Kyokushin Karate students of KIMAATurramurra and Taree dojos attempted a 5.5-hour Senior Grading at the KIMAA Honbu (Turramurra) on Saturday June 21st 2025. Many younger karateka attempted 4th Kyu (Green Belt) while two adult students – Sempai Josh Darley and Trent Lim – attempted their black belt grades.
The grading’s first section focused on the usual elements, comprising a warm-up, basics and moving through stance.
Next, the students were assessed on their technical ability through their kata demonstrations.
Following an extensive kata display, especially for Sempai Josh Darley, the grading moved on to one-step kumite, then the general fitness section.
Finally, the long part of the day commenced. The 40 fights for 1st Dan Black Belt. The ‘Kyokushin 40 fights’ are legendary. Both Josh and Trent completed their 40 one-and-a-half minute full-contact fights. Josh had done the 40 during his 1st Dan grading in 2016. He achieved a rare feat of grading to black belt while being under 18 years old. As he graded when he was 12 years of age, he did the 40 fights again for his 3rd Dan grading to be tested as an adult. Trent did the 40 fights as a routine part of his 1st Dan grading.
All students were thoroughly tested, repeatedly sparring against black belts senior to them, junior black belts including Sempai Maia Brown and Sempai Narmie Thambipillay, and a few fights with juniors being tested on the day. The young men were pushed to their limits and excelled in the face of adversity.
Congratulations to all who attempted the grading, especially our newest Yudansha:
“Congratulations to all who graded. Especially to Sensei Josh Darley on his 3rd Dan grading and Sempai Trent Lim on shodan. Both who completed 40 consecutive full contact fights at 1.5 minutes each. Osu.” – Shihan James Sidwell
On the weekend of June 7-8, 2025, Taree Dojo represented KIMAA at the Gold Coast Budo Challenge.
Over the course of the weekend, Sensei Mark Long accompanied his student Jameson Smith to compete in the kata component of the tournament on the Saturday, and the kumite on the Sunday.
On Saturday, Jameson achieved First Place in the 13-15 years old Intermediate Kata division, performing the Gekusai Sho kata. On Sunday, he also made First Place in the 50kg and under in 12-13 years old Intermediate Full Contact fighting division.
Congratulations to Jameson for doing KIMAA and Taree Dojo proud. Jameson drives from Port Macquarie to Taree regularly for training, wonderfully supported by his parents Donna and Garrod.
On Sunday June 1st, KIMAA had 20 students compete at the Kancho Doug Tunbull’s KIKO tournament in Tempe from our Turramurra and Taree dojos.
All competitors participated with focus and precision. They were supported on the day by Shihan James Sidwell, Sensei Mark Long, Masumi Lipman and parents of the younger students.
Of the 20, KIMAA achieved the following results:
1st & 2nd Place 7-9yrs Junior Kata
3rd Place 8-9yrs Point Sparring
1st Place 10-12yrs Beginner Kata
2nd Place 10-12yrs Junior Kata
1st & 2nd Place 10-12yrs Advanced Kata
1st & 3rd Place 10-12yrs Point Sparring
1st Place 13-15yrs Beginner kata
1st & 3rd Place 13-15yrs Advanced kata
3rd Place 13-15yrs Point Sparring
1st Place Open Advanced Weapons Kata
3rd Place Adult Beginner Kata
3rd Place Adult Advanced Kata
Congratulations to all the participants, the instructors, parents and families who have worked hard to enable such a great result.
We all contribute to, and share in, each other’s success.
A contingent of 8 KIMAA competitors (7 from Turramurra Dojo, 1 from Taree Dojo) entered the MKA State Tournament. All students represented their dojo admirably and displayed strong Kyokushin spirit. We had 3 students achieve 2nd Place in their division.
Special mention also goes to Oliver Roach for his tournament debut. Oliver is a 9th Kyu that fought a Shodan in Male 16-17 Full Contact and held his own in the fight, even though he copped a few strikes and elbow to the face and throat along the way.
The training included fitness and basic training on the sand and in the waves, and kumite in the waves, finishing with some water wheel kicks.
Thanks to Masumi for the photography, Sensei Mark’s partner Ken for his support, and for the parents who came to watch, cheer and dry off some damp young karateka after the surf kumite.
On Sunday March 16th, a contingent from KIMAA’s Turramurra Dojo attended the Kempo Ryu All Australia Championships.
Shihan James Sidwell and Masumi Lipman representing KIMAA with 6 students entering kata competitions.
Due to the summer break and an early year trip to Japan, Shihan James was only able to run several extra Saturday classes for the small contingent of participants. The competitors were supported by the instructors during class time as well as training diligently during the available Saturday classes.
On the day, the students all competed exceptionally well. Their performances executed the posture, technique, timing and kime (focus) expected to demonstrate understanding of the kata.
Sempai Maia Brown, Peter Zhu, Sophie Shi, Chloe Le Bescont, Sophie Chan and Ken Quang competed with spirit and focus. Out of six competitors KIMAA, achieved First, Second and Third placements. Osu.
On the night of Sunday March 2nd, the KIMAA Japan Group Tour of 2025 gathered at Sydney International Airport to head to Okinawa, Japan, for training with Sensei Tetsuhiro Hokama (10th Dan). Training with Sensei Hokama in Kobudo and Karate bunkai has been a regular KIMAA activity since 2008 under the late Hanshi Howard Lipman, who was Sensei Hokama’s Australian Branch Chief until his passing.
