IJKA World Chief Instructor
• Introduction
• Sadashige Kato Shihan 9th Dan
• Asai Shihan 'The Thunderous Storm'
Introduction
Sadashige Kato Shihan, World Chief Instructor for IJKA and the late Tetsuhiko Asai Shihan are profiled below.
Kato Shihan was born on July 22nd 1943 in Kochi, Japan. He attended the world famous Takushoku University in Tokyo and trained under Sensei Tsuyama, Kanazawa and Urui. Sensei Kanazawa's influence was very strong and he won a place on the JKA Instructors Course. Upon completion of the Instructors Course, Kato Shihan went to teach in Germany and in 1966 he was sent by the JKA to the UK.
Kato Shihan (Master) has now been resident in England and teaching karate throughout the world for more than 40 years during which time his loyalty was to the late World Chief Instructor for IJKA, Tetsuhiko Asai Shihan 9th Dan, until his sad passing in 2006.
Kato Shihan is the only person to have passed an 8th Dan grading under Asai Shihan, a testament to the technical complexity of Asai's examination’s and Kato Shihan’s awesome abilities as a true karate master.
At the 2007 IJKA congress meeting held in Budapest, Hungary, following one year of respect for Asai Shihan 9th Dan, Kato Shihan was asked to take over the mantel of IJKA World Chief Instructor.
Whilst it was Asai Shihan's unbelievable ability to demonstrate his style, it was and is Kato Shihan's ability to interpret and teach, that has seen the organisation grow and gain popularity with the karate instructors who are still hungry for knowledge. His unique style of teaching and, attention to the historical detail of Shotokan karate make his coaching seminars a must for every serious Shotokan karateka.
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Asai Shihan - 'The Thunderous Storm'
Gichin Funakoshi had chosen Master Nakayama as his successor as head of the JKA. At the time of Master Nakayama's death in 1987 (Asai Shihan was then Technical Director of the JKA) and, with no chosen successor, in-fighting within the JKA after his passing, eventually caused the organisation to split in two with Asai Shihan leading one group. Asai's faction of the JKA was officially disbanded in March 2000 by the Shihan-Kai and Asai Shihan formed a new association, Budo Corporation Japan Karate Shotokai (JKS) and became World Chief Instructor to both the new JKS and Kato Shihan's IJKA.
Asai Shihan dedicated his life to studying and developing his karate, pioneering new techniques and ideas, earning the title ‘The Thunderous Storm'. He knew 136 Kata (forms) many of which he developed himself and the efficiency of his unique style can be attributed to the constant endeavour to make his body as supple as a willow tree.
The karate legacy left by Asai Shihan flourishes within Kato Shihan's IJKA.
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