October 15th, 2016 was a very special day for Karate in Manitoba.  Earlier this year, Shihan Yutaka Yaguchi, 9th Dan ISKF, announced his retirement from teaching.  He will officially retire at the end of 2016, but this was his final seminar in Canada.  Sensei is the Technical Director of the International Shotokan Karate Federation.  He has been practising karate since 1952.  He has been coming to Winnipeg 2-3 times a year for the past 44 years to conduct seminars and examinations.  Manitoba was the first province in Canada he had ever visited.   For more information about his him, you can check out his Wikipedia page.   

​On a personal level, he has had a great influence on my life in karate for over 20 years.  I examined for all of my dan levels under his watchful eye (however Godan was in front of both Sensei Okazaki and Sensei Yaguchi, and a panel of judges).  He always pushed me to be my best.  Seeing me grow up in karate, he was definitely like a grandfather to me.

I am extremely grateful to Sensei Larry Loreth and all of ISKF Manitoba for sharing this special occasion with the greater karate community in Manitoba.  The event was quite the reunion, bringing people from four different provinces, and even some from USA to celebrate Yaguchi Sensei's retirement and say 'Thank You' to a man who has positively impacted the lives of so many.

Congratulations, Yaguchi Shihan.  Thank you for your many dedicated years of Karate-Do.  Enjoy your retirement!

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UPDATE:  
​Due to a high level of interest, we have added a third class strictly for black belts!

As a new domestic affiliate of the WTKO, Heijoshin Karate is pleased to host a 1-Day seminar with WTKO Canada's Sensei Scott Middleton, 6th DAN, on Sunday, January 31, 2016.  This seminar is open to all interested karateka, regardless of organizational affiliation.

Sensei Middleton has been training in Shotokan Karate for 30 years, and has been teaching at his dojo, Traditional Karate of Brandon, since 1992.   Sensei Middleton is the WTKO General Secretary and member of the WTKO Executive Committee.  He is an Certified Instructor Graduate of the WTKO Kenshusei Program and holds the qualifications of Class A Instructor, Class A Examiner, and Class A Judge.  

Sensei Middleton is quickly becoming a highly sought after Shotokan instructor in North America and Europe, being invited to teach at various seminars and camps around the world.  In 2016 he is already scheduled to teach in Ireland, England, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, and twice in New York City.  Despite how popular he is becoming, this will be his first time teaching as a guest instructor in Winnipeg.  Considering what a knowledgeable and skilled karateka he is, and how incredibly close he lives to our city, this seminar was long overdue.  On a personal level, this is very special for me, and I am honoured to be the first dojo in Winnipeg to host Sensei Middleton.  He is a local talent that deserves more recognition in our province.

​For a full bio, click here.

​Schedule of Events

Sunday January 31st, 2016
1PM - 2PM - Children All Levels
2PM - 3PM - Adults All Levels + Youth Brown and Black Belts
3PM - 4PM - Black Belts

Cost:
Children (under 16 years) - $20
Adult - $25

Payable on the day of the seminar by cash or cheque made out to 'Heijoshin Karate'.

Register:
To register for the seminar, please email Phil Harris with the name(s) of those attending and the class they will be attending.
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Location:
Heijoshin Karate
Gateway Recreation Centre
Social Hall (2nd Floor)
1717 Gateway Road

Please use entrance facing Bonner Avenue.  
Use the rightmost door and take the stairs up to the social hall.

On behalf of Budo IKD Manitoba I am pleased to present the Bunkai-Jutsu Seminar with our very special guest, Sensei Iain Abernethy, 6th Dan, from Cumbria, England.  Mr. Abernethy has taught in Canada before, but this will be his first time visiting Winnipeg!

