On Saturday, Aug. 10, Shotokan Karate fighters from across the nation will convene in Little Tokyo to compete in the oldest karate demonstration in the U.S.
The 65th annual Nisei Week Karate Exhibition and Tournament, hosted by Shotokan Karate of America (SKA) at the Terasaki Budokan, will feature individual and group demonstrations of fighting forms and sparring. The event is open to the public and free of charge.
The Nisei Week Karate Exhibition began in 1957 when Tsutomu Ohshima gave the first official demonstration of the martial art to the American public. Ohshima is a direct student of Master Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of modern-day karate who brought the art from Okinawa to mainland Japan. After learning karate from Funakoshi, Ohshima traveled throughout the world teaching karate to thousands of students and founding karate organizations in 15 countries, including the U.S., France, Canada, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, and Morocco.
In the U.S., SKA under Ohshima’s leadership and guidance has continued to spread the teachings of Funakoshi and traditional karate for over 60 years.
Kei Teramoto, executive vice president of SKA and one of the senior instructors of Little Tokyo’s Maryknoll Karate Club, says of the exhibition, “Having participated in this event since 1967, it is very encouraging and rewarding to now see the Yonsei generation, including my daughters, continue serious training in Shotokan Karate. Keeping the tradition that Ohshima Sensei established is important not only for us, but for generations to come.”
The exhibition and tournament will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Terasaki Budokan, 249 S. Los Angeles St. (between Second and Third streets) in Little Tokyo. Doors open at 1 p.m.
Watch the Nisei Week promo video on YouTube for more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1scJhnbLs0.
SKA is a nationwide, nonprofit organization dedicated to the teaching of traditional karate-do since 1955. SKA’s emphasis upon development of strength in mind and character through traditional and rigorous training has led to its popularity in this country. Its founder, Tsutomu Ohshima, is one of the most highly regarded karate instructors in the world.
For additional information, call (213) 437-0988 or visit www.ska.org.