KIMAA was privileged to also have Shihan Ken Ogura, Sensei Hokama’s Nagoya Branch Chief, travel from the mainland to Okinawa to assist with the group’s training. Shihan Ken has been in Okinawa for KIMAA trips many times previously. KIMAA has also hosted both Sensei Hokama and Shihan Ken in Australia for seminars multiple times over the years.
Shihan James led the main group to Okinawa, where they met Masumi on Monday morning as she had already been in Japan to visit family.
On the morning of Tuesday March 4th, the Kyokushin International Martial Arts Australia contingent had its first of many training sessions with Hokama Sensei in his dojo in Okinawa. The training began with a Bo staff warm-up, followed by revising the Tonfa Kata, Sensei’s Nunchaku Kata and two Sai Kata. This was followed by question time and lunch. Sensei Hokama took the group to the nearby Mos Burger and insisted on treating everyone to lunch.
As a break between training sessions, on Tuesday afternoon Shihan Mark, Shihan James and Sensei Alex returned to the races via Street Kart Okinawa, bringing Shihan Ken and Sempai Narmie along for their first rides. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
That night, the group returned to Sensei’s dojo to attend his General Class. This included Sanchin training, knuckle work, Sanchin and Tensho application, the second Nunchaku Kata, Sai and the Eku.
The next morning, the group were back at the dojo for more training. The Wednesday morning class reinforced to the group that, as seen during the 2023 trip, there is always so much more to learn. The session transformed a couple of our long-standing senior Kobudo Kata, with new finesse and understanding gained, as well as a refinement of the pattern and alternate bunkai. They will now be practiced at a more advanced level than previously.
In this session, the group revised the Bo Kata Sushi No Kon Dai and Ufugusuku, including the 5-person bunkai, and the Kama Kata. Thanks go to Sensei Hokama and Shihan Ken for the excellent training. Sensei was pleased with the technical standard displayed.
On the Wednesday night the group trained in Kyokushin Karate with the legendary Shihan Yasuhiro Shichinohe (8th Dan). Shihan’s friendship with Hanshi Howard goes back decades.
The class, comprising the KIMAA contingent and some of Shihan’s students, enjoyed a practical session. After a warm up and some basics, the session focused extensively on fighting combinations and application. The class ended with a Kata demonstration from some of Shihan’s younger students and Sensei Alex performed Kanku Dai. The night ended with some quick sparring and then cleaned the dojo, with Masumi helping to demonstrate correct technique!
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The group then enjoyed dinner and a few bottles of awamori with Shihan Shichinohe and his wife Vera.
On Thursday afternoon, the group had further training with Sensei Hokama, Shihan Ken and Sensei Kondo, who joined us fresh from a flight from the US after teaching at a seminar there.
After a Bo warm-up, the class covered a range of weapons. First, the group revised the advanced version of Sushi No Kon Dai, Tokuyama No Tonfa and its bunkai, and the recent enhancements to Hokama no Kama. The group then practised Sakugawa no Kon.
The class then moved from Kobudo to do Karate bunkai, revising some old and learned some new secret applications from Gekusai Dai and Gekusai Sho. Everyone learned lots, and Sensei Hokama acknowledged how much Sempai Narmie progressed in a short space of time.
This trip the group had the privilege of witnessing Sensei Hokama honour two great masters. Hanshi Howard Lipman and Shihan Ken Ogura were both added to Sensei’s ‘Hall of Fame’ of the world’s greatest karateka. Osu!
The final full day in Okinawa, Friday March 7th, was a full day of training with Sensei Hokama, Shihan Ken and Sensei Kondo.
Sensei Hokama graded Sempai Narmie Thambipillay to 8th Kyu in Kobudo. He also presented a certificate for Sempai Maia Brown’s Kobudo grading last year, also 8th Kyu, which was received by Masumi Lipman on her behalf. Sensei Hokama instructed that both certificates are to also be co-signed by KIMAA’s Renshi Mark Shelmerdine.
After the presentation, training resumed. In the morning the group revised again the first Eku Kata, Sushi No Kon Dai, Maezoto No Nunchaku, and Chibana No Sai. Sensei Hokama then demonstrated the Sansetsukon for the students. He also did some calligraphy for Narmie.
Sensei Hokama treated the class to another lunch at Mos Burger, followed by another busy afternoon class. The group went through Okinawan Seipai Kata and Bunkai, at great length, to further refine the pattern. The session finished with some final Bo demonstrations then question time with Sensei.
After dashing back to Naha to do a final load of washing and round of shopping, the group returned to Sensei’s dojo on Friday night to mark the end of the Okinawa trip by having dinner with Sensei Hokama, Shihan Ken and other senior students from the dojo.
The group crammed a lot in – 7 training sessions in 4 days! – and are leaving with more knowledge (and bruises). The KIMAA contingent are immensely grateful to our instructors for their wisdom and guidance. Osu.
We believe Hanshi Howard would have been proud of our efforts this trip, too.
KIMAA looks forward to its return to Okinawa.
Post-script: After the group returned home, Hanshi Howard was also honoured on the Branch Chiefs wall of plaques in Sensei’s dojo.
Kyokushin International Martial Arts Australia 