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Shihan Hirokazu Kanazawa (10th
Dan) is the Chief Instructor of Shotokan Karate International Federation,
one of the World's greatest Shotokan karate masters. Shihan Kanazawa started
his road to martial arts in Judo, but whilst at university he started Shotokan
Karate under the late Master, Masatoshi Nakayama.
Kanazawa is also one of the few remaining karateka privileged to have trained under Master Gichin Funakoshi, the famous Okinawan schoolteacher who brought karate to mainland Japan and founded the Shotokan style. Shihan Kanazawa is still the only karateka ever to have won the notorious All-Japan Karate Championships three times in a row, on one occasion winning the finals whilst nursing a broken wrist from an earlier event! In addition to Kanazawa Shihan’s mastery of karate-do and expertise with various traditional weaponry, he also has a very extensive knowledge of Chinese art of Tai-Chi, having studied it to its conclusion under professor Wong for more than thirty years. |
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In April 2000, while attending the 7th S.K.I.F. World Championships in Bali, Shihan Kanazawa was promoted to the grade of 10th Dan. He is currently the only living Shotokan Master to hold the grade of 10th Dan . Although having such a formidable pedigree and being accorded legendary status (one of his early students was Elvis Presley), Kanazawa Shihan is also extremely charismatic but easily approachable. Being a natural teacher and communicator, he chooses to spend individual time with as many of his students as possible. Demand for his services, worldwide, is on the increase and his schedule is extremely intense, he spends approximately 8 months out of the year travelling the world visiting his S.K.I.F. affiliated clubs. Shihan Kanazawa is now in his 72nd year and still puts karateka a quarter of his age to shame with his speed, power and dynamic techniques.
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| As a result of Shihan Kanazawa's long
term relationship with Sensei Carpenter (seen above), S.K.K.I.F. (and Matsuba
Kai) are honored to host this great master on a number of occasions as
part of his very hectic yearly schedule.
In 2001, Matsuba Kai hosted Shihan Kanazawa's
70th Anniversary course where over 350 students and instructors
from all over the World
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