WELCOME TO THE JKA-SKD
CANADA WEBSITE
About the JKA-SKD
Canada
The JKA Shotokan
Karate-Do World Organization of Canada (JKA-SKD Canada) was incorporated
in February 2001. JKA-SKD Canada’s function is to bring together
various JKA affiliated organizations across Canada dedicated to promoting,
teaching and developing Shotokan Karate-Do, while respecting the rules,
regulations and directives decreed and promulgated by the Japan Karate
Association (JKA).
Logo of the Japan Karate Association
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JKA-SKD Canada’s
main objectives are to:
- sponsor
and support local, regional, national awnd international amateur karate
competitions, seminars and other gatherings;
- sponsor
and support seminars and other activities aimed at qualifying and certifying
instructors, examiners and judges; and
- support
and assist other Canadian and international organizations dedicated
to promoting and developing Shotokan karate.
At present,
62 dojos from Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontario and Quebec
are members of the JKA-SKD Canada.
The Board
of Directors is comprised of 7 officers :
President: |
Michael Doherty |
Vice-president: |
Melarie Taylor |
Secretary: |
Louis-A. Dessaint |
Treasurer: |
Nick Starinsky |
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|
Jean-Pierre Cusson |
|
Trevor Ishmael |
|
Daniel Verzotti |
The JKA-SKD
Canada is an approved JKA organization. Our members thus have the opportunity
to attend regular seminars by instructors from the Honbu dojo, to participate
in JKA National events, and to represent Canada at International JKA events.
Members of
the JKA-SKD Canada are also welcome to participate in events organized
by Shotokan Karate-Do International (SKDI). SKDI, operated out of New
York city, was founded by Sensei Masataka Mori (9th Dan JKA) and serves
as the headquarters for all Shotokan Karate-Do JKA clubs in the Pan-American
region (www.jkany.org).
Sensei Mori was an International Director and Technical Advisor for the
JKA and actively supported and advised Canadian karatekas for
more than 30 years. The senior instructor of SKDI is now Sensei Shu Takahashi.
We invite
all non member JKA dojos to contact us if they are interested in joining
the JKA-SKD Canada.
What is the JKA ?
The JKA (Japan
Karate Association) www.jka.or.jp
was founded in 1948 by students of Master Gichin Funakoshi, the father
of modern karate. The headquarters of the JKA are located in Tokyo Japan
(Honbu dojo) and the Board of Directors of the JKA is currently chaired
by Mr. Kusahara Katsuhide. Master Masaaki Ueki, 10th dan is the current
chief instructor of the JKA since 2011. Sensei Ueki has taken over from Master Motokuni Sugiura, 10th dan who held this position for 19 years.
The JKA operates
worldwide to maintain the high standards of instruction and training established
by its founders and to encourage growth and development of Shotokan karate
worldwide.
The JKA is
by far the largest karate organization in the world.
WHAT IS KARATE?
To
search for the old is to understand the new.
The old, the new, this is a matter
of time.
In all things one must have a clear mind.
The way: Who will pass it on straight and well?
Poem
by Gichin Funakoshi
Karate-do
The first
connotation of karaindicates
that karate is a technique that permits one to defend himself with his
bare hands and fists without weapons.
Second, just
as it is the clear mirror that reflects without distortion, the proper
understanding of Karate-do requires one to practice with a clear mind.
This is another meaning of the element kara in Karate-do.
As athletic
training:
The nature
of karate is such that it requires the body to move in all directions
and it can be practiced in just about any area, small or large. Since
each individual may adjust the exercise to their own capacity, Karate
may be practiced by the physically weak, by women, children or elderly
people. Moreover, as the body is built up and the techniques become more
skillful, the movements naturally become more powerful, so that the amount
of exercise becomes sufficient even for the healthy young man in his prime.
As self-defense:
The power
of Karate has become well known in these times and it is not an exaggeration
to assert that a person well trained in this form of defense may consider
the whole body to be a weapon of awesomely effective power. Though Karate
does have throwing techniques, it relies principally on striking, kicking
and thrusting techniques. Block-attack combinations are eventually executed
simultaneously, no weapons are necessary and anyone can learn to apply
it and protect himself effectively even with little natural strength.
As spiritual
training:
Karate is
no different from the other martial arts in fostering the traits of courtesy,
integrity, humility and self control in those who have found its essence.
However, since there is no need for a special training place, equipment
or an opponent, a flexibility in training is provided such that the spiritually
weak individual can develop his body and mind so gradually and naturally
that he himself may not even realize his own great progress.
From:
Karate–Do Kyohan by Gichin Funakoshi |