You are warmly invited to our KDS 25th anniversary course in Võsu. Hopefully sunny Võsu...
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UK KDS Karate-Do Shotokai
Practising and teaching karate as taught by Master Mitsusuke Harada
Latest news
News and events, including information about upcoming karate courses
16 – 18 May, Essex, all grades
Register and pay Essex KDS is celebrating 60 years of the Harlow KDS club. The...
Read More25 – 27 April, Abergavenny, 4-5th Dan
This course will be hosted in ABERGAVENNY , which is in the Brecon Beaconarea. Nice...
Read MoreMessage from our Chairman
2024 was always going to be a big one with the 60th anniversary of summer...
Read More7 – 9 March, Hatfield, Spring School
Register and pay Register before 4 March. Register and pay Training times Friday March 7Studio...
Read More22 Feb, Bethnal Green, all grades
Facebook Twitter Instagram Bethnal Green would like to invite you to the first all grades...
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about
Mitsusuke Harada
The KDS was established in 1965 by Mitsusuke Harada. With his own organisation now formed, Master Harada distanced his organisation from the many political wranglings of other martial arts groups at that time. Harada Sensei, as he is referred to by his students; could now focus on the KDS, without outside influence.
Master Harada was awarded a 5th Dan (1956) personally by Gichin Funakoshi (O’Sensei) the founder of modern day Karate-do on mainland Japan. Master Harada has sought no higher grade since then. The grade of 5th Dan is the highest award given by the KDS. A tradition which was inherited from O’Sensei who accepted no higher than this.
In 2007, Queen Elizabeth II appointed Master Harada as a Member of the Order of the British Empire for his services to karate.
Karate course calendar
Find a karate club
We have clubs across the UK, Europe and America.
Karate course calendar
Our courses take place regularly in the UK, Europe and America.
About
Find out more about our history, style and Master Harada.
News, events, upcoming courses, photos and vidoes.
About us
Our history
The name “Shotokai” means Shoto’s group (Shoto being the pen name of Gichin Funakoshi).
The Shotokai were officially formed by the Funakoshi family, in order to take care of Gichin Funakoshi’s funeral arrangements. It contained his closest and most senior students, to whom he trusted the continual development of his Shotokan Karate.
As a result of political and personal disputes after the passing of O’Sensei, the Shotokai remained as a group that taught and developed Karate-do, as Gichin Funakoshi had intended.
Articles
Get Moving!
Article written by Jonathan de’ Claire for the Shotokan Karate...
Read MoreHarada Sensei – biography
Story by Jonathan de’ Claire BSc (Hons) – with the...
Read MoreHarada Sensei – interview
Master Mitsusuke Harada, Principal Instructor of the KDS and former...
Read MoreHarada Sensei – MBE interview
Jonathan de’ Claire interviews Master Harada shortly after he received...
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