Eight JKS England Senior members in Japan
Eight JKS England Senior members have recently returned from Japan following a week long training visit. The main purpose of the trip was to train at the JKS international Seminar held on the weekend of 5th and 6th December at the prestigious dojo at Teikyo University karate club. The one week stay also allowed for participation in morning and evening training at the JKS Hombu dojo.
The trip began on Wednesday 2nd December with the long trip to Tokyo by the group headed by Alan Campbell, which also included Matt Price, Steve Carless, Shyam Raithatha, Ben Richardson and Paul Wolstencroft. Soon after arriving the group met up with Nick Heald and Ashley Scott-Heald who had travelled via Okinawa as Ashley was competing in the WKF Karate1 Premier League the previous weekend.
The international seminar saw JKS karateka gather from thirty-two countries from around the world. Instruction was from Kagawa Shihan, Yamaguchi Sensei and Kanayama Sensei. The seminar began on the Saturday with Kagawa Shihan leading training with Kihon and basic Kumite. The seminar was then split between age and grade groups with the seniors being led by Yamaguchi Sensei who took the group through standardisation of the Kata Kanku-sho. The seniors then were led by Kanayama Sensei, where he taught Kata Ji’in before finishing the day Kagawa Shihan and yet more excellent Kihon drills. The final event of Saturday was an early evening party for all particpants held at the University.
Sunday was a very early start for the seminar and saw Kanayama Sensei taking the first session, kicking off with more Kihon training, specifically kicks. After a short break, Yamaguchi Sensei took the whole group through Kakyoku Nidan. This along with all the other katas on the seminar saw expert demonstrations by Hombu dojo instructors and kenshusei including a detailed analysis by Kagawa Shihan, Yamaguchi Sensei and Kanayama Sensei. The international seminar training finished with Kagawa Shihan, who was in breathtaking form leading the group through kumite drills with a focus on tai-sabaki. Kagawa Shihan performed several demonstrations, which had the whole group in awe of his exceptional technique.
The seminar concluded with Dan Grades Examinations and Instructors Examinations behind closed doors. Alan Campbell Sensei, Matt Price Sensei and Steve Carless Sensei all took the various examinations for Instructor and referee qualifications. Results will be published in due course.
Also held were Dan examinations and we were extremely proud to see Nick Heald Sensei pass his cross over grading to become 6th Dan JKS and Shyam Raithatha pass his 5th Dan. Congratulations to both on which was a very tough grading with a low pass rate.
Outside of the weekend, morning and evening training was attended at the JKS Hombu dojo. This saw some superb sessions from Senseis Kanayama, Inada, Matsue, Okamoto, Watanabe, Arimoto and Someya. Every training session at the Hombo dojo brought something difference and the level of each instructor was simply superb and inspiring to all who attended.
The next visit to Japan for JKS England is the annual trip from Friday 22nd January till Friday 5th February which takes in Kangeiko at Hombu dojo, plus evening training finishing off with some time in the more rural Kyoto to experience a different aspect of Japan and its culture. The 2016 trip is now fully subscribed and organised. However, if you are a JKS England or Wales member and fancy attending the 2017 trip, please contact Alan Campbell Sensei.