wskscouncil@gmail.com +91.9874091619 Prof.Dr.Hanshi.Dibyendu Nag.

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World Budokan Council-WBC is direct executive member of the World Union Karate Organization_WUKO

The first constituted organization was the European Karate Union (UEK). To understand the World Karate general organisation, it is necessary to start with this Union. Karate, on technical plan, was introduced in many countries, as soon as 1950, by Japanese masters from mainly the JKA (Japan Karate Association). They did teach but they did not care about creating national and international organisations, as in other sports. A French, M. Henry PLEE, was one of the most important promoters, he trained hundreds of black belts. In 1961, in France, a pupil of M. Pleee, working as a jurist, also 4th Dan black belt and Karate Teacher (he used to teach after his work at the famous « Club Franccais ») ; named Jacques DELCOURT, was elected President of French Karate, then associated member of the Judo Federation.

After having organised Karate in France from 1961 to 1963, he invited afterwards the few federations known in Europe (they were 7!) to come to France at the occasion of the 1st International Karate Event of all time : Belgium/ France/ Great Britain. On the 15th of December 1963 (remember this date, it is the departure point of the world karate), he gathers in Paris the representants of 7 known nations, it was the 1st Karate European Congress! Remember also the names of the attending persons, they are the one who began the future WKF. For Italy, M. Augusto BASILE, for Belgium, MM. AARTS Leeo and STAS, for Switzerland, M. CHERIX Bernard, for Germany, M. Karl HEINZ KILTZ for Great Britain, M. BELL, for France, MM DELCOURT et SEBBAN.

The representative for Spain, M. P. GARCIA was excused. An inventory of the establishment of Karate, then very disorganised not to say not organised at all was done. It was decided to contact the different Judo federations, which, in many countries, headed up Karate. The question of different styles and techniques was approached and the delegates noted - already! - That the unification of techniques was impossible. The question of refereeing unification, which differed significantly from a country to another, was approached and put on the agenda for next meeting. An inventory of the practitioners was done: Germany 5 to 7000, Belgium, 1200 to 1500, Great Britain around 5000, France, 4000. M. DELCOURT was in charge of coordinating actions and to prepare the next meeting.

On May 24th 1964, the 2nd Karate European Congress was held in Paris. Were attending, for Germany, M. BRIEF, for Belgium, MM. GOETZ and FANNOY, for Switzerland, M. CHERIX, for France, MM. DELCOURT and SEBBAN. Were excused, M. BELL (England), M. PAANEN (Netherlands), and the representants for Italy and Spain (their names do not appear on the minutes). After a general survey on karate in each country, the delegates decided that they had to elect an executive body and so a Directing Board was elected : President Jacques DELCOURT (France), he was to remain President until 1997, i.e. 34 years !, vice-president, MM. BRIEF (Germany), CHERIX (Switzerland), FANNOY (Belgium), General Secretary M. SEBBAN (France), assistant General-Secretary : M. GOETZ (Belgium).

These directors, of which M. Delcourt is the only one remaining on duty, are the ones who started the organization of World Karate. The 1964 Congress studied others issues such as the implementation of an international referee course, the issue of a newsletter, international matches, courses given by Japanese experts and for the first time, the delegates wished the organisation of European Championships. The 3rd European Congress took place on the 21st of November 1965, still in Paris. Ten nations were members then with 3 new members : Austria, who's President, M. Karl NEVECERAL will remain on duty until 1998 (and retire only for health problems), Yugoslavia and Portugal.

The Technical adviser, M. Henry PLEE attended the Congress thus 4 Japanese experts: MM. KONO, YAMASHIMA, TOYAMA and SUZUKI. The most important issue on the agenda is the adoption of statutes which will definitely achieve the European Karate Union : they are agreed unanimously and M. DELCOURT, deeply moved, tells the assembly that the European Union is now created. Applying the statutes which were just agreed, elections for the Directing Committee take place. Unanimously, M. DELCOURT is elected EKU President, M. FANNOY (Belgium), 1st vice-president ; M. CHERIX (Switzerland), 2nd vice president, M. SEBBAN (France), General Secretary, with the function of Treasurer, and M. GOETZ (Belgium), assistant general secretary.

In fact, no change compared to the 1964 committee (except M. BRIEF disparition). The Congress decides budget, refereeing rules, an International Cup in Cannes and ...the 1st European Championships. They are set to May 7th, 1966 in Paris, Categories: team: 5 competitors + 1 reserve, and individuals: 4 competitors per nation, without weight category and only on pools (the female competitors will compete only 10 years later). They decided that the Directing Committee will meet one month before the Championships to settle all the details.

To note: the 4 th. European Congress took place in 1963 and the 1st European Championships in 1966, what explains the 3 years gap between the Congress and European Championships numbers. For example, in 1998, was held the 36th EKF Congress, and the 33d European Championships.

On May 7th, 1966, the first European Championships were held in Paris. Surprisingly, it was a success: 300 spectators, live TV : the Italian team came with a very famous movie star: Elsa MARTINELLI. For the team competition, 5 nations entered Germany, Switzerland, Great Britain, Italy, France, and 6 countries for the individual competition (same ones + Austria On semi-finals, Switzerland beats Italy, France beats Great Britain. For the 3rd place, Italy beats Great Britain. In finals, France beats Switzerland. Please note that the Swiss team never competed, not even clubs competition.

On individual competition, semi-finals, BAROUX (France), beats GERONEMA (Italy); SAUVIN (France) beats SETROUK (France). In finals, BAROUX beats SAUVIN. 'The matches were very hard, many face injuries were deplored. The directors decided to discuss the problem ... which was not solved 33 years later! Great Britain (President M. SOMMERS), 69 clubs, 1000 licensed, 3 Japanese experts teach on full time: MM. SUZUKI, SHIOMITSU and TAKAMIZAWA Great Britain applies for the organization Of the 2nu European Championships. Austria (President M. Karl NEVECERAL), 4 clubs and 800 licensed. Germany (President M. BRAND): 27 clubs and 1300 licensed.

The first German championships took place in Schweinfurt, refereed entirely by MM. Delcourt and Sauvin. Switzerland (M. CHERIX): 12 clubs and 500 members, because of a lack of means, they cannot hire a Japanese expert and M. CHERIX does the courses. France (M. DELCOURT): 200 clubs and 3000 licences. (NOTA: to have an idea of the increase, in 1998, 3600 clubs and 204.000 licences !) Italy (M. BASILE): Two Federations ask to enter EKU, the KIAI and the FIK The KIAI gathers 23 clubs and 950 licensees. The FIK (M. PORZIO DI BORGO) gathers 23 clubs and 700 licensees. Both Federations agreed to unify. Netherlands (M. BLADT): several existing organizations try to make a confederation - the NKA (1000 practitioners), the NKF (300 members), the FNJB (1500 members), where the Japanese KONO teaches, and the group of M. KASE (300 members).

The Congress analyses the results of the European Championships. The opinions differed: M. BRAND (Germany) tells that the fights are too hard, M. CHEERIX (Switzerland) thinks that the rules were violated several times, M. BASILE (Italy) insist on control, M. SOMMERS (Great Britain) does not agree regarding the toughness of the fights, he thinks Karate is not dancing and that virility must prevail. M. DELCOURT thinks that a fight is tough only if the referee tolerates R. M. CHERIX (Switzerland) asks M. SUZUKI why competitors who face injured their opponent, were declared winners , M. SUZUKI answers that many competitors injured themselves moving towards their, opponent uncautionely and «impaling » on his guard, in this case, they are responsible for their injuries.

He also thinks that many competitors suffer a lack of physical condition and collapse on light attacks, others do not know how to block or dodge the attacks. The Congress goes to others issues : the Referee Committee created, M. SOMMERS (GB) is elected assistant General Secretary, the1966/1967 calendar is studied, the candidature of Great Britain is agreed, the 2nd European Championships will be held in London in May 1967. Italy applies for 1968 and Germany for 1969. The Cannes International Cup is set to July 16th, 1966. Two technical advisers are nominated: MM. SUZUKI and MOCHIZUKI. Finally, the Congress votes the accounts which are: incomes: 1023.64FF and expenditures : 524.04 FF (i.e. would mean today around 100 USD!).

That is to say a 499.60 FF positive balance. The President then closes the Congress. Among the competitors of the 1st European Championships, some athletes will become famous : T. MORRIS, who will become Chairman of the WKF and EKF Referee Councils, P.SPANTON, who will be charged of the WKF and EKF computer system and GUY SAUVIN, to become WKF (WUKO) and EKF Technical Director and Dominique VALERA, whose name is known by all karatekas. In 1967, the first referee course in history is held in Rome (Italy). The applicants will remember it : the accommodation and the courses were inside a sports centre surrounded by a double barrier where ferocious dogs (compared to them, pit-bulls were just nice sheep's!) were circulating.

During the 8 days of the course, no one could get out from the complex. The main task was to harmonise the refereeing rules, on the basis of JKA rules. The 2nd European Championships are held on 5th and 6th May 1967 at the Cristal Palace of London. There were perfectly organised by MM. Sommers and Palmer, the Chairs of British Federation. In individuals, (the weight categories did not exist yet), Baroux (FRA) beats Desnoes (FRA), thirds Jordan (SWI) and Spanton (GB). In teams, Greta Britain beats France, thirds: Germany and Italy.

The 5th Congress opens on 7th May 1967 at the Cristal Palace. 8 countries are members of the EKU : Great-Britain, Belgium, Federal Republic of Germany, Austria, Netherlands, France, Italy, and Switzerland. Two countries asked for affiliation: Yugoslavia (MM. Bilbija and Jorga) and Ireland (M. Conway). Among the guests can be seen: MM. T. Morris, Kono, Toyama, Kanazawa, Mochizuki, Sagimura, and Suzuki. Netherlands are represented by their new president, M. Bontje and Italy by M. Ceracchini. After the opening of Congress by President Delcourt and the welcoming speeches, the first issue on the agenda is discussed: Treasury.

The Congress decides to nominate 2 controllers in charge to verify the accounts before each Congress (the day before or on the morning if the Congress is set on the afternoon). The Congress will only approve the accounts after the report of the controllers. As M. Leo Arts (Belgium) is an accountant, the President asks him to accept the position of Treasurer. The Congress modifies the article 19 of the statutes in order to allow a Directing Committee Member to be treasurer. The financial year is set from 1st January to 31st December. The sheets will stick to this period.

The Congress votes the two controllers: M. Paanen (Netherlands) and Plee (France). Analyzing the 2nd European Championships, President Delcourt submits two remarks to the Congress: 1) It was set that each team shall be composed of 5 fighters plus 1 reserve. But one country had two injured competitors and had to fight on with only 4 fighters what put them in inferiority. The proposal to have 5 competitors and 3 reserves was rejected as it would favour the organising country, which can always get as many reserves it wants. M. Sommers (GB) propose that the decision to change a competitor comes out from the doctor, what is rejected.

Finally, the decision is to compose teams of 5 competitors plus 2 reserves. This system has never been changed and remains today. 1) Second remark, the individual fights are the hardest and the competitors come out exhausted, what makes the Team competition less interesting while it is the most prestigious title. President Delcourt suggests starting with the Teams, the competitors will be less tired to start the Individuals and it will give each nation the possibility to choose for Individuals according to Team results. It will also be stimulating.

The Congress approves unanimously both proposals and goes to the following issue: new affiliations. Yugoslavia declares 15 clubs and 2000 members and is accepted. Regarding, Ireland, M. Sommers is charged to inquiry the real importance of the federation. The decision is delayed. So is the affiliation of Scotland which wants a separate affiliation. An inquiry will be made among the other sports before making any decision. The elections for the free seats are held : M. Plee (FRA) is elected at general secretary, M. Ceracchini (ITA), as vice-president and M. Leo Arts as Treasurer. The 1967/1968 calendar is reviewed. Italy informs it cannot organize the 1968 European Championships. France proposes to replace it what is accepted.

The Championships will be held on May 4th 1968 in Paris and the 6th Congress, on May 5th 1968. The 2nd referee course will be held in Yugoslavia, in Split. The International Cup in Cannes is confirmed on July 15th 1967. Precision: Teams will be Club teams and not national teams. A Technical Committee is created; it is in charge of technical issues and refereeing. Each federation shall send the secretary the name of one applicant to seat in the Committee. M. Suzuki is nominated Technical Adviser for Wado-Ryu style. For Shotokan , the seat is proposed to M. Kanazawa who asks to consult his federation. The fees are up to 100 USD per year.

A European Championships entry fee is set to 1USD per competitor, individual and team. The Directing Committee members will be taken in charge by the EKU. The EKU members, founders of the Union are given the title "Founder member of European Karate Union". This award gives them the right to attend, during their whole life, EKU Meetings and Congress and have a consultative voice. Are concerned: MM. Delcourt (FRA), Aarts (BEL), Cherix (SWI), Basile (ITA). M. Paanen (NED) asks for the organization of European Kata Championships.

The issue will be studied and the Japanese experts will be consulted. On January 28, 1968, EKU first technical meeting was held in Paris. It is actually the first ever technical meeting. Are attending : MM. Delcourt (FRA), Aarts (BEL), Arneil (GB), Baroux (FRA), Basile (ITA), Luiten (HOL), Jordan (SUI), Plee (representing Yugoslavia); was absent M. Feucht (GER), invited, M. Morris (SCO). The main issue of the meeting was the organisation of the refereeing. The decision taken is to draft an exam programme in order to appoint international referees. The exam will take place once a year during an international course. The jury will be nominated by the Directing Committee.

The programme is composed of 8 points : be a national referee, presented by one's federation, be up to date with the fees, be at least 1st Dan, be at least 21 years old, compulsorily participate to the course, pass the exam before the practice, with an average mark of 5 points out of 10; the general average mark cannot be less than 11 out of 20. M. Basile is elected Secretary of the EKU Technical Committee by 5 voices for against 2 for M. Aarts. Existing EKU refereeing rules are kept. A study will be made by the committee concerning the various rules throughout the world. The 4 corner judge with 1 central referee is maintained. On May 5, 1968, The 6th EKU Congress was held in Paris. Seven countries are attending : Austria (power give to M. Brand), Belgium (Collyn), Germany (Brand), Great Britain (Sommers), Netherlands (Van Hellemond), Yugoslavia (Yorga), France (Delourt), invited : Spain (Lazaro). Switzerland (Cherix) is absent. The results of the 3rd European Championships are the following: in team, France beats Belgium. Semi-finalists: Italy and Yugoslavia. In individuals, Sauvin (FRA) beats Valera (FRA°, semi-finalists Kosakowitch (BEL) and Grossetete (SUI). M. Collyn protests against the fact that France and Yugoslavia agreed on the name of a referee concerning the match opposing them.

But, until this day, it was not forbidden. After long talks, the Congress decides that no country will have a veto right and will have the right to object to a referee, no country will have the right to agree on a referee's name, the list of the referees will be drafted every year and conveyed to the Director of the competition who, with the help of the Technical Committee Secretary will appoint the referees for each competition. The central referee shall be neutral, regarding the corner judges, the equality shall be respected, for example, 2 neutrals and one of each competing countries. The Congress, on the basis of the Technical Committee proposal ratifies the results of refereeing exams : 18 international referees and 14 trainee international referees (among whom, MM. Morris and Spanton, who will both go a long way).

Talks are starting regarding women who attend the exam, the case will be submitted to the Technical Committee. A seat in the Directing Committee must be re-elected, M. Cherix is re-elected unanimously. The organisation of year 1968-1969 is set : the Technical Committee will meet in January 1969 at an International event. The meeting of the Directing Committee is set end February 1969 in Brussels. Yugoslavia proposes to organise the 2nd refereeing course in Opatija from 3rd to 6th April 1969. M. Collyn proposes the organisation of the 3rd course in 1970 in Ostende. It is agreed in principle. The 7th European Championships will take place in London on May 10, 1969, the 7th EKU Congress will be held the following day, May 11. For 1970 Championships, 3 countries apply: Italy, Germany and Netherlands. The 7th Congress will take the decision. MM. Kase and Mochizuki are unanimously re-elected as technical counsellors.

