Japan Karate Association (日本 空手 協会; ''Nihon Karate Kyokai''; JKA; sometimes referred to simply as ''Kyokai'' 協会 in Japan) is one of the oldest global
Shotokan
is a style of karate, developed from various martial arts by Gichin Funakoshi (1868–1957) and his son Gigo (Yoshitaka) Funakoshi (1906–1945). Gichin Funakoshi was born in Okinawa and is widely credited with popularizing "karate do" throug ...
Gichin Funakoshi played a major role in introducing karate from Okinawa to Japan, adjusted to reduce injury and merged with approaches for athletic training. On May 27, 1949, some of his senior students including
Isao Obata
was a pioneering Japanese master of Shotokan karate.Blair, R. L. (1972): "Karate is dying, says Isao Obata, disciple of the venerable Gichin Funakoshi, Founder of Modern Karate." ''Black Belt'', 10(10):27–33. He was a senior student of Gichin F ...
,
Masatoshi Nakayama
was an internationally famous
Japanese master of Shotokan karate.DF_56_of_80">("S_...,_who_were_known_as_kenjutsu_instructors,_from_the_Nagano_Prefecture.html" ;"title="kenjutsu.html" ;"title="DF 56 of 80/nowiki>">DF 56 of 80">("S ..., who were k ...
, and
Hidetaka Nishiyama
was a prominent Japanese master of Shotokan karate.International T ...
, formed a karate organization dedicated to research, promotion, events management, and education: the Japan Karate Association. Funakoshi, then around 80 years old, held a position equivalent to chief instructor emeritus, with Nakayama as the chief instructor.
The JKA emerged from karate clubs at Japanese universities located in the Tokyo region. Most of these universities, however, distanced themselves from the JKA during the 1950s.
Takushoku University
Takushoku University (拓殖 大学; ''Takushoku Daigaku'', abbreviated as 拓大 ''Takudai'') is a private university in Tokyo, Japan. It was founded in 1900 by Duke Taro Katsura (1848–1913).
always kept strong ties with the JKA, being the ''alma mater'' of many of the senior JKA instructors, such as Nakayama, Nishiyama, Okazaki, Asai,
Kanazawa
is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 466,029 in 203,271 households, and a population density of 990 persons per km2. The total area of the city was .
Overview Cityscape
...
, and Enoeda, who were responsible for the JKA's consolidation during the 1960s and 1970s.
General uneasiness on how karate was taught by the JKA instructors and disagreements on Funakoshi's funeral arrangements in 1957 motivated some of the senior karateka connected with Funakoshi, but not associated with the JKA, such as
Shigeru Egami
was a pioneering Japanese master of Shotokan karate who founded the Shōtōkai style. He was a student of Gichin Funakoshi, who is widely recognized as the founder of modern karate.
Early life
Egami was born on December 7, 1912, in Ōmuta, Fu ...
, Genshin Hironishi, and
Tsutomu Ohshima
is a prominent Japanese master of Shotokan karate who founded the organization Shotokan Karate of America (SKA).Shotokai and
Shotokan Karate of America
Shotokan Karate of America (米國松濤館; SKA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to teach traditional karate-do in the United States. It was founded by Tsutomu Ohshima, a direct student of Gichin Funakoshi, the father of Shotok ...
).Evans, J. K. (1988): "The battle for Olympic Karate recognition: WUKO vs. IAKF." ''Black Belt'', 26(2):54–58. They claimed to practice a version of Shotokan karate closer to what Funakoshi taught, as compared to the JKA style. The JKA Shotokan approach is also based on Funakoshi's karate, but with significant adaptations introduced mostly by Nakayama, who was JKA chief instructor until his death in 1987. Under Nakayama's leadership, a generation of respected instructors spread karate worldwide, guided from the JKA headquarters in Tokyo.
Nakayama's books, which include ''Dynamic Karate'' and the ''Best Karate'' series, are fundamental reference materials on Shotokan karate as practiced under the JKA. Clive Nicol, in his classic book ''Moving Zen'', describes the karate practice at the JKA's '' honbudojo'' (headquarters training hall) in Tokyo during the early 1960s, from his unique perspective as a western karate student going from white to black belt in a few years.
Splinter groups
The JKA experienced several divisions from the 1970s onwards. Notable splinter groups formed as follows:
*In 1974, one of the founders of JKA,
Hidetaka Nishiyama
was a prominent Japanese master of Shotokan karate.International T ...
, broke away from JKA and created the International Traditional Karate Federation (国際伝統空手連盟, Kokusai Dentō Karate Renmei) or ITKF.
