In the United States, Sensei Masakazu Takahashi began his karate training under Master Tomosaburo Okano In 1961. Kenkojuku karate has just a few representatives within the United States, the Caribbean, India and Latin America. Since master Okano's passing the Kenkojuku Budokan Hombu Dojo is now run by his son Tomokatsu Okano, from the style's Hombu dojo located in 8-5, Minami-Cho Hachioji-Shi Tokyo, 192 Japan. The association's motto is 'Inner Strength with Outward Humility'.

It was founded in 1942 by Tomosaburo Okano, a Japanese Iaido master and a student of both Gichin Funakoshi and his son Yoshitaka (Gigo) Funakoshi it remains as one of the most traditional schools of Shotokan karate, with the Shotokai, it even continues Okinawan kobudР•РЊ (traditional weapons) as part of its practice. It is of historical significance that Egami Shigeru, as Master Funakoshi's chosen technical director, never attained more than a 4th Dan. Other practices of the now-separated JKA, who were essentially all junior to the Shotokai members they separated from, included the practice of grading beyond the original 'five dan' structure, to ten dan gradings. The acclaim and recognition sought and awarded in competition directly affronts this notion. Particularly, tournament competition was frowned upon prior to Master Funakoshi's passing, as it was an affront to the inherent humility and the 'inward-looking' focus in Master Funakoshi's practice. To this day, the Shotokai continues the Soto-zen inspired practised of Master Funakoshi. Genshin Hironishi, former head of the Shotokai writes about these events on page 23 of Tsui So Roku: Egami. Again, chiefly because constituent Universities (of the JKA - namely Takushoku, Kao and Hosei Universities) removed their University karate Club flags from the coffin of Master Funakoshi at 7.00 pm the evening before the funeral - and did not attend the following day for the funeral.

The Shotokai ('Shoto's society') and the JKA became separate factions after the conduct demonstrated at the funeral of master Funakoshi. Р”В®gami began experimenting with a more relaxed technique, gained through excessive practice when the body lacked sufficient strength to hold on the rigidity of overly muscular and 'stiff' technical execution.Р”Р‡ollowing the Master's death in 1957 (26 April Showa 32 (1957)), a rift developed among Funakoshi's students, chiefly, as there was an insistence that certain elements (the JKA) control the funeral arrangements, disregarding Funakoshi's family's wishes. I had then to start massaging and lightening the body I had struggled so many years to harden. Until that moment I had practised karate with a fundamental illusion, I had confused hardness with strength and I made every effort to harden my body thinking that I would obtain more strength when hardening the body is equivalent to stopping the movement. He writes:Р”Вuring this questioning, I understood one thing. During his early 40s, Egami began to radically rethink the effectiveness of some of his basic techniques. After Gigo's death in 1945, Egami was considered Funakoshi's successor. Together with Funakoshi's son Gigo (Yoshitaka), Takeshi Shimoda, and Hironori Ohtsuka, Egami was among the group of Funakoshi's students who toured with him during his exhibitions of karate in Japan during the 1930s. Egami began training under Funakoshi in 1930, upon entering Waseda University, and helped to establish that university's karate club. Egami, at Funakoshi's direction, was the chief instructor of Shotokan Dojo 1976-1981. 'Shotokai' should be considered the 'approved' evolution of Roushi ( Funakoshi ) Sensei's Karate technique as developed, with Roushi Sensei's approval by Shigeru Egami (1912РІР‚вЂњ1981). Shotokai association is the keeper of master Funakoshi's Karate-do heritage. It is the Shotokan Karate association established by Gichin Funakoshi originally in 1930. The name 'Shotokai' is used as a synonym for the Shotokan ryu association Dai Nihon Karate-do Shotokai.

Honolulu uechi ryu karate do club