Category: Sensei Hokama

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.

The KIMAA group this trip comprised:

• Shihan Mark Shelmerdine (5th Dan Kyokushin, 6th Dan Kobudo Renshi) – 10th trip to Okinawa
• Shihan James Sidwell (5th Dan Kyokushin, 5th Dan Kobudo Shihan) – 4th trip to Okinawa
• Sensei Ben Ng (4th Dan Kyokushin, 3rd Dan Kobudo Sensei) – 2nd trip to Okinawa
• Sensei Alex Lloyd (4th Dan Kyokushin, 5th Dan Kobudo Shihan) – 5th trip to Okinawa
• Sempai Narmie Thambipillay (1st Dan Kyokushin) – 1st trip to Okinawa
• and Masumi Lipman, widow of the late Hanshi Howard Lipman (9th Dan Kyokushin, 10th Dan Kobudo Hanshi).

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!

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.

On the night of March 11, the KIMAA Japan Group Tour for 2015 departed Sydney for the island of Okinawa. The group included:

• Shihan Howard Lipman (8th Dan), and his wife Masumi
• Shihan Rick Cunningham (6th Dan)
• Sensei Mark McFadden (3rd Dan)
• Sensei Jon Ellis (3rd Dan)
• Sempai Don Cheong (2nd Dan)
• Sempai James Campbell (2nd Dan)
• Sempai Alex Lloyd (2nd Dan)
• Patricia Tan (3rd Kyu)

All of us had been to Japan before – an understatement for some! – but it was Trish’s first time in Okinawa and first KIMAA tour.

The trip had three main focuses:

• The Okinawa Karate Tournament
• Training with Sensei Hokama, including a Kobudo black belt grading
• Sightseeing in Hiroshima and Kyoto

We reached our hotel early in the afternoon on Thursday. After checking in our first destination was Shureido, the martial arts shop. We stocked up on supplies and caught up with Yoshi, our account manager at Shureido for many years. After this we wandered through the shops on Kokusai Dori before heading to our favourite gyazo bar for dinner.

Friday morning was training with Sensei Tetsuhiro Hokama (10th Dan Goju-ryu and Kobudo) at his dojo. We did Kobudo training followed by some empty hand self-defence applications.

After training we enjoyed some sushi and explored the markets of Kokusai Dori and Tsuboya, the pottery village.

We were back at Sensei’s dojo again on Saturday, expanding on the previous day’s work of self-defence applications (bunkai) from kata.

We then had an easy afternoon to rest up Sempai Don and Sempai James, as the tournament was the next day. Photos and videos from the tournament are available in Japan Tour Pt 2: The Tournament.

A group of KIMAA black belts recently travelled to Okinawa, Japan for training. Most of the training was with Sensei Tetsuhiro Hokama (10^th Dan Goju Ryu & Kobudo), and one training session with Shihan Yasuhiro Shichinohe (7^th Dan Kyokushin).

The tour group included:

Shihan Howard Lipman (8^th Dan Kyokushin, 6^th Dan Kobudo): This was Shihan Lipman’s twelfth visit to Okinawa to train with Sensei Hokama, and his 67^th visit to Japan overall in his martial arts career. Shihan Lipman’s wife, Masumi, also came on the trip, playing ‘mum’ to the group.

Shihan Rick Cunningham (6^th Dan Kyokushin, 5^th Dan Kobudo): This was also Shihan Cunningham’s twelfth visit to Okinawa to train with Sensei Hokama.

Sensei Mark Shelmerdine (4^th Dan Kyokushin, 3^rd Dan Kobudo): This was Sensei Mark’s fourth visit to Okinawa to train with Sensei Hokama. Sensei Mark attended previous group trips in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Sensei Mark McFadden (3^rd Dan Kyokushin, 2^nd Dan Kobudo): This was Sensei Mark’s second visit to Okinawa to train with Sensei Hokama. Sensei Mark’s first trip was in 2008.

Sempai Don Cheong (2^nd Dan Kyokushin, 8^th Kyu Kobudo): This was Sempai Don’s first visit to Okinawa. Sempai Don started training in Kyokushin at the Turramurra Dojo several years ago as a 1^st Dan, earning his 2^nd Dan in 2011. He began Kobudo recently, applying his technical excellence in Karate to his study of Kobudo.

Sempai Alex Lloyd (1^st Dan Kyokushin, 5^th Kyu Kobudo): This was also Sempai Alex’s first visit to Okinawa. Sempai Alex began Kyokushin as a Knox student in 2005. He graduated Knox in 2009 and continued his association with the school as an instructor until 2012. He earned his 1^st Dan in 2011, when he also started learning Kobudo.

