Hystory and origins

Koshiki Karatedo

Short description of the origins of Koshiki Karate

  • 1978
    Hanshi Masakuki Kukan Hisataka designed new protective equipement called ”super safe azen bogu” which allowed the full execution of striking techniques without fear of injury. With a fixed and clear scoring system, a revolutionary new competition system was born, koshiki karatedo.
  • 1980
    The first international koshiki karatedo championship was held at the second Yoyogi national gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan. National teams from countries such as Canada, United State, Australia, Switzerland, Venezuela, Columbia, Argentina, Spain, India, Singapore, Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong took part in the event. It was the beginning of the World Koshiki Karatedo Federation(W.K.K.F.)
  • 1981
    Due to the enthusiasm generated by the newly invented sport ”Koshiki Karatedo”, instructors and representatives of different styles of karate came together to create the ”All Japan Koshiki Karatedo Association”, later known as the ”All Japan Koshiki Karatedo Federation”. Following this event, several competitors from different martial arts like tae kwon do, shorinji kempo, nihon kempo came together to organize the very first koshiki (contact) championship.
  • Since then, several world koshiki karatedo championships have been organized by different countries like Japan, Canada (Montreal, London), United states, Venezuela, Autralia, Greece and Portugal.

The Hisataka (Kudaka) family

Masayoshi Kori Hisataka Masayuki Kukan Hisataka Masamitsu Kudaka

Kaiso, fondateur 

1907-1988


He was born on April 22nd 1907 in Shuri on the island of Okinawa, Japan. Born into a family of aristocrats who adopted the name Kudaka (Hisataka in Japanese) after one of his ancestors was named lord of the island of Kudaka for services rendered to the kingdom of the Ryükyü Islands archipelago.

During his youth, he began learning the Kudaka family system (Kudaka ryu) with his uncle. He later studied weaponry under Sanda Kanegushiku. His main instructor, however, was Master Chotoku Kyan, one of the greatest masters in Okinawa. It was he who developed the vertical punch (tate ken) which became the trademark of Karatedo Shorinjiryu Kenkokan.

He traveled extensively in Asia including the island of Taiwan where he mastered Shorinji-Kenpo. He also studied judo at Kodokan, the mecca of this martial art, where he obtained the rank of 4th dan in just one year.

During World War II, he was stationed in Mongolia as a civilian railway administrator. During this period he was able to train in judo with Minoru Mochizuki, a direct student of Jigoro Kano (Founder of judo) who was also based there.

After the war, he was repatriated to the island of Kyushu in southern Japan. It was there that he opened the Kenkokan School of Karatedo Shorinjiryu on June 10, 1947. The Kenkokan dojo was relocated to the Waseda area of ​​Tokyo in 1955.

In addition to the use of the vertical punch, the Shorinjiryu Kenkokan style was distinguished from others by its emphasis on the rotational movement of the hips for foot and punch techniques, triangular movements and the use of rigid chest protectors. (adapted from those used in Kendo) during fights in order to make them more realistic. 

He retired from teaching in 1974 and handed over the reins of the organization to his son, So-Shihan Masayuki Kukan Hisataka, who would see to the expansion of the style throughout the world.

He died in Tokyo on August 14, 1988. His legacy is shared by thousands of karatekas around the world.

So-Shihan, Kenmei (10th Dan)

1940 – Today

So-Shihan Masayuki Kukan Hisataka was born on November 18, 1940 in Mongolia, his father, the founder of the Shorinjiryu Kenkokan style, being stationed there during the Second World War.

He began learning karatedo and judo from his father at the age of 3. At 12 years old he was already a first dan black belt in these two martial arts. When he graduated from university, he had reached the ranks of 5th dan in karatedo and 4th dan in judo.

In 1963, at the request of the Japanese government, he represented his country at the New York World’s Fair during karatedo and judo demonstrations at the Japan pavilion in the company of Shihan Shunji Watanabe. The latter subsequently settled in the Baltimore area to teach karate.