As you might have guessed, the focus of this 2-day seminar will be on kata applications, which we commonly refer to as bunkai.  Specifically, we will be focusing on practical kata applications in the context of self-defense. So what exactly does Bunkai-Jutsu mean?  Sensei Abernethy explains the term in the introduction to his book:

The term 'Bunkai-Jutsu' is taken to mean 'the application of the techniques and concepts of the katas in combat.'  the word 'bunkai' literally means 'analysis'.  Hence, when people talk about 'kata bunkai' they are referring to an analysis of the kata.  However, throughout the karate community 'bunkai' is the common term used to describe the fighting techniques of the kata.  The term 'Jutsu' means 'method' and is used in reference to the actual application of techniques in combat, eg 'Kenjutsu' - 'the method of using the sword in combat.'  Hence, 'Bunkai-Jutsu' can be taken to mean 'the application of the techniques and concepts of the katas in combat.'

- Bunkai-Jutsu: The Practical Application of Karate Kata

These days, Mr. Abernethy is extremely busy on the seminar circuit traveling the globe teaching his practical approach to karate.  His schedule is booked solid for nearly two years.  We were fortunate enough to secure a date well enough in advance that works for both parties. 

We have two very full days of training in store for you.  About 12 hours of instruction on the topic of practical karate and kata bunkai!  The seminar will be held at Garden City Collegiate in the main (centre) gym, which is brightly lit and features hardwood floors.  

Spots are limited!  In order to maintain a good level of instructor/student interaction, we have limited the number of participants to 60, at Abernethy Sensei's request.  Please take advantage of the early bird registration to ensure your place at what will very likely be a sold out event.  

This seminar is open to individuals who are at least 16 years old and hold the rank of 1st Kyu or higher.  Karateka of all styles are welcome to attend. 

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me.

I look forward to training with you at what will surely be an event to remember.  See you at the seminar!

Best regards,

Phil Harris
Seminar Coordinator  

Mark your calendars!

Manitoba's own Shihan Clive Hinds, 7th DAN, IKD, will be conducting seminar and testing in Stonewall, MB on Saturday, March 21st,  Sensei Hinds has over 30 years of experience in Shotokan Karate, is a certified IKD instructor and examiner, and is the Chief Instructor for Budo IKD Manitoba. 

Training starts at 9AM.  Normally, we hold seminar over a couple of days with testing happening at the end.  Because this will all take place on one day, there will be a few classes for students to take part in, along with some fun activities, before taking their KYU or DAN examinations.  

All students are expected to attend even if you are not testing.

Schedule of Events

9-10 AM - Instructor Class - Topic #8
10AM - 11AM - Brown and Black Belts
11AM to Noon - All Levels
Noon - 12:30 - Lunch Break
12:30 - 1:30 - All Levels
1:30 - Black Belt and Kyu Testing

Shotokan Karate follows the principles of the Dojo Kun, a set of guidelines for the dojo and for your everyday lives.  We recite the Dojo Kun in English at the end of each All Levels class:

We will start reciting the Japanese version at the end of the advanced class.  For simplicity, we stick to English for the all levels class, as it is more important to understand the concepts in English than it is to (often poorly) recite it in Japanese.  Any student is welcome to start learning the Japanese on their own.  If you need help with pronunciation, feel free to ask a Sensei or Senpai sometime.

The English version of the Dojo Kun has been widely adopted in English-speaking Shotokan Karate dojo all around the world.  Some schools have further shortened the fourth principle, Endeavour to Excel, to just Endeavour, so don't be alarmed if you hear this when visiting another dojo.  In general, the English version of the Dojo Kun we use today is a fairly loose and inaccurate translation of the Japanese version originally written by the founder of Shotokan Karate, Gichin Funakoshi.

Below, Sensei Richard Amos provides a much better explanation of the true meaning of the Japanese Dojo Kun.  He breaks down the meaning behind the Japanese kanji characters.  Having spent many years training in Japan at the JKA Honbu Dojo (Headquarters), Sensei Amos speaks Japanese fluently with excellent pronunciation.  Please have a look.