M. Delcourt says he is in touch with Africa, that an African Union is creating and that the General Secretary is in contact with Australia. President Delcourt believes these are encouraging information and that an International Karate Union may be created swiftly. Four federations requested information to enter EKU: Spain, Israel, Finland and Ireland. A badge (drawn by Mrs Delcourt) is studied then adopted. M. Sommers is in charge for the making. International referees shall wear an identical suit defined as : dark navy blue blazer (straight with 3 silver buttons), light grey trousers, white shirt, dark tie (black or navy blue), black shoes with supple soles. M. Aarts asks that the name of M. Plee be added to the list of the EKU funding members, in regards to his contribution to the launching of Karate on Technical plan in Europe.

The proposal is unanimously accepted. VII EKF Congress opens in London in May, 11th 1969. The results of the IV European Championships were ratified: In individual, Valera beat Gruss (Fra). The bronze medal winners were: Jorga I (YOU), Sherer (West Germany). In team modality, France beat Great Britain, and Belgium and Yugoslavia shared the third place. There were 10 participating countries. The Technical Counsellor T Kase, considers that the level of competitors has increased, however referees have not made much of a progress. President Delcourt answers that only two referee courses have taken place, the basis are good but holding just an international referee course every year it is not possible to unify refereeing basis, experience can not be acquired only through National Federations. Travelling and meals of referees are criticized.

M. Palmer answers that only a few countries informed on the number of attendees and consequently it is difficult to satisfy them if the countries do not report on the needs that must be satisfied during the Championships. The Congress decide that the activity will be held at UEK Headquarters and any DC member will have permanent access to files. M. Aarts (BEL) comments that Technical Committee meet just once and for half of a day and finds that it is not enough, he asks for a two-day meeting. M. Basile says that he is going to study that possibility. It is decided that the Organizing country is not responsible for the competition itself, but the Directing Committee. A report is forwarded on the referee course in Split (YOU).

The following applicants have been appointed International Referees: MM. Berdekens (BEL), Boutros (FRA), Vichet (FRA), B.Donn (GB), S. Arncil (GB), Pio Gaddi (ITA), Jorga (YOU). Ont ete nommes arbitres Internationaux stagiaires: MM. Faurier, (NED), Ham (NED), Collyn (BEL), Dehacs (BEL), Szkodzinski (FRA), Delcourt (FRA), Jenkins (GB), Grosso (ITA), Notari (ITA), Broggi (ITA), Zarko (YOU), Berislaw (YOU), Topic (YOU), Jorga W (YOU). M. Somers, Assistant Treasurer, was re-elected unanimously. Belgium presents its candidature to host Easter referee course in 1970, in Ostende. The Congress approves it.

Four new countries are definitely accepted: Spain, Ireland, Sweden and Luxembourg. V European Championships were held in Hamburg (Germany) in May 1970. This year is particularly very important for Karate, as WKF statutes are established and the first World Championships are held. As intended, the referee course takes place in Ostende and on 30th May 1970 , VIII EKF Congress is held in Hamburg. First of all, the Congress ratify the decisions taken by Directing Committee at their meeting on 7th March in Florence (ITA). Results of European Championships are: ratify Individuals, Valera beat Gruss (Fra). Bronze medal winners: Baroux (FRA) and Higgins (GB). Team category: West Germany beat France; Great Britain and Yugoslavia share bronze medal.

Mr. Both (Ned) proposes to establish a repechage system. This issue is put to the vote. There are 5 votes for it, 3 votes against it, and 2 abstentions. Consequently, it is decided that repechage system will be used in the following Championships. A discussion arises around refereeing, too much injured, Mr. Franco de Arabia (Esp.) proposes that a date should be settled, before competitions, for a technical meeting once every year. He is answered that is already being held and with Mr. Basile as Chairman. M. Messer's (Sweden) asks for the settlement of a date from that moment on. Mr. Hardwood (GB) does not agree with the draw system, he suggests having fighters with the same nationality in the same pool. Congress has a completely different point of view.

Yugoslavia presents its candidature to host the VI World Championships from 28th to 30th May 1970 in Belgrade. The Congress gives their approval. Elections take place and Mr. Delcourt is re-elected President. For Vice President position, there are three voting rounds showing the same results: 5 votes for Brandt (GER), and 5 votes for Both (NED). According to statutes, the President is asked for his vote to break the tie. Based on his experience and work, Mr. Delcourt votes for Brandt, who is elected. Mr. Joys (FRA) is elected for the General Secretariat. Mr. Franco de Arabia (ESP), proposes that candidatures should be submitted a month before the Congress and forwarded by the corresponding national federation.

The Congress approves it. The candidature of Israel is accepted with 9 votes for it and one abstention (Yugoslavia). The referee course will be held in Ajaccio (Corse) from 6th to 12th April 1971. M. Jorga (YOU) asks for the weight categories to be settled. A first voting round takes place: 7 votes for it, 3 votes against it. This issue will be studied by the Technical Committee and forwarded afterwards to the next Congress.

Mr. Delcourt states that Karate must be organized at world level. In order to make it possible, he creates the International Karate Union, and announces that Paris is a candidate to host the first World Championship in November, 14th 1970. A referee course is planned for November, 13th. The Congress gives their approval and the meeting is closed. From now on, events will happen in all haste in 1970. Mr. Ryoichi Sasakawa, President of the Japanese Federation, travels to Paris to meet again Mr. Delcourt and states his interest in taking part of construction of Karate at a world level but it is not possible, because of prestige reasons, to become a part of a world organization already existing, he proposes to cancel UIK and to found a new organization starting with Japan and UEK. Finally an historic agreement is reached and is signed between the two leaders on 16th June 1970 in Paris, which states that "from that moment on FAJKO and EKF will work together for the development of Karate worldwide". The new organization is called WUKO.

Mr. Sasakawa proposes that Mr.Delcourt should be the President and he will be the Honorary President. Mr. Delcourt does not agree with it, he thinks that for prestige reasons the Presidency must go to Mr. Sasakawa, and he will act as Chairman, and later on the Congress will decide on the Presidency according to statutes. This historic agreement was greatly important for small organizations or clubs, which were not affiliated to UEK. Mr. Sasakawa returns to Paris in August, 9th 1970, accompanied by MM. Eriguchi, Nakayama and Kagawa and organizes an International Karate Conference at the Intercontinental Hotel, where every European organization or from any other part of the world have been invited. The Japanese Embassy is represented by Mr.Hatori.

After listening to all different points of view, Mr. Sasakawa tries to make everybody agree and at the end of the meeting informs that the agreements signed with Mr Delcourt are definitive. First World Championships will be hosted by Tokyo in October, 10th 1970, where the first WUKO Congress will take place.

World Shotokan Karate Sports Council WSKSC

wskscouncil@gmail.com +91.9874091619 Prof.Dr.Hanshi.Dibyendu Nag.

WUKO. Previously, in 1989 the IOC drafted a set of statutes, drafted by its legal commission under the leadership of Keba Mbaye (Head of IOC Legal Commission) from Senegal, called the Principles of the101st Session decision which the IOC resolved that only in unification can karate be admitted into the Olympic Movement, as a provisional member then, as a full recognition sport and then as a candidate to be included in future Olympic Games, for Karate Unification both side had to fulfill certain fundamental issues before recognition will be given back to karate, for its inclusion in the Olympics. A clearly spelt out process of how and what needs to be achieved was presented to karate and then it was all systems go.
Sosai Kunio Tatsuno then appeared on the scene in 1994 as a very charismatic personality that was once a karate-ka and had just taken the sokeship of Seishinkai, a respected organization created by Shogo Kuniba who was a colleague of Mr. Ryoichi Sasagawa (non karate-ka) the founding president of the JKF, who was a prominent political and business figure in Japan, Tatsino was asked my Mr. Jacques Delcourt to assist in the unification of karate with the ITKF and Nishiyama in particular, Tatsuno needed this as he wanted to clean up his past image and saw this as an opportunity to redeem himself in Japan and make a name for himself in the world of Karate. Unfortunately he was naive and inexperienced and required much advised and schooling on matters of world karate politics, he then entrusted the advised of Imtiaz Abdulla and both gentlemen traveled throughout the world lobbying IOC members and karate leaders to give karate a chance of one day getting KARATE TO THE OLYMPICS. Little did they realise that this not what European Karate under the leadership of Delcourt and Espinos wanted, they wanted total power and at all cost without unification. They used this occasion, Tatsuno’s resources and this effort to get the IOC to return the provisional recognition, and when this was achieved the true objectives of what their intention was, was revealed, dirty politics, money and greed was the agenda. In 1998 a grueling election was held in Brazil where the incumbent President Delcourt decided to retire, due to an investigation in France about embezzlement of funds from the French Karate Federation and the contestation for President was between Antonio Espinos, Giuseppe Peliconne, and Imtiaz Abdulla this represented the group that wanted unity (Imtiaz Abdulla) and those that opposed unity (Antonio Espinos), it was a very clear position that the elections in Brazil were rigged from the start, the votes we loaded on the Espinos side, and candidates were paid for voting for Espinos, it was amazing that many countries that were not members we immediately given membership and allowed to vote. The voting audit committee was lead by Jacques Delcourt and his cronies thus ensuring a win by all cost. This resulted in Espinos purging all those that were a treat to him and the road is littered with corpses of this targeted and ruthless agenda of removing all records and all memory of anyone who was part of the unification or had anything to do with it. Thus today we read a history that is distorted and written to propagate a theory that it was Espinos and ONLY Espinos that got karate to the Olympic road. This is far from the truth.
For nearly 20 years, Imtiaz Abdulla and Rajeev Sinha, have been a part of the unification process where they relentlessly worked to unify world karate, but were always betrayed and sinister forces and methods used to derail this noble and important process for ALL karate in the world. As responsible and dignified persons with world repute and experience they decided after giving karate 20 years of getting Karate to the Olympics which failed, to recommit themselves together with Sosai Chodoin the person that sponsored Mr. Kunio Tatsuno, and encouraged him to fight and push for karate’s acceptance into the Olympic movement, their efforts where successful but high-jacketed by the Delcourt and Espinos camp, it becomes our responsibility to bring the truth before the next generation and to create a new clean structure to get karate unified, developed and presented for a pure and professional acceptance into the future Olympic Games with everyone from ALL karate formats competing just like Judo has managed to achieve.
With the historic signing of the WKF-ITKF Joint Statement led by Hidetaka Nishiyama (Chairman, ITKF) and Mr. Jacques Delcourt President of WUKO.WKF) at a duly constituted meeting in Osaka, Japan in 1996 for the unification of karate into one federation administrating all karate, the JWC (Joint Working Committee) was established with Mr. Kunio Tatsuno as its convener and Mr. Mr. Imtiaz Abdulla (WKF Vice President), Mr. Takaichi Mano (WKF General Secretary), Mr. Rajeev Sinha, ITKF Director) and Mr. J. Michael Crowe (ITKF General Secretary) as JWC Members. This JWC was recognised by the IOC and given the task of unification of world karate.
But there is a question as to why did Karate fail to make it to Olympics despite hard work of JWC who worked unanimously under the principles of 101st session document of the IOC?
Because ITKF was not ready for the dirty tricks of the WUKO European members and the Japanese were supporting the European Agenda, tis started a new partnership between Espinos and Sasagawa to protect their personal interest in karate world-wide. they will do anything to destroy United Karate and this is why the United World Karate Federation was created to stop this agenda and to unite all karate irrespective of origin.

Allow me to take this opportunity in wishing all UWKF members a Happy New Year, as a person that has always supported justices and fairness for all human beings and having martial arts (Budo) as my foundation I will fight for karate unity for all karate-ka world-wide for a better World for all through karate-do. As you are all aware our motto is the U.D.P.P.P – Unity of all karate-do in one organization, Development of all human beings, Prepare all karate-ka for competition and life, Participate with fairness and dignity, Professionalism always doing your best even if you lose, but never give up. Peace is something we all cherish as human beings and karate-do is for the weak to protect themselves against the powerful. This is why we as the United World Karate Federation must always look after the weak and always challenge the powerful so that they don’t hijack our sport and art for selfish needs. I have mentioned many times on my TV program, JPR Television that karate world-wide must unify into one big fair non discriminatory all inclusive World Karate Structure. It is unfair what the World Karate Federation has done and it is very sad that we have no leaders in karate in Japan to challenge this unfortunate and very disturbing situation. But this will not be for long as we have to find that leader to get karate unified and presented for all karate and all karate competition formats in one organization. As you may be aware the United World Karate Federation is the predecessor of the United World Karate Association created by me in 1992, to get karate into the future Olympic Games, it was together with Chairman Abdulla and some other members that we got all karate together with the assistance of Kunio Tatsuno, someone I supported a lot, to unify karate according to the dictates of the International Olympic Committee in 1996 just before the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, USA. After much deliberations and sometimes very sensitive negotiation we all managed to get the Osaka Declaration done. We really anticipated many good things to come out of this historic undertaking, but to all our disappointed, and after 20 years karate, still has not united and ONLY 20% of karate is in the WKF and the majority outside. This cannot be right!!

This is why after so many years of allowing the WKF to right the wrong, of the last two decades we are pushing again for karate to be united, it will be first prize if we can unify ALL karate including the WKF into ONE World Karate Structure, I am also disappointed in the leaders of Japanese Karate that have allowed this situation to get to where it is today. As the President of the IMOTO KAI Gi which includes Kanazawa Hirokazi, Higaonna Morio, Taro Arakawa who passed away in June 2015 after a long illness and we send our deepest and profound sympathy from all our members to his family and his many students, we are also sad to mentioned that we lost our eldest brother in karate, Kenei Mabuni Sensei who was at a ripe age of 97 when he passed away, we also send our deepest sympathy to the Shitokai and all his students, he was a loyal member of the Imoto Kai Gi and we will really miss his knowledge and presence. Also in our Imoto Kai Gi for Full Contact is Sugihara Masayasu a very prominent and dedicated karate-ka who is now based in Okinawa and has branches all over Japan and world-wide. All these individuals have dedicated their lives to the development and unity of karate-do throughout the world and have promoted their respective styles with distinction. We appreciate all of their contribution and we salute them for this enormous effort.

Karate is now a universal sport, although refined in Okinawa exported to mainland Japan and then to the world, karate can really say it belongs to the world as a gift from the Okinawan people, a peace-loving people with great passion to preserve their heritage which is now our heritage. Today we have many high ranked karate-ka that have also unselfishly promoted karate and its heritage, history and culture throughout the world. In fact many westerners are now more dedicated than even some Japanese and we appreciate all their efforts in making karate a universal sort and art. Ilja Yorga , Patrick McCarthy, Bob Taiani, Imtiaz Abdulla, our hard working Executive Chairman who I support fully as a brother and partner, Rajeev Sinha, and many others have contributed with excellence and budo spirit in everything they have done over many years. I must especially thank our Executive Chairman for really not giving up and totally focused and dedicated in getting karate unified, this has been a 20 year journey. When many would have decided to give in to the humiliation he suffered in the WKF he did not give up and pushed for the truth, dignity and fairness, through many barriers to get United World Karate Federation to where it is today.

Now we are in 2016 twenty years since we signed the Osaka Declaration and we are now more committed than ever to get karate unified, developed, prepared and let everyone participate in our sport and art. We also will be introducing Professional Karate this year in India and I want to thank Rajeev Sinha for this initiative in making this a reality. We will be having our Presidential Board meeting in Tokyo Japan, where the UWKF Executive Board will meet with the Shihan Dai and the Imoto Kai Gi to discuss and to explore the future of karate world-wide. This is a defining moment for all of us and we will keep you informed of the outcome. One thing is certain we have to take karate back from the “karate mafia” who are bent on destroying the history, culture and efforts of the past to control the future for themselves, we will not allow this to happen. I will not let this happen!!! this is why we are meeting to plan and strategize the way forward for all karate. This Presidential meeting was requested by our Executive Chairman as he felt it important for us all to meet to together get karate back to the karate people.