*In 1977, JKA instructor Shiro Asano formed his own organization, and invited master
Hirokazu Kanazawa
was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate.Goodman, F. (2004): ''The practical encyclopedia of martial arts'' (p. 50). London: Lorenz Books. ()Smit, S. (2008): ''Karate'' (2nd ed.) (p. 21). London: New Holland. ()
to take his place as chief instructor. The group is now known as Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation (SKIF).
*Following Nakayama's death in 1987, the JKA experienced a turbulent period, both at the Tokyo headquarters and worldwide.
Taiji Kase
was a Korean -Japanese master of Shotokan karate who was one of the earliest masters responsible for introducing this martial art into Europe.Fernandez, M. (2001)Master Taiji Kase, 9th Dan Shotokan Ryu Karate-Do ''Shotokan Karate Magazine'', Iss ...
and
Hiroshi Shirai
is a Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He is the founder of the Istituto Shotokan Italia, a subdivision of FIKTA (the Italian Traditional Karate Association) and of the SCI (Shotokan Cultural Institute, formerly WSI - World Shotokan Institute) ...
(notable student of
Hidetaka Nishiyama
was a prominent Japanese master of Shotokan karate.International T ...
), both senior JKA instructors in Europe quit to form the
World Union of Karate-Do Organizations
The World Karate Federation (WKF) is the largest international governing body of sport karate with 198 member countries. It was formed in 1990, is the only karate organization recognised by the International Olympic Committee and has more than te ...
. Taketo Okuda, JKA chief instructor in Brazil, quit to focus on his own organization, Butoku-kan.
*In 1990, a legal dispute started between two groups about the control of JKA. One group was led by Tetsuhiko Asai, the other by Nobuyuki Nakahara. After several court rulings, the issue was ultimately settled by the Japanese Supreme Court on June 10, 1999, in favor of Nakahara's group, which included Masaaki Ueki and
Masahiko Tanaka
is a Japanese actor and voice actor. He is known for voicing Gauron from '' Full Metal Panic!'', Ryo Mashiba from ''Hajime no Ippo'', and Kyoichi Sudo from ''Initial D''.
Filmography TV animation
*''Initial D'' (1998) (Kyoichi Sudo)
*''The Can ...
. The other group, led by Tetsuhiko Asai, JKA chief instructor after Nakayama, and including
Keigo Abe
was a prominent Japanese master of Shotokan karate who founded the Japan Shotokan Karate Association in 1999 and is its Chief Instructor.Mikio Yahara
Mikio Yahara (; born April 4, 1947 in Ehime Prefecture) is a Japanese karate expert of the Shotokan style. He holds the rank of 10th dan.
Biography
Yahara was born in 1947 in Ehime Prefecture, the fourth son of a prominent family with ancient sa ...
, left JKA to form other organizations: Japan Karate Shotorenmei, Japan Shotokan Karate Association, and Karatenomichi World Federation, respectively.
*In 2007, the ''
International Shotokan Karate Federation
The International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF) is one of the largest Shotokan karate organizations in North and South America. In 1977, in an effort to spread the study of Shotokan throughout the world, high-ranking members from the Japan ...
'' (ISKF), with headquarters in the US, led by Teruyuki Okazaki, 10th ''dan'' and one of the most senior JKA instructors, became independent. However, by 2010 at least two senior Instructors returned to the JKA.
*In 2009, Takahashi Shunsuke broke away from JKA Australia to form the TSKF Australia (Traditional Shotokan Karate-Do Federation). TSKF joined Teruyuki Okazaki's ISKF in 2011.
*By 2011, it was acknowledged that Masao Kawasoe, 7th Dan JKA, had returned to the JKA.
Due to these divisions, there is today the notion of a separate JKA karate style—that is, Shotokan karate that follows the JKA tradition to a large extent, but is taught by instructors who are not officially affiliated with JKA (though most of them are former JKA instructors and graduates).
Kenshusei (instructor intern) training program
In 1956, the JKA started its ''kenshusei'' instructor intern training program at the JKA ''honbu dojo'', in
Yotsuya
is a neighborhood in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.
It is a former ward (四谷区 ''Yotsuya-ku'') in the now-defunct Tokyo City. In 1947, when the 35 wards of Tokyo were reorganized into 23, it was merged with Ushigome ward of Tokyo City and Yodo ...
, Tokyo, which had been built in 1955. This program was instituted by Nakayama Masatoshi. The training program has promoted the consistency and quality control of JKA training practices over the years, graduating some of the world's most well known ''karateka'' (practitioners of karate), as listed below.
