For the first fiscal year of the Reiwa era (April 1st 2019 to March 31st 2020), the Okinawa Karate Information Center has offered its support to 216 requests which represents a total of 682 people from 39 countries.
These people trained in Okinawa karate and kobudō with 62 dōjō owners and instructors.
In addition, the number of dōjō owners and instructors who have been involved in instructing through our center since its establishment in May 2017 is 111 people.
This year, the number of requests came for 37.5% from Europe, 35.2% from Asia, 18.5% from the Americas, and 8.8% form Africa and Oceania.
Countries from where originated the largest number of requests are Japan, the USA, France, Australia and Germany.
If you are interested in training in Okinawa, feel free to contact us anytime.
Below are some photos of some visitors who train this year in Okinawa.
Australian group training with Shōrin-ryū Maeshiro Morinobu sensei at the Okinawa Karate Kaikan.
An English karateka training in kobudō with Yoshimoto Kagemasa sensei in Kume Island.
A German group training in kobudō with Ishiki Hidetada sensei.
Italian visitors experiencing karate with Shōrin-ryū Uema Takeshi sensei.
A groups from mainland Japan experienced Shurite/Tomarite with Shōrinji-ryū Oyakawa Hitoshi sensei.
Thailand Gōjū-kai members training with the Okinawa Gōjū-ryū Karatedō Association.
USA senior high school students experiencing Okinawa karate with Shōrin-ryū Higa Kōyū sensei.
As part of a JICA-sponsored program, South American students experienced karate with Uechi-ryū Higa Susumu sensei.
The 6th Okinawa Karate Academy, which was scheduled to be held on March 23rd has been postponed again in view of the situation of the new coronavirus. The new date will be announced later on on this website.
Furthermore, the Okinawa Karate Special Exhibit - Exhibit explanatory tour which was postponed to March 22nd has been canceled due to the situation of the new coronavirus.
Born in Yakena Yonashiro Uruma City in 1940, Nakamura Tamotsu graduated from the University of the Ryūkyūs in 1965 with a degree in Education.
After that, in 1985 he obtained his PhD from Kyūshū University. The theme of his thesis was “Psychological research on the physical and mental control of sportsmen – Karatedō practitioners as a subject” (1985). Until then, Dr. Nakamura's main papers were “Psychological research on the physical and mental functions of karate practitioners” (1977, photo, property of the Okinawa Karate Kaikan reference room), “Physiological and psychological research on karatedō kata biological reaction” (1981), “Experimental study on the control of muscle activity of karate practitioners” (1981), “Study on the personality characteristics of karatedō practitioners” (1982), and “Study on the brain wave Biofeed-back of karatedō practitioners” (1984).
Since then, he has also published articles like “Analysis of personality traits of the Budōsha - A study of karatedō practitioners” (1989 - English summary available) and “Psychological study on the health of karate practitioners (1990).
Reference: Biography and achievements of Prof. Nakamura Tamotsu (by Miki Takara)
The Okinawa Shimatate Association (official website in Japanese) has been in activity since 1985. It edits and publishes a construction information magazine titled “Shimatati”. First published in 1996, it is a quarterly issued in 3,300 copies.
In issue no. 91 (January 2020), an article titled “Karate wo tsutae, hiromeru! (Translation: To pass down, and spread karate!) was published. The article is authored by Sakihara Kyoko and Nakamura Akira from the OPG Karate Promotion Division. The article (PDF format) is available only in Japanese.
Here is a translation of this article by karateka and translator Mario Mckenna
The Kaikan’s management office has implemented special measures to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
English announcement:
http://karatekaikan.jp/en/info/notice-about-exhibition-facility/
