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History of Shukokai Karate in America
Sensei Kimura arrived in the US in 1970 at the age of 29 after teaching in
Rhodesia and South Africa and establishing a reputation of master level
Shukokai Karate throughout the world. He had a short stay in Albany, NY with
Sensei Kidachi and ended up teaching in Cranford, NJ for Sensei Yonezuka for
two years. This is where Sensei Bill Bressaw first met him in December of 1970
as a 3rd dan of an Okinawan style of Karate that he had been training in from
1966 to 1970.
At that time Sensei George McGrath , at age 56, was a Brown belt in 1971 and
received his black belt in Scotland when attending an eight day Gashuku. In
1972 Sensei opened his first dojo in Hackensack, NJ. It was a long and narrow
area. Sensei and his Uchideshi (those living and training with him) at the time
(including Sensei Lionel Marinus as well as several others) lived in the
basement underneath the Dojo floor. At this dojo was the beginning of the one
special night a week when the most senior students would meet and test each
others' skills until Sensei shouted YAMI.
These were very heated Friday nights that weren't very good for spectators but
excellent to forge what would become a lifetime of devoted practitioners and
Bushido family. Every Friday was a test of the strongest will and strength
where Sensei would test the technique he taught to his Uchideshi against the
once a week visitors who did not learn the same technique until after it was
tested on them. It was his way to develop the technique and keep everyone
coming so that they would not miss the latest of his teachings.
After one year in 1973 he moved to his second dojo in Hackensack where he
remained until 1989 when he established the world headquarters for Kimura
Shukokai in Tenafly, NJ. Throughout the years Sensei Kimura encouraged all the
senior students who visited from other countries as well as American students
to come on that one special night which eventually became "Thursday Nights".
Usually unpredictable, the training would range from a weekly adjustment of
technique to all sparring sessions. It was well established that after the hard
training, all would eat and drink together usually in Myoshi's Japanese
restaurant while in Hackensack Dojo and finally in a specially equipped
upstairs room in the Tenafly dojo where he would on occasion make the world's
best sukiyaki (Japanese beef stew) and share special Sake and tea.
Sensei discussed many philosophies with all who came out to share dinner. He
also was not remiss to point out our weaknesses and to correct any deviation
from the way of Bushido. He would not accept acquiescence. At these dinners he
would insist on improvement, perseverance and commitment to the techniques and
the way of Shukokai Karate. Very often he would consult his most senior
students regarding any issues that may cause trouble to the building of his
unique international family. If there was a person that did not have the honest
character and commitment to his way then he would dismiss them from his
organization.
Shukokai was perpetuated in the United States primarily by Sensei Kimura.
However, other schools played an important part of what was to become ASKU,
starting with Sensei Bressaw's school which has developed many students and
black belts from 1971 to present and is the oldest group in America. There have
been several others that contributed, and continue to contribute to
the promotion of Shukokai in the United States that started approximately 1980.
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