Welcome to the
British Shotokan Kyogi International
Introduction
The
British Shotokan Kyogi International was founded in Manchester, England in
1988 by Sensei Charles Gidley who initially began his study of karate in
1963. Prior to forming the B.S.K.I, he was an active member of the Karate
Union of Great Britain for 22 years, having joined in 1966. During his
period with the K.U.G.B and since leaving, he has produced many national and
international kata and Kumite champions and is well renowned worldwide as an
innovative teacher especially in his understanding and interpretation of
kata bunkai.
Our organisation practises and teaches REAL KARATE from Japan and has direct lineage through the masters of our art: therefore: the association and its instructors are committed to promote the highest standards in Shotokan Karate in its traditional form, by following the teachings of O Sensei Gichin Funakoshi and Shihan Masatoshi Nakayama from the original JAPAN KARATE ASSOCIATION honbu dojo in Tokyo, Japan. All kata and therefore the bunkai are taken directly from the format laid down by master Nakayama in 1984 and strictly adhered to. By conforming to these guidelines the B.S.K can follow its lineage, through Sensei Gidley and his instructors Andy Sherry 8th Dan and Keinosuke Enoeda 9th Dan, direct to the original Japan Karate Association honbu. .
What is Karate?
Karate is a system of self defence and physical culture originally developed and refined in Okinawa and Japan. The word is formed from the Japanese words Kara (empty) and Te (hand), symbolising that its practitioners - Karateka - are unarmed, but use their hands and feet for blocking and striking. Training is conducted within an environment based on certain Japanese cultural practices.
B.S.K.I Lineage
Gichin FUNAKOSHI(1868-1957): Founder of Shotokan Karate
Gichin Funakoshi is widely considered as the "father" of modern karate-do. He was born in Okinawa in 1868. He learnt karate ("Hand of Tang" as the ideograms read at that point) from two old masters, Yasutsune (Ankoh) Itosu and Yasutsune (Anko) Azato, training secretly at night , because martial arts were at that time banned in Okinawa. Eventually as attitudes changed, Funakoshi gave a demonstration of his art to high Okinaawan officials. Funakoshi modified the art, taking inspiration from traditional Japanese budo (kendo, judo, etc) and emphasising the philosophical aspects. It was this new karate-do that he took to the Japanese mainland and was the first expert to introduce the art to mainland Japan. In 1916 he gave a demonstration to the Butokuden in Kyoto, Japan, which at that time was the official centre of all martial arts. On March 6, 1921, the Crown Prince, who was later to become the Emperor of Japan, visited Okinawa and Master Funakoshi was asked to demonstrate karate. In the early spring of 1922 Master Funakoshi travelled to Tokyo to present his art at the First National Athletic exhibition in Tokyo organized by the Ministry of Education. He was strongly urged by several eminent groups and individuals to remain in Japan, and indeed he never did return to Okinawa.
For Master Funakoshi, the word karate eventually took on a deeper and broader meaning through the synthesis of these many methods, becoming karate-do, literally the "way of karate," or of the empty hand. Training in karate-do became an education for life itself. Master Funakoshi taught only one method, a total discipline, which represented a synthesis of Okinawaan karate styles. This method became known as Shotokan, literally the clan or the house of Shoto, which was the Master's pen name for his poetry, denoting the sound of the wind blowing through pines. It was through Master Funakoshi’s hard work that in 1948, the Japan Karate Association (J.K.A) was established. The establishment of the J.K.A lead the way to the spread of karate throughout the world. Masatoshi Nakayama, one of Funakoshi's greatest students, succeeded him as the head of the J.K.A.
Shihan Masatoshi NAKAYAMA 10th Dan (1913-1987): J.K.A Chief Instructor
Sensei
Masatoshi Nakayama was born in 1913 and began training in Karate under the
great master Funakoshi Gichin in 1931. After graduating from Takushoko
University in 1937 he went to Peking to study Chinese, whilst there he also
studied various styles of Chinese fighting. He became the 2nd
Chief Instructor of the J.K.A after Sensei Funakoshi passed away in November
1957. He was responsible for the global dissemination of Karate in the
1960's and 1970's, and for placing it on a firm scientific foundation after
performing an in-depth study of the principles of Kinesiology, Anatomy,
Psychology & Physics involved in Karate training. He has published a number
of books including "Dynamic Karate", an in depth study of Kihon (basics) and
produced videos providing detailed technical and practical information on
Kata, Kihon and Kumite. Sensei Masatoshi Nakayama passed away on April 15th,
1987 at the age of 74. He held the grade of 10thDan.
The "J.K.A Instructor Program" started by the late Master Masatoshi Nakayama is what makes the J.K.A unique from other karate organizations. The most promising students were selected and enrolled in this full time program for at least one year. Upon completion of the program, these graduates became ambassadors of J.K.A Shotokan Karate, introducing Shotokan Karate to Europe, North and South America, South East Asia and Africa. Some very well known graduates of the program include: Hiroyoshi Okazaki (USA),Keinosuke Enoeda (Great Britain),Hideo Ochi Germany) and Hiroshi Shirai (Italy).Because of this program, Shotokan Karate spread very quickly throughout the world and is the most widely practiced style of karate today.
"Since karate is a martial art, you must practice with the utmost seriousness from the beginning."
