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A brief on the Traditional Japanese Karate Network
We are made up of like minded sensei upholding the traditional karate environment. We include a range of styles and we are not one badged organization, but rather a collection of karate dojo ensuring excellence in karate's traditions. The website brings together associated clubs in Japan, Australia and the USA and provides an online traditional karate resource repository. Over the years our online members have exceeded 50,000 and include most countries in the world.
Some 2025 Karate Events:
Oct 22-24: Karate World Cup, Pamplona (Spain).
Oct 9-13th: World Cadet, Junior & U21 Championships, Venice (Italy).
Jun 21st: Pacific Coast Karate Championships (California).
Apr 28th: Shihan Jason Amrstrong seminars Arizona - (Gambare Karate).
April 12th: Australian Traditional Karate Championship, Adelaide. Details & entries...
Article of the Month: Niafanchin & Tekki Shodan...
Naifanchi (ナイファンチ) is also called/pronounced Naihanchi (ナイハンチ) and in Shotokan the name and kata embusen (pattern) was changed by Funakoshi to Tekki (鉄騎) as a derivative of the Okinawan Naifanchin. The name Tekki itself translates to "Iron Horse." As a short and symmetrical kata, it is, depending on the style, typically taught between...
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This website forms a linking backbone for the "Traditional Japanese Karate Network" and the networking activities began in 1997 and consists of:
networked dojos from Shito-ryu, Shotokan, Kenpo, Goju and Okinawan arts best practising their arts thorough cross-exposure to kata bunkai, tournaments and the philosophies of Japanese karate
an online traditional karate resource repository
belt tests, rank certification and cross-training occurs in Japan, Australia and North America
belt test panels with sensei from different styles come together to standardize knowledge content and rank abilities
Involved dojos realize that the basis of karate technique across styles are more similar than different as all derived from the closely related sources. After all, the founders of each of the major styles (Funakoshi, Mabuni, Miyagi etc.) all trained together rather than separated themselves. This keeps in perspective hard-soft, linear-round, kata bunkai etc...
Street Fighting Stats, Medical Injuries & Bunkai
Very few karate-ka or instructors have looked at the medical facts related to
people’s fighting injuries and why they present at a hospital after street fighting or violent assault.
Martial artists can take a lesson from the medical practice acronym “EBP” which stands for evidence-based practice. Medical practitioners use “evidence-based practice” as a practice pathway that involves a doctor analyzing data to establish a path of treatment, or future practice.
Practicing the art of self defense should involve training with an understanding of the data related to what violence damages people in the streets. It should not simply follow what martial arts teaches for sports environments based on either “points” or “tap outs” in rule limited systems.
To ensure one is studying the correct techniques for self defense, we should be looking at what is potentially damaging and combining that with a balance of the probability that such an injury will actually occur. This is opposed to blindly practicing techniques year after year that according to the data rarely cause an injury in a street fight.
Video & Text Article: What standard is a Karate Black belt Test - 1st dan to 3rd Dan?
This page shows examples of a number of brown belts testing from different dojos/styles for Shodan (1st degree black belt) via the Traditional Japanese Karate Network. It discusses standards, curricula, expectations and hopefully serves as a reference point for students and sensei. Depicted dojo(s) include the USA, Australia and Japan. Below that is written recommendations around the 3rd Dan (sandan) rank.
Content assembled from:
2 research trips to Okinawa
presented by an instructor who lived in Japan
A complete study of any kata should involve its history, philosophy, medical physiology & application.
Kata pattern with style comparisons
done slow & fast bunkai for all moves (with some style variants)
Chinese moves and origins
kanji, history, philosophy
kata pattern (style comparisons)
bunkai for all moves (and variants)
chinese moves and origins
kanji, history, philosophy
This text is not concerned with minor style differences (comments are of course given with regard to different styles & approaches) as one must remember that as little as 100 years ago the modern karate styles did not exist. Therefore, the focus of this text is on a core embusen (pattern) of the kata Seienchin and its applications - which are style universal & is applicable to Goju, Shito-ryu, Kyokushin & Okinawan styles that work this classic karate kata.
The "Traditional Japanese Karate Network" was formerly the website of DownloadKarate.com
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