Those were the days. Good, hard and direct kumite. Today we have WKF, much shouting and too many "show". I am glad that some dojos still practice hard Karate, even if nobody knows them really...
@@konstantinos8868 Agree to disagree. 10 plus years of actual full contact karate and growing up in a shitty neighborhood. Overstylized uniform factories are a direct result of the japanisation of karate, but keep paying your membership fees and deluding yourself into thinking you cam fight much less defend yourself because you did some kumite and maybe got that 1 anecdote about putting some drunk in his place or whatever bs you semi contact bullshitters pull out of your ass when called out :D
@@AspiringSanta Dude, shows how little you know about JKA style Shotokan. Yahara was involved in tens if not hundreds of fights with hardened yakuza thugs, and even had his own security company which assisted both corporations and municipal governments in dealing with organized crime. This is not a legend but a well known fact that caused him a lot of problems with some JKA bosses.
Look, I wasn`t try to brag. I just happened to live in Tokyo and sign up at the nearest Karate dojo... which (unbeknowst to me) was the JKA hombu at the time. So my teachers where Kagawa, Abe, Yamaguchi, Richard Amos, Isaka, etc etc. Saying I was sparring with Kagawa would be misleading; more like being allowed to take some potshots which he laughed off. Still, I got to see what power these guys have. Seeking Kagawa warming by kicking the sandbag to the ceiling is something you don´t forget.
Same here. I was in a JKA affiliate in the US. Moved to Japan with my Japanese wife and took a job in Ebisu. What luck. five minutes walk from work and I was there. All the same Sensei you mentioned, along with Imamura, Shiina, Aramoto (RIP), Isaka, and Kanayama. Here's a really long story so I'll preface it with TLDR: Shiina Sensei made Kanayama Sensei beat up a black belt who was bullying lower belts. The Story: It was in the JKA Hombu Dojo in Ebisu. Shiina Sensei was teaching and Kanayama Sensei was assisting--you know, walking around correcting people in class. There was a black belt who had come from some Middle Eastern country, I don't remember which. He had one of those old beat-up black belts that were so worn and so frayed that they look white, as if he'd been wearing it for a decade or more. He kept hitting lower (white, green, blue, purple) belts in the face with way too much contact. Shiina Sensei told him to stop. He said, "Osu" but kept on doing it. Shiina Sensei warned him three or four more times, but he kept doing it. Then Shiina Sensei said, "We're going to practice Kumite. First you (pointing to the black belt) and . . . uh . . . you (pointing to Kanayama Sensei. They squared up and Shiina Sensei said, "Hajime!" Kanayama Sensei sprang forward, popped the guy in the mouth with a solid Oizuki and then walked away looking victorious, the way it usually happens in sun-dome (point) matches. But Shiina Sensei said, "I didn't say 'Yame'" So Kanayama Sensei sprang back into action: pop! Pop! Pop! Three more hits to the face. Then he backed off. Shiina Sensei said, "I still didn't say 'Yame!'" Then Kanayama Sensei finally got the message. He jumped on that guy and starting pounding the shit out of him. Before long, the guy was curled up in a ball on the floor and Kanayama Sensei was still punching him. After what seemed like a really long time, Shiina Sensei said, in a very soft, very calm, low voice, "yame." After a couple of minutes, the bloody black belt stood up. Shiina Sensei looked at him and said, "Wakatta?" The black belt replied, "Osu." He never hit another person that night and I never saw him in class again.
1 in a million match up between 2 of JKA's legendary tigers. Karate has always been one of the stepping stones of some great MMA fighters. The rules of JKA has been known as one of the hardest. You only have 3 mins and if you got 3 points before the times up, then you won the bout.
yes, yamaguchi sensei did the jka instructors course. he left with kagawa, ishimine, asai, kanayama to form jks. yamaguchi was 5 times all japan champion. adept at both kumite and kata.he trains everyday, taking classes, instructors courses,seminars.essentially the technical director-if you get a chance to see him he is excellent.
Sadly, Asai Sensei is no longer with us, but if you search RU-vid for Hoshimi Asai, you'll see that his daughter is very much active in the Karate world, though not in the JKA.
He is not only alive, he is kicking. Running his own JKA style dojo in Tokyo (in Shirokane) and running his security business at the same time. If sign up, you can train with him.
These are 2 of the very greatest technicians. Watch other clips of teachings and demos and that much is clear. They have each reached the absolute zenith of skill. On this clip remember it is purely ritualized combat, not a street fight. Trust me that even at 70, these would be the last men on earth to tangle with.
@555hansy It's a combination of Goju and Shotokan. I think the more varied kicking developed as a result of not being able to use hands to opponent's heads, which forced them to get more creative with their legs.
Stupid comment. This is Shotokan, you genius. The idea is to pull the punches in the last second, which these guys do with amazing control. This is not Kyokushin, where they punch full force, but spare the head (unrealistic). Still, people do get hit in Shotokan and are supposed to