2016 also sees the introducing of the World Cup in Dubai another first and the team challenge in South Africa, a Japanese team will participate at this event, this will be a yearly event used to test and improve karate technically.

In conclusion, I want to thank you all for really putting UWKF on the map and in such a short time really shaking the world of karate and to give karate a better future through unity, development, preparation and participation in all karate formats, all styles in one organization, for those that have not joined this movement you are welcome to join through your respective national federations, lets forget the past and always remembers the preservation of the old ways with improvement of the future is out motto, it is now up to all of us to get karate to where it needs to be. This year will see the IOC vote in August 2016 for karate’s inclusion into the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games, although we are all excited about this fact, as it was this group that laid the foundation for this to happen in 1996, we must also push for total unity in karate so all karate loving people can be part of this achievement not just the 20% who are members of WKF. Lastly, I want to send a message to Mr. Antonio Espinos and all those in the WKF you cannot say you represent karate if you leave out 80% of karate outside, we ask that you also use this time to unify all karate into one organization, or we will have to change things to make this happen. You have to leave your selfish agenda at the dojo door and put you ego in your pocket and let the 101st Session dictates of the IOC be implemented with all karate enjoying the success of Olympic recognition as we did in 1996 and its inclusion possibly in 2016. This is your duty and the responsibility that was bestowed onto you as President of WKF, it is not yours only but belongs to all karate, it is for all karate people in the World.

We can be partners or opponents it is up to you to decide and we are prepared for both...!

Prepared by Prof.Dr.Dibyendu Nag. KARATE in OLYMPIC
budoshin.karatedo@gmail.com +91.9874741567 olympicouncil@gmail.com

When one see the comments about the IOC Session decision to include 5 sports into the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games as a sports and karate being one of them one realizes that the karate community in the world are an uninformed ignorant lot with very little analytical capacity. As you are all aware karate started as one united structure both in traditional Okinawan karate and today’s sport oriented karate. History tells us very clearly that karate was a synthesis of many martial influences over the decades with the Chinese influence, the Japanene influence and the various South East influences which evolved karate into what it is today. Actually speaking karate was one activity before the name karate was adopted and before that Tode or Chinese hand and previously called Ti, it was the effects of Itosu Sensei the great Okinawan karate genius and his vision to include karate as a physical education activity in the Okinawan school system, that led karate in the direction it has today. Before this karate was a effective form of civil self defense not just against untrained ruffians but also against fighting armies, when the Tokugawa and the Satsuma samurai invaded Okinawa and banned weaponry the Okinawa people went into secrecy and developed this civil empty hand self defense, although karate existed long before this, as they were a people that loved their freedom. After the introduction of karate, by Itosu Sensei into the Okinawan school system and deliberately after extracting the effective self defense application from karate, this set the foundation for karate as we see it today. What we see today which was exported to JAPAN and the rest of the world was “children karate”. Now this not a bad thing as the approached allowed for the survival of karate until today and made it very popular and contributed to its world-wide spread, without this I am afraid karate may have disappeared or it would have been practiced by very few. Take today the watered down styles that teach predominantly ” children karate” tend to have bigger numbers as members, as this karate is simple and straightforward. But those elaborate schools of deep study tend to have fewer students. This is a fact about other BUDO groups as well, kendo has much more members than kenjutsu and so forth and so forth. So we determine that in the evolution of many Japanese styles and especially those in the universities ” senior children karate” the students wanted to develop a competition atmosphere amongst themselves. If one looks at the various Japanese universities one will notice loyalty till they are in their adulthood. This is a matter of pride and it is in this atmosphere that one starts to understand the Sempai/Kohai system, seniors always push and control the juniors to a point of brutality sometimes, in Okinawan it was more a teachers disciple relationship which is very different to what Japan was used too. Japan is known to be a hierarchical society, and many wanted to shown off their group achievements. Besides there is a very serious rivalry between karate organizations and universities. This was the ideal environment for a further dilution of the old Okinawan karate and the exported ” children karate”.
One has to take into consideration kata was always the emphasis of the karate masters and their strategies and tactics of their styles were embedded in kata. Actually every kata is a fighting system on its own. In the old days students a maximum of two to three kata ONLY. Even Itosu emphasized kata in his ” children karate” practice.The only difference was the dangerous application was removed and his emphasis was only on physical education and development, most of the strategy, tactics and self defense technique which we developed to disable or damage the enemy were “hidden” and known by a few or even lost. So it clear that what was exported to Mainland Japan was “children karate” .
So the exported karate was further watered down when sport was introduced to the “children karate” from Okinawa, also as can we established through analyzing morgen sporting rules, a limited number of techniques we deployed into the sports system. Even the sports system was first developed under the “hitatsu ikken” mentality as an emulations as a sword men, that one strike should kill or injure and opponent, the strike we are suppose execute are to be at nerve center or organs without touching but with the intent to destroy, so we say similar to “shadow boxing with a partner” or shadow fighting. Again certain areas were forbidden and speed, distance and timing was the emphasis of this competition approach, there is evidence that this form of karate tried to emulate Kendo, and many of its rules have been taken from Kendo. Then came the introduction of karate into the west, the westerners were not happy with this “ikken hitatsu” mentality and they tried to bring in a more boxing approach but with a stop start methodology, a multiple point system was introduced in the late seventies and evolved into a multiple point system with more kicking and sweeping technique, which is the karate we see today, in the meantime another approach was developing, one where a group in Japan and America wanting more contact and more endurance. Knockdown sport karatewasdeveloped by including Amuam Thai approach and in America the contact karate with protection was introduced. All these started from Okinawan Karate and after Itosu Sensei created “children karate”. United World Karate Federation includes all these in its competition formats and includes all traditional karate kata Sao we are preserving all karate from Okinawa and Japan in one organization and one competition so we are the truly United Karate World Federation. A anyone can participate and develop themselves in all ways available.
So to the point both traditional Okinawan karate and other modern sport karate are essential for karate to survive, traditional karate from Okinawa would not have survived if “children karate” was not created because this allowed group training and mass participation, traditional karate has small dojos and one on one instruction is emphasized to teach the deeper understanding of self defense where as more recent sport is mass based and very simple and more athletic.
I have seem comments that some people only do ” we only do BUDO karate and are not interested in sports karate” but you are actually training and teaching “itosu’s Children karate” with your large group instruction, monthly fees and systemized kata practice and kumite prearranged teaching and calling yourselves authentic and the original BUDO karate. Who are you fooling there is nothing BUDO in your karate and with these comments you are bullshitting the uneducated and ignorant or maybe you are doing this to yourself and who are you trying to hogwash with you words. Only yourself, because you actually don’t know your karate history.
Sport karate and karate to the Olympics is good for all karate and we must embrace this like the BrucE Lee era was also good for the popularity of karate although Bruce Lee was kung fu practitioner, all in all we are either martial arts and martial sport, or just doing martial sport but think we are doing martial arts.
We can try as much as we want today’s society is nothing like the masters of old and one is not trying their skills on the battlefield daily for survival where they are using their skills in life and death situation, but rather teaching many on what they believe many work if the situation arrived. But on the sporting side we have pseudo situation of winning by selective rules without killing or injuring anyone seriously.
So really who are you fooling, maybe yourself, because you are ignorant and really are simulating what you learnt and believe this is the truth. The truth is in the kata and its analysis and the proof is its effects which unfortunately if used in its proper form and effect will definitely get you in jail. Think about this before you make comments about sport karate and traditional karate both are important for karate’s current and future development.
The situation that contributed to the karate division starts in the university system in Japan, as many have been constantly been brainwashed with that Funakoshi Gichin Sensei is the founder of modern karate, this is not correct. Funakoshi Sensei was given board and lodging at a university in Tokyo and for his he was given a janitors job so he could live. This is one of the reasons why Shotokan (Funoshi’s pen name) not the name of the karate ryuha, the students of Funakoshi who started this movement from the university were nationalist and wanted to have their own style, much diffrent and independent from all other Okinawan or other Japanese organisations at the time. The universities in Tokyo especially those students that founded the Japan Karate Federation (JKA). This group regarded themselves as an elite group was they had direct access to the nobility and high society in the Japanese system and most of these individuals were imperialist or nationalist. It is through this association that they had access to resources and also to decision makers.
The brainchild of the creation of the JKA was through Keio University and Shichi Tokudo, it is this high level contacts that got the JKA’s recognition by the Ministry of Education, which is a very powerful endorsement, which is still enjoys until today. The students of Funakoshi also were at loggerheads as their was a group calling themselves the Shotokai, then there was those that believed that the JKA was changing the original teaching and then the JKA which was changing the karate of Funakoshi to bring a more acceptable Japanese favour to the karate they were presenting to Japn and the world, this is attributed to the fact that the Japanese would not accept that they were adopting a Okinawan art, as Okinawa was regarded as not at their social level, and backward. This is also the reason that Funakoshi had to change the names of of the kata he brought from Okinawa and the kanji from chinese Hand to Empty Hand. Again, Japan was at war with China and anything Chinese was not acceptable to the Japanese. It was this university group that started experimenting with kumite matches, for two reason. One to introduce free fighting as a way to show their prowess and the other Japan was at war and needed to instil the Japanese fighting spirit into the karate practitioners. These were brutal times as many freshmen were treated under very harsh conditions for them to prove themselves.
One of the prominent karate leaders and the architect of the formation of the JKA was Masatoshi Nakayama and a very talented Hideki Nishiyama, many karate-ka or seniors were drated into the army and the training of the karate classes were still ongoing, but very unorganized and everyone tried teaching their own favour of what they thought was what JKA was. It was this that forced the JKA to systemise their teaching and instructors structure. The famous instructors program was developed for this purpose. It was always the interest of this group and their high level backers to expand their karate as the trues Japanese karate, and they needed envoy’s to expand this imperialist and nationalist agenda.
It is with this backdrop that we must understand that the division of karate started at this type, nit because of style difference but because of class differences. It is a known fact on Okinawa that Funakoshi was not a senior students of the system he train in with Ankoh Itosu, and all his other teachers. But he was a fairly educated person and this is what appealed to the Japanese. Most karate instructor in Okinawa were not highly educated and very few spoke proper Japanese at the time. So the class issue was a big issue and the Japanese needed a face for “their”karate and Funakoshi was the ideal candidate.
In the expansion of karate the JKA started teaching at the American Army camps during and after the war, this gave them great networks to expand their karate world-wide. But at this time the diffrence in approach between the JKA group and the Shotokai group and others that trained with Funakoshi was started to become a serious problem. Actually Funakoshi was against the introduction of sport karate as he believe karate was a martial arts and could be a sport.
Nakayama Sensei’s father was very prominent Kendo-ka and Kendo had already started developing a competition system, and a lots of the early karate rules came from Kendo, that is why the linear fighting approach and the long distance fighting emphasis, this was another influence in the current JKA system of maintaining and long distance between the fighting practitioners. The Shobu Ippon system or sundome system was what the JKA was developing from the Kendo influence of one cut one kill. .This transferred to karate as Ikken Hitatsu, one punch kill.
In part one we tried to explain the idealogical battles that were festering between the elite of the Japanese karate and the other members of the JKA. It is important to understand this as many of the expansion program for karate to the world outside Japanese started with this organisation.
In this quest to expand many senior instructors were sent as envoys to different parts of the world.
The Japanese karate group under the JKA also started forging relationship with many undesirable groups, like the Apartheid Government of South Africa, as Japan had a very favourable relationship with the Apartheid regime for economic and other reasons. Karate was an important sport for the Apartheid regime and it supported the JKA group very seriously and many South African JKA members were part of the Apartheid security structure. Many South African Karate-ka were allowed open access to the JKA headquarters and many South African karate-ka became prominent in the JKA because of this. In the meantime many indigenous South Africans that were not considered “White” we excluded from participation in this sport. A law was passed to exclude blacks from dojos and the government even went so far as stating ” That Karate was detrimental to be taught to Black people”, this was a statement made in 1968 by a serving Minister in the Apartheid Government. Dojos in South Africa were classified as White or Black dojos and the karate taught was different, advanced for whites and a form of rudimentary karate for Blacks,karate-ka could not mix, otherwise if they did they were prosecuted. Team that represented South Africa were reserved for White karate-ka ONLY, any black karate-ka was excluded an not allowed to earn National South African honours or colours, a case in point is Gen Popham, a person classified in the Apartheid South Africa as a coloured person, a person of mixed race, he was selected as he won the South African Nationals and beat all his opponents and was denied the selection or honours as he was considered black.
Many prominent Japanese instructors on they way to expanding karate to other parts of the world first stopped in South Africa before going on to other prominent locations. Many organisations also expanded from South Africa to other parts of the world. An example is the first group of instructor including prominent karate-ka such as Kanazawa, Shirai, Kaze, Enoeda travelled to Apartheid South Africa first before dispersing into Europe where they went on to become legends in their own right, they only taught white karate-ka and were denied teaching black karate-ka and all blacks were excluded by law from teaching the black majority. This is one of the reason that the white karate-ka where given technical preference and political preference in the JKA and other organisation. Secondly, example is the spread of Shukokai under Shigero Kumira, his first stop after Japan was South Africa and then to the United Kingdom and America. Today the prominent leaders in Shukokai are South African. Another example is the IOGKF of Morio Higashionna, first expaned into South Africa and then to Europe. Again only teaching white karate-ka. In the World Union of Karate Organization (WUKO) now World Karate Federation (WKF) the same practices prevailed and white Apartheid South Africa was given preference over the black majority. In 1982 in the WUKO World Championship in Taiwan the a South African white team entered to participate at this championship. WUKO wanted to allow this team to participate but after much pressure from the African members, the Anti Apartheid Movement and the United Nations. A vote was held and the vote was won by 4 votes against allowing a white Apartheid team to participate. All the socialist and communist country stood by Black South Africa against the Apartheid Government.
