Shotokan Karate
Karate is a system of self defence and physical culture originally developed and refined in Okinawa and Japan. The word is formed from the Japanese words Kara (empty) and Te (hand), symbolising that its practitioners - Karateka - are unarmed, but use their hands and feet for blocking and striking. Training is conducted within an environment and code based on Japanese cultural practices.
There are various styles of Karate and Shotokan is the most widely practiced style in the world. The originator of Shotokan was Gichin Funakoshi, an Okinawan school teacher, who first demonstrated his style of Karate in Japan in 1921. The following year he moved to Japan to teach and was elected honorary Head of the Japan Karate Association (JKA) when it was formed in 1949.
Karate Union of Great Britain
The KUGB - Karate Union of Great Britain - is a body of over 300 Karate clubs, all of which practice Shotokan Karate. It was established in 1966 as a democratic and non-profit making organisation for the development of Shotokan Karate and is affiliated to European and World Shotokan Karate Bodies.
The KUGB has Karate clubs established in many Sports Centres, Universities and Schools, and was responsible for the acceptance of Karate as a subject for GCSE and A/AS level by the National Educational Awarding Bodies.
From its inception, the KUGB has dedicated itself to improving its technical standards. To this end, it has established numerous free training courses for Black Belts, Brown Belts, Instructors, Referees and Judges, and Kata and Kumite Squads.
It also arranges annually many Regional and National Championships and has participated in European and World Championships throughout its existence, with outstanding success.
It is by far the largest and most successful single-style association in Great Britain with currently around 7,000 male and female members of all ages. Several hundred of these enjoy special KUGB Long-Standing Membership status, having trained with the KUGB for between twenty and fifty years.
In 1965, the JKA sent four of its most famous and talented Instructors, Taiji Kase, Hirokazu Kanazawa, Keinosuke Enoeda and Hiroshi Shirai to tour Europe and give demonstrations of Shotokan Karate. The British part of the tour was coordinated by the British Karate Federation, a group of 10-15 clubs which had existed since 1959.
In 1966, Sensei Kanazawa was invited to come to teach in Britain and the KUGB was founded from the BKA clubs as a democratic and non-profit making organisation for the development of Shotokan Karate, with Sensei Kanazawa as Chief Instructor.
In 1968, Sensei Kanazawa resigned to teach in Germany and Sensei Enoeda was appointed as KUGB Chief instructor and remained in this position until his death in 2003.
Sensei Enoeda was known throughout the world as the Shotokan Tiger and such was his renown, he appeared regularly in films becoming a friend and teacher to movie stars and members of royalty. He was a senior instructor in the JKA and the KUGB remained a member of this body until shortly after Sensei Enoeda's death.
The number of KUGB clubs has now grown to over 300, making it Britain's largest, longest-established and most successful single-style Karate Association.