Bristol Karate Academy

Academy members and visitors got the incredible opportunity on Saturday to train with current JKS World Kumite Champion, Daisuke Watanabe Sensei.

Watanabe Sensei is a hugely talented karate exponent, based in Tokyo, Japan. As a graduate of the JKS kenshusei (instructor training) programme, he teaches at the JKS headquarters in Shinjuku City as well as at his own dojo in Machida.

But on Saturday, Watanabe Sensei was literally half a world away, teaching at Bristol Karate Academy, where he received the warmest of welcomes from karate-ka from across the West Country and South Wales.

The seminar was made up of two parts, with part one being a superb showcase of basic karate and part two being a masterclass what made Watanabe Sensei famous – his kumite. It’s little wonder why he’s one of the team of instructors behind Teikyo University’s most recent successes in the All-Japan university championships.

To some people, kumite is just a bit of kicking and punching. Watanabe Sensei’s grasp of the fine detail of kumite show that there’s so much more to it than that. Those who took part were given the opportunity to see first hand how to set up in such a way that you can make your opponents expect to see some movements that don’t come – and also to not see ones that do!

As well as teaching two exceptional classes, Watanabe Sensei very kindly took part in a Q&A session with everyone there. It was the kind of opportunity that simply isn't possible normally – getting to ask a world medallist absolutely anything at all, from his favourite kata through to his favourite moments of his karate career. Sensei was incredibly open with his answers.

Thank you to everyone who supported the event, especially those who travelled significant distances to take part. Without you, there is no event. Thank you to our band of helpers for making sure the venue was set up for us all and who helped make sure the event went without a hitch. Thanks also to JKS England, for giving us the opportunity to host our second JKS World Champion in little over three months. A true honour.

And finally, a huge thank you to Watanabe Sensei for his excellent instruction that was delivered with good humour and with such skill. We hope to see you again at Bristol Karate Academy in the future.

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