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GIBRALTAR KARATE-DO SHOTOKAI (est.1974)

 
 
 
Welcome to Gibraltar Shotokai home page.
 
 
Introduction
 
Karate-Do Shotokai Gibraltar ( GibraltarKDS ) is affiliated to KDS UK.  Our style emphasises the use of technique, relaxation, distance, and timing, rather than brute or sheer strength.  Our Sensei and principal instructor is Mitsusuke Harada, the last practicing pupil of Gichin Funakoshi, who visits our dojo once a year to instruct at our Summer Course.

                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                        Mitsusuke Harada

 
In 1943 Harada Sensei attended his first lesson at Master Gichin Funakoshi's dojo 'The Shotokan'. It was during these lessons at The Shotokan that he got his first glimpse of Yoshitaka Funakoshi who left a life lasting impression on him. He has trained with many notable Masters including  Master Motonobu (Genshin) Hironishi, Master Shigeru Egami, Master Wado Uemura, Master Yoshiaki Hayashi and Master Tadao Okuyama, just to name a few. It was during his year and a half of daily practice and experimentation with Shigeru Egami that Harada Sensei discovered the importance of relaxation as the secret to true power and penetration:
 
"Mr. Egami had a different approach to most instructors in as much as he believed in accepting ones attack with his body at the right time; without smashing and while the attack was at its peak. This was in contrast to others who would either shove or smash ones attack when the attack was finished or static.........to improve Karate, we must research how to physically change our bodies; this is what is needed to change Karate." - Mitsusuke Harada Sensei
 
Harada Sensei was awarded his 5th Dan personally by Gichin Funakoshi, the father of modern-day Karate, in 1956.


                                                                                                     

Gichin Funakoshi     Yoshitaka Funakoshi     Tadao Okuyama      Shigeru Egami & Mitsusuke Harada        Shigeru Egami                 Shigeru Egami and Yoshitaka Funakoshi

              

 
Our club is open to fellow martial artists, regardless of style, who are always welcome to join in with our  practice sessions, or meet us after training in our bar and discuss the finer points of the art.
 
                                                                                     
 
 
The Dojo
 
The Dojo is well equipped with Bokken, Bo, Makiwara, a selection of punching and kicking pads and gloves, and punch bags.  Due to the location of the supporting columns of the building the Dojo is divided into four interconnecting areas.
 
               

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Bar

By having our own bar facilities the club can hold its meetings, functions, parties, etc, on the premises. The (GibKDS) bar is also used on a regular basis by members after practice.

 
 

                                                                                          

                  

 

 
 
SITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION
 

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