In 1976 in Long Beach a South African all white team was allowed to participate by WUKO and at the same time a IAKF tournament was held in the USA and the IAKF refused South Africa to participate. It was WUKO that turned this around and blamed the IAKF as allowing a team to participate when they were the perpetrators, it was at this Taiwan Congress that the Unification of karate was starting to take its position. A Confederation was created to try to get karate accepted by 1992 into the Olympic Movement and into the future Olympic Games. Unification was paramount and the WUKO and IAKF attempted to get this started. But WUKO was not interested in unification but rather usurping IAKF into the WUKO. I was very instrumental in lobbying Apartheid Karate’s exclusion as the United Nations had passed a resolution at its Gleneagles meeting that sanctions should be imposed on Apartheid South Africa in all areas including Sport. A black-list was created and those that had ties with South Africa were sanctioned. This did not stop the Japan and some elements within WUKO, they continued to have relationship with Apartheid South Africa. The team that was rejected by the WUKO in Taiwan in 1982, was invited by the JKA to come to Japan and participate in a created international friendly between South Africa and Japan. Taiwan also had very close and important ties with Apartheid South Africa and they allowed a rebel team to take part outside the world championship in another created international tournament between South Africa and Taiwan.
So one can conclude that this practice of underhandedness and impunity started in the 1970’s and the networks and relationship continues until today. This is part of the reason the World Karate Federation is viewed in such a bad light by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), its constitution is very close to a Nazi or fascist ideology.
White supremacist and non democratic practices and ideologies are encouraged to the detriment of democracy and karate unity and development have been a modus operandi since the formation of the World Union of Karate Organization and the other international organisations that started at this time. .
In part three we will outline the break in relationship between the IAKF and France and the Japanese backing of the European Agenda.
After the politics of the styles and the political establishment in Japan, two streams of power structures started emerging one group led by Ryoichi Sasakawa and the Other with the powerful JKA, other styes started rally behind the Sasakawa group and at this time the Federation of All Japan Karate Organization (FAJKO), was being encouraged for the unity and expansion of all karate, out of Japan to the rest of the world. It was very interesting that although the Okinawan Karate fraternity was allowed to demonstrate at WUKO and FAJKO tournaments to show the origin of karate, they were not given their place at the table so to speak or to make decisions affecting the way karate was being developed technically in the sporting arena. This is possibly one of the reasons why a majority of Okinawan Karate actors refused to join the FAJKO group. The FAJKO decided to divide the organizations into styles but ONLY into four groups recognised by the Japanese FAJKO faction, namely Shotokan (which included the JKA), Shito Ryu, Goju Ryu and Wado Ryu. Each representing a personality and a power base. Concentration of power was mainly in Tokyo and Osaka, with the Shotokan and Wado groups very prevalent in Tokyo and the Shito and Goju groups in Osaka. The Shotokan personality at this time was Masatoshi a powerful individuals with networks in the higher echelon of Japanese society and especially the political elite, Wado was represented by its founder Hidenori Otsuka, also a jui jutsu practitioner who has been in Japanese Budo before taking up karate under Funakoshi,, Goju by Gogen “the Cat” Yamaguchi and Shito by the Mabuni’s elder son Kenei Mabuni and Manzo Iwata , later the Seishnkai under the Kuniba family, originally Kokuba (Okinawan) and the organization was taken by Kunio Tatsuno after the death of Shugo Kuniba, Tatsuno and myself and some other colleagues where instrumental in gettng karate accepted back into the International Olympic Committe (IOC) in 1996, and its recognistion and final acceptance int the 2020 Olympic Games. Kuniba Shugo also has to wait to be Soke after his father passed away at a very early age, the organization was headed by Teruo Hayashi for a short time, Teruo Hayashi started karate at a very advanced age and was very open minded and travelled and polished his karate through intercation with other Okinawan Master through the introduction of the Kuniba family and through their family starting in Okinawan karate, he used this to accumulate a great deal of knowledge and trained with notably Okinawan Master, Nagamine, Nakaima and others, he also pusued his study of Okinawan Kobudo, he went on to create a very successful organization called Hayashi Ha Shito Ryu which was and still is very successful in WUKO and WKF.
It was this partnership between Ryoichi Sasakawa and the a European lawyer who was making his own inroads of power in karate by accumulating the European countries into a powerful European group called the European Karate Union which is purported to be created in 1965, first dominated by judo practitioners as Paris was the hub for the expansion of karate and judo. It is stated that Italy, Great Britain, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Spain made up base under Jacques Delcourt that started the power play in karate as the agreement was that Sasakawa the shipping tycoon and the lawyer from Paris Delcourt decided to partner with each other to dominate World Karate. Sasakawa was to be the power and money man and Delcourt the administrator with his legal background and his understanding of sports politics and personalities in the western world. This was the perfect combination Although both gentlemen were not really Budo people and were rather politicians and powerful individuals in their own right. This started the karate fight for domination away from karate people to politicians. The first championship for karate was held in Paris in 1966 with the newly formed Nakayama from the JKA came from a family of traditional Budo people, his father was avery proficient Kendo person, nd he started to experiment in formulating a set-up of rules for karate competition as the university group was being criticised for too much contact to the face and also some deaths. He used the Kendo rules as a basis and this is why the first set-up of rules were based on the “Sundome”” principle of one stroke one full point. The first competition used the JKA developed rules and so did the FAJKO group, later this changed and this is also one of the reason for disunity in karate today..
Jacques Delcourt was avery charismatic individuals that practice a little bit of karate under Henry Plee and as stated by some under Oshima, who today runs the very traditional Shotokan America organization. He was the first to be sent to America to expand Shotokan karate but was more alined to the Shotokai group (outside the university) that a person responsible for the expansion of JKA and then International Amateur Karate Federation, Hideki Nishiyama. It has been related by a few commentators that Nishiyama went to United States under the invitation of Oshima, and Oshima decided to return to Japan for a short period and left the Shotokan organization under the care of Nishiyama, Upon his return he realised that Nishiyama has already taken the organization under his control and his caused a major rift between the two individuals. This is part of the problem for todays disunity in world karate. Nishiyama created the International Amateur Karate Federation in 1978 although he created the American Amateur Karate Federation in earlier. This is the another factor in karate disunity.
We shall continue this in the next blogs about the break up of FAJKO and JKA and Nishiyama and the World Union of Karate Federation.
Good governance and change should be what world karate needs after the 2020 Olympic Games. It is apparently clear now that it was Japan, Japan Karate Federation and the Sasakawa influence that got karate its first and possibly last appearance in the Oympic Games. But the narrative all along was that the Spaniard Antonio Espinos did this on his own.This far from the truth. The Espinos Samaranch factor was always the motivation used for karate to being the Olympics.
So let’s take a journey down memory lane and understand the situation and ask ourselves how do we assist karate to get back in the games after 2020. We shall do this is four parts.
History is a funny animal it is harsh on those that try to change its cause.
The World Karate Federation as we know it today was the World Union of Karate Organization (WUKO) until 1995, this name was proposed by International Olympic Committee (IOC), at its Congress held in Monte Carlo called the 101st Session.
It was at this session that the Congress have asked Judge Keba Mbaye, a Senegalese jurist and IOC members to attempt to get unity in world karate by unifying the World Union of Karate Organization with the International Traditional Karate Federation (ITKF) into a unified organization called the World Karate Federation.
But the spirit of unification as required by the IOC was undermined by both groups. Firstly, the WUKO which I was a part of, serving as Vice President with the current President from 1993 to 1998, interpreted the unification as the ITKF disbanding and merging into the WUKO to form the WKF, so this would be giving up everything and simply being usurped into WUKO with a name change.
The ITKF understood unification as being a merging of equals. The WUKO did not accept this interpretation as they believed that they had more national federations who were members of National Olympic Committees and they should be the senior player. This was the first break down in the unity process.
The IOC did not assist very much in this regard to clarify the proper intrepretation and allowed the difference in interpretation to continue. Second issue of discontent was the difinition as crafted in the 101 Unification Statues where the designation of karate was divided into three designated groups. Will make up the new World Karate Federation. The definition was General Karate ~ karate competition formats as promoted by WUKO, Traditional Karate ~ karate competition formats as promoted by ITKF, those federation that did both types of karate and were already working together in their National Federation. Now at this time around 1988 WUKO did have more national federations, and this was understandable as they were the organization that was provionsionally recognised by the IOC.
WUKO received such recognition around 1978 and at that point had about 40 federations, surprising ITKF had a similar number of federations, but after the IOC recognition many countries decided to leave the ITKF and join with WUKOto get better government support financially and politically.
In 1995, a flamboyant Japanese karate lover Kunio Tatsuno head of a karate organization called the Seishinkai in Osaka, Japan, this organization had a sterling pedigree which was developed by the Kokuba family, a family that was regarded as karate royalty, in Japan they were known as the Kuniba family. Tatsuno assumed the Soke position after the passing of it’s previous head, Shugo Kuniba, who was residing in the USA, married an Ameican women and was expanding the organization internationally.
Tatsuno was a charismatic individual and usualfor a Japan and was looking for something to give him world prominence, he had a checked past and was associated with the under world in Japan. This new character was always going to clash with the established cabal in the World Karate Federation, especially the Sasakawa famiy and the European karate mafia under Decourt. Tatsuno portrayed himself as the new Saskawa. These two previous WUKO groups , Sasakawa and the European karate mafia were partners and they did not want a ” new child on the block” to come in and distrub their party which they were firmly in control of.
Delourt was also having problem of his own in the powerful French Karate Federation and the new emerging young turks led by Antotio Espinos and Francis Didier. Espinos started his ascension to power during the 1988 Mexico World Championships, taking advantage of the majority of Spanish speaking countries who attended this championships to start his agenda to take over. Many were not happy with Decourts handling of the Olympic issue, besides he and Samarach were not fans of each other. He was seeking power and was craftng a plot to get a mandate to take over the WKF.
The next championships was to be held in Granada, Spain, and Espinos being ambitions and crafty thought that he would be able to do a palace coup in his own country, but this did not happen.
Sasakawa resigned as President at this Coigress, at this time and Delourt was still in control and assumed the position as President, he was Executive Chairman before this. France was still a force in karate politically and technically, in 1992, but Spain was creeping slowly as a powerhouse, especially in the Spanish countries, Delcourt also relingusihed his position as President of the powerful European Karate Federation and this was the chance Espinos was waiting for and this chance presented him with a great opportunity to roll out his coup. He craftily used many people to ascend to the top in Europe, such as Mike Dinsdale, Gunnar Nordhl, George Yerolimpos, George Popper, and many more. His next aim was the WUKO as it was called then. The next chapter will deal with his sinister plot. Until next time keep training, uniting and developing karate in your own way.
All Karate loving people most probaly have now received the news that before even appearing in its first Olympic participation, Karate has been enclosed from the 2024 Paris Olympics. This has never happened before, most sports are given at least two appearances before they are excluded. The other 4 sports which we included with karate in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Game are still retained, so what is the problem?
In my humble opinion karate is rather disunited and the arrogance of the World Karate Federation and especially the underhanded and dictatorial manner of its President has always been a stumbling block for karate to be a major force with the Olympic movement, the second issue is the competition of karate is looking more and more like Tekwondo and to sort looking very similar to the untrained causes a dilemma for the IOC, thirs is the fact that the only reason karate was included in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is that Japan paid for its inclusion, because of a powerful individual in Mr. Sasagawa and because it has a culture heritage with Japan. Although the majority of the Okinawa Karate fraternity are not part of the Japan Karate Federation (JKF), the affiliate of the World Karate Federation (WKF). Okinawa is considered the birthplace of karate and many of its senior leaders are not entirely happy the way karate is developing or portrayed today.
I together with many others were very instrumental in getting karate accepted back into the Olympic Movement in 1996, after a feud between the then World Union of Karate Organization (WUKO) and International Traditional Karate Federation, forced the International Olympic Committee to terminate the membership of the WUKO, because of a very serious issue of unity in karate. After much discussion and consultation the IOC developed a constitution which asked both bodies to created a new organization the World Karate Federation. Due to machination and very underhanded practices the WUKO unilaterally changed its name and usurped the unity process and blamed the whole process on the ITKF, there is some truth to this as the relationship between both organization was not a the best. It took a great deal of unbiased and fair treatment from impartial individuals to get the both parties to agree on a roadmap called the joint Working Commission, appointed by both bodies and endorsed by the IOC. It was this historic unity agreement signed in Osaka between the two feuding bodies that pushed the IOC to give provisional recognition to World Karate Federation (which was to include both bodies). This happened during the Atlanta Olympic Games. It must be stated that at this time Mr. Espinos the ow President of WKF was not involved in this process or normalization of karate’s membership back to the IOC.
But once this was achieved we saw a different group led by Espinos,bent on taking power away from the Jacques Delcourt faction, and implementing a purge strategy of getting rid of all individual that successfully got karate back its recognition or anyone that had a intellectual memory of the previous WUKO. A very concerned effort by a group led by Espinos started pushing for the removal of Delcourt and his faction. At the Congress of Granda in 1992, the die was set for this strategy to take effect as the host of this this competition was Spain and Espinos as its President. The actual start6egy came to the fore when the 1994 Kota Kinabalu Congress was held, Delcourt did not appear and he gave a explaining that he was ill and that an unknown Espinos, should chair the meeting. Ignoring all other senior members of WUKO, Fritz Wendland, George Popper, Adnan
Cateriski. George Anderson, Nader Sherif, and other senior individuals who had many more years of experience were sidelined and the Espinos group started the implementation of their startegy to take over the WUKO. It was at this Congress that I was elected the Vice President and so was Espinos we were the same level of seniority. But, I refused to be controlled by the Espinos faction and this started the conflict. In Espinos modus modes operandi you must be totally subservient to the Espinos (the Boos or sometimes things he is the Pope) and you must act as a cardinal without question anything that does not suit his opinion or direction. If one scans back to history one will see how systematically he has eliminated everyone of those that challenged or differed with him. The last episode was when his closest ally and one who did most of his dirty bidding, Geroge Yerolimpos was kick out of the WKF for differing with Espinos approach to the Olympic staregy and the spending of valuable resources with hand picked Spanish companies, who many say are extraction machines for Espinos. Espinos was civil engineer and worked as a General manager in a Spanish Construction company with no prospect of promotion. Today he is Executive President that works full-time for the WKF, where does he get the money to survive? There are many rumors about how he has very craftily installed his own group through the world that does his business bidding in many avenues of the WKF procurement and qualification. The carrot and stick method is used and Espinos is always the benefactor of this spoils.
This practice has been known by the IOC and they don’t like scandals and especially regarding a sport that is the Olympic program, this is their most valuable asset and they will allow it to be tarnished by a insignificant and non money producing sport like karate. So today after much hard work karate is back to where it was before, it is going to be difficult to get back in the Olympic program, and in my humble opinion the ONLY way to get this back on track is to unify all karate irrespective from why and what approach and fair development of all countries, without the corruption of the last Olympic exercise, were is cost between $35 000 to $40 000 per year to be even considered for selection, also it is imperative that you are ranked and from a Espinos friendly country.
It is a sad day for karate but maybe it is for the better of the sport and art that it was excluded because it was allowed to continue the arrogance and underhandedness would have continued.

