Dartmoor Karate

Soke Hirokazu Kanazawa, 10th Dan

Soke Kanazawa was born in 1931 in Iwate in Japan. He originally studied judo, but having seen a demonstration of karate he decided to change to karate. He became a student at Takushoku University which was famous for its karate. He studied karate under the founder of the Shotokan style of karate, Gichin Funakoshi as well as other masters of karate including Nakayama, Nishiyama and Okazaki. He progressed rapidly and achieved fame through his success in the All Japan Karate Championships which included winning the kumite when he had a broken wrist.  In 2012 he officially retired from international travel.  

A summary of Soke Kanazawa's history is as follows:

1956 After Takushoku graduation, he joined the Japan Karate Association
1957 Kumite champion in the 1st All Japan Karate Championships

1958 Grand champion in the 2nd All Japan Karate Championships winning both the kata and the kumite

1959 2nd place in both the kumite and kata in the 3rd All Japan Karate Championships

1961 Chief instructor in Hawaii and United States, 5th Dan
1962 Chief instructor in Germany
1965 Chief instructor in the UK

1966 6th Dan
1968 Coach for the European team at the World Championships in Mexico.

1968 Returns to Japan to take up the post of Director of the JKA.

1971 7th Dan

1972 Coach to the Japanese JKA squad who won the World Championships in Paris
1977 Leaves the JKA and establishes SKIF (Shotokan Karate-do International federation).

2000 Awarded the highest rank in Martial arts, 10th dan, at the Indonesian championships in Bali.

2013 Formally transferred the title “Kancho” to his son Nobuaki Kanazawa and becomes Soke.