The students did very well. Most notably, Will Brook was graded to Shodan (1st Dan) in Kyokushin. Congratulations, Sempai Will!
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Shihan Rick hosted a dinner at his house for the visitors from upstate, Queensland and the KIMAA seniors. After dinner, Sensei Paul Finnerty presented Shihan Howard and Shihan Rick an overdue memento – a photo book of highlights from the KIMAA Japan Group Tour in January 2017, a token of thanks from all other members of the group for the two Shihans’ organisation and leadership.
Kobudo practice took place the next day at Annangrove Dojo. The class focused on Bo, Sai and Kama.
Sempai Rob James, Wesley Snider, Mick Calnan, Sempai Will Brook, Jess Brook, Sensei Jon Ellis, Sempai Patricia Tan, Sensei Mark McFadden, Shihan Rick Cunningham, Sensei Mark Shelmerdine, Sensei Paul Finnerty, Sensei Ian Holdaway, Larissa Watson & Sempai Alex Lloyd.
Sempai Patricia Tan, Sensei Jon Ellis, Sempai Wally Gray & Sensei Mark McFadden.
The grading was held at Evans Head beach. Students of Ballina Dojo also attended for training alongside those who were attempting the grading from Lismore.
The heavy soft, wet sand made stances and kicks especially tiring. Everyone did well and it was a fun, different yet satisfying challenge for the adults and Little Lions who participated.
Thanks go to all who helped, including Sempai Trish and Anthony for organising the food, the parents who drove their children out to Evans Head, and those who assembled the BBQ, and Yaco’s father for taking on the role of head snag cooker.
Sempai Rob was pleased with everybody’s efforts, including a new fourth kyu in the adults class. Thanks go to Jermaine Downs (senior student) for his assistance with the tests.
Sempai Rob remarked, “A solid effort from everybody! The level of knowledge, fitness and technical ability is impressive, as is their commitment.”
Kyokushin Karate gradings were conducted at Turramurra Dojo on Monday March 27th. A Kids grading occurred in the afternoon, followed by an Adults Junior Kyu grading during the normal General Class.
Alice, Andrew and Tony led the nine students attempting the grading. They went through basics, moving through stance, terminology, combinations, kata and some sparring.
The KIMAA Japan Group Tour 2017 took place in January. The primary purpose of the trip was to train with Sensei Hokama and Shihan Ken in Okinawa, as well as attend the World Kyokushin Tournament. The karateka that formed the tour group included:
The tour began on January 7th where the bulk of the group, led by Shihan Rick, departed Sydney for Tokyo. The first component of the tour was a sightseeing trip on the mainland, for which Sensei Mark Shelmerdine, Sensei James and Sensei Jon brought their families along. Sensei Paul and Sempai Trish met up with the rest of the group in Tokyo, as they had been travelling in Japan already.
The group threw themselves into the wonders of Japan quickly, spending their time in Tokyo at the Japanese Sword Museum, temple of the 47 Ronin, the fish markets, the Yushukan, the Imperial Palace Gardens, Disneyland and Sumo at the Budokan.
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Two important Kyokushin sites were also visited during the group’s time in Tokyo: the memorial Shrine for Sosai Mas Oyama at Mt Mitsumine, and Sosai’s grave in Gokokuji.
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The group continued their travels around the country, staying in Yudanaka, Nagano and Kyoto. Everyone enjoyed staying in the Ryokan hotel in Yudanaka and seeing the snow monkeys. Sensei Paul, Sensei James and Sensei Jon also went skiing, where Sensei James really shined!
The group met with Shihan Howard and his wife Masumi in Kyoto on January 16th – bringing the whole group to a total of 19 people.
KIMAA at a Ryokan hotel in Yudanaka
Snow monkeys in Yudanaka
Snow monkeys
Paul, Jon and James skiing
KIMAA at Matsumoto Castle
Kinkakuji in the snow
Kiyomizudera
Kiyomizudera
Paul, Alex and Mark at Kiyomizudera
Kenninji
Shihan Rick receives his thank-you gift for leading the sightseeing part of the tour.
On January 19th, the karate members of the tour group set off for Okinawa. The families returned to Australia while Masumi remained in Kyoto to spend time with her mother.
KIMAA first dinner in Okinawa with Sensei Hokama & Shihan Ken
Alex, Tony, Jon and Ken
The next two days comprised training at Sensei’s dojo with Sensei Hokama and Shihan Ken. The focus was on pressure points, breaks, takedowns, self-defence, kata bunkai and Kobudo. There was lots of partner work involved, and Sensei Jon Ellis performed a board break (tameshiwari) as a part of training.
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The Kobudo team performed a Jo kata to Sensei Hokama. Sempai Alex demonstrated bunkai for the kata. The standard of the group’s kata and bunkai greatly impressed Sensei Hokama. Sensei and Shihan Ken then ran the team through other possible defence manoeuvres with a Jo.
On Friday the 20th, Sensei Jon Ellis was graded to 3rd Dan in Kobudo and Sempai Alex Lloyd was graded to 2nd Dan in Kobudo. Congratulations Sensei Jon and Sempai Alex!