Budoshin Karate-Do International. (BKDI) is a nodal agency of martial arts unincorporated to the United Nation Institute for Training And Research. (unitar). Established under the reform of the International Olympic Council. (IOC) revised since 1991. Prof.Dr.Hanshi.Dibyendu Nag. the President of the Budoshin Karate-Do International. (BKDI) who have started his carrier in martial arts back to the vintage of Kenpo Karate 1975_1976. O_Sensei Doka Miro was an abortogenics master having a lineage with O-Sensei Ed Parker & Elvis Presley. Prof.Dr.Hanshi.Dibyendu Nag also goes through BUDOKAI Karate with O-Sensei RVT Mani & a direct disciple of BUDOKAN Karate with O-Sensei C.S.Chew he is having a vast knowledge in all Budokai, Budokan & Budoryu (BUDO) (SHIN) have being created by Prof.Nag 'BUDO' means Martial Ways and 'SHIN' meaning Truth. BUDOSHIN KARATE-DO INTERNATIONAL is the main source to include "KARATE" in Olympics. Dr.Nag have also gone through rigorous with Budoshin Jujitsu and achieved his Shachidan. He is the Founder of the Budoshin Karatedo International...more

KARATE HAD ITS ORIGIN IN INDIA
It is believed that about 5000 years ago a prince of Kanchipuram (Tamilnadu - India) developed the first crude version of weaponless self defence, by watching the movements of animals and birds while they fought. He applied these movements to the human body and discovered that these movements could be effectively exploited. The Prince, then experimented on 1000 slaves, to discover the weaker parts of the human body, where even a puncture with a needle could kill the victim. The prince then used the techniques that he had found successful and directed them at the weaker parts of the human body and perfected the first known art of weaponless, self defence.
Bolidharma, (known as Daruma Taishi to the Japanese) a Buddhist monk, learnt the technique of Weaponless self defence while in India, and imparted training to his monks in China. In Tamil - Karam means hand & in Japanese Karate means Empty (Kara) and Hand (te). It is a system of attack and defence that uses all parts of the body (hands, feet, elbows, fingers, etc.,) to kick, punch, chop, butt, or any other move that is effective in defending ones self. Many of these movements may seem odd to the average person, but one must bear in mind that these have been analysed and geometrically calculated so that whatever the action, a block or a punch, it is the maximum the human body can achieve. One learns that it is not the size and strength alone that wins rather it is the speed and power that are the deciding factors in making one victorious .
True KARATE is a Physical Art, a Technique of Weaponless Self- Defence and a Sport. One of its greatest attributes is that anyone, irrespective of size, age or sex can practice this Art. The degree of skill, of course, varies from person to person. However, one can practice KARATE according to his own physical capabilities. KARATE is related with AHIMSA and therefore is employed to deter an agressor from resorting to violence, rather than maim or to kill. Nowadays, if any one speaks about SELF DEFENCE, it means only Karate. Eve-teasing, chain snatching and other assaults on women are reported almost everyday. KARATE is the only fitting answer to these social evils and crimes. KARATE can be learnt by School-going children / college students or by any other citizen, irrespective of their sex.
Those who want to protect themselves from the evil can learn this art of weaponless self-defence. It can be learnt from the age of 4 till 60 years. Strength and stamina are two main requisites for learning Karate. However, KARATE training has been linked with the performance of feats of strength, viz., pulling cars by the hair, breaking granite placed on the chest or abdomen, riding a motorcycle while lying on a bed of nails, etc. These acts of strength can be performed by anybody who is strong enough and has absolutely no relation with the martial art of Karate.
KARATE - SPORT
At the end of the Meiji period (1888 - 1912), Karate was introduced into the Okinawa Prefectural Normal School and the Prefectural Number One Middle School as part of physical education in the schools. In 1952, young practitioners of Karate devised a set of rules and regulations to govern the sport of ‘free Combat’, Karate, as a means to prevent injuries and in fact, to create a sport. They formulated sunyame, a method of controlled thrusting, one sun, or one inch, short of the opponent. Thus SPORTS KARATE took form and considered a sport in Japan. SPORTS KARATE differs from self-defence Karate, in the former, lethal movements are prohibited and punches to the face should be regulated so that the blow falls short of actual contact. Contacts to the face are permitted once or twice but repetation of such contacts by a contestant on his opponent on his will render him liable for disqualification from a match. In its evolution, Karatedo has been accepted around the world. Japan is where this martial art flourished, and it was first incorporated on the sports field when Shihan Funakoshi Gichin, Otsuka Hironori, and Funakoshi Yoshihide introduced basic sparring techniques in the Karatedo practice in 1924 and 1927.
In 1957 Japanese universities started Karatedo tournaments, it is very important to notice that Karatedo training has always been systematic and the two most important parts of training are Kata (Form) and Kumite (Sparring). Both use offensive and defensive techniques in their performance, they also provide good focus and control (Kime) in the practice of these techniques. Kata is the key for improving all block and strike techniques while Kumite is a practical test in the use of these techniques. The free sparring applied in tournaments is not same as street sparring. In street sparring (Fighting) you are able to use any defensive or offensive techniques for your self-defence but in free sparring as a sport you must follow specific rules and regulations to avoid hurting your partner. Consequently rules for these kind of competitions were created so that one could practise without causing injury to their opponent. The idea of Karatedo tournaments turned this martial art into a sport as well.
The basic principle of KARATE is not to destroy an aggressor but to discourge him from resorting to further violence. Hence a good KARATE-KA should be able to control his blows at all times to avoid injury to his opponent. SPORTS KARATE is a fast event. The player has to rely on his speed, power, excellent technique, stamina, good form and clean distinctive blows to win a match. A Match has to be won within 3 mintues and therefore it leaves little time for common and simple moves which are empolyed by contestants at tournaments as such moves are swifter and easier to execute. Judge of very high KARATE calibre are entrusted with the responsibility of controlling SPORTS KARATE bouts as it is a fast sport and can be damaging, if uncontrolled. It is difficult to score in SPORTS KARATE. All techniques should be excellently executed and the contestant should be able to attack without placing himself in danger by his opponent. Only then a Point will be awarded.
KOKINO the highest medal taker institute in India : World Tournaments - 6 (2 Gold, 1 Silver & 3 Bronze), International Tournaments - 44 medals (22 Gold, 8 Silver and 10 Bronze), produced 3 Grand Champions; National tournaments - 205 medals; State, District and Club & School wise tournaments - Countless medals .
KARATE - A MUST FOR WOMEN
The world is fast evolving into a stage where violence has become rampant. Not a day passes by without the mention of some sort of violence. Women, the weaker sex, are more vulnerable to violent attempts on their person either for material gain or for any other cheap reasons. In many such cases, the woman falls prey to an attacker owing to her inability to defend herself in the right way. School Girls, College Students, Working Women, House-wives are exposed to danger from unruly elements. It is needless to say that in many cases, provocative dresses and jewellery attract the attention of brigands who attempts to make a cache.
It is time now, with deliberation on womans liberation etc. that women also try to defend themselves against external dangers. Karate is the best means of such self defence as it is an art in which the hands and legs are used as silent, effective weapons, which can be used with lightning speed. An unaware aggressor would find himself in all sorts of trouble with women who is Karate trained. Women have established themselves creditably in the field of sport.
There is nothing to prevent them from participating in Karate Tournaments, now that the martial art is emerging as a sport all over the world. Karate helps women in maintaining a good physique and does not impair them in any way. Equally well, Physiologically, no complications arise. Learning of martial arts infuses more confidence in a woman as it exercises the mind and body simultaneously. As a citizen with equality a woman shouldn’t be denied of her fundamental rights as for as safety is concerned. Karate offers the best solution, not only in defending one’s self, but also does the magic in obtaining jobs in the police, defence, public and private sector undertakings
There is a wrong conception and a myth among the larger section of people that Practising Karate among girls could infuse manly characters. This could be no way proved. This sport is as equal as any other sport where a lot of physical exertion is needed. Any sport would not affect the harmones, rather that would help you overcome your low confidence and develop your over-all personality.
KARATE - BLACK BELT
If any body say Black belt immediately even the layman can also understand it is connected with Karate a noble Martial Art. Achieving Black Belt is not the end of the art. But infact is the beginning. The prevailing situation of Kokino would be different from elsewhere in the sense that professional edge that you have got here, if you talk about achieving Black belt the coveted title, which is not the end by itself in learning Karate as any one might assume but gettting Black belt would be a definite turning point in his career. In KOKINO the rules are not made simple for you to get Black belt, its not a overnight game. The various professional qualities like Discipline, Strength, Physical stamina, Psychology related to learning techniques and Psychology related in applying the techniques would be scrutinised. The candidate’s professional maturity and behaviour in controlling the learnt techniques are definitely considered. So Black belt achiever in KOKINO is someone who has learnt the art of Karate and practises in the utmost professional form second to none in the competitive sport.
How Black Belt Came? In ancient days, only white thick cloth was used to tighten the dress with the body while practising Karate. As days passed by the white belt became faded and turned into light yellow, brown or black. When Karate was started teaching in Schools and Colleges in Japan a syllabus was preferred. At that time to denote various stages of training of Karate, various colour belts were introduced, such as White, Orange, Green, Brown and then Black.
Olden Days Black Belt - In olden times when Karate was taught in the crude form, students perforce had to convince their teachers of their genuineness and devotion to Karate-do. Emphasis was laid on maintaining discipline and loyalty towards their master, whether during the training or after. To them it was not the time of training nor the period of training that mattered. It was the physical endurance and exercises infused with the philosophical perception of Karate-do that mattered, and which they used as a way of life. To them black belt was of no significance.
To-day Black Belt - Karate-do training now-a-days has become means of acquiring physical competence and material gains. Students are anxious to become experts in a short time while instructors are keen on monitory benefits. These two desires of teachers and students are complementary and give a way to a black belter to think that he has become an expert in Karate-do. The black belt he has received is by paying exhorbitant amounts to the instructor as fees for grading. The instructor, in this case is only interested in the money he receives for grading a black belter, and is in no way concerned about the quality of the black belt students he has produced. Such an attitude on the part of the teacher and student renders karate-do fit in the movies.
Today a black belt is of little value. Unscrupulous are content with higher dans and gradings, presuming that such elevations would enhance their reputation. Little do they realise that a black belt has reached the ultimate in Karate lessons. Scant thought is given to perfection, sincere training, discipline and maintenance of the fundamental principles of Karate. As stated earlier, material benefits and the desire to achieve physical prowess and fame have taken over and remains as the order of the day. In many cases, a karate-ka falsely believes that his existence and reputation in Karate circles would be in jeopardy if he does not attain higher dans. This is a false concept as many veteran instructors are not interested in dans, but are dedicated in imparting the correct training.
Black Belt and Its Value The first thought to a layman, on enrolling in a dojo is to become a Black Belt, as soon as possible. So a question thereby arises, how soon one can become a Black Belt holder and what are the values of a Black Belt. Karate-kas have relentlessly been trained in the art first, to achieve physical power and enhancement of spiritual value. Hence at the first place it is a Martial Art for harmless selfdefence and self growth. Once we enroll ourselves in a Karate dojo we start getting training in Karate as a white Belt in that School. Internationally recognised Karate Schools have different stages of Belts on their own. Kokino the internationally recognised Karate school also have its own pattern of Belts.
World Shotokan Karate Sports Council WSKSC
wskscouncil@gmail.com +91.9874741567

WORLD SHOTOKAN KARATE SPORTS COUNCIL
shotokanet@gmail.com +91.9874741567 Prof.Dr.Hanshi.Dibyendu Nag.

History & Principles of Shotokan Karate

A Short History of Shotokan Karate

Gichin Funakoshi is widely considered as the “father” of modern day karate. He was born in the Shuri prefecture in Okinawa in 1868 and at the age of 11 began to study Karate under two of Okinawa’s top masters. In time, he became a master in his own right and in 1922 he was invited to demonstrate karate to the Japanese public for the very first time. The demonstration was such a success he was invited to stay in Japan and teach, which he did with great success.
For Sensei Funakoshi, the word ‘karate’ eventually took on a deeper meaning than just martial arts training, transforming into what is has become known as karate-do, the ‘way of the empty hand.’ He was to modify the Okinawan art by taking inspiration from traditional Japanese budo (kendo, judo, etc) and integrated their philosophical aspects into his and his student’s training. This became a total discipline, which represented a synthesis of Okinawaan and Japanese schools and in 1936 he established the ‘SHOTOKAN’ style of Japanese karate which was to be greatly influenced by his son Yoshitaka (Giko) and Masatoshi Nakayama, first headmaster of the Japan Karate Association.
Whereas his father was responsible for transforming karate from a mere fighting technique into a philosophical martial ‘do’ (way of life), Yoshitaka was put in charge of developing, helped by other important martial artists, a karate technique that definitively separated Japanese karate-do from the local Okinawaan art, thus giving it a completely different and at the same time notoriously Japanese flavour.
It is upon these concepts that in 1948, the Japan Karate Association (JKA) was founded. The establishment of the JKA lead the way to the spread of Shotokan karate throughout the world. Master Masatoshi Nakayama, one of Funakoshi’s greatest students, succeeded him as the headmaster of the JKA and during his time there he further developed Shotokan, based on his own research, into the style we know today.
It was through master Nakayama’s vision, that Shotokan has spread throughout the world by enriching many people’s lives in many countries, while other senior instructors stayed in Japan at the Sohonbu to teach the next generation of Shotokan masters.

Funakoshi’s (Shotokan) Principals

Never forget: Karate begins and ends with rei. Rei has the meaning of respect.
There is no “first hand” in Karate. (Meaning there is no first attack, karate is about self-defense)
Karate supports righteousness.
First understand yourself, then understand others.
The art of mind is more important than the art of technique.
The mind needs to be freed.
Trouble is born of negligence.
Do not think that Karate is only in the dojo.
The training of Karate requires a lifetime.
Transform everything into Karate; therein lies the exquisiteness.
Genuine Karate is like hot water; it cools down if you do not keep heating it.
Do not have an idea of winning, while the idea of losing is not necessary.
Transform yourself according to the opponent.
The outcome of the fight all depends on the maneuver.
Imagine one’s arms and legs as swords.
Once you leave the shelter of home there are a million enemies.
Postures are for the beginner, later they are natural positions.
Do the kata correctly, the real fight is a different matter.
Do not forget the dynamics of power, the elasticity of the body, and the speed of technique.
Always be good at the application of everything you have learned.

Why You Should Choose IIMA Karate

Choosing a karate school (dojo) is a very important first step for every karate student. You need to be sure that you find the place that is right for you and for your family. IIMA provides a dojo environment where the training is serious but the atmosphere is friendly and supportive. Each student at IIMA is able to progress at his or her own rate. At IIMA, a student’s rate of advancement depends on personal ability and, more importantly, on their level of commitment to training.
Many factors make IIMA Karate in INDIA, 700048 a unique place to pursue the study of martial arts for you and your family:
Conveniently scheduled classes
Convenient location for Boulder County and Denver residents
No contract is necessary and our pricing is a very reasonable monthly fees with discounts available
High quality of instruction with over forty years of experience
Year-round training
Special and often individualized attention by skilled instructors for students of all levels and abilities
Flexible programs – students can start karate at any time
Special instruction to help youths develop motor skills and coordination
Guidance to help youths respect their parents and honor their friendships, relationships, and obligations
Special help for students with ADD and learning challenges
A wide variety of classes in karate and weapons training
Special seminars available for competitions, refereeing, and other martial arts programs

IIMA Karate “Dojo Kun”

IIMA uses the traditional Shotokan “dojo kun” (karate school affirmations) in all of its classes. Our dojo kun is intended to remind students to carry the physical, mental, and spiritual discipline and benefits of karate with them out of the dojo and into their everyday lives. The IIMA family has added a final affirmation to the traditional list, to encourage love and respect in all relationships.

Dojo Kun

Seek perfection of character
Be faithful
Endeavor (to excel)
Respect others
Refrain from violent behavior
Love yourself and love others
We offer you and your family one free class and welcome you to learn more about our family-oriented IIMA dojo and look forward to hearing from you. +91.8777613680 shotokanet@gmail.com

Benefits of IIMA Organization

For Instructors and Coaches

The IIMA organization offers numerous seminars and training sessions to assist Karate Senseis (Instructors) and Coaches develop top level athletes and to prepare those athletes for competition at regional, national, and international levels. Seminar topics include:
The differences between traditional and sport karate, and the advantages of each
How to generate inner power and strength in karate techniques
Developing speed and agility in kata & kumite at any age
The development of appropriate training programs for competitors all ages and abilities
Becoming a successful coach for youth and adult students
Ring management and refereeing techniques for competitions

For Organizational Leaders/Owners/Operators of Karate Organizations

In addition to the support you’ll receive for teaching, training, and helping your students successfully compete, the IIMA organization offers several seminars on the successful management of karate dojos, karate clubs and larger karate organizations. These seminars include:
New and updated methods for teaching students of all belt levels
The development of successful manuals to be used for both Kyu (color belts) and Dan exams (black belts)
How to train your instructors and staff to be more effective in helping to operate your business
Training yourself physically and spiritually to be an effective instructor and role model for your students
How to develop new, successful karate programs in your community
Managing multiple karate facilities
Teaching your students remotely
Managing a successful karate dojo/s club/s or organization
The basics of owning your own dojo
Instructor certification
Official Dan grades, registered in IIMA’s headquarters
Interested in learning more about the benefits of joining the IIMA Organization? Contact our office at +91.9874091619 to speak with PROF.DR.HANSHI.DIBYENDU NAG to receive the INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MARTIAL ARTS services.

