On Saturday, Aug. 22, Shotokan Karate fighters from across the nation will convene in Los Angeles’s Little Tokyo District to compete in the oldest karate demonstration in the U.S.
The 67th annual Nisei Week Karate Exhibition and Tournament, hosted by Shotokan Karate of America (SKA) at the Terasaki Budokan, will feature demonstrations of various techniques and kata (forms), as well as men’s and women’s individual and team kumite (sparring) tournaments. 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. He 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 Master 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, Switzerland, and Morocco.
In the U.S., SKA, under Ohshima’s leadership and guidance, of has continued to spread the teachings of Master Funakoshi and traditional karate. SKA will celebrate its 70th anniversary this year, with a celebration being held the day after the exhibition.
The exhibition and tournament will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Terasaki Budokan is located at 249 S. Los Angeles St. near Second Street.
SKA is a nationwide, nonprofit organization dedicated to the teaching of traditional karate-do since 1956. SKA’s emphasis upon development of strength in mind and character through traditional and rigorous training has led to its popularity in this country.
For additional information, call (213) 437-0988 or visit www.ska.org.