Presentation of ISKK
PRESENTATION and AFFILIATION
Presentation of ISKK
The Honorary President of ISKK is Shihan Mizuguchi Hirofumi, "uchi deshi” to Ryuso Mabuni Kenwa and the first student of Soke Mabuni Kenei. He had an authentic knowledge of Shitoryu Karatedo learned from the purest source. He was Vice-Chairman of Japan Shitokai Karatedo Federation (JSKF) and founded his association "Shitoryu Karatedo Yoshukan Kenshikai" in 1966 and devoted his whole life to preserve Mabuni family’s heritage.
President and founder of ISKK, John Rakoto Sensei 7 DAN ( was his student since 1992 and registered member of Kenshikai Honbu Dojo in Japan. Throughout his annual travels to Japan and regular exchanges with Kenshikai members, he had direct access to this great knowledge. As his first "gaijin" (foreigner - outside Japan) disciple, he introduced Shitoryu Karatedo in Madagascar and devoted himself to the promotion of Kenshikai in Europe, too. As a sign of loyalty and gratefulness to his master, Rakoto Sensei founded with Shihan Mizuguchi Hirofumi the organization “International Shitoryu Karatedo Kenshikai” in 2012, for the 20th anniversary of their meeting.
Rakoto Sensei wishes to share his knowledge that he received from his master with karatekas from all over the world having the same objectives: prospering through Shitoryu Karatedo practice, promoting and preserving our style. Rakoto Sensei has two senior instructors in Madagascar who are following him since 1996 and supervising unified practice at place. Shihan Mizuguchi Hirofumi was also Honorary President of Union Shitoryu Karatedo Kenshikai Madagascar existing since 1996. They were the first dojos to receive Kenshikai teachings even before ISKK was officially founded.
ISKK’s vision of karatedo
Karatedo is not a sport. It’s an art and a way of life – BUDO. We should always keep in mind the principle of SHIN GI TAI, unity of body, mind and spirit. Through intense practice, we can establish harmony between the heart and the body, improve our personality. Martial values are very important to ISKK: respect, honesty, benevolence, merit, open-mindedness and above all humility.
Karatedo is a lifetime practice. We don’t fight against our opponents. We are fighting ourselves – our weakness, our imperfections. In Shitoryu Karatedo we strive to improve our characters, to control our movements and emotions in order to become a better person. This is the meaning behind Ryuso Mabuni Kenwa's "KUN SHI NO KEN". Perfection is impossible, but we aim for excellence.
Nowadays, we live in a consumer world. People search comfort and want to obtain things easily. We tend to forget old-age values like rewards gained through hard work or the simplicity of doing things for pleasure without waiting for external recognition. ISKK proposes an authentic way of approaching karatedo through traditional training methods.
In Traditional Karatedo we earn our progress through the pain and sweat of hard practice. Our reward is a technique or a notion well understood and assimilated. We search personal accomplishement, not others' acknowledgement or titles. That's why we should keep in mind the principle of SHOSHIN - practicing with a mind of a beginner, always open to correct and improve ourselves, not only our techniques. Nothing is ever definite in budo - there is always a way to do better, to refine and explore things we think to know already from a different aspect. In order to transform this philosophy from an abstract concept to reality, all you have to do is train, train and train.
Sensei John Rakoto offers access to first-hand knowledge of authentic Shitoryu Karatedo learned from Shihan Mizuguchi Hirofumi direct disciple to Ryuso Mabuni Kenwa as well as Soke Mabuni Kenei. If you decide to enter ISKK - Kenshikai: literally meaning "the house of self-abnegation" - you choose to put your ego aside and to concentrate on forging your mind and body through practice.
Via our technical seminars we encourage cultural exchange where fellow karatekas share the same passion for martial arts regardless of their style, grade, experience or country. To participate in one of ISKK's seminars, see calendar. If you wish to organize a seminar conducted by Sensei Rakoto for your students, please contact us *here*.