List of Katas

This is the most elementary kata practiced at IIMA. Developed by Master Funakoshi’s son, Gigo, Taikyoku helps new students learn basic kata principles.
太極初段 Taikyoku Shodan – (first cause)

Heian

Created relatively recently, the Heians were originally called Pinan from the Okinawan pronunciation of the Chinese word for safety. When introduced to Japan, Master Funakoshi opted to use the Japanese pronunciation Heian. Considered basic kata for beginning students.
平安初段 Heian Shodan – (peaceful mind, first level)
平安二段 Heian Nidan – (peaceful mind, second level)
平安三段 Heian Sandan – (peaceful mind, third level)
平安四段 Heian Yondan – (peaceful mind, fourth level)
平安五段 Heian Godan – (peaceful mind, fifth level)

Tekki

Originally known in Okinawa as Naihanchi, the katas were renamed by Master Funakoshi upon its introduction to Japan to reflect the strength exhibited with kiba-dachi. Rich in fighting techniques, the Tekki family offers a plethora of close combat techniques.
鉄騎初段 Tekki Shodan – (iron horse riding, first level)
鉄騎弐段 Tekki Nidan – (iron horse riding, second level)
鉄騎参段 Tekki Sandan – (iron horse riding, third level)

Advanced Katas

Bassai Dai (to penetrate a fortress – big)
The strong techniques of this kata emphasize hip movement. Some resemble a battering ram being used against fortress walls.
Bassai Sho (to penetrate a fortress – small)
This kata was derived from Bassai-Dai. It has a similar performance line.
Kanku Dai (to view the sky – big)
Most of the elements of the Heian Kata were derived from this kata. The first movement in this kata views the sky, which symbolizes the universe and shows your opponent that you are unarmed. It was Master Funakoshi’s preferred kata.
Kanku Sho (to view the sky – small)
Kanku Sho was created from Kanku Dai. The movements and performance line are similar.
Hangetsu (half moon)
This kata received its name from its principal stance, hangetsu dachi (half moon stance).
Goju Shi Ho Dai (fifty four steps – big)
This kata is one of the most advance kata of Shotokan. Master Funakoshi called it hotaku (knocking of a woodpecker) because some of the techniques resemble a woodpecker tapping its beak against a tree.
Goju Shi Ho Sho (fifty four steps – small)
This is a smaller version of Goju Shi Ho Dai. It is also one of the most advanced kata of Shotokan.
Enpi (flying swallow)
The quick up and down movements of this kata are reminiscent of a fling swallow. Enpi is one of the oldest kata in Shotokan. Its former name was Wanshu.
Jion (love and goodness)
Jion is a term in Buddhism. It is also the name of a temple in China. It uses basic stances and techniques. It is one of the most traditional kata in Shotokan.
Jiin (love and shadow)
Jiin is another term in Buddhism. It has similar techniques and performance line as Jion.
Jitte (ten hands)
The goal of this kata is to teach a student to fight against ten opponents. This is a strong kata, similar to jion and Jiin.
Meikyo (bright mirror)
The first movements of this kata suggest the smoothing of water to make it as calm and even as a mirror. The triangle jump at the end of this kata is said to have a secret meaning portending to a miracle.
Niju Shi Ho (twenty-four steps)
The movements in this kata resemble waves breaking on a cliff. The former name of this kata was ni sei shi.
Wankan (king and crown)
Wankan is the shortest kata in Shotokan.
Gankaku (crane on a rock)
The main stance in this kata (tsuruashi dachi) resembles a crane ready to strike at its prey. The movements are supposed to simulate a fight in the narrow alleyways of Okinawa. The former name of this kata was Chinto.
Sochin (strength and calm)
The name of this kata comes from its stance (sochin dachi), a strong, rooted stance. The purpose of this kata is to teach defense against a stick. Its former name was Hakko.
Chinte (rare hand)
Chinte has a lot of circular and roundhouse techniques. These are rare and are not typical of the shortest distance between two points concept of Shotokan.
Unsu (cloud hands)
Unsu has several techniques that symbolize parting the clouds with open hands. It is also one of the most advanced kata of Shotokan.

Shotokan Katas

The heart of Shotokan.

Enough for a lifetime.

Below you will find a list of all of the katas that are taught in the classical Shotokan Karate system. I have made a point of specifying the location of the various kiai points, and some of the techniques that are first introduced. Also the number of movements n the kata, and the approximate time in which each of the katas should be performed.
I recognize that Taikyoku Shodan, Taikyoku Nidan, and Taikyoku Sandan, are not taught at every Shotokan dojo. However, I have listed them here since all three of these katas are referenced by Master Gichin Funakoshi in his book, Karate-Do Kyohan. It is important for students to remember as they rise up through the various kyu levels, and Dan ranks, that regular practice of all of the katas that they have been taught is vital to their future progress.
Remember: "Learning the pattern of all twenty-six katas found in the Shotokan system is one thing. Truly understanding them, however, is a process that will take you an entire lifetime".

Taikyoku Shodan - First Cause

Taikyoku Shodan is the first of three practice katas that are separate from the 26 primary katas found within the Shotokan Karate system. Taikyoku Shodan is the most basic of these kata, and is primarily used to teach beginners the fundamental aspects of kata.
Due to its similarity to Heian Shodan many dojos today do not bother teaching this kata. Personally I consider this to be the kata that beginners should learn first. It allows the new student to focus on learning one basic stance, zenkutsu-dachi (front stance), and one basic punch, chudan-oi-zuki (middle level lunge punch), and one block, gedan-barai (downward sweeping block).
This kata contains 20 movements, and should take the student approximately 35 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank from 10th kyu (white belt) to 9th kyu (yellow belt). Only after having spent sufficient time learning the fundamentals of this particular kata should the student then move on to the next kata in this series, Taikyoku Nidan.
It has been said that after spending many decades of training, and having finally completed a study of all 26 of the katas found within the Shotokan karate system, a karate-ka should return once again to Taikyoku Shodan. In the words of Master Gichin Funakoshi, use it "as the ultimate training kata".
The embusen (pattern) of Taikyoku Shodan is the same as Heian Shodan, except here only chudan-oi-zuki (middle level lunge punch) is used both up, and down, the center line. There are two kiai points found in Taikyoku Shodan. The first one occurs on the last chudan-oi-zuki (middle level lunge punch) at the top of the embusen (line of attack). The second one occurs on the last chudan-oi-zuki (middle level lunge punch) at the bottom of the embusen (line of attack).
Return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata. Leaving your right foot in place withdraw your left foot to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. Bring your left foot half way in towards your right foot, and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing step out with your left foot, and then your right foot, and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). At the same time bringing your hands from your sides, and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Taikyoku Nidan - Second Cause

Taikyoku Nidan is the second of the three katas in this series. As previously mentioned the Taikyoku series of practice katas are an entirely separate, introductory group, from the 26 primary katas in the Shotokan Karate system. This kata is also used as a means of teaching beginners the most fundamental aspects of kata.
Many Shotokan dojos today also do not bother teaching this kata. Personally I consider this to be the second kata a beginner should learn. Taikyoku Nidan is used to introduce students for the first time a new hand technique, jodan-oi-zuki (upper level lunge punch), while still retaining the zenkutsu-dachi (front stance), the chudan zuki (middle level punch), and the gedan-barai (downward sweeping block) that they were taught in the previous kata.
This kata contains 20 movements and should take the student approximately 35 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank from 10th kyu (white belt) to 9th kyu (yellow belt). Only after having first trained for some time in both Taikyoku Shodan, and Taikyoku Nidan will a student then be ready to move on to the last kata in this series, Taikyoku Sandan.
The embusen here is the same as in Taikyoku Shodan, but all of the punches in this kata are jodan-oi-zuki (upper level lunge punch). There are two kiai points found in Taikyoku Nidan. The first one occurs on the last jodan-oi-zuki (upper level lunge punch) at the top of the embusen (line of attack). The second one occurs on the last jodan-oi-zuki (upper level lunge punch) at the bottom of the embusen (line of attack).
Return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata. Leaving your right foot in place withdraw your left foot to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. Bring your left foot half way in towards your right foot, and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing step out with your left foot, and then your right foot, and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). At the same time bringing your hands from your sides, and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Taikyoku Sandan - Third Cause

The third and last kata in this series is Taikyoku Sandan. Once again, many Shotokan dojos today do not bother teaching this kata to their students, but I consider this to be the third kata a beginner should learn. Only after having first trained for some time in Taikyoku Shodan, Taikyoku Nidan, and Taikyoku Sandan will a student then be ready to move on, and learn the more complex hand techniques, stances, and combination movements that will be taught in the upcoming Heian series of katas.
Taikyoku Sandan introduces the beginner for the first time to a new hand technique, chudan-uchi-uke (inside outward block), and to a new basic stance, kokutsu-dachi (back stance). At the same time this kata maintains the use of chudan-oi-zuki (middle level lunge punch), jodan-oi-zuki (upper level lunge punch), gedan-barai (downward sweeping block) and zenkutsu-dachi (front stance) found in the previous two katas.
This kata contains 20 movements and should take the student approximately 35 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank from 10th kyu (white belt) to 9th kyu (yellow belt).
The embusen (pattern) is the same as in Taikyoku Shodan except, the movements along both directions on line #1 and #3 the of embusen are chudan-uchi-uke (inside outward block) in kokutsu-dachi (back stance), followed by jodan-oi-zuki (upper level lunge punch) in zenkutsu-dachi (front stance). The movements both up and down the center line are chudan-oi-zuki (middle level lunge punch) in zenkutsu-dachi (front stance). There are two kiai points found in Taikyoku Sandan. The first one occurs on the last chudan-oi-zuki (middle level lunge punch) at the top of the embusen (line of attack). The second one occurs on the last chudan-oi-zuki (middle level lunge punch) at the bottom of the embusen (line of attack).
Return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata. Leaving your right foot in place withdraw your left foot to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. Bring your left foot half way in towards your right foot, and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing step out with your left foot, and then your right foot, and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). At the same time bringing your hands from your sides, and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Heian Shodan - Peaceful Mind Number One

Heian Shodan is the first of five katas taught in this series. The creation of the Heian series of katas has been attributed to the great Okinawan karate teacher, Master Yasutsune Itosu (1831 - 1915) who was one of Master Gichin Funakoshi's two primary teachers. This series of five katas was originally known by its Okinawan name, Pinan Shodan. Master Itosu created this series of katas around 1905 in order to teach the art of karate to children in the Okinawan school system. It is believed that he derived many of the movements, and material from more advanced kata, as well as a much older root kata called, Channan.
When the Founder of Shotokan Karate, Master Gichin Funakoshi, first introduced karate to Japan it was he who changed the name of the five katas in this series from, the Okinawan pronunciation of Pinan, to Heian (Peaceful Mind). It is speculated that perhaps he did so in order to have these katas more readily accepted by Japanese society. It is interesting to note that this kata was originally the second kata taught in this series, and that Heian Nidan was originally the first kata taught. However, Master Funakoshi reversed the order, as he felt it was more appropriate to teach Heian Shodan first, since it is a much less complex kata than Heian Nidan.
This kata introduces the student for the first time to several new hand techniques, jodan-age-uke (upper level rising block), chudan-tetsui, (middle level hammer fist) and shuto-zuki, (sword hand strike), as well as the concept of tai-sabaki (body shifting). This kata contains 21 movements and should take the student approximately 30 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank from 10th kyu (white belt) to 9th kyu (yellow belt).
There are two kiai points found in Heian Shodan. The first one occurs on the last jodan-age-uke (upper level rising block) at the top of the embusen (line of attack). The second one occurs on the last chudan-oi-zuki (middle level lunge punch) at the bottom of the embusen (line of attack).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your right foot in place and withdraw your left foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Heian Nidan - Peaceful Mind Number Two

Heian Nidan is the second of the five katas in this series. This kata requires the student for the first time to include a kick in their kata. In this instance there are two of them. The first is a chudan-yoko-geri-keage (middle level side snapping kick). Here it is important to remember to bring your back leg up a half step so as to keep alinement with your attacker, and chudan-mae-geri-keage (middle level front snapping kick). In addition, several new hand techniques are also introduced for the first time. They are, chudan-uraken-uke (back fist), chudan-nukite-zuki (middle level spear hand strike), chudan-gyaku-zuki (middle level reverse punch), gyaku-hanme-uchi-uke (reverse inside middle block), here it is important to remember to bring your front foot back at the same time as you make the second block, but, never the first one, and morote-chudan-uchi-uke (supported middle level inside outward block). This kata contains 26 movements and should also take the student approximately 35 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank from 9th kyu (yellow belt) to 8th kyu (orange belt).
There are two kiai points in Heian Nidan. The first one occurs on the chudan-nukite-zuki (middle level spear hand) at the top of the embusen (line of attack). The second one occurs on the very last movement of the kata jodan-age-uke (upper level rising block).
Return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata. Leaving your right foot in place withdraw your left foot to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. Bring your left foot half way in towards your right foot, and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing step out with your left foot, and then your right foot, and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). At the same time bringing your hands from your sides, and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Heian Sandan - Peaceful Mind Number Three

Heian Sandan is the third of the five katas in this series. Popular with many junior students this kata is noted for the introduction of a very strong side stance known as kiba-dachi (horse riding stance). Also, introduced for the first time is the student’s requirement to perform a simultaneous two-handed combination block, in this case a gedan-barai (lower level down block) and a chudan-uchi-uke (inside outward block) both of which are performed on the second, and fourth movements of this kata. Other new hand techniques introduced are, chudan-haishu-uke (middle level back hand block), and jodan-mawashi-zuki (upper level hook punch).
It is important to remember that after the first kiai, it is a slow count of about four seconds to turn around before coming back down the embusen (line of attack). Here the student is required to perform a series of movements in kiba-dachi (horse riding stance) while blocking and striking. This kata contains 20 movements and should take the student approximately 30 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank from 8th kyu (orange belt) to 7th kyu (red belt).
There are two kiai points in Heian Sandan. The first one occurs on the chudan-oi-zuki (middle level lunge punch) at the top of the embusen (line of attack). The second one occurs on the last movement of the kata jodan-mawashi-zuki (upper level hook punch).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your left foot in place and withdraw your right foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Heian Yondan - Peaceful Mind Number Four

Heian Yondan is the fourth of five kata in this series, and it will be the longest kata that the student has been taught to date. Also, more emphasis is placed on kicks in this particular kata than in any previous kata found in this series. There are three chudan-mae-geri-keage (middle level front snapping kick), and two chudan-yoko-geri-keage (middle level side snapping kick). Once again, several new hand techniques are introduced for the first time. They are gedan-juji-uke (downward X block), chudan-empi-zuki (middle level elbow strike) and kake-wake-uke (reverse wedge block), as well as one new stance, kosa-dachi (cross legged stance).
This kata also introduces the student for the first time to two new concepts. One is a long forward movement where the student is required to follow up a technique, in this case a jodan-mae-geri-keage (upper level front snapping kick) with a long shift forward into a kosa-dachi (cross legged stance). The distance travelled in this movement will usually be equal in distance to a zenkutsu-dachi (front stance). The second new concept is that of teaching the student for the first time to shift from one stance to another without moving their feet from the embusen (line of attack) that they are on. In this case from a kokutsu-dachi (back stance) into a zenkutsu-dachi (front stance). After which a hiza-geri (knee strike) is preformed. The whole point of the lesson is for the student to learn to "shift" from one stance to another. Allowing the student to move their foot over defeats the whole purpose of the lesson, and so it must be avoided. It is very important remember to keep your toes pointing downward when doing the hiza-geri (knee strike).
This kata contains 27 movements and should take the student approximately 40 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank from 7th kyu (red belt) to 6th kyu (green belt).
There are two kiai points in Heian Yondan. The first one occurs on the augmented chudan-uraken (supported middle level back fist) at the top of the embusen (line of attack). The second one occurs on the chudan-hiza-geri (middle level knee strike) at the bottom of the embusen (line of attack).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your left foot in place and withdraw your right foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Heian Godan - Peaceful Mind Number Five

Heian Godan is the fifth, and final kata in this series. This kata is without a doubt the most popular of all the Heian katas. This kata amongst other things, is noted for the introduction of a jump for the first time, it that starts from one facing position, and ends up in another. It also introduces a new kicking technique chudan-mika-zuki-geri (middle level inside crescent kick), a new hand technique, chudan-mawashi-zuki (middle level round house punch), jodan-juji-uke (upper level open hand X block), and shuto-gedan-uchi (downward sword hand block).
This kata contains 23 movements and should take the student approximately 40 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank from 6th kyu (green belt) to 5th kyu (violet belt).
There are two kiai points in Heian Godan. The first one occurs on the chudan-oi-zuki (middle level lunge punch) at the top of the embusen (line of attack). The second one occurs when you begin the jump, the kiai should continue until you land in the kosa-dachi (cross legged stance).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your left foot in place and withdraw your right foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Tekki Shodan - Iron Horse Number One

Tekki Shodan is the first of three kata in this series. It is widely believed that the three Tekki katas we know and practice today within the Shotokan system were once linked together, and taught as one single continuous kata. It is thought that this kata was ultimately broken down into the three parts by Master Itosu primarily for ease of teaching. Master Gichin Funakoshi then changed the name of this particular series of kata from Naihanchi, its Okinawa name to Tekki, when he introduced the art of karate to Japan. Likely in order to have this series of katas more readily accepted by Japanese society.
It is very important that when you move from side to side that you do not rise up and down. Instead remain level in a low kiba dachi (horse riding stance). Thought to be Chinese in origin this kata is known for the introduction of several unique kicks, hidari-ashi mani-gaeshi and migi-ashi mani-gaeshi (left and right inward kicks), commonly known as "wave kicks". This kata contains 29 movements and should take the student approximately 30 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank from 5th kyu (violet belt) to 4th kyu (blue belt).
There are two kiai points in Tekki Shodan. The first one occurs to the left on the first ni-yoko-chudan zuki (double middle level side punch). The other occurs on the last movement of the kata a second ni-yoko-chudan-zuki (double middle level side punch).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your left foot in place and withdraw your right foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Bassai Dai - To Penetrate the Fortress

