Welcome to the official site of JSKA ENGLAND
About the JSKA
Funakoshi Gichin
1868 - 1957
Funakoshi Gichin was born in Okinawa in 1868. He started to practice Karate around 1879 with two Okinawa’s top masters of Shorei-ryu and Shorin-ryu. In 1922, invited to demonstrate Karate to the Emperor of Japan and the Japanese public, his demonstration was such a success that he decided to remain in Japan to teach and promote his art. Gichin Funakoshi passed away in 1957 at the age of 88. Aside from creating Shotokan Karate and introducing it to Japan and the world, this unassuming and gentle man also wrote books, among them "Karate-do: My Way of Life" and “The Twenty Guiding Principles of Karate”. FUNAKOSHI Sensei is widely considered as the founder of modern Karate.
Nakayama Masatoshi
1913 - 1987
Nakayama Masatoshi was born in Yamaguchi prefecture in Japan and began practicing Karate in 1932 after enrolling in Takushoku University in Tokyo, where he trained under FUNAKOSHI Gichin Sensei and later under his son FUNAKOSHI Yoshitaka Sensei. In 1949 Nakayama Sensei founded the Japan Karate Association with Funakoshi Sensei as chief instructor and together they created the JKA instructors course. Later, Nakayama Sensei established Karate competitions and also worked to spread Shotokan Karate throughout the world. Nakayama Sensei wrote several books on Karate, among them the "Best Karate" series.
Abe Keigo Sensei
1938 - 2019
Abe Keigo Sensei, founded the JAPAN SHOTOKAN KARATE ASSOCIATION on the 10th February 1999. Abe Sensei holds 9th Dan in the Japan Shotokan Karate Association and is the JSKA Chief Instructor. It is one of the fastest growing Shotokan associations in the world. Abe Keigo Sensei was born in October 1938 in the town of Iyoshi in Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku Island in East Japan. Abe Sensei started Karate and Judo training when he was 15 years old.
Paul Larson
JSKA England Official Instructor
Paul Larson Sensei was born in Hammersmith, London. After being involved in many different sports through his teen years, he started karate in 1985 joining the KUGB. He was graded by the late Keinosuke Enoeda Sensei through the kyu grades. After moving to Hampshire Paul Larson Sensei continued his karate training with SEKU eventually joining the KWF. He Graded to 1st Dan under Mikio Yahara Sensei and Akihito Isaka Sensei at the world championships in Wales. His then Sensei Joined Abe Sensei organisation JSKA in 2002 and Paul Sensei followed, grading with JSKA to 2nd and 3rd Dan under Robert Sidoli Sensei. He continued to expand his knowledge achieving a D class Instructor and examiner qualification at the JSKA world championships in New York. Paul sensei has enjoyed competing and officiating at national and international levels. In 2009 he travelled to Mutsuyama Japan where he spent time and trained with Keigo Abe Sensei and Mitsuru Ngaki Sensei. Whilst there he successfully graded to 4th Dan and was awarded C class international instructor and examiner .