In 1967, his country asked him again to represent it for the Universal Exhibition in Montreal, Expo 67. For the duration of the Expo, he gave daily demonstrations of Karatedo and judo at the Japan pavilion. At that time he had reached the ranks of 7th Dan in Karatedo and 5th Dan in Judo.

After Expo 67, So-Shihan Hisataka remained in Canada for a period of 7 years to introduce the practice of Shorinjiryu Kenkokan Karatedo to numerous dojos, at McGill University, at CEGEP St-Jérôme and at the national school of Quebec theater.

At the request of his father, he returned to Japan in 1974 to take charge of the style organization throughout the world. It was during this period that he began the development of Super Safe protective equipment and the Koshiki competition system.

Its goal was to create a competition system open to all styles that was both realistic and safe, by developing special protective equipment consisting of a helmet with a polycarbonate visor and a chest protector called Super Safe . The first Koshiki Karate World Championships took place in Tokyo in 1980.

So-Shihan Hisataka subsequently traveled the world to popularize the Koshiki system which is today present on all continents

He has visited Canada many times, which he considers his second home, to deliver seminars and attend three World Championships on Canadian soil (Montreal in 1989 and 2007 and London, Ontario in 2017.

It was during this last visit that he conferred on Shihan Philippe Nadeau the titles of Hanshi and the ranks of 8 th dan in Koshiki Karatedo and Kyoshi,  7 th dan in Shorinjiryu Kenkokan Karatedo, the style of the Kudaka family.

Although he still remains active within the organization and trains regularly, it is his son, Masamitsu Kudaka, who is now responsible for running the family style and the World Koshiki Karatedo Federation based in Japan. 

Hanshi, 8th Dan

–

Hanshi Masamitsu Kudaka was born on July 20, 1978 in Tokyo. He is the eldest son of So-Shihan Masayuki Kukan Hisataka, the creator of the Koshiki competition system and the grandson of Kaiso Masayoshi Kori Hisataka, the founder of the Shorinjiryu Kenkokan style.

He began his training in Karatedo at the age of 3 with his father and grandfather at the main dojo (Honbu Dojo) located in the Waseda sector of the city of Tokyo.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Biosciences from Nippon University in Tokyo and a master’s degree in philosophy from Monarch Business School in Switzerland. He is currently a doctoral candidate at the same university.

He won his first World Championship in 1989 and would win a total of 10 during his competitive career. He is the only karateka to have had such a record in the Koshiki system. It should be noted that during his career, he managed to reach the top of the podium in each of the weight categories, including the open category while he was middleweight.

Hanshi Kudaka now serves as president of the World Koshiki Karatedo Federation (WKKF) and is the head instructor of the Shorinjiryu Kenkokan style.

He travels a lot around the world to visit the different WKKF organizations and lead seminars and officiate at numerous competitions.


WKKF Canada Hall Of Fame

HANSHI PHILIPPE NADEAU

• Born in 1956

• Began practicing Shorinjiryu Kenkokan Karatedo in 1972 under Sensei Ngo Duy Giac, one of the first black belts promoted by Soshihan Masayuki Kukan Hisataka in Canada.

• In 1982, he took charge of the Bu Sei Kan club in Saint Jérôme following the retirement of Sensei Giac

• In1989 Participates as an official in the Koshiki Karate World Championships in Montreal

• 2007 Assistant to the Director of the 2007 World Koshiki Karate Championship Shihan Robin Campbell Head of the Canadian WKKF, Shihan Philippe Nadeau professionally and competently coordinated the many components of this successful World tournament. 

• 2007, He completes the French translation of the regulations of the World Koshiki Karatedo Federation

• 2008, he became co-president of the Canadian Koshiki Karate Association

• 2010, he became president of the Canadian Koshiki Karate Association • He sits on the international referee council committee and holds the highest rank as an international referee (Master Referee). • Acted as an official at championships and world cups in Japan, Australia and Canada

• 2017, he received the rank of 8 th Dan and the title of Hanshi in Koshiki karate from Soshihan Masayuki Hisataka. He is, to date, the only Canadian to actively hold this rank and one of the few worldwide to have reached this level. He also received the rank of 7 th Dan in Shorinjiryu Kenkokan Karate. He is then the only non-Japanese to actively hold this rank.