Sempai James Campbell (1^st Dan Kyokushin, 1^st Dan Kobudo): This was Sempai James’s second visit to Okinawa. Sempai James’s first trip was in 2010. Sempai James began Kyokushin in 2008, grading to 1^st Dan in 2012. He started Kobudo at Sensei Hokama’s 2009 visit to Australia, and was graded to 1^st Dan in Sensei’s 2012 visit to Australia.

The group flew out on the morning of Sunday November 17 and checked in at the Nahana Hotel & Spa late that night. They celebrated with a late dinner at a nearby yakitori bar.

The next morning the group went to Sensei’s dojo to meet him for tea and introductions to the students new to Okinawa, namely Sempai Don and Sempai Alex. The group were presented with gifts from Sensei and had a look around his Karate museum, upstairs from the dojo. After this was a quick visit to Shureido Martial Arts shop. The group separated for the afternoon, with some exploring Kokusai Dori for shopping, and others to Shuri-Jo Castle and the King’s Tomb.

Sensei was busy during the day on Tuesday so the group made use of the time to do a lot of sightseeing. The group went to the bunker used by the Japanese Naval Command in the Battle of Okinawa, followed by the Emperor’s Gardens and the Chinese Gardens.

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The first training session of the trip was on Tuesday night with Sensei Hokama’s students. Training focused on Sanchin, including moving through the stance while holding weighted jars, and the Gekusai Dai kata. Some work was done on Nunchaku and the Bo. The group demonstrated the first Bo exercise and Kihon kata. Sensei’s students were very impressed with the Australian team. After training Shihan Arakawa, Sensei Seki and Sensei Taira went out with the group for dinner. Sensei Hokama had to greet a student coming to train with him from overseas, so he was unable to attend.

Training continued the next morning with more work on Sanchin and self-defence techniques. Sensei ran the group through the Bo, working on the first exercise, Kihon and Ufugusuku. Following this was the Tonfa kata and Tonfa against a Bo, which was very interesting.

That night the group had a Kyokushin training session with Shihan Shichinohe. Shihan Shichinohe was appointed the Okinawan Kyokushin Branch Chief by Sosai Mas Oyama, as Shihan Lipman was for Australia. Shihan Lipman and Shihan Shichinohe have been friends for a long time. Shihan Lipman’s students found training in Shihan Shichinohe’s dojo a fantastic experience; although the class was completely in Japanese, the Australian students were able to fit right in and train. As Shihan Lipman said in his address at the end of the class, ‘Kyokushin is the same everywhere’. The group had dinner with Shihan Shichinohe, his wife Vera, and his students after class.

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Training with Sensei Hokama continued on Thursday morning. A lot of work was done with the Bo, including the basic exercises, all parts of the Kihon kata, Ufugusuku and Sushi no kon Sho. Sensei Seki attended the morning session and worked with the group on the Bo, as well as the Eeku kata. Some more work on Sanchin and general self-defence techniques derived from Sanchin were then studied.

After a quick lunch break, the group practiced Sakugawa no Kon before moving onto the Sai katas Chibana and Hame Higa. Following the Sai, Sensei got students to train with the Nunchaku, then to use two at once! Sensei Mark Shelmerdine came up with a few combinations, leading Sensei Hokama to warn us that Sensei Mark was a ‘dangerous man’. More pressure points, joint locks and self-defence work followed.

Following training with Sensei was another quick visit to Shureido and a trip to the ruins of Sohgenji Temple.

On Friday morning the group demonstrated all the katas, partner work and application for the Bo, Eeku and Tonfa for Sensei. Shihan Cunningham and Sensei Mark Shelmerdine also ran through the Kama.

The group spent the afternoon exploring Kokusai Dori, the seven-storey bookstore Junkudo and the old pottery village Tsuboya. Yoshi, KIMAA’s account manager at Shureido, met up with the group for dinner.

Saturday morning was the final training session with Sensei Hokama. Techniques for disarming someone armed with a Bo were looked at, as well as bunkai from Seipai kata.

Sensei Mark McFadden was promoted to 2^nd Dan in Kobudo by Shihan Lipman in March. He was formally awarded his certificate by Sensei Hokama on this trip.

Sensei Hokama also gave participation certificates to Sempai Don and Sempai Alex for coming to train with him in Japan.

KIMAA senior instructors Shihan Lipman, Shihan Cunningham and Sensei Mark Shelmerdine have had the privilege of training with Sensei Hokama numerous times, and every trip adds to their knowledge of the martial arts.

