Sh?k?kai (???, sh?k?kai) is a style of Karate, based on Tani-ha Shit?-ry?, a branch of Shit?-ry? developed by Ch?jir? Tani in the late 1940s, and refined by his students, including Yamada Haruyoshi and Kimura Shigeru.
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History
Ch?jir? Tani (? ??? Tani Ch?jir?) was born in 1921, and started his formal karate training under Miyagi Ch?jun, who founded the Goj?-ry? style, while a student at the Doshisha University in Kyoto. After a few months, Miyagi Ch?jun returned to Okinawa and the founder of Shit?-ry?, Kenwa Mabuni took over the teaching. Upon graduating from university, Tani began learning Shuri-te and then Shit?-ry? from Mabuni as well. After many years of training under Mabuni and becoming one of his most senior students, Tani received the certificate of succession from him and became the head of Shit?-ry?, enabling him to use the name Tani-ha Shitoryu.
Ch?jir? Tani began teaching the Karate style Sh?k?kai (meaning the way for all) at a dojo in Kobe, Japan in 1946. Sh?k?kai was designed around the study of body mechanics, is very fast due to its relatively high stance aiding mobility, and is known for the double hip twist, which maximises the force of its strikes; making it one of the most hard-hitting Karate styles.
Tani's most senior student, Sensei Shigeru Kimura, left Japan in 1965 to teach Sh?k?kai in Africa. He developed Shukokai even further, emphasizing its power and strength; and was regarded as an expert on the style. He continued to teach after travelling to Europe, before settling in the United States in 1970 at the age of 29, where he taught at Yonezuka's Cranford dojo for two years; creating the first Shukokai World Tournament in 1981. Sensei Kimura died of a heart attack at the age of 54. Tani died on 11 January 1998.
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Grading
The white belt (10th Kyu) is assigned to beginning students, who then progress to brown belt (1st Kyu), before reaching black belt (Dan). Certain Shukokai Karate associations do not have a red belt grade, making the white belt a ninth Kyu. In addition, certain associations also require a probationary black belt grade (Shodan-Ho) before progressing to fully fledged dan grading.
Branches
Sh?k?kai has evolved into several independent style branches throughout the world over the past few decades:
- Kimura Shukokai grew out of the Sh?k?kai school taught since 1978 in Hackensack, New Jersey, United States and later in Tenafly, New Jersey by Shigeru Kimura, a long time student of Tani. After Kimura's death in 1995, this international organization was formed to promote his style, co-led by his four senior students: Eddie Daniels, head of Shukokai Karate Federation, Bill Bressaw, head of American Shukokai Karate Union, Chris Thompson and Lionel Marinus of South Africa.
- Sankukai, founded in 1971 in Paris, France by Yoshinao Nanbu, a student of Ch?jir? Tani. Yoshinao Nanbu abandoned the style to create Nanbud? in 1978, and Sankukai is currently taught by several national organizations throughout the world.
- Kawata-ha Seikukai Karate founded in Kawanishi, Hy?go, Japan after the passing of Ch?jir? Tani in 1998 by Kawata Shigemasa, his most senior student
- Shito-ryu Shukokai World Union After the death of Tani sensei in 1998. Yamada Haruyoshi sensei was elected to lead the organisation of Shukokai. In 1956 he became a disciple of Tani sensei and was one of his top ranking pupils. He is one of the highest representatives of Japan Karate Federation and is also engaged in the Japanese Olympic Committee.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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