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Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957)

Gichin Funakoshi is the founder of modern shotokan karate. He was born sickly, weak and in very poor health condition. He was prescribed traditional herbs to make him better but his parents brought him to Yasutsune Itosu instead to learn Naha-te karate. Young Funakoshi then got better and learned from another okinawan style of martial art Shuri-te from a differet master with coincidentally the same name, Yasatsune Azato.

Several significant life experiences dictated Funakoshi to blend these two okinawan martial arts which he eventually polished and acquired very deep understanding about. In 1917, he was invited to perform at a physical education exhibition sponsored by the Ministry of Education. Due to the popularity of his performances and an invitation by Japan's Emperor in 1922, Sensei Funakoshi decided to teach and promote his art in Japan.

Funakoshi-sensei is a humble man. He did not insist on winning competitions or record-breaking championships. He placed emphasis on individual self-perfection. He eventually helped found the Japan Karate Association (JKA) and became Shihan (Master) in 1948. Sensei Funakoshi passed away in 1957, at the age of 88.

Nakayama Masatoshi (1913-1987)

Nakayama sensei trained directly under Sensei Gichin Funakoshi and together with Funakoshi’s son Gigo, he was responsible for bringing JKA Karate to the international scene. Also a founding member of JKA in 1949, he helped develop a comprehensive curriculum for both instructors and students. His passion for karate brought him to writing many books and instructional texts including the 11-volume series Best Karate and Dynamic Karate.

Sensei Nakayama passed away in 1987, at the age of 74. He was the first sensei who achieved the rank 10th dan.

Mori Sensei

Mori Masataka Sensei or Mori Sensei, 8th Dan, is the Chief Director and Chief Instructor of Shotokan Karate-Do International (SKDI - HQ) and the JKA headquarters of the Pan American region. In 1963, he was the Chief Instructor of JKA Hawaii and moved to JKA New York Headquarters in 1968.

Most popularly known teaching with his shinai (bamboo stick) and a very critical stare, Mori Sensei has perfected ways in improving your karate skills and in eliminating ego and bad behavior. He is a simple man with a reputation and name that demands respect and performance that should always be at 200%. Annually, JKA Hawaii participates in the JKA Summer Camp held at New York where members from all over the world congregate to update, unify and simply practice karate techniques. Mori Sensei also facilitates and heads these special camp trainings. See photos from SKDI-HQ.

Mori Sensei was born in Kyushu, southern Japan from the Fukuoka Prefecture in 1932. He entered the Takushoku University in 1950 and began his study about Karate. In 1957, He joined JKA and is now an icon, an inspiration and a JKA Master.

Photo courtesy of I. Shiroma.

Keinosuke Enoeda (1935-2003)

Enoeda sensei was chief instructor of the Karate Union of Great Britain until his premature death due to cancer. Enoeda was ranked 8th dan and was world renowned as a formidable karate-ka. Following his death, Enoeda was posthumously awarded 9th dan.

After graduating from Takushoku University he studied at the JKA honbu dojo in Tokyo under Masatoshi Nakayama, the chief instructor. He won the JKA All Japan Championship in 1963. During this period he picked up the nickname "tiger" (tora in Japanese), after Nakayama-sensei had described his fighting.

On 20 April 1965, following the JKA policy of sending it's instructors abroad to spread karate, he traveled to England and began teaching in Liverpool.

Hidetaka Nishiyama (1928-2008)

Nishiyama Sensei started training under Master Gichin Funakoshi on 1943 and is a founding member of JKA. He author of the worlds biggest selling Martial Arts book ‘The Art Of Empty Handed Fighting’, which is in its 70th re-printing to date. Throughout his long Martial Arts career, Nishiyama helped organize the All American Karate Federation (AAKF) as a nationally based amateur karate organization, and helped arrange the first National Karate Championship in Los Angeles under the AAKF. Since this point, Nishiyama has become one of the most important name in the popularization of karate in the United States.

Sensei Hidetaka Nishiyama, who passed away on November 8th, 2008 at the age of 80.