Sensei Jon Ellis, 3rd Dan Kobudo
Sempai Alex Lloyd, 2nd Dan Kobudo
Tony Kuo, a student from Turramurra Dojo, joined the tour briefly at the invitation of Shihan Howard. He participated in all the training at Sensei Hokama’s dojo.
Shihan Howard Lipman
Sensei Tetsuhiro Hokama
Shihan Ken Ogura
KIMAA with Sensei Hokama and Shihan Ken after training: Sensei Mark Shelmerdine, Sensei James Sidwell, Sensei Jon Ellis, Sensei Mark McFadden, Shihan Howard Lipman, Sensei Tetsuhiro Hokama, Shihan Ken Ogura, Shihan Rick Cunningham, Sensei Paul Finnerty, Tony Kuo, Sempai Alex Lloyd & Sempai Patricia Tan.
The final event attended by the tour group was the Kyokushin Union’s 4th World Tournament. Fighters from all around the globe were competing, including from Australia. KIMAA caught up with Shihan Trevor Field (7th Dan) from Brisbane, who was the tournament’s Chief Arbiter. The tournament was hosted by Shihan Yasuhiro Shichinohe (7th Dan). KIMAA members trained with Shihan Shichinohe in the 2013 tour, and Sensei Don Cheong and Sempai James Campbell fought in his 2015 Okinawa tournament.
KIMAA at the Kyokushin World Tournament.
Shihan Howard and Sensei Hokama were invited by Shihan Shichinohe to sit at the official table. The rest of the group, along with Shihan Ken, enjoyed front row seats.
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The tournament was two full days, primarily focused on full contact knockdown fights. There were three divisions: Men’s Open, Women’s Open and Women’s Lightweight. Some demonstrations were also made, including Shihan Shichinohe performing an ice break.
KIMAA with Shihan Ken at dinner on their last night of the tour.
The tour group flew back to Australia after the weekend, arriving home on the morning of Tuesday January 24th.
The KIMAA Japan Group Tour was a fantastic success. The sightseeing was enjoyed by all, the World Tournament was a fantastic spectacle, and the opportunity to once again train with such knowledgeable and skilled martial artists as Sensei Hokama and Shihan Ken was special as always. Thanks go to Shihan Howard and Shihan Rick for organising and leading the tour.
A Kyokushin Karate grading was held for KIMAA students of the Far North Coast on Saturday December 10th. Karateka of Lismore and Ballina dojos came together for this end of year event, both a test and a celebration of the year past.
Sempai Wally, Sempai Trish & Will lead the grading.
The Little Lions demonstrate moving through stance.
North Coast Little Lions in action.
North Coast students in the grading.
Sempai Trish & Sensei Mark watch the fitness portion of the grading.
Sempai Trish encourages the students.
Sempai Wally assesses the students.
Sensei Mark McFadden
KIMAA North Coast after their December 2016 grading.
After the grading, Sensei Mark and Sensei Jon spoke about the North Coast achievements for the year in moving and dynamic speeches, followed by a presentation of awards, including Student of the Year. Light refreshments were then provided.
Congratulations to the North Coast students on their final big KIMAA event for the year.
KIMAA North Coast after their December 2016 grading.
Shihan Rick Cunningham supervised the class. Sensei Paul Finnerty took weapons beginner Mick Calnan through the basics of the Bo, while Sempai Alex Lloyd took the seniors and Wesley Snider through all the Bo katas as well as the Sai. Sensei Mark McFadden, Sensei Jon Ellis and Sempai Patricia Tan enjoyed the practice for the upcoming 2017 Japan trip.
Sensei Paul teaching Mick the Bo.
Sempai Alex checks Sempai Trish’s technique.
Shihan Rick was very impressed with the standard displayed by Sempai Trish and Wes, and surprised them with a Kobudo grading. Sempai Trish was graded to 2nd Kyu and Wes to 4th Kyu in Kobudo. Congratulations to both, especially the day after participating in a senior grading!
Wes and Sempai Trish after their Kobudo grading, 5 December 2016.
At the Monday night general class at Turramurra Dojo, on December 5th, KIMAA’s bruised but proud local Shodans attended training. Shihan Howard Lipman was pleased to see the students in such good spirits. They were given a good stretch and work out, from fitness to fight training to bunkai, by Sensei Ben Ng, Sensei Don Cheong and Sempai Alex Lloyd.
Sempai Victor Sweeney, Sempai Joshua Darley, Sempai Jonathan Lee and Sempai Angus Sweeney, 5 December 2016.
On Wednesday December 7th, a Kyokushin Karate grading was held for the Turramurra Dojo kids class. Sensei James Sidwell took the grading and assessed the students. He was very happy with everyone’s efforts. Well done to all.
A few students who missed this grading were graded by Shihan Howard Lipman on Monday December 12th, with Sempai Josh Darley assisting.
Sensei James Sidwell with the participants of the Kids Karate Grading, 7 December 2016.
Kyokushin International Martial Arts Australia 