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KANAZAWA Hirokazu Kancho

Shotokan Karatedo International Federation(SKIF) led by Kancho Hirokazu KANAZAWA (10th Dan Black Belt), is now the world's largest Shotokan karate-do organization, having several millions of members in over 130 countries.

Kanazawa Kancho took up karate whilst at University , is one of the few remaining karateka privileged to have studied under Master Gichin Funakoshi(船越義珍) - the founder of The Shotokan style . Master Gichin Funakoshi who moved from Okinawa to Tokyo in 1923, his Shotokan Karate is the earliest Karate style practised in mainland Japan.

Kancho's Biography

  • 1931 Hirokazu Kanazawa was born in Iwate prefecture, Japan
  • 1956 Graduated from Takushoku University and joined Japan Karate Association
  • 1957 Kumite Champion at the 1st Japan Karate Championship
  • 1958 Kumite and Kata Champion
  • 1959 Kumite and Kata Champion
  • 1960 Chief Instructor in Hawaii and USA
  • 1961 5th DAN
  • 1962 Chief Instructor German Karate Federation
  • 1966 6th DAN, Chief Instructor of Karate Union of Great Britain
  • 1967 Chief Instructor of J.K.A. Europe & German Karate Federation
  • 1968 Coach of the Euroean team at the World Championship in Mexico
  • 1971 7th-dan, Chief Instructor of J.K.A. International Section ; Shihan at Musashi kogyo, Kanto gakuin and Kitasato Universities
  • 1972 Coach of the Japanese Team at the 2nd WUKO Championship in Paris, France
  • 1976 Referee 1st I.A.K.F. World Championship in Los Angeles; Referee J.K.A. Asia-Oceania
    Championship in Hong Kong
  • 1977 In December, he left J.K.A. to form Shotokan Karate International
  • 1978 Hachi-dan(8th-dan), International Martial Arts Federation
  • 1980 Referee 5th WUKO World Championship in Madrid
  • 1981 Referee 1st World games in Santa Clara, California USA
  • 1983 Chairman, 1st SKIF World Championship in Tokyo, Japan
  • 1985 Chairman, 2nd SKIF World Championship in Düsseldorf, West Germany
  • 1988 Kyu-dan(9th-dan), International Martial Arts Federation Chairman, 3rd SKIF World
    Championship in Utsunomiya, Japan
  • 1991 Chairman, 4th SKIF World Championship in Mexico-City, Mexico
  • 1994 Chairman, 5th SKIF World Championship in Yokohama, Japan
  • 1997 Chairman, 6th SKIF World Championship in Milan, Italy
  • 2000 Chairman, 7th SKIF World Championship in Bali, Indonesia
  • Presently, Kancho and Saiko-Shihan, Shotokan Karate-Do
  • International Federation International Referee, Japan Karate-Do Federation
  • Coach, Japan association of Physical Education