was a highly motivated group in what was a very hot dojo absent of aircon. If your brow was dry, you weren’t there!
Congratulations to those who graded!
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!
We enjoyed a fantastic training session in Harrow this December with the Chief Instructor of The Japan Karate Association in England.
After basics, kumite and helping everybody with their Heian and Tekki katas, Ohta Sensei led the more senior grades through Gojushiho Sho. This kata’s characteristics are smooth movements mainly in front, back and side stances. It has strong transitions and fast, dynamic strikes necessitating good body control and fluid hip movement.
Kyu grades had time to refresh before their assessment. Congratulations to everyone for passing!
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!
A rewarding day for the club at this year’s Shotokan Open Karate Championship, hosted by The Japan Karate Association in England.
Shiranamikai results as follows:
Lyra: 4th Kata, Silver Kumite
Courtney: Silver Kumite
Lennon: Bronze Kumite
Ryoma: Gold Kata, Silver Kumite
Toshimitsu: Gold Kata
Katsuhisa: 4th Kata
Chantelle: Gold Kata, Gold Kumite
Shion: 4th Kata, Bronze Kumite
Austin: Silver Kata
Itsuko: Gold Kata
Well done everyone, that’s
🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥈🥈🥈🥈🥉🥉
a great result!
