SOKE
Hirokazu KANAZAWA,
10th dan,
Founder
of S.K.I.F. World Federation
Master
Hirokazu Kanazawa was born in 1931 in the Prefecture of Iwate in Japan.
Although, his
father and uncle were experts of Jiu Jitsu, Kanazawa Sensei has begun his
martial art training
with Kendo
and Judo. Later on he also trained some English Boxing. Some school friend
introduced him
to Karatedo
and, after he decided to change University to join TAKUSHOKU University which
at that time
was known
to have the best karatedo dojo in Japan. The rest is very simple, Kanazawa
Sensei trained harder
and harder
so to reach the level that he has nowadays.
Kanazawa
Shihan is one of the latest students of O’Sensei Gichin FUNAKOSHI, the founder
of modern traditional karatedo.
- The First
all Japan Championship 1957
The first
all Japan Championship took place at the Metropolitan Gymnasyum of Tokyo in
1957.
Five days
before the Championship Kanazawa Sensei was training very hard and broke his
arm.
The doctor
very strongly recommended not to participate in the Championship.
But what
finally made him decide to participate regardless his physical condition were
the words of his mother:
“ Does your
karate only involve your hand ? ”
“ Surely
not ! ” was the answer and the audience
was greatly surprised to see him reach the final
and win it
against Katsunori Tsuyama Sensei very famous for his powerful jodan mawashi
geri.
- The
Second all Japan Championship 1958
This time
Kanazawa sensei had to face, in the final match, his dojo friend Takayuki
Mikami Sensei.
Despite
three extensions it was Impossible to draw a decision and the victory was
awarded to both of them,
what up to this
date is a unique fact in the history of the Championship.
Biography
1931 |
Birth of
KANAZAWA Shihan |
1956 |
Graduated
at TAKUSHOKU, enters the J.K.A. |
1957 1958 1959 |
The only
Karatéka to be three consecutive times Japan Champion |
1960 |
Instructor
in HAWAI |
1961 |
5th Dan |
1962 |
Instructor
in Germany |
1966 |
6th Dan |
1968 |
Coach of
the European team at the World Championship in Mexico |
1971 |
7th Dan Chief
Instructor of JKA International
Section Instructor
at the Universities of Musashi, Kanto, and Kitazato |
1972 |
Coach of
the Japanese Team World Champion in Paris |
1976 |
Referee
at the World Championship IAKF in Los Angeles |
1977 |
Leaves
JKA and creates SKIF and becomes the
Chief Instructor. Already 38 countries joined the new Federation. 8th Dan. |
1980 |
Referee
for WUKO at the 5th World Championship
in Madrid |
1981 |
Referee
at the World Games in Santa Clara , California |
1983 1985 |
Président
of the First and Second World SKIF Championship in Tokyo and Meanwhile,
international referee for the Japan Karatedo Federation , and trainer of the
Japanese Association of Physical Education |
1988 |
Président
of the Third SKIF World Championship in Utsunomiya , Japan |
1991 |
Président
of the Fourth SKIF World Championship in Mexico |
1994 |
Président
of the Fifth SKIF World Championship in Yokohama, Japan |
|
9th Dan |
1997 |
Président
of the Sixth SKIF World Championship in Milano; Italy |
2000 |
Président
of the Seventh SKIF World Championship in Bali 10th
Dan |
2003 |
Président
of the 8th SKIF World Championship in South Africa |
2006 |
Président
of the 9th SKIF World Championship in Tokyo – Japan |
2009 |
Président
of the 10th SKIF World Championship in Athens – Greece |
General Knowledge : |
KANAZAWA
SHIHAN has also knowledge over other arts, among which we can enlist TAICHI
CHUAN from the TAIKYOKUKEN school of Master
YO MEIJI. Also,
even if Kanazawa Shihan does not talk about it, it is known that He knows
quite a lot about Kobudo, Aikido, Judo, Kendo, and other styles of Karatedo ,
for instance like GOJU RYU, and so on ... |