• Currently, Hanshi Nadeau still practices karate. He travels to the association’s different schools and attends all events to share his knowledge.


SHIHAN WAYNE DONIVAN

• Born in 1949

• Started practicing shorinjiryu kenkokan karate on November 7, 1967. He was part of the first group of students of Soshihan Masayuki Hisataka in Canada

• 1969, he became the first to receive the rank of black belt (shodan) in Canada

• He won the North American championship 4 times, from 1971 to 1974

• 1974, he was appointed official head of the Canadian Shorinjiryu Kenkokan and Koshiki karate association, succeeding Soshihan Masayuki Hisataka who returned to live in Japan to take charge of the world association

• 1976, he became responsible for the North American branch of Shorinjiryu Kenkokan and Koshiki karate

• Shihan Donivan was part of the committee for the development of Karate Koshiki rules at the World Association (W.K.K.F.)

• 1991, he received his 7th Dan rank in Koshiki Karate from Soshihan Masayuki Hisataka.

• 1994, Shihan Donivan leaves the world association and develops a branch of karate similar to Shorinjiryu Kenkokan which he calls Shorinjiryu Kentokukan.

• To this day, Shihan Donivan still practices Karate and now holds the rank of 9th Dan and the title of Doshu in Shorinjiryu Kentokukan. The Shorinjiryu Kentokukan organization has several schools in Canada and contributes greatly to the development of Shorinjiryu and Koshiki in the country.


SHIHAN ROBIN CAMPBELL

• Born in 1961 in Hawkesbury, Ontario Canada

• 1973 Begins her practice of Karate in St-Jérome in Shotokan karate with Sensei Ari Anastasiadis  

• 1974 She joins Sensei Ngo Duy Giac at the Shorinjiryu Kenyukai Dojo up to and including the brown belt level. Sensei Giac, as a very strong instructor of technical basics, contributed to build in her an extremely strong technical foundation which was rapidly noticed when she moved on in 1978 as a Brown Belt as she attended Ahuntsic College in Montreal. 

• During her time as Kenyukai Dojo, she was responsible for the children’s dojo assisting Luc Gilbert in all duties regarding the children’s studies, regular classes, camps, tournaments. These were some of the best years of her career in the Martial Arts.

• 1978 She joins the group Shorinjiryu Kenkokan with Shihan Donivan

• 1980 She participates in the First Koshiki Karate World Championship in Japan, as an “experiment” for a women category with Representatives from Japan, Canada, Switzerland, USA and Australia. She came in 1 st in Shiai (combat) – no kata was featured – and received a bouquet of flower in lieu of a Gold Medal as was the tradition with men. She was a trail blazer from then on for the inclusiveness and participation of women in the World Koshiki Karate style. 

• She also participated in several other national and international competitions such as: Baltimore (USA), New York (USA), California (USA), Salt Lake City (USA), Holland, Australia, Japan and several others.

• From 1987 to 1989, Lived in Japan for 2 years, actively practicing under the tutelage of Soshihan Hisataka 9th Dan and providing assistance to him as a liaison to other SKK and WKKF organizations around the world. She trained six to seven times a week at the Hombu – Waseda Dojo and Shinbukai Dojo, teaching and training with children, all kyu and Black Belt only classes. She also competed at several tournaments in and around Tokyo, demonstrated with Hansi Hisataka and Sensei Hiroshi Hisataka at various venues to promote both Shorinjiryu and Koshiki Karate and acted as referee in different events in house and per invitation to outside Dojo tournaments.

• 1989, she traveled around the world to train different teams in preparation for the world championships in Montreal. She coaches the teams of Hong Kong, India, France, Germany and Switzerland, among others.

• She was president of the Canadian association from 1994 to 2008. She was on the Black Belts Grading Committee for countless years, preparing, supervising, grading and reporting results of Black Belts examination to Japan and presenting students with their official Black Belts Certifications and Ranks. She designed the examination document used for all Black Belts examinations.

