De Anza Shotokan Karate Club

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Shotokan Karate Organizations

The onset of World War II found many karateka leaving to fight for their country, and the development of karate as an art was hindered by the lack of participants. Almost immediately after the war, however, the karateka of Japan began reorganizing. By 1949, differences in technique, values, and opinions among Funakoshi's followers had reached a point where two distinct groups had emerged. One group, composed of the older seniors, formed the Shotokai, while the others - based largely on those who had trained at Takushoku University, formed the nucleus of what would become the Nihon Karate Kyokai (the Japan Karate Association). Funakoshi Sensei, the father of modern karate, died on April 26, 1957. Events following his passing created a political rift between these two main factions of Funakoshi's karate, eventually causing a fracture in the art that would never mend - a trait that seems to have been inherited by most karate organizations thereafter.

The Shotokai

The Shotokai was founded in 1935, related to the establishment of the Shotokan Dojo Fund, which was created to generate the resources necessary to build the first dojo for Master Gichin Funakoshi, who was named the group's president. Senior members of the group included Shigeru Egami, Funakoshi's chief assistant following WWII, Genshin Hironishi, Hironori Ohtsuka, and Funakoshi's son, Yoshitaka. Ohtsuka separated from Funakoshi in 1940 due to stylistic disagreements, and later went on to form Wado-Ryu. After Funakoshi's death in 1957 the presidency and title of Chief Instructor of the Shotokai was taken over by Shigeru Egami, all with complete authorization of the Funakoshi family. Tied to the JKA by way of Funakoshi, the two groups nonetheless had differing opinions on several matters, the biggest being the desire of some instructors to develop the idea of sport within karate-do - something Funakoshi was adamantly against. Egami in particular was convinced that the JKA "Shotokan" Karate evolution was very far from the teachings of Master Funakoshi. The Shotokai felt their objective to be the preservation of the true spirit of Karate-Do, which they felt was already starting to become too commercial and sports oriented by the NKK's influence. In 1956, the organization as it is known today was reformed as Nihon Karate-Do Shotokai (Japan Karate-Do Shotokai), a group "in charge of the preservation of Karate-do unblemished by commercialism."

After Master Shigeru Egami's death in 1981, Hironishi replaced him as the Chief Instructor of the Shotokan school and as President of Japan Shotokai Karate-do, titles he held until 1995. Shotokan karate as practiced by the Shotokai lives on today, with schools in over 21 countries.

The JKA - The Granddaddy of all Karate Organizations

In May of 1949, Isao Obata officially organized a karate group called the Nihon Karate Kyokai (the Japan Karate Association), with Funakoshi Sensei named as chief instructor emeritus. Since Master Funakoshi was 81 years old at the time, Masatoshi Nakayama was chosen to handle the actual teaching, and Hidetaka Nishiyama was appointed chief of the instruction committee. Even though initially the idea was that the association should include all groups affiliated with Funakoshi, this did not occur. By the end of the 1940's and the beginning of the 1950's strong friction arose within the NKK due to the commercialization of Karate-do. Following a disagreement over Funakoshi's funeral arrangements, members of the Shotokai cut links with the NKK, which finally ended up in the hands of the members of Takushoku University. It is interesting to note that while the JKA is arguably the organization most commonly associated with Shotokan karate-do, it does not use the name Shotokan at all, as that moniker is property of the Shotokai.

By 1955, the first headquarters dojo for the JKA had been built at Yotsuya in Tokyo, and the first JKA Chairman appointed: Saigo Kichinosuke, member of the upper house of the Japanese Diet and grandson of Saigo Takamori, one of the greatest heroes of Meiji Japan. In 1956, the JKA set up the first-ever karate specialist instructor intern (kenshusei) training program at the headquarters dojo, and accepted its first round of trainees. This was the start of one of the finest karate instructor-training programs ever created, a program never matched by any other karate organization. Between 1958 and 1989, the JKA further developed its karate instruction system, and while greatly expanding its branch dojo throughout Japan, began sending some of its most highly accomplished professional instructors overseas to America, Europe and the Middle East to teach and establish dojo. Today's popularity of Shotokan karate and karate competition is in no small part due to the immense efforts made by the JKA to spread Funakoshi's karate across the globe.

Unfortunately, after Nakayama Sensei's death the JKA split into two factions, which eventually led to a splintering within the JKA. Many senior instructors left to form their own karate associations. Some of these newer organizations include the Japan Shotokan Karate Association (Keigo Abe), the Japan Karate Shoto-Renmei (Tetsuhiko Asai), and the Karatenomichi World Federation (Mikio Yahara).

The SKIF

One of the first instructors to break away from the JKA and form his own karate association was Hirokazu Kanazawa. In 1978, following political problems and what seems like a very unfriendly split from the JKA, Kanazawa returned to Japan as a matter of honor, having originally intended to take up residence in Canada. Following his break from the JKA, Kanazawa set up a group named Shotokan Karate International (SKI), formed in December 1978. General headquarters were established in Yotsuya, Tokyo.

As one might imagine, Kanazawa Sensei's karate lineage is of the first-order. A student, and later vice-captain of the infamous Takushoku University dojo for four years, he was taught by the founder of Shotokan, Gichin Funakoshi, and Masatoshi Nakayama (then Chief Instructor of the JKA), as well as by numerous other seniors, including Hidetaka Nishiyama and Teruyuki Okazaki. In 1956, Kanazawa was one of only three people selected to enter the newly formed one-year JKA Instructors' Course. In 1957, at the first JKA All-Japan Championships, he won the individual kumite title despite having entered the competition with a broken hand. The following year, he won both the individual kumite and kata competitions, becoming the first JKA Grand Champion, a feat that has only been repeated five times since. In 1961 he was posted as JKA Chief Instructor to Hawaii, returning in 1963. In 1964 he studied briefly on Okinawa, and in 1965 he came to Great Britain. Kanazawa then taught in West Germany for two years, acting as coach to the European team at the world championships in Mexico in 1968, before returning to Japan to take up a dual post - Principal Director of the International Section of the JKA, and as a Director of the JKA.

April 1988 the SKI officially changed its name to Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation (SKIF). Incredibly, the SKIF is now believed to be operating in more countries than the Japan Karate Association, becoming the world's largest Shotokan association, with reportedly over 2 million members in over 100 countries.

The AAKF/ITKF

Born in Tokyo in 1928, Hidetaka Nishiyama is possibly one of the greatest proponents of karate competition. He began his karate training in 1943 under Gichin Funakoshi at the Shotokan dojo. Two years later, while enrolled at Takushoku University, he became a member of the university's karate team, for which in 1949 he was named captain. Nishiyama received a Master of Arts degree in economics from Takushoku University in 1951. That same year, he was a co-founder of the Japan Karate Association (JKA) and was elected to the JKA board of Directors. In 1952, he was selected as a member of the martial arts combat instruction staff for the U.S. Strategic Air Command (SAC) Combat Training Program. SAC personnel received training in judo, aikido, and karate at the Kodokan. Other karate instructors for this program included Gichin Funakoshi, Masatoshi Nakayama, and Isao Obata. In 1953, SAC invited Nishiyama as part of a 10-member Budo Mission from Japan. The team visited SAC bases in the U.S. for three months, giving instruction in karate, judo, and aikido.

In 1960, Nishiyama co-wrote the book Karate: The Art of Empty-Hand Fighting, which even today is considered the definitive textbook on the subject of karate. In its 70th printing (2,000 copies per printing), it is believed to be the best selling karate text book in history. In 1961 he moved to the United States and founded the All American Karate Federation (AAKF). In November of the same year, Nishiyama organized, under the control of the AAKF, the first National Karate Championship in Los Angeles, California where he also established his dojo. Since then Nishiyama has been a major force in the propagation of the Shotokan style of karate in the U.S. and abroad.

The AAKF hosted the very first karate competition between the U.S. and Japan at the historic 1964 Goodwill Tournament held in Los Angeles. Because of the participation of the All Japan Collegiate Karate Team, this event became the first truly international karate competition. In 1968 the AAKF also planned and hosted the World International Karate Tournament, the first world scale competition which was held in Los Angeles and Mexico City in cooperation with the Mexican Karate Federation. A conference which took place during the tournament culminated in an agreement to form an international karate organization and to hold its first World Championship in Tokyo. Based on a 1968 agreement formed at the Mexico City conference, tournaments were held in Tokyo (1970) and Paris (1973). These World Championships resulted in disagreements caused by the lack of formal international organization. An international meeting later followed in New York City resulting in the 1975 formation of the International Amateur Karate Federation (IAKF), with Nishiyama elected as its Executive Director. The goal was to help avoid confusion between the "new" karate styles and traditional karate, and to maintain consistency in traditional karate training throughout the world.

In 1970, during a reorganization of the AAKF as the traditional karate governing body, the JKA Karate group had separated and became the JKA-US, part of the AAKF, with Nishiyama as Chairman of both organizations. In April of that same year, the AAKF became a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee. In 1973, Nishiyama also co-founded the Pan American Karate Union (PAKU) and was elected its First Executive Director. The first PAKU Championship was staged in Rio de Janeiro.

In 1978 the AAKF completely restructured its organization and changed the name to the American Amateur Karate Federation, a public benefit, non-profit corporation and sole Traditional Amateur Karate governing body in the U.S. It is also remained a member of the IAKF, the worldwide governing body of Traditional Karate.

In 1985, the IAKF changed its name to the International Traditional Karate Federation (ITKF) because the word "karate" had become a generic term applied to a variety of kicking/punching sports. The ITKF, under Nishiyama's direction, wanted to make clear that it was the governing body of traditional karate. In 1987, the IOC officially confirmed that the ITKF was the governing body for traditional karate.

