Soke Hirokazu Kanazawa (b.1931)
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One of the world most renowned and respected traditional karate masters alive Hirokazu Kanazawa Soke, 10th Dan. He is the first karateka to have won the notorious All Japan karate Championship. In 1957 kumite champion, In 1958 kumite and kata champion, on one occasion winning the finals whilst nursing a broken wrist from an earlier event. Although trained in Judo in his early years, Kanazawa Soke took up karate whilst at University under the late headmaster of JKA shotokan, sensei Matsatoshi Nakayama. Kanazawa Soke is also one of the few remaining karateka privileged to have studied under Master Gichin Funakoshi, the famous Okinawin schoolteacher who brought karate to mainland Japan from Okinawa and founded the Shotokan style. In 1978, Kanazawa Soke set up SKIF (Shotokan Karatedo International Federation). SKIF is now the worlds largest Shotokan Karate Association under one chief instructor, having over 3.5 million members in over 107 countries. |
Kancho's philosophy of Karate-do
(Excerpts from a personal letter from Kancho Kanazawa to Natsuko in July 2006.)
Your fate or fortune are results of your own daily attitude.
A person with dreams has hope.
A person with hope can set goals.
A person with goals has a plan.
A person with a plan can take action.
A person taking action can achieve results.
A person with results can make an impression.
A person who has made an impression has the ability to reflect on oneself.
A person who reflects on oneself can obtain the gratification of thankfulness.
A person who has obtained the gratification of thankfulness is then able to dream another dream.
Making harmony with the principals of the universe and nature is the philosophy of Karate-do.
Your fate or fortune are results of your own daily attitude.
A person with dreams has hope.
A person with hope can set goals.
A person with goals has a plan.
A person with a plan can take action.
A person taking action can achieve results.
A person with results can make an impression.
A person who has made an impression has the ability to reflect on oneself.
A person who reflects on oneself can obtain the gratification of thankfulness.
A person who has obtained the gratification of thankfulness is then able to dream another dream.
Making harmony with the principals of the universe and nature is the philosophy of Karate-do.
Publications
Kankudai Kata: Karate(1969) London: Paul H. Crompton. ISBN 978-0901764027.
Stronger Karate in Six Weeks (1978)
Shotokan Karate International Kata, Volume 1 (1981)
Shotokan Karate International Kata, Volume 2 (1982)
Nunchaku : Dynamic Training (1984)
Dynamic Power of Karate (1986)
Shotokan Karate International Kumite Kyohan (1987)
Karate My Life (2003)Kendo World Publications. ISBN 978-4990169428.
Karate Fighting Techniques: The Complete Kumite. (2004)
Tokyo & New York: Kodansha International. ISBN 978-4770028723.
Black Belt Karate(2006)Kodansha Europe. ISBN 978-4770027757.
His books and DVDS can be purchased via following sites.
www.skifworld.com/merchandise.php
kuroobiya.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=32