Graduates
The following table lists JKA ''kenshusei'' training program graduates in order of year of graduation. The reported rank of graduates no longer with the JKA is that from their current organization. Such rank is not necessarily recognized by the JKA.
Note
This list is incomplete. For instance, it does not include some members who were expelled or resigned from the JKA see below:
* Kisaka Katsuharu (Katsuya) 8th dan JKA Instructor JKA of New Jersey, USA (current)
* Abe Keigo, 9th ''dan'' (former JKA HQ instructor) JSKA Chief Instructor
* Aramoto Nobuyuki, 8th ''dan'' (former JKA instructor)
* Asai Tetsuhiko, 10th ''dan'' (former HQ JKA instructor) JKS/IJKA Chief instructor (passed)
* Inaba Tsuneyuki, 7th ''dan'' (former JKA instructor)
* Isaka Akito, 7th ''dan'' (former JKA instructor) KWF
* Ishimine Minoru, 7th ''dan'' (former JKA instructor)
* Kagawa Masao, 9th ''dan'' (former JKA instructor) JKS Chief Instructor)
* Kanayama Kosho, 7th ''dan'' (former JKA instructor) (Chief of Domestic Department JKS)
* Mizuno Yoshihisa, 8th ''dan'' (former JKA instructor)
* Naito Takashi, 7th ''dan'' (Has left E.T.K.F & returned to JKA)
* Tamang Pemba, 8th ''dan'' (former JKA HQ instructor) NSKF Chief Instructor
* Yahara Mikio, 8th ''dan'' (former JKA HQ instructor) KWF Chief Instructor
* Yamaguchi Takashi, 8th ''dan'' (former JKA instructor) (Chief of International Department JKS)
* Kanazawa Hirokazu, 10th ''dan'' (former JKA HQ instructor) Chief instructor SKIF
* Kase Yasuharu, 10th ''dan'' (former JKA HQ instructor) Chief Instructor SRKH (passed)
* Kasuya Hitoshi, 9th ''dan'' (former JKA instructor) Chief Instructor WSKF
* Katsumata (Suzuki) Yutaka, 7th ''dan'' (former JKA instructor)
* Shirai Hiroshi, 10th ''dan'' (former JKA instructor) WSKA
* Tatetsu Meicho, 7th ''dan'' (former JKA instructor)
* Amos Richard, 8th ''dan'' (former JKA HQ instructor) Chief Instructor WTKO)
* Maeda Eiji, 6th ''dan'' (former JKA HQ instructor)
* Kawasaki Norio ''6th dan'' (former JKA HQ instructor)
* Koike Yutaka ''6th dan'' (former JKA HQ instructor)
* Fischer Malcolm ''6th dan'' (former JKA HQ instructor)
* Montoya Leon ''5th dan'' (former JKA HQ instructor)
The list at the JKA's website, which includes most members who left or were expelled, may also be incomplete. The JKA has not included some former members who have completed the course and are not currently affiliated with JKA. In addition, during the troubled period between 1990 and 1999 each JKA faction held its own instructors' course. Currently, the JKA does not recognize graduates from the instructors' courses led by the JKS (Japan Karate Shoto Federation, which also held the name JKA between 1990 and 1999).
''Karateka'' such as Dave Hazard (UK), Ennio Vezzuli (Brazil), Nigel Jackson (South Africa), Peté Pacheco (Portugal), Malcolm Fisher (Canada), Leon Montoya (Colombia), Richard Amos (UK, US), Pascal Lesage (France) and others, are mentioned in karate forums as having completed the JKA instructors' course (or having had substantial participation in it) but do not appear on the list of graduates as published in 2008 on the JKA's website.
In addition, the list does not include graduate instructors from the instructor programmes of splinter groups such as JKS and KWF, examples being
Otsuka Masamichi (KWF - Japan),
Koike Yutaka (JKS - Japan),
Inada Yasuhisa (JKS - Japan),
Kyle Kamal Helou (JKS - Lebanon),
Matsue Takeo (JKS- Japan),
Makita Takuya (JKS - Japan),
Nagaki Shinji (JKS - Japan).
Competition
Although Gichin Funakoshi wrote that there are no contests in Karate, Nakayama Masatoshi's teachings led to more scientific and competitive approach to the training and in 1957 the first All Japan Karate Championship was held, and has been held annually since.
World championships
In addition, the JKA has organised a number of international tournaments amongst which the following have been considered to be the JKA's World Championships: