Brief History of Modern Karate

Karate was introduced to the Japanese public, at the turn of the 20th century, by Gichin Funakoshi. He regarded it not only as an effective martial art, but also as a means of developing the mind and building character. Funakoshi refined karate and established the Shotokan dojo (training hall) in 1936, deriving the name from ‘Shoto’ – the pen name he used when writing poetry. During the air raids of World War II, the Shotokan dojo was destroyed, and the growth of karate came to a halt. After the war, followers of Funakoshi’s way re-grouped, and in 1949 they formed the JKA, with Funakoshi Gichin as Supreme Master.

Shotokan karate is one of the most traditional and widely practised forms of karate in the world today. Shotokan puts heavy focus on kihon (basic techniques), kata (forms) and kumite (sparring) to develop a range of powerful, dynamic techniques. The Japan Karate Association (JKA) has refined the Shotokan style even further, creating a related, but unique style all of its own.

Our Chief Instructor is Yoshinobu Ohta, 7th Dan. Ohta Sensei is a graduate of Takushoku University and has also attended the famous Instructors Classes at JKA Headquarters in Japan. From 1982-2003 Ohta Sensei was the assistant to Keinosuke Enoeda, 9th Dan