Kancho Kenneth Funakoshi

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FSKA Founder and Advisor Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Association

 

Address1293 South Park Victoria Ave.Milpitas CA 95035USA

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Biography

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Kancho Kenneth Yoshinobu Funakoshi, founder and advisor of the Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Association is fourth cousin to Master Gichin Funakoshi – the founder of Modern Shotokan.

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1938: Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, September 4th

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1948: Began Judo under Arazaki Sensei

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1956–59: Attended the University of Hawaii after winning a swimming scholarship. Continued training in Judo and commenced training in Kenpo under Kajukenbo Founder, Adriano Emperado. Won 1st place Kumite in the first Kajukenbo tournament in Hawaii.

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1959-60: Joined the USAF and taught Kenpo in Mexico.

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1960-63: Transferred to Hawaii and began training in Shotokan under Hirokazu Kanazawa.

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1963: Travelled to Japan to compete in the JKA Championships

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1963-64: Moved to L.A. in order to train under Hidetaka Nishiyama.

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1964–68: 5 Times Grand Champion of JKA-Hawaii Runner up in H. Nishiyama’s All American Karate Federation Championship kata and kumite several years.

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1965: Captain of Hawaii Team that defeated the All Japan Collegiate Championship Team

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1966–69: Trained under Tetsuhiko Asai.

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1967: Captain of Hawaii Team in JKA Championships in Tokyo. Advanced to the final day of competition in individual kumite.

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1968: Coach of Hawaii Team that defeated All Japan Collegiate Championship Team.

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1969: Appointed Chief Instructor of JKA-Hawaii.

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1978: Awarded ‘Instructor of the Year’ by Black Belt magazine.

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1984: Trained at JKA Instructor’s classes in Japan Appointed Chief Instructor of JKA Pacific region by Masatoshi Nakayama, Chief Instructor of JKA

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1985: Awarded 7th Dan by Hawaii Karate Kodanshakai, a multi-style karate association of senior instructors.

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1986: Moved to San Jose to teach Karate.

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1987: Founded Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Association to develop perfection of character through karate training and following the philosophy of Gichin Funakoshi’s Twenty Precepts.

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1994: Awarded 8th Dan by Hawaii Karate Kodanshakai

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1995–2005: Travels the world over teaching seminars, oversee gradings and supervise tournaments

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2001: Awarded 9th Dan by Hawaii Karate Kodanshakai

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2003: Sponsor of Annual FSKA World Championship in Las Vegas Sponsor of Annual FSKA European Championship in a

different country every year

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2007: Sponsor of Annual FSKA European Championship in England.