Soke H. Kanzawa

Master Hirokazu kanazawa

 

Master Hirokazu kanazawa (10th Dan Black Belt) is one of the world most renowned and respected traditional karate masters of all time. He was born 3 May 1931 in Iwate. He is the Soke, Supreme Instructor and the president of the Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation, an organization he founded after he left the Japan Karate Association (JKA). Kanazawa is ranked 10th dan in karate. He is arguably the most influential Shotokan Karateka alive today, and is a true inspiration to all Martial Artists.

He trained in judo during his school years, and held the rank of 2nd dan in that martial art. He began training in karate whilst at Takushoku University under at that era the head instructor of Shotokan karate, Masatoshi Nakayama. Kanazawa also is one of few still alive karatekas who has trained and learned from the founder of the Shotokan style, Master  Gichin Funakoshi ( the famous Okinawin schoolteacher who brought karate to mainland Japan from Okinawa and founded the Shotokan style), and is one of the few living karateka (practitioners of karate) to have done so. And despite being in his eighties, his vigour and passion for karate burns as strong now as ever.

Hirokazu Kanazawa Shihan, when he joined karate, after just one year and a half of training he achieved his shodan (1st dan), followed three years later with his nidan (2^nd dan), and In 1956, he graduated from university and joined the JKA. That same year, he was archived his sandan (3 dan).

Master kanazawa with his son who is also JKA champion on the right picture, the next picture is Kanazawa fightijng kumite in 1957 and left Kanazawa as the Master of his art in SKIF, Kanazawa-ryu

Kanazawa started gaining his famous reputation in 1950’s when he won All Japan Karate Championships’ an incredible three times in a row. In 1957 when he entered the notorious All Japan Karate championship tournament, he is the only and first karateka ever to have won the notorious All Japan Karate Championships, winning his final bout with a broken wrist, doing against medical advice reportedly because his mother was in the crowd and he did not want to disappoint her.

Kanazawa at All Japan Karate Championships in 1957

That same year (1957), Kanazawa was among the first to graduate from the JKA's instructor training program, he was sent to the Hawaii In January 1961, the JKA sent Kanazawa to establish karate schools there. He was ranked 5th dan at the time. He established a dojo (training hall) and served as the inaugural President of the Hawaii Karate Congress. He was Chief Instructor of the country (chief instructor of Hawaii and United States), Hawaii a place he grew to love for its wonderful beauty, food and friendliness.

But before he left japan he won Kata and Kumite Champion at the 2nd all Japan Karate Championships in 1958 (he won the kata (patterns) title and shared the kumite title with Takayuki Mikami. Mikami and Kanazawa had been classmates and roommates for a long time and, because they knew each other well, they launched a minimal number of attacks, mainly just circling until the time was up; thus, they shared the kumite title).

(left Hirokazu Kanazawa and right Takayuki Mikami)

And 1959 he also won Kata and Kumite Champion at the 3rd All Japan Karate Championships. In May 1963, he left Hawaii to teach in Europe and Japan. In 1966, he was sent to Great Britain, where he had to start again in his quest to popularize karate in a new country. It was during his stay in Great Britain in 1966 where he was the Chief Instructor of the Karate Union of Great Britain, and awarded his 6th Dan and he quickly made himself a fan base that have continued to follow his teachings including the likes of John Van Weenen. In 1970, the All Japan Karate Federation promoted him to 7th dan.

However, in 1977, Kanazawa 7th Dan turned a new chapter in the Kanazawa book, and was forced into a position that meant he had to leave the JKA. When so many people thought his career was over, he established the Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation (SKIF), an Organization that has grown to house over two million members. SKIF is now the world’s largest Shotokan Karate Association under one chief instructor, having several million members in over 130 countries. That undoubtedly zipped closed the mouths of any of his critics. Since then, he has taught and promoted karate through the SKIF, including the organization of several karate world championship competitions. Despite leaving the JKA, he is reported to maintain some ties with former colleagues in that organization. In 1990, Kanazawa demonstrated his art at the 10th Traditional Karate Tournament International, held in Las Vegas. In 1994 and 1995, he demonstrated his art at the 14th and 15th Traditional Karate Tournaments International. Kanazawa has written several books on karate, which include: Kankudai (1969), Moving Zen: One man's journey to the heart of Karate (2001, co-authored), Karate: My life (2003), Karate fighting techniques: The complete kumite (2004, co-authored), and Black Belt Karate (2006). He has been featured in Paul Walker's book, Lessons with the Master: 279 Karate lessons with Master Hirokazu Kanazawa. The International Martial Arts Federation promoted Kanazawa to 8th dan in 1978, 9th dan in 1988, and 10th dan in 2001. Within the SKIF, he holds the rank of 8th dan, attained in 1998.

Kanazawa Sensei’s organization’s success is a total credit to Kanazawa, who is loved, respected and admired the world over. Kanazawa is respected by those from all walks in the Martial Arts. Why? Because he believes in what he does, and he arguably do it better than anyone else.

In addition to Kanazawa Shihan mastery of karate-do and expertise in various traditional

weaponry, he also has a very extensive knowledge of Chinese art of Tai-Chi, having studied it to its conclusion under Professor Wong for more than thirty years.


Currently, Kanazawa Shihan is both Chairman and World Chief Soke, Supreme instructor and president of the world’s largest Shotokan Karate Organization, the Shotokan Karate-do International Federation. And currently he is the only living Shotokan Master to hold the grade of 10th Dan.

Anyone who trains with Kanazawa is impressed. At his very mature age, he still puts the young(s) to shame, and because of this, his karate will live on forever. He, like Funakoshi, and Nakayama is not just a karateKa, but also a pioneer, who has without doubt changed the world of karate forever.