SOKE Hirokazu KANAZAWA,

10th dan,

Founder of  S.K.I.F. World Federation

Soke Hirokazu KANAZAWA (ex – Kancho)

 

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.

 

Some anecdotes

 

- 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 Dusseldorf

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 Indonesia

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 ...