Karate

The Arbutus Club hosted the first Shito Ryu Karate workshop (Gasshuku) in Canada this past October. It was an honour to host this international workshop, which highlighted the continuing growth of the Karate department at the Club. Starting in September 2000, Sensei (teacher) Alice Chung began with a small group of practitioners from a different system and built up a successful program that now has close to one hundred members involved. With the onset of the pandemic many sports and activities came to a halt with social distancing and other preventative restrictions. For Shito Ryu karate, the pandemic postponed two world championships scheduled in Japan, preventing members of the karate program at The Arbutus Club from being promoted to their next belt levels. Following the relaxing of Covid restrictions, Alice Chung Sensei reached out to the Karate Committee and suggested hosting a workshop for karate at the Club. The committee brought the idea forward to the Recreation Services department and so began the start of the first Shito Ryu Gasshuku in Canada. To promote this workshop several masters were invited to share their knowledge and skills to the participants. In total the following masters attended: Mabuni Tsukasa Soke (headmaster of Shito Ryu from Japan), Sakai Kazuo Hanshi

okinawa, japan

Membership Survey Results Karate

(International Chairman for Shito Ryu from Japan), Tashiro Takaya Tasshi (Japan), Kurose Tetsuya Renshi (Japan), John Bartholomay Hanshi (USA), Kevin Hammond Tasshi (USA), Shaun Ross Kyoshi (USA), Mari-jo Suzuki Renshi (USA), Rosendo Geronimo Tasshi

(Mexico), Roberto Geronimo Kyoshi (Mexico), and Magdaleno Lopez Renshi (Mexico). For Canada there are currently four masters with three of them in attendance: William Chung Kyoshi, Alice Chung Kyoshi, and Garson Ho Renshi. With all these masters in attendance, this premier event was surely a success. The workshop fell on our Thanksgiving weekend, but this did not hinder the attendance for the event. Approximately 75 people joined from both The Arbutus Club and from other clubs in British Columbia, Washington, California, Colorado, Mexico, Australia, and Japan. The workshop covered the basics of Shito Ryu karate and stressed that the techniques should be strong

and consistent. Shito Ryu karate is famous for its variety of pre-arranged forms (kata) and much of the sessions throughout the weekend reflected this area of specialty. Sparring was also extensively covered with pre-arranged sparring (ippon kumite) and sparring techniques, including footwork and combinations. The workshops began each day with a one-hour session devoted to our junior members, with the rest of the day devoted to our seniors. The workshop ended with a black belt grading that The Arbutus Club members participated in. Successful members were Emmeline and Audrey Braun, and Sophie Kuah who were promoted to Shodan (1st degree black belt); and Ashley Braun promoted to Nidan (2nd degree black belt). Alice Chung Sensei was also promoted to Rokudan (6th degree black belt) and awarded the title of Kyoshi (professor). All visiting masters thought that the first Shito Ryu Gasshuku was a major success. With the beautiful venue, the experts’ tutelage, and the number of participants; the workshop was seen as one of the best and certainly a formidable premier event for Canada. The next opportunity for The Arbutus Club members to take part will be the International Championships next summer in Osaka, Japan. ♦

coun tries

For karate classes and events view the Recreation Services Programs Brochure available at arbutusclub.com. If you have questions please contact Alice Chung, Karate Coordinator, at achung@arbutusclub.com