Masamichi Shinohara (8th Dan, JKF Wado KAi Technical Committee member) visited from Japan to work with Canadian technical leaders Norma Foster,  Peter Stoddart, Barry Welch and  Neil Hudson  together with Desmond Bell from San Francisco, California, USA to provide two days of intensive training and a day of dan examinations.

Over 50 enthusiastic participants travelled from Eastern and Western Canada, Berkeley California, Hawaii and the Netherlands to attend this inaugural first major post-covid CZWKA event hosted in Canada by Guseikai Calgary. 

This was also a milestone event as CZWKA celebrates its 25th Anniversary this year.

The event was a huge success, and despite the ever present threat of covid, the effects of altitude, the shock and physical repercussions of training with intensity for 16 hours within 2 days after 2 years of covid fallout, spirits ran high as we all studied with a purpose and tried to remind ourselves what karate is all really about. Everyone was very positive, helpful, hard-working and respectful. Shinohara sensei surprised many with his understated humble teaching style, ability to smile constantly, and use Google translate. For many, he was also the first instructor of that vintage (age 73 years) who they had ever seen physically demonstrate every single kata he taught.  I think most of us were inspired to  work as hard as possible and just do our best. We are very grateful to Mr. Shinohara …who tested covid-positive after landing in Narita airport and was sent to a quarantine hotel for 7 days.  On day 8 He finally boarded a  shinkansen (bullet train) for Hiroshima, where he was finally reunited with his family…. after teaching his karate class of course.

Delightful gentleman and excellent Wado technician.

Congratulations to the following who passed the following exams:

       Shodan

Murray Beauliua,  Addison Groenewold,  Cooper Hatswell,  Dimitri Kotopoulos,  Cindy Hutchison,
Benjamin Doig, Ilsie Mills,  Ektoras Papadopoulos, Matthew Pinaroc,  Sidonie Smith,
Mitchell Stibbard,  Mitchell Stibbard,  Masataro Tatsuno,  Isabella Townson, Lauren Townson     Nidan   Logan Bayley,   Ryan Oishi,  Charlie O’Grady,  Dave Seifridt   Sandan George Papadopoulos,   Koralia Spanidi Godan Kevin Chao,  Tom Kaneshige,  Nicole Levesque-Welch,  Simon Raybould

For more photos and a comment from Host sensei George Papadopoulos (Guseikai Calgary) please click here.