On November 3, 2000, Master Hidetaka Nishiyama was recommended by the Japanese government for his worldwide promotion of Japanese culture as a Master Instructor of Traditional Karate. His half century of meritorious contributions were then honored personally by the Emperor of Japan in a special ceremony conducted at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, where he was awarded the "Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette". It was the first time in the history of Japanese national awards that such recognition was granted to Traditional Karate, and reflects Master Nishiyama's lifelong contributions to the development of the superior physical, mental and spiritual aspects of Traditional Karate. Furthermore, Master Nishiyama was one of only eleven recipients from outside of Japan that were honored during that year's ceremonies for their contributions to Japanese culture.

Currently, Nishiyama Sensei and the ITKF are diligently working with the International Olympic Committee to have traditional karate recognized as an official Olympic event. Nishiyama Sensei continues to instruct at the Central Dojo in Los Angeles and conducts a busy schedule conducting seminars and courses around the U.S. and abroad. He also is producing new texts and manuals as well as instruction video tapes concerning traditional karate.

The JKS

Born in 1935 in Ehime, Shikoku prefecture, Japan, Master Asai began his karate training at the age of 12. After gaining entrance to Takushoku University, Asai quickly joined the university's infamous karate club. He endured the difficult training, and was allowed to live in the karate dormitory, where he flourished. After graduating in 1958, Nakayama Sensei insisted he continue his karate training, so he entered the Kenshusei program (Instructors Course). It was the golden age of the JKA, with many strong and different characters. He would train with these people daily and it cemented his decision to follow the karate way throughout his life. This hard training paid off and in 1961, in front of Crown Prince Akihito, Asai became the grand champion (kata and kumite) at the 5th All-Japan Karate Championships, beating the favorites, Mikami Sensei and Shirai Sensei.

After finishing the Kenshusei program, Asai became the first person to bring karate to Taiwan. Later, based on his success, he moved to Hawaii to continue his teaching. Eventually Asai returned to Japan to become the Technical Director of the JKA, under Nakayama. In Best Karate: Volume 3, Nakayama Sensei said of Asai; "He probably has no equals."

What exactly happened at the time of Nakayama Sensei's death is a bit of a mystery. Nakayama had left the JKA in the hands of Asai Sensei, who was at the time the technical director. Asai, being the senior-most instructor at the time, took over as Chief Instructor of the JKA. However, a number of the JKA instructors apparently had difficulties with Asai's unorthodox style of karate, and attempted to force him out of the position of Chief Instructor. Asai wasn't without support, however. Others, such as Abe, Yahara, Kagawa, Toru Yamaguchi, Isaka, and Tamang, convinced Asai to say and fight for the JKA. This resulted in a major split in the JKA, followed by 10 years of fighting for the name in court, with Nobuyuki Nakahara and Asai both running their own "JKA." However, in 1999, after the Japanese High Court ruled in favor of the Nakahara JKA with regard to title to the name Shadan Hojin Nihon Karate Kyokai (Japan Karate Association), the former Asai JKA organization split into two, with Asai Sensei forming the Japan Karate Shotokai (JKS) and Yahara Sensei the Karatenomichi World Federation (KWF). At this time Abe Sensei also retired from the JKA to form his own organization, the JKSA.

The name Japan Karate Shotokai was short lived, however. With Egami's Nihon Karatedo Shotokai in existence, the word Shotokai was creating some confusion, as there was no affiliation between the two groups. To settle this confusion, JKS decided (in April 2005) to alter the Japanese name to Nihon Karate Shoto-renmei (Japan Karate Shoto-Union) while keeping the English abbreviation of JKS. JKS was also awarded with NPO (non profit organization) title from the Japanese government - which made the JKS a unique organization.

In addition to the JKS, Asai also founded the international organization known as International Japan Karate Association (IJKA), formed in 1990. Although the JKS and IJKA are not well known organizations in the US, they are well recognized in other parts of the world; when combined, their membership makes them one of the largest karate organizations in the world.

The SKA

Graduating from Waseda University in Tokyo, Tsutomu Ohshima was one of Funakoshi Sensei's last direct students (1948-1953). Ohshima was given direct permission by Funakoshi to start a Shotokan organization in the United States of America. He did just that, coming to Los Angeles, California in 1955. Some consider Ohshima to be the first person to teach karate in the US. He also founded the first university karate club at the California Institute of Technology, in 1957. His group, known as Shotokan Karate of America (SKA) is a nonprofit organization that has been teaching traditional karate-do in the United States since its inception and is still led by Ohshima Sensei to this day. Ohshima is also recognized as the chief instructor of many other SKA-affiliated Shotokan organizations worldwide, with schools in over 15 countries. SKA still maintains its national headquarters in Los Angeles.