Congratulations to Lydik on achieving his 1st dan black belt at the JKA England national karate course in Guildford at the weekend. Well done!
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JKA England National Course
Tag: Japan Karate Association
Very sad news to hear of the passing of Ueki Masaaki Shuseki Shihan, 10th Dan, Chief Instructor of The Japan Karate Association.
Ueki Shihan had been undergoing treatment for an illness but passed away on July 14th 2024. He was 85 years old. His funeral was attended by members of his family while the JKA will look to organise a memorial event at a later date.
Our sincere condolences to his family, friends and students.
Sawada Kazuhiro 8th Dan from JKA Belgium, joined Sohonbu instructors Okuma Koichiro 7th Dan and Hirose Hikaru 3rd Dan from JKA Japan, as guests of Ohta Yoshinobu 7th Dan, chief instructor of JKA England, for the spring 2024 gasshuku.
Sawada Sensei’s drills inspired by Bassai Dai’s uke kaeshi sequences were demanding. Okuma Sensei was engaging, charismatic and encouraged everybody. Hirose Sensei’s kumite was based on the mechanics of body contraction and expansion to absorb, evade, and launch back in towards an opponent. Ohta Sensei broke down techniques effortlessly.
As well as offering a tremendous training environment, these brilliant karate courses with The Japan Karate Association are an opportunity to grade and take instructor exams, so congratulations to all who passed on this occasion.
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JKA England Winter 2023 Gasshuku
December saw a great, long-weekend’s, training in West Sussex at JKA England’s international karate course. Instructors Shimizu Ryosuke 6th Dan and Kurihara Kazuaki 6th Dan from the Tokyo Sohonbu joined England’s chief instructor Ohta Sensei 7th Dan.
These gasshukus are a fantastic opportunity to learn advanced katas and their applications while practising alongside similarly-graded students from across the UK and further afield. A pre-requisite for 1st Kyu looking to attempt a dan grading within the next 12-month period.
Shiranamikai members participated in the JKA England National Karate Championship at the weekend. Well done to everyone who took part, especially those who competed in a karate competition for the first time, and thank you to parents for their support during the day (and photos!). Results as follows…
Ella: Bronze in Kumite 🥉
Ariana: Bronze in Kumite 🥉
Blanche: Gold in Kata, Gold in Kumite 🥇🥇
Lara: Bronze in Kumite 🥉
Jacqueline: Silver in Kumite 🥈
Alex: Silver in Kata 🥈
Austin: Gold in Kata 🥇
Congratulations!
This was a great result so it was nice to relax and catch up over dinner after our regular training session a few days afterwards!
Shiranamikai students enjoyed a special training session with Japan Karate Association England Chief Instructor, Ohta Yoshinobu 7th Dan, this March.
Fundamentals of blocking and counter attacks using hands, elbows and feet underpinned the session while targeting and distance work, timing and shifting was a key focus of partnerwork. Having utilising the three main Shotokan stances of zenkutsu, kokutsu and kiba dachi throughout the lesson, it was fitting that we finished the session with the kata Jion.
Well done to everyone on passing their grading, especially our younger attendees for trying their best.
Spring 2022, and England is hosting the first JKA international training course in three years. Instructors, Sawada Kazuhiro 8th Dan from JKA Belgium, Imamura Tomio 8th Dan and Shimizu Ryosuke 6th Dan from the Tokyo Sohonbu, join Ohta Yoshinobu 7th Dan for this long overdue gasshuku weekend.
A respectable contingent of our karateka neighbours are present, including from Scotland, Norway, Portugal, and Germany, all keen to participate and absorb the experience that these instructors have to offer… Sawada Sensei gives detailed explanations underlined with profound historic references, and uses physical proxies to great effect throughout his partner drills. Imamura Sensei expands upon uchi uke in basic partner work with makiotoshi making for interesting, if challenging, techniques. Shimizu Sensei demonstrates speed, power, and flexibility, leaving no doubt as to why he made such a formidable kumite competitor in the past. But what may have surprised is his exeptional form throughout katas Gankaku and Gojushiho Sho, with dynamic movement and slick direction changes. But that’s what the JKA does best: apportion equal time to kihon, kata and kumite, and where one finds a deficit, they strive to make improvements.
There was a lot to get through. The first 90 minutes of each day would be given over to kihon and kumite, followed by another 90 minutes being reserved for kata, bunkai, and instructor training. A friendly kumite match took place on Saturday, alongside a kyu grading, instructor theory, and referee practical. Sunday saw a dan grading followed by instructor practical exams.
So, a busy weekend with little time for much else. But this was a fantastic course taught by some of the most respected instructors in the world. And it was so good to finally catch up with karate friends after so long.
Congratulations to Alex on passing his 4th Dan! It’s an incredible achievement, and the culmination of 20 years of dedicated training.
Update: It was announced late-May 2022 that Sawada Sensei has been awarded 8th Dan by the JKA Shihankai. A just recognition for a great instructor who has dedicated his life to karate. Read more about Sawada Sensei on his academy’s site…
One of the many benefits of studying karate is that it can be practised anywhere, regardless of space, and without the need for equipment, making it an ideal activity in which to participate online.
Back at the beginning of October 2020, The Japan Karate Association invited member countries to submit a modified version of the kata Tekki Shodan, performed in a space of just one metre wide instead of the usual two metres.
This was a good challenge for students across the world while ensuring practise of one of Shotokan’s fundamental stances: kiba dachi.
Shiranamikai members’ entries were submitted alongside other JKA England clubs, and the final results announced today by Tokyo Headquarters. Well done to all those featured!
We had a fantastic, 2-hour karate training session at the weekend with The Japan Karate Association in England’s Chief Instructor, Ohta Yoshinobu Sensei.
Masks were donned, windows opened, hands washed, distance observed, trained hard, gradings passed – congratulations to all!
When’s his next visit? Not soon enough!
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2019 Shotokan Open Championship
Shiranamikai participated in the Shotokan Open Championship this weekend. This annual event, hosted by The Japan Karate Association in England, regularly comprises iro 350 entrants from across the UK and Europe. Well done to everybody who made the effort!
Our club’s results as follows…
🥈🥉Kyo: Silver in Kata, Bronze in Kumite
🥉Alex Meltsov: Bronze in Kata
🥇🥈Lydik: Gold in Kata, Silver in Kumite
🥉🥈Steph: Bronze in Kata, Silver in Kumite
🥈Tovael: Silver in Kumite
🥈🥉Chantelle: Silver in Kata, Bronze in Kumite
🥇🥇Shion: Gold in Kata, Gold in Kumite
🥉Alex Maclean: Bronze in Kata
🥈Itsuko: Silver in Kata
🥇Eri: Gold in Kumite
Congratulations on the impressive performances, everyone, it’s a 15-medal haul for the club! But what really counts is trying your best, and being back in the dojo for the next training session 🤗
