The schedule and themes of this fiscal year’s “Okinawa Karate Academy” (6 times in total) sponsored by the Okinawa Prefecture Karate Promotion Division have been announced. (Original PDF in Japanese)
First session
Presenter: KAJIMURA Mitsurou (Okinawa University professor)
Theme: About the prewar introduction of karate into school education
Date: October 22th, 2020 14:00～16:00
Venue: Okinawa Karate Kaikan
Second session
Presenter: SAKIHARA Kyoko (Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum)
Theme: About Itosu Anko and “Tode 10 precepts”
Date: November 19th, 2020 14:00～16:00
Venue: Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum
Third session
Presenter: NAKAMURA Akira (Karate promotion division)
Theme: Legacy of karateka Nakajō Naomasa
Date: December 24th, 2020 14:00～16:00
Venue: Okinawa Karate Kaikan
Fourth session
Presenter: YAMAMOTO Masaaki (Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum)
Theme: Aspect of the conflict during the Gusuku period and the ancient Ryūkyū period and the actual situation of weapons
Date: January 20th, 2021 14:00-16:00
Venue: Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum
Fifth session
Presenter: NISHIOKA Satoshi (Okinawa International Unversity)
Theme: About Okinawan heroes
Date: February 18th, 2021 14:00-16:00
Venue: Okinawa Karate Kaikan
Sixth session
Presenter: SONOHARA Ken (Karate promotion division)
Theme: Karateka Yabu Kentsū and Sanshin
Date: March 16th, 2021 14:00-16:00
Venue: Okinawa Karate Kaikan
We have posted part 1 of a special feature "About Rei".
A feature on karate that our information center helped put together was published in the September 2020 issue of "Churashima". We are introducing it with the consent of the publisher Shimanoya (https://www.simanoya.com/).
We would like to thank for their cooperation Oshiro Nobuko sensei of the Taishinkan association and KARATE JOURNAL.
The official website for this fiscal year’s “Karate Day” commemorative events hosted by the Okinawa Prefecture and ODKS has been launched. The address is https://karate-event.jp/en/
Today, Okinawa newspapers have widely reported on the establishment of the "Okinawa Karate UNESCO Registration Promotion Council". Related information is available on the ODKS website.
The Okinawa Prefecture and ODKS have been working toward this registration since 2017. Following the establishment of a Registration review committee (2018) and a Registration promotion review committee (2019), this year sees the establishment of a Promotion council composed of 41 people of various fields, like the media, education field, etc.
At the press conference, Mr. Sawada, head of the OPG Karate Promotion Division explained that the council will strive to compile a draft by the end of this fiscal year and to submit it to the Council for Cultural Affairs of Japan. After making adjustments, the council will aim for a proposal from the national government to UNESCO in 2022, which marks the 50th anniversary of Okinawa's return to mainland Japan.
Photo (from right to left): Sawada Hayato (head of the Karate promotion division), Toguchi Kazuhiro (head of the OPG Department of culture, Tourism and Sports), Arakaki Kunio (ODKS Rijichō) and Ikemiyagi Masaaki (ODKS Head of the secretariat)