For students such as Sensei Mark McFadden and Sempai James, who have already been to Okinawa, the opportunity to go back and expand their understanding of Karate and Kobudo is one they used well and most enjoyed.

For Sempai Don and Sempai Alex, training with seniors in Japan who have such a profound knowledge of the martial arts and ability to perform them was an unbeatable experience.

All were most grateful to Sensei Hokama for his time, Masumi for providing translation when necessary, and to Shihan Lipman and Shihan Cunningham for organising the trip.

On the morning of Sunday November 24, the group flew out to Kyoto for some sightseeing, with the exception of Sensei Mark Shelmerdine, who returned home for a short holiday with his family.

The group checked into the Kyoto Royal Hotel & Spa on Sunday afternoon and made the most of their time in the city. On Sunday afternoon the group went to Tozando (a sword shop) and Chion-in Temple. The Autumn colours of the maple trees were in full bloom and a spectacular sight. At night, the group went to Kiyomizudera, which was packed with people but worth wading through the crowd for the wonderful views of the maple trees lit up at night.

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On Monday, the group went to Arashiyama to explore a range of temples, Togetsukyo Bridge and a bamboo forest. On Tuesday, the group split up to visit different areas. Shihan Lipman, Shihan Cunningham, Sensei Mark and Sempai James went to Nijo Castle followed by some shopping. Masumi visited her mother. Sempai Don and Sempai Alex went to the Fushimi Inari shrine. Everyone enjoyed their time and met up for an end of tour group dinner.

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Everyone checked out of the hotel on Wednesday morning and took a bus to Itami airport. From there they flew from Itami to Tokyo, then Tokyo to Sydney, arriving just before 8 am on Thursday morning, November 28. The group warmly thanked Masumi for looking after them all so well with a very nice Japanese silk scarf, and once again extend their sincere gratitude to Shihan Lipman and Shihan Cunningham for a wonderful trip.

Written by Shihan Lipman in 2012

My wife Masumi, Shihan Rick Cunningham and I departed Sydney on Sunday November 18 and arrived in Okinawa Monday November 19. On arrival, we contacted Sensei Hokama and drove to his Dojo to meet him at 5:30pm. As always, our meeting with Sensei was most pleasant and he took us to dinner in the evening.

Sensei was busy on Tuesday, so Rick and I decided to show Masumi some of Naha (capital of Okinawa). In the morning, we visited Shuri-Jo Castle and in the afternoon went to Tsuboya, the old pottery village. Then onto Kokusai Dori for a little shopping! The evening was spent having dinner with Shihan Shichinohe, the Kyokushin Branch Chief and his wife Vera – both long term friends of mine.

On Wednesday morning we had our first training session with Sensei, and at this time were instructed in the use of the Kama (sickle) and our first kata with this weapon. Rick and I both enjoyed this session and found the Kama an interesting weapon. In the afternoon, Sensei took us to the Thalasso Spa in Ginoza, with his friend Chikako Chibana and he presented Masumi and I with a beautiful wedding gift – a wall hanging of a dragon, done by Chikako. We went then onto Ginowan for a Soba dinner.

Thursday morning we had training with Sensei again, this time a new Bo kata – Sushi No Kon Dai. Rick and I were pleased to have yet again extended our knowledge. Friday morning saw more training and revision on the Kama kata and Sushi No Kon Dai.

We went to the restaurant of a close friend of Sensei Hokama on Friday evening. The friend was Sensei Miyazato. We enjoyed dinner and a show, which presented various demonstrations of Okinawan weapons, music and song. We were encouraged as guests to participate, which Rick and Masumi did. Following this, we were all dressed as old Okinawan Kings and Queen. We all had a turn in these outfits and Rick was quite impressed, and for a short time could actually envisage himself as Okinawan royalty, as did Masumi! I of course, accepted this with the modesty and dignity of a senior Shihan.

Saturday saw us with another free day so we went to Shureido Martial Arts shop, had lunch in the city, went to the Chinese Gardens, wandered around book shops and a little more shopping on Kokusai Dori.

In the evening we drove to the Dojo again to see the senior black belts, Shihan Arakawa and Sensei Seki, and to say our goodbyes to Sensei Hokama. Sunday morning saw us depart from Okinawa and arrive in Sydney on the 26th.

We all enjoyed our time in Okinawa. For Rick and myself it was time well spent as always with Sensei and we came away with yet more Kobudo knowledge from him. It was Masumi’s first trip to Okinawa, and it was a joy for Rick and I to be able to share these experiences with her.