WJKA HISTORY



The aim of the World JKA Karate Association is to propagate pure JKA Shotokan karate steeped in the teachings and traditional methodology of the Japan Karate Association of the 1960’s through to the early 1980’s, prior to the death of Masatoshi Nakayama, and as outlined in the Best Karate Series.
The concept of the WJKA was first put to an international board in 1994 in Brussels, by Sidoli Sensei and Knobel Sensei at the 2nd JKA Euro-Camp in 1996.
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THE LEGACY CONTINUES
The WJKA proudly takes its roots from two of the most distinguished Shotokan instructors the world has ever seen:
- Nakayama Masatoshi 10th Dan, (1913 -1987) Chief Instructor, Japan Karate Association
- Asai Tetsuhiko 10th Dan (1935-2006) Former Technical Director, Japan Karate Association.
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WJKA PRESIDENT JAN KNOBEL

Jan Knobel 9th Dan began his karate training in Holland in 1970, where he was influenced by his Japanese instructor Miyazaki Satoshi 8th Dan to continue with a karate journey that would become his life.
Knobel sensei was a formidable tournament participant where he became Dutch National Champion on several occasions, JKA (Asai faction) European Champion, and finally JKA (Asai faction) World Champion 1996. He has also coached his squad through to places in several European and World Championships.
As a former member of the JSKA, he was certified as a member of their Shihankai by Abe Keigo 9th Dan and he is a Fellow, Technical Committee member and holds the shogo: Hanshi with the International Shotokan-Rye Karate-Do Shihankai.
During his 50 years+ in karate, he has trained with some of the most senior Japanese instructors in the world both at in Europe and Japan to include such notables as Nakayama Masatoshi 10th Dan, Kase Taiji 9th Dan, Shirai Hiroshi 9th Dan, Enoeda Keinosoku 9th Dan, Abe Keigo 9th Dan and Yahara Mikio 8th Dan however one of the main influences was to be Asai Tetsuhiko 10th Dan, former JKA Technical Director and founder of Asai Ha.
MEMORIES OF SHIHAN ASAI’s VISITS
10 to 12 June 1994 – Shihan Asai seminar in Zundert, Netherlands











13 June 1994 – Dan examinations with Shihan Asai at the UMO dojo in Roosendaal, Netherlands







14 June 1994 – Shihan Asai & sensei Kagawa staying with family of Jan Knobel in Roosendaal, Netherlands








11 June 1995 – Birthday party for Shihan Asai in Rucphen Netherlands






13 June 1995 – Shihan Asai visits Antwerp Belgium


20 July 1995 – Shihan Asai visits the Dutch team of sensei Knobel at the campsite in Vitznau – Switzerland