• She was the founder and head instructor of the Heiwa Kai dojo in Ottawa from 1989 to 2008 forming respected, skilled and well-rounded individuals to Black Belts ranks 

• 2000 Responsible for a team of young competitors traveling to Australia for their first World Koshiki Karate Championship, she was part of the pre-tournament preparations of the 2000 Australian Championship with Sensei Scott Brown and Chief Referee throughout the tournament. It is at this World Championship that she was promoted to 6 th Degree Black Belt in Shorinjiryu Kenkokan Karate as well as 7 th Degree in World Koshiki Karate alongside Shihan Mamadou Diallo from Switzerland, representative of the African Koshiki Karate organization at the time.

• She was responsible for the development and writing of the international Koshiki Karate rulebook. She was a long-time member of the international arbitration committee and was one of its administrators.

• She was the Director of the 2007 World Koshiki Karate Championship in Montreal, directly supervising the operations and management of several groups responsible for the many components required for efficient and safe proceedings of a Championship of this caliber.  According to many participants and spectators, this tournament was one of the best organized World tournaments Koshiki had ever produced, thanks to everyone involved at all levels. 

• She retired from karate in 2008, leaving Hanshi Nadeau and Shihan Gilbert at the head of the organization.

• 2010 She founded WASK (World Association Shorinjiryu Kenkokan) in collaboration with other Shorinjiryu Kenkokan veterans. For personal reasons, she had to abandon the project a few months later.

• She has long been and still is one of the highest ranking in the world organization and an internationally respected teacher. To date, she is the highest-ranking woman in Shorinjiryu Kenkokan and Koshiki Karate in the world, having the ranks of 6th Dan and 7th Dan respectively.



SHIHAN LUC GILBERT

• He began his practice of Karatedo Shorinjiryu Kenkokan in 1973 under sensei Ngo Duy Giac

• Finished 2nd at the world championships in Montreal in 1989.

• In his active period of competition, he was nicknamed the “ippon king”, because he very often won his fights by ippon which was also very rare at the time.

• He is head instructor of 3 dojos on the North Shore of Montreal: Bu Sei Kan (Saint-Antoine 1989 – 1994), San Iku Kai (Mirabel 1989 – 1998) and Asa Hi Kai (Sainte-Sophie 1989 – 1998)

• He participated in the 2007 World Koshiki Karate Championship as an all support to the proceeding and demonstrated his excellent expertise and confidence as the Chief Referee in the Black Belt Finals in Combats.

• Shihan Gilbert receives his 6th Dan in Shorinjiryu Kenkokan and his 7th Dan in Koshiki Karate from Soshihan Hisataka in 2008

• He officially retired from karate in 2010, but nevertheless remains available to offer advice as needed. He also sometimes honors us with his presence during special events.



SHIHAN GEORGE MANOLI

• Born in 1960 in Egypt

• Began practicing Karatedo under Soshihan Masayuki Hisataka in 1973

• He participated in the world championships in 1980 in Japan (3rd heavyweight and 2nd open weight), in 1983 in Venezuela (2nd heavyweight and 1st team fight) and in 1985 in Australia (2nd heavyweight and 1st team fight )

• From 1982 to 1989, he opened a karate school in western Canada (Edmonton) where he taught.

• 2000, he opened his Tokon dojo in Beaconsfield, Montreal.

• Shihan Manoli currently holds the rank of 1 st Dan black belt in judo and purple belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu

• 2017, he was promoted to the rank of 6 th Dan in Shorinjiryu Kenkokan and 7 th Dan in Koshiki Karate

• To this day, he still teaches karate as head instructor of the Tokon dojo in Beaconsfeild Montreal. He also leads several self-defense clinics for women and young people throughout Quebec.


SHIHAN MARIO VENNE

• He began practicing Shorinjiryu Kenkokan Karatedo in the late 1980s.

• Head instructor of the Asa Hi Kai dojo of Sainte Sophie until 2012

• He is part of the organizing committee for the world championships in Montreal in 2007

• He retired from karate in 2012 with the rank of 5 th Dan in Shorinjiryu Kenkokan and 6 th Dan in Koshiki Karate. However, he honors us with his presence on the occasion of special events.