Bassai Dai is the first of two kata in this series, and it is one of the longest kata in the Shotokan syllabus. The original creator of this kata can not be confirmed, but it is often attributed to Master Matsumura. It is a good test of the student’s ability to make maximum use of hip rotation. This kata introduces the student to several new hand techniques including, chudan-tate-shuto-uchi-uke (middle level vertical inside outward sword hand block), chudan-choku-zuki (middle level straight punch), ryo-sho-tsukami-uke (two handed grasping block), gedan-sokuto-kekomi (lower level sword foot thrust kick), morote-jodan-uke (double rising block), and many other advanced techniques.
This kata is very well suited to those students who can bring out the power this kata portrays. The term "Dai" means "greater" and in this instance refers to the length, and strength of this kata. This kata contains 42 movements and should take the student approximately 60 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank from 4th kyu (blue belt) to 3rd kyu (brown belt).
There are two kiai points in Bassai Dai. The first one occurs on the gedan-sokuto-kekomi (lower level sword foot thrust kick) which occurs at the top of the embusen (line of attack). Today the second one occurs on the last movement of the kata chudan-shuto-zuki (middle level sword hand strike).
Although in his book Karate-Do Kyohan, Master Funakoshi says that the second kiai should actually occur on the last yama zuki (mountain punch).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your right foot in place and withdraw your left foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). Finish with your hands in the Yoi (ready) position identical to the start of the kata. You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Jion - Temple Sound

This is the first in a series of three katas, the names of which all start with the letter "J". Jion introduces several movements for the first time, and puts emphasis on teaching a student how to deal with rotational movements, and directional shifts. Jion introduces several new techniques, a series of three consecutive chudan-teisho-yoko-uke (middle level side palm heel block), and chudan-uchi-otoshi (middle level falling block). It should be noted that all of the mae-geri (front kicks) are performed at jodan (upper level).
This kata contains 47 movements and should also take the student approximately 60 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank from 3rd kyu (brown belt) to 2nd kyu (brown belt).
There are two kiai points in Jion. The first one occurs on the chudan oi zuki (middle level punch) at the top of the embusen (line of attack). The second one occurs on the very last movement of the kata, chudan-yoko-zuki (middle level side punch).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your left foot in place and withdraw your right foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). Finish with your hands in the Yoi (ready) position identical to the start of the kata. You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Kanku Dai - Looking to the Sky

This is the first of the two katas in this series. Kanku Dai is one of the longest katas in the Shotokan syllabus, and is said to take its name from a Chinese General who came to Okinawa as an envoy. This kata introduces several new techniques such as ryo-sho-hiji-tate-fuse (both hands and elbows taking cover) and a chudan-ni-mae-geri (double middle level kick). The term "Dai" means "greater" and refers to both the length and strength of this kata. Kanku Dai was said to be Master Gichin Funakoshi's favorite kata, and the one he most liked seeing his students perform.
This kata contains 65 movements and should also take the student approximately 60 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank from 2nd kyu (brown belt) to 1st kyu (brown belt).
There are two kiai points in this Kanku Dai. The first one occurs on the chudan-nukite-zuki (middle level sword hand strike). The second one occurs on the second to last movement in the kata, chudan-ni-mae-geri (double middle level kick).
The return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata is more complex than any of the katas a student has learnt to date. Leave your right foot in place, pivoting on your right foot move your left foot around so that you are now facing forward in kiba dachi (rooted stance). As you land in the kiba dachi (rooted stance) block down and to the right with your right hand and as your right hand comes upward now also bring your hikite upward at the same time, then finish the movement by bringing both of your hands down in front of you to a ready position. At the same time that you bringing both of your hands down in front of you to a ready position stand up from the kiba dachi (rooted stance) so that you are now standing up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Hangetsu - Half Moon

Hangetsu is one of the oldest katas know to exist. Named for the semi-circular movements of the hands, and feet, Hangetsu was originally known by the Okinawan name, Seisan. It is very effective for close in attacks and the circular leg movements are an excellent way of unbalancing an opponent. This kata introduces several new techniques such as hangetsu-dachi (half moon stance), gedan-gassho-uke (lower level double palm heel block), chudan-ippon-ken (middle level single knuckle strike) and several unique combinations of basic hand, and foot techniques.
One of the most important aspects of this kata is proper breathing. The first half of the kata is done with very slow hand movements and with Goju Ryu style breathing which strong and slow. You must breath in thru your nose while at the same time pushing your lower abdomen outward filling it with air. As you step forward, and as you perform any of the various hand techniques, exhale the air out thru your mouth, while at the same time pulling your lower abdomen emptying it of air. The sound of the air being exhaled should be audible for everyone to hear. The second half of the kata, beginning at the first kiai point is thereafter done at what would be considered normal Shotokan style, and speed.
This kata contains 41 movements and should also take the student approximately 60 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank from 1st kyu (brown belt) to Sho Dan (1st Black Belt).
There are two kiai points in Hangetsu. The first one occurs on the first turning combination which is comprised of two techniques, shuto-chudan-uchi-uke (middle level sword hand inside outward block), and shuto-gedan-barai (lower level sword hand block). The second one occurs on the second to last movement of the kata, gedan-gyaku-zuki (lower level reverse punch).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your right foot in place and step back with your left foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Empi - Flying Swallow

Empi, or Enpi as it is aslo referred to is said to resemble the up and down pattern of a swallow in flight. It is a favourite kata of many students. The quick complex movements and unique combinations found in this kata make it challenging even for the more senior students in the dojo. For example, the correct movement into kosa-dachi (cross legged stance) while at the same time making chudan-soto-uke (middle level outside inward block), and a gedan-zuki and a lower level punch). Or, properly performing the series of three chudan-teisho-oshi-age-uke (upper level pressing palm heal block) and gedan-teisho-osae-uke (lower level pressing palm heal block) while at the same time using the correct hip motion when stepping into a zenkutsu-dachi (forward stance). Thought to be Chinese in origin this kata was originally introduced to Okinawa as, Wanshu, a name by which this kata is still known today within several other styles of karate.
Like all advance kata Empi requires a high level of disciplined effort and the accurate technique that only begins to emerge after several years of previous training. This kata contains 37 movements and should also take the student approximately 50 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank from 1st kyu (brown belt) to Sho Dan (1st Black Belt).
There are two kiai points in Empi. The first one occurs on the on the jodan-soto-uke (upper level forearm strike) that is performed while in hidari-ashi-dachi (left one legged stance). The second one begins the moment you start the jump, and continues until you land in kokutsu-dachi (back stance) where a chudan-shuto-zuki (middle level sword hand strike) is performed.
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your right foot in place and withdraw your left foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Tekki Nidan - Iron Horse Number Two

Tekki Nidan is the second of three katas in this series. It was also originally known by the Okinawan name, Naihanchi, a name that is still commonly used today for this series of kata in several other styles of karate. Tekki Nidan introduces several new techniques such as morote-gedan-soto-uke (lower level augmented outward inside block), as well as the opposite technique, morote-gedan-uchi-uke (lower level augmented inside outward block). Only when a student has thoroughly familiarized themselves with Tekki Shodan should they begin to learn Tekki Nidan, in which they will discover a whole new set of challenges while still maintaining some of the techniques familiar to them.
As I stated earlier in Tekki Shodan the three Tekki katas were once thought to be one single continuous kata. If so then Tekki Nidan represents the "middle" portion of this series. This kata contains 24 movements and should also take the student approximately 35 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance from 1st kyu brown belt to Sho Dan (1st Black Belt).
There are two kiai points in Tekki Nidan. The first one occurs half way through the kata on the first morote-shita-zuki (augmented upper level inverted punch) on the right side of the body. The second one occurs on the last movement of the kata, also a morote-shita-zuki (augmented upper level inverted punch), this time on the left side of the body.
To finish the kata from the last movement, leave your left foot in place and withdrawing your right foot stand up and face forward in a hachiji-dachi (natural stance), now bring your left foot half way in towards your right foot, and your right foot half way in towards your left foot, and at the same time bring your hands to your sides, now standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance), rei (bow), now step out with your left foot, then your right foot and stand once again in hachiji-dachi (natural stance).

Kanku Sho - Looking to the Sky

The second of the two katas in this series Kanku Sho should not be attempted until a student has thoroughly familiarized themselves with all aspects of Kanku Dai. This kata introduces several new techniques, a snapping combination chudan-oi-zuki-maeude-hineri (middle level snapping lunge punch), a jodan-tate-mawashi-shuto-uchi (upper level vertical roundhouse strike), and naname-shita-ni-oshinobasu (double downward oblique push).
This kata contains 47 movements and should take the student approximately 60 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank from Sho Dan (1st Dan) to Ni Dan (2nd Dan).
There are two kiai points in Kanku Sho. The first one occurs on the naname-shita-ni-oshinobasu (double downward oblique push). The second one occurs on the very last movement of the kata a chudan-oi-zuki (middle level lunge punch).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your right foot in place and withdraw your left foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Bassai Sho - To Penetrate the Fortress

The second of the two katas in this series Bassai Sho follows a similar embusen (line of attack) as Bassai Dai, but it is shorter in length. This kata introduces several new techniques such as, ni-jodan-shita-zuki (double inverted upper level punch), chudan-tsukami-uke (middle level grasping block), and gedan-tsukami-uke (lower level grasping block). Once a student has familiarized themselves thoroughly with Bassai Dai they can begin to learn Bassai Sho. They will find this kata portrays a more outward feeling of calmness, while still maintaining great inner strength. Quite the opposite from Bassai Dai, which is noted for its visible display of outward power. Within this kata the student will discover a whole new set of challenges, while at the same time still performing some of the more familiar techniques found in Bassai Dai.
This kata contains 27 movements, and should take the student approximately 60 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is irequired in order to advance in rank from Sho Dan (1st Dan) to Ni Dan (2nd Dan).
There are two kiai points in Bassai Sho. The first one occurs on the gedan-sokuto-kekomi (lower level sword foot thrust kick) which occurs on the last movement at the top of the "I" of the embusen (line of attack). The second one occurs on the last ni-yoko-chudan-zuki (middle level side double punch).
o return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your right foot in place and withdraw your left foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). Finish with your hands in the Yoi (ready) position identical to the start of the kata. You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Jitte - Ten Hands

The second in a series of three katas that begin with the letter "J" this kata introduces several new techniques such as a series of three consecutive jodan-yoko-uchi-barai (upper level side sweeping block), as well as a series of two sho-koko-bo-uke (tiger mouth block). Jitte remains a popular kata with many senior ranks.
This kata contains 24 movements and should take the student approximately 40 seconds to complete. This correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank Sho Dan (1st Dan) to Ni Dan (2nd Dan).
There are two kiai points in Jitte, the first one occurs on the last jodan-yoko-uchi-barai (upper level side sweeping block) at the top of the embusen (line of attack). The second one occurs on the very last movement of the kata a jodan-age-uke (upper level rising block).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your right foot in place, pivoting on your right foot draw your left foot to your right foot and at the same time turn 180 degrees counter clockwise so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). Finish with your hands in the Yoi (ready) position identical to the start of the kata. You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Chinte - Extraordinary Hands

The name Chinte is Chinese in origin and is thought to be named after the unusual hand movements contained in this kata. This kata introduces several new techniques such as fudo-dachi (rooted stance), chudan-nakadaka-ippon-ken (middle level one knuckle strike), and jodan-age-nihon-nukite-zuki (upper level two finger spear hand strike). The two finger spear hand strike as well as the san-suri-ashi (three light hopping steps) which make up the last three moves in the kata, are what Chinte is most famous for. The three hopping steps are thought to be symbolic of waves crashing on the shoreline then retreating with the tide. This is a very complex kata and a student will find there is much to learn here. The ippon ken (one knuckle strike) and nihon-nukite-zuki (two finger spear hand strike) are unique and are not found in any other Shotokan kata.
This kata contains 33 movements and should take the student approximately 40 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required to advance in rank from Sho Dan (1st Dan) to Ni Dan (2nd Dan).
There are two kiai points in this kata. The first one occurs on the jodan-empi-uchi (upper level elbow strike). The second one occurs on the last chudan-tate-zuki (middle level vertical punch).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your hands in place in front of you,, now leaving your right foot in place, withdraw to your left foot and place it beside your right foot, now, with your feet together hop backwards 12 inches to the right at a 45 degree angle, then hop twice directly backwards 12 inches each time so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). Finish with your hands in the Yoi (ready) position identical to the start of the kata. You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Tekki Sandan - Iron Horse Number Three

The third and last kata in this series, Tekki Sandan is probably the most popular of the three Tekki katas. This kata introduces the student to new techniques not previously seen in previous katas in this series including, sokumen-gedan-furisute (downward knuckle strike) and yoku-ude-hasami (middle level trapping technique). This kata can be best summed up as the final part of what was once thought to be one single continuous kata that linked all three Tekki katas together.
This kata contains 33 movements and should take approximately 40 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank from Sho Dan (1st Dan) to Ni Dan (2nd Dan).
There are two kiai points in Tekki Sandan. The first one occurs on the first jodan-shita-zuki (upper level rising punch) on the left side half way through the kata. The second kiai occurs on the last movement of the kata which is the second jodan-shita-zuki upper level rising punch).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your left foot in place and withdraw your right foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Gankaku - Crane on a Rock

The kata Gankaku is said to be derived from the Chinese kata, Yabu Chinto. Gankaku appears in Isshin-ryu, Shorin-ryu, and Shotokan karate. Yabu Chinto is said to have originated on the island of Okinawa in the early 19th century, and to be named for a Chinese sailor who became shipwrecked on the island during a typhoon. Due to the number of hip rotations, and the balance, and skill required to kick with a yoko-geri-keage (side snapping kick) from a one-legged crane stance, Gankaku is definitely one of the more difficult Shotokan katas to master. This kata introduces several new techniques such as, a jodan-sokumen-awase-uke (upper level side combination block).
This kata contains 42 movements and should take the student approximately 40 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank from Ni Dan (2nd Dan) to San Dan (3rd Dan).
There are two kiai points in this kata. The first one occurs on the first chudan-oi-zuki (middle level lunge punch). The second one occurs on the very last movement of the kata, also a chudan-oi-zuki (middle level lunge punch).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your right foot in place and withdrawing your left foot turn around to your left so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Sochin - Immovable Stance

The kata Sochin displays power, and stability which it derives from a strong side stance that is used throughout this kata called, fudo-dachi (rooted stance). In fact, the stance is used so often in Sochin that this particular stance is also referred to on its own as sochin-dachi. This kata introduces amongst others, muso-game and jodan-yoko-nukite (upper level spear hand).
This kata contains 40 movements and should take the student approximately 50 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance from Ni Dan (2nd Dan) to San Dan (3rd Dan).
There are two kiai points in Sochin. The first one occurs on the first jodan-shita-zuki (upper level rising punch) on the right side, three quarters of the way through the kata. The second one occurs on the last movement of the kata, a chudan-kizama-zuki (middle level thrust punch).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your right foot in place and withdraw your left foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Nijushiho - Twenty Four Steps

The flow of Nijushiho should be very smooth, and the student must make every effort not to make the kata appear jerky and uneven. Master Funakoshi took Master Masatoshi Nakayama to Master Kenwa Mabuni, Founder of Shito Ryu to learn two katas, one of those katas was Nijushiho, the other kata was Gojushiho. Which is how these two katas came into the Shotokan system. This kata introduces several new techniques such as, chudan-mae-empi-uchi (middle level forward elbow strike), and awase-zuki (upper level and lower level punch).
This kata contains 33 movements and should take the student approximately 40 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance from Ni Dan (2nd Dan) to San Dan (3rd Dan).
There are two kiai points in Nijushiho. The first one occurs on the jodan-kensei (upper level palm feint). The second one occurs on the second to last movement of the kata, a combination awase-zuki (upper level and lower level punch) that is performed in sanchin-dachi (hour glass stance).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your left foot in place and withdraw your right foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Wankan - Kings Crown

Wankan is the shortest katas found in the Shotokan syllabus. Yet Wankan is far more complex kata than it first appears. It is from the same historic line as the Chinese kata's Wanshu, and Wando. This kata is originally from the Tomari area of Okinawa and is also practiced by students studying Shorin-ryu, Shito-ryu, and Matsubayashi-ryu. It was aid to be the favourite kata of the Founder of Matsubayashi-ryu, Master Shoshin Nagamine.
The Shotokan version of Wankan is said to have been created by Master Gichin Funakoshi's son, Yoshitaka Funakoshi (also known as Giko) who tragically died in the prime of his life during World War II. Because Wankan is so short, there are many practitioners today who feel that it is not a genuine Shotokan kata, since they feel that Sensei Yoshitaka never finished Wankan. We will never know for sure, but today, Wankan is unique amongst all of the Shotokan katas in that it only has one kiai.
Wankan is often referred to as the "old mans kata" or the "lost kata" of Shotokan karate. Because today it is practiced primarily by the oldest generation of karate-ka, and not often taught in many dojos today, even it is said, in Japan.
This kata contains 20 movements and should take the student approximately 30 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance from Ni Dan (2nd Dan) to San Dan (3rd Dan).
This kata only has one kiai point and it occurs on the very last movement of the kata, the yama-zuki (mountain punch).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your left foot in place and withdraw your right foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Ji'in - Temple Ground

This is the last kata in the series of katas that start with the letter "J". Ji'in is known for a series of circular movements that introduce two new techniques, chudan-shuto-uchi (middle level sword hand strikes) and chudan-tetsui-uchi (middle level hammer fist strikes). This kata will test a student’s balance which they will find can be improved by placing the proper emphasis on the correct direction of attack.
This kata contains 34 movements and should take the student approximately 45 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance in rank from Ni Dan (2nd Black Belt) to San Dan (3rd Black Belt).
There are two kiai points in Ji'in. The first one occurs on the last jodan-shuto-uchi (middle level sword hand strikes) at the top of the embusen. The second kiai occurs on the very last movement of the kata, chudan-zuki (middle level punch).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your right foot in place and withdraw your left foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Meikyo - Polished Mirror

Meikyo is a wonderful blend of the most basic techniques found within the Heian (Peaceful Mind) series of katas. By repeating many of the hand, and foot movements, on both the left, and the right side Meikyo ,suggests a "reflection" of sorts. Hence, its name means "Polished Mirror". This kata introduces the student to jo-zukami (forward thrust), and sankaku-tobi (three-point triangle jump). This movement is similar in appearance to the circular jump seen in Empi, but this jump in fact has a much different trajectory, and purpose, as such it will test the skill level of even the most experienced karate-ka.
This kata contains 33 movements and should take approximately 45 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance from Ni Dan (2nd Dan) to San Dan (3rd Dan).
There are two kiai points in Meikyo. The first one occurs on the mika-zuki-geri (crescent kick). The second one occurs on the jodan-soto-uke (upper fore arm strike) which is performed at the very start of the sankaku-tobi (three-point triangle jump).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your right foot in place and withdraw your left foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Gojushiho Sho - Fifty Four Steps

Gojushiho-Sho is one of two katas in this series, the other being Gojushiho Dai. What can be somewhat confusing is that it is not uncommon for some Shotokan dojos to reverse the names of these two katas. How and why this came to be is not certain, but certainly Gojushiho-Sho is a favourite kata amongst many senior students. This is the second kata that Master Funakoshi wanted Master Masatoshi Nakayama to learn from Master Kenwa Mabuni, Founder of Shito-ryu. The other was Nijushiho which is how these two katas came into the Shotokan system. This kata makes extensive use of migi (right), and hidari (left) shihon nukite (middle level spear hand), shuto-uchi/shuto-uke (sword hand strike), chudan-shuto-osae/shuto-gedan-barai (middle level pressing sword hand block, and a lower level sword hand strike), and a chudan-ryo-sho-bo-uke (middle level double handed stick block).
This kata contains 65 movements and should take the student approximately 60 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance from San Dan (3rd Dan) to Yon Dan (4th Dan).
There are two kiai points in Gojushiho-Sho. The first one takes place at the chudan-oi-zuki (middle level lunge punch) at the top of the embusen (line of attack) three quarters of the way through the kata. The second one occurs on the second to last movement of the kata, chudan-ryo-te-seiryuto-uchi (middle level double handed ox jaw strike).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your right foot in place and withdraw your left foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Gojushiho Dai - Fifty Four Steps

Gojushiho-Dai is the second kata in this series, and it too is a favourite amongst many senior students. This kata introduces several new techniques, including chudan-otoshi-ryo-ippon-nukite-zuki (middle level one finger strike), chudan-keito-uke (middle level back hand block), washite-jodan-uchi (upper level eagle strike), and washite-chudan-uchi (middle level eagle strike).
This kata contains 62 movements and should take the student approximately 60 seconds to complete. The correct perormance is of this kata is required in order to advance from San Dan (3rd Dan) to Yon Dan (4th Dan).
There are two kiai points in Gojushiho-Dai. The first one chudan-oi-zuki (middle level lunge punch) at the top of the embusen (line of attack) three quarters of the way through the kata. The second one occurs on the second to last movement of the kata, chudan-otoshi-ryo-ippon-nukite-zuki (middle level one finger strike).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your left foot in place and withdraw your right foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

Unsu - Cloud Hands

Unsu is the last and most complex of the Shotokan Katas. This kata is noted for it's quick hand techniques, as well as the ni-mawashi-geri (two round kicks) that are both performed while lying on the ground. To watch this kata done by a skilled karate-ka is amazing to witness. This kata introduces several new techniques such as chudan-keito-uke (middle level chicken head block), hito-sashiyubi-gedan-nukite (lower level one finger spear hand), and ushiro-geri-kekomi (back thrust kick). Due to the very high level of expertise required to perform this kata well Unsu should only be attempted by very senior karateka, and only after all of the other katas listed here have been thoroughly practiced, and comprehended.
This kata contains 48 movements and should take the student approximately 60 seconds to complete. The correct performance of this kata is required in order to advance from San Dan (3rd Dan) to Yon Dan (4th Dan).
There are two kiai points in Unsu. The first one occurs on the gedan-kekomi (lower level thrust kick). The second on occurs on the last movement of the kata, chudan-gyaku-zuki (middle level reverse punch).
To return to a ready position after the last movement of the kata leave your right foot in place and withdraw your left foot so as to stand up once again facing forward in hachiji-dachi (natural stance). You must now formally end the kata. You do this by bringing your left foot half way in towards your right foot and your right foot half way in towards your left foot so that you are now standing with your feet together. At the same time as you bring your feet together also bring your hands to your sides so you are again standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance). Now rei (bow). After bowing, step out with your left foot and then your right foot and once again stand in hachiji-dachi (natural stance) while at the same time bringing your hands from your sides and hold them in a ready position in front of you with your fists closed.

The History of Shotokan Karate

The start.

Everything has a beginning.

And the art Shotokan Karate-do is no exception.
While it was conceived on the island of Okinawa, it was in Japan that Shotokan Karate-do was truly born.
It is not my intention here, to go into the history of either Shotokan, or the life of Gichin Funakoshi. There are simply far to many books, and web sites available where you can learn more. This is simply a brief introduction.
The year was 1868, near the end of the Meiji period. It was into this world that the Founder of Shotokan Karate, Gichin Funakoshi was born into a minor samurai family, the only son of a government official. Due to a premature birth he was a frail young child, and as such his family did not believe that he would live a very long life.
It was due to his poor health that his family to decide that he should begin to study of karate. Little did they know that their decision to send their son down the karate road would one day led to the creation of Shotokan Karate. Today the most widely practiced style of karate in the world.
While in the beginning he said that karate held little interest for him, he soon found that the training had a profound effect on his heath and his wellbeing. This led him to finally take a much greater interest in his training. By the time he was an adult, no trace of that frail child remained.
Gichin Funakoshi had two primary karate teachers. His first teacher was Yasutsune Azato a member of the Okinawan upper class, and a well know expert, not only in karate, but also in several other martial arts. His second teacher was Yasutsune Itosu who is credited with the creation of the Pinan katas, known in Shotokan, as the Heian Katas.
Both of these masters are said to have studied under Sokon “Bushi” Matsumura, himself a student of the legendary master, Tode Sakugawa. The following books, and web sites, in no particular order, can offeryou additional information.
Karate-Do Kyohan - The Master Text
The Twenty Guiding Principles of Karate
The Essence of Karate
Karate-Do Nyumon

Karate Dictionary

Block (Uke – pronounced “oo-kay”)

Age-uke (ah-geh-oo-kay): Upper block (Raising)
Shuto-uke (shoe-toe oo-kay): Knife-hand block
Uchi-uke (oo-chee oo-kay): Inside center block
Gedan-barai (Geh-dahn bah-rye): Down block
Soto-uke (so-toh oo-kay): Outside center block
Chudan-uke (Chew-dahn oo-kay): Middle level block
Jodan-uke (joe-dahn oo-kay): Upper level block
Gedan-uke (geh-dahn oo-kay): Lower level block
Hiza-uke (he-zah oo-kay): Knee block
Juji-uke (jew-gee oo-kay): X-block
Morote-uke (moe-row-the oo-kay): Augmented block
Nagashi-uke (nah-gah-she oo-kay) Sweeping block
Sashite-uke (sah-she-tay oo-kay): Rising hand block
Teishi-uke (tay-sho oo-kay): Palm-heel block

Punch (Zuki – pronounced “zoo-key”)

Age-zuki (ah-geh zoo-key): Rising punch
Awase-zuki (ah-wah-say zoo-key): U-punch
Choku-zuki (cho-koo zoo-key): Straight punch
Chudan-zuki (chew-dahn zoo-key): Middle area punch
Gyaku-zuki (gya-koo zoo-key): Reverse punch
Jodan-zuki (joe-dahn zoo-key): face level punch
Morote-zuki (moe-row-the- zoo-key): Double “U” punch
Oi-zuki (oh-ee zoo-key): Lunge punch
Tate-zuki (tah-the zoo-key): Vertical punch
Teisho-zuki (tay-show zoo-key): Palm-heel punch
Ura-zuki (oo-rah zoo-key): Close punch

Kick (Geri – pronounced “geh-rhee”)

Ashi-Barai (ah-she bah-rye): Foot sweep
Fumikomi (foo-me-koh-me): Stamping kick
Keage (key-ah-geh): Snap kick
Kekomi (kay-koh-me): Thrust kick
Mae-geri (mah-eh geh-rhee): Front kick
Mae-geri-kaege (mah-eh geh-rhee kay-ah-geh): Front snap kick
Mae-geri-kakomi (mah-eh geh-rhee kay-koh-me): Front thrust kick
Mae-tobi-geri (mah-eh toe-be geh-rhee): Jumping front kick
Mawashi-geri (mah-wha-she geh-rhee): Round kick
Ushiro-geri (oo-she row geh-rhee): Back kick
Yoko-geri-kaegi (yoh-koh geh-rhee key-ah-geh): Side snap kick
Yoko-geri-kekomi (yoh-koh geh-rhee key-ah-geh): Side thrust kick

Strike (Uchi – pronounced “oo-chee”)

Empi-uchi (en-pee oo-chee): Elbow strike
Haishu-uchi (hi-shoo oo-chee): Back hand strike
Haito-uchi (hi-toe oo-chee): Ridge-hand strike
Ippon-ken (eep-pone ken): One-knuckle fist
Nukite (noo-key-teh): Spear hand
Kentsui-uchi (ken-tsue-ee oo-chee): Hammer fist strike
Shuto-uchi (shoe-toe oo-chee): Knife hand strike
Teisho-uchi (tay-sho oo-chee): Palm hand strike
Uraken-uchi (oo-rah-ken oo-chee): Back fist strike

Stance (Dachi – pronounced “dah-chee”)

Fudo-dachi (foo-dough dah-chee) Rooted stance
Hachiji-dachi (hah-chee-gee dah-chee): Open leg stance
Hangetsu-dachi (hahn-geh-tsue dah-chee): Half-moon stance
Heiko-dachi (hay-koh dah-chee): Parallel stance
Kamae (kah-may): Sparring posture
Kiba-dachi (key-bah dah-chee): Side stance (horse stance)
Kokutsu-dachi (koe-koo-tsu dah-chee): Back stance
Kosa-dachi (koe-sah dah-chee): Crossed legged stance
Neko-ashi-dachi (neh-koh ah-she-dah-chee): Cat stance
Sanchin-dachi (san-chin dah-chee): Hour-glass stance
Shizentai (she-zen dah-chee): Natural position
Sochin-dachi (so-chin dah-chee): Diagonal straddle-leg stance
Teiji-dachi (the-gee dah-chee): T stance
Zenkutsu-dachi (zen-koo-tsue dah-chee): Front stance

Numbers

Ichi (ih-chee): One
Ni (nee): Two
San (sahn): Three
Shi (she): Four
Go (go): Five
Roku (roo-koo): Six
Shichi (Shih-chee): Seven
Hachi (Hah-chee): Eight
Ku (koo): Nine
Ju (joo): Ten

General Terms

Budo (boo-doh): Martial way
Bunkai (bun-kye): Applications
Chudan (chew-dahn): Chest area
Dan (dahn): Black belt rank
Do (doh): Way/path
Dojo (doh-joh): Training area
Domo Arigato Gozai-mashita (doh-moh ah-ree-gah-toe go-zye-mah-she-tah) Thank you very much (past)
Gasshuku (gas-shoe-koo) Summer camp
Gedan (geh-dahn): Lower body area
Gi (ghee): Uniform
Gohan-kumite (goh-hon koo-mih-tay): Five step sparring
Hai (hi): Yes
Hajime (hah-zhim-ay): Begin
Hidari (he-dah-rhee): Left
Hombu-Dojo (hohm-boo doh-joh): Dojo headquarter
Ippon kumite (eep-pohn koo-me-teh): One step sparring
Jiyu ippon (jye-oo ih-pon): Free one step sparring
Jiyu-kumite (gee-you koo-me-teh): Free sparring
Jodan (joh-dahn): Face area
Kamae (kah-mah-eh): Sparring posture
Karate (kah-rah-teh): Empty hand
KarateKa (kah-rah-teh-kah): Karate student
Kata (kah-tah): Form
Ki (key): Mind, Spirit, Energy
Kiai (key-aye): Focusing shout
Kihon (key-hohn): Basic technique
Kihon kumite (key-hohn koo-me-teh): Basic sparring
Kime (key-may): Focus of power
Kumite (koo-me-teh): Sparring
Kyu (kyoo): White/Brown belt Rank
Mae (mah-eh): Front
Makiwara (mah-key-wha-rha): Punching board
Mawate-te (mah-wha-tay): Turn around
Migi (me-ghee): Right
Ohayo Gozaimasu (oh-ha-yoh go-zye-mah-soo): Good morning
Onegai-shimasu (oh-nih-guy-she-mah-soo): Please teach me
Osu (oh-soo): Greeting
Oyasumi nasai (oh-yah-soo-me nah-sigh): Good night
Rei (rey): Bow
Sanbon kumite (san-bohn koo-me-teh): Three step sparring
Seiza (say-zah): Sitting position
Sempai (sehm-pye): Senior student
Sensei (sehn-seh-ee): Instructor
Shizen-tai (she-zen tah-ee): Natural position
Tai sabaki (tye sah-bah-key): Body movement
Waza (wah-zah): Technique
Yame (yah-may): Stop
Yoi (yoy): Ready
Zanshin (zahn-shin): Following through technique

Karate