People - I
Important people within Karate
Shihan N Ishikawa, 8th Dan
Shihan Ishikawa was born 4 April 1942, in Karafto, Japan (Karafto is in the north of the Japanese island Hokkaido). The island Hokkaido is one of the most northern islands of Japan. Karafto lies nearly on the same level as Stockholm, Sweden.
Growing up: Ishikawa lived in Sapporo (approximately 1 Million residents) (level of Munchen, Germany) till he was 12 years old. After that Ishikawa lived in the big city Nagoya (approximately 3 million people) (level: Lyon, France). Nagoya lies on the main island of Japan, named Honshu.
Study: Ishikawa studied economics at the Chukyo university in Nagoya from 1960 to 1964 and has a bachelor degree. After this, Ishikawa studied a year human anatomy at the same university.
Karate history: Japan, Ishikawa started karate when he was 14 years old. At this age Ishikawa was busy with sports like athletics and baseball. His father practised Kendo, but Ishikawa didn't like this at all and was more interested in Judo and Karate. Ishikawa started with Judo, but because he was so skinny, it didn't fit him. Coincidentally next to the Judo Dojo was a Karate Dojo where they practised WADO Karate. Ishikawa was very interested so he started Karate in this dojo. At the age of 18 (1960) Ishikawa received his 1st Dan (black belt) in WADO Karate. Back then it was a very good, because the highest graded WADO karate-ka in Japan was a 5th Dan. (in Judo the highest graded was a 10th Dan.) At the age of 21 he received his 2nd Dan and at 24 years (1966) his 3rd Dan.
After this Ishikawa went to Europe by request of Kono Sensei to promote WADO Karate and
give lessons in Holland.
Karate history: Europe, period 1966 - 1978. In December 1966 Ishikawa came to Europe as an assistant of Kono Sensei. Ishikawa assisted Kono Sensei in teaching WADO Karate to Judo teachers. Back then the highest Dutch WADO Karate-ka was a blue belt! Ishikawa taught karate for a few years in Holland (1967). After that he spend several months in England to teach. France was next -requested by Mochizuki Sensei to teach WADO Karate. Ishikawa taught not only in Paris, but through whole of France. Ishikawa also gave seminars in Belgium and Germany. Around 1971 Holland sought a Japanese karate teacher, since Kono Sensei left to Germany. In 1971 Ishikawa returned to Holland (Amsterdam) to teach WADO Karate. In the beginning Ishikawa Sensei only instructed Karate teachers. Famous teachers now trained with Shihan Ishikawa like: Jack van Hellemond, Teun Tromp, Jetze van Dijk, enz. and later Rob Zwartjes, Wim Muilwijk, Harm Massee, Alex Brouwer and many others. Later, Shihan Ishikawa went to other sport schools and teachers of sport schools invited Shihan Ishikawa to give seminars. Shihan Ishikawa also gave many demonstrations and special seminars such as summer camps, weekend training, etc.. In 1970 the first union was created: Wado Kai Europe. Shihan Ishikawa was General Secretary from 1970 to 1978. In the period of 1966 to 1978 (12 years) Shihan Ishikawa gave a major contribution to the popularity and professionalisation of WADO Karate in Holland.
Karate history: Europe, period 1978 - 1989. In this period karate was less popular and there were problems about the way how WADO Karate should develop itself. In this period Shihan Ishikawa was continuously busy to spread WADO Karate and promote it, by teaching, giving demonstrations and seminars.
Karate history: Europe, period 1989 - 1999. In 1989 a successful attempt to promote WADO Karate in Europe was created with the new union: WIKF. This WADO International Karate Federation was created to gave the popularity and further spread of WADO a boost. This WIKF was under leadership of Hanshi T. Suzuki, 8th Dan, who lead this organisation from his home-base London, England. By request of Hanshi T. Suzuki, Ishikawa became, during 1989-1999, Chief Instructor Europe of the WIKF.
Karate history: Europe, period 1989 - 1999. During the WIKF period Shihan Ishikawa felt more and more urge to follow
the traditional WADO Karate according to the style and the rules from grandmaster Ohtsuka as it was and is promoted at
the home-base in Japan. In 1998 Shihan Ishikawa contacted Hanshi Takashima (8th Dan) in Japan. Shihan Ishikawa
knows Hanshi Takashima from his student time, when Takashima taught to students from the university. Shihan Ishikawa knew that Hanshi Takashima was one of the few who still trained
with grandmaster Ohtsuka the last period of Ohtsuka's life. So, he was close to the
founder teaching traditional WADO Karate and preserving such. Hanshi Takashima became supervisor of a new organisation that would promote traditional
WADO Karate.
On this basis, WADO Ryu Renmei was founded. This organisation is lead by Shihan Ishikawa with supervision of Hanshi Takashima.
Every year Shihan Ishikawa invites the supervisor Hanshi Takashima from Japan to come to Europe for 2 weeks to give many guest-seminars (mostly in May) and with this, promoting traditional WADO Karate.
Of course Hanshi Takashima helps Holland a great deal with his visits!
Karate: Past - Present – Future. Shihan Ishikawa will keep on promoting and teaching
the traditional WADO Karate as designed and intended by grandmaster Ohtsuka.
From his home-base Rotterdam (Holland), Shihan Ishikawa is not only busy in Holland,
but through whole Europe and even outside Europe. (see International) All this
supported by Japanese instructors who have been close to grandmaster Ohtsuka.
Shihan Ishikawa invites everyone who shares his vision, to teach and promote with him and under his guidance, the traditional WADO Karate as created by grandmaster Ohtsuka.
To learn more about Ishikawa Shihan, please visit: www.shihan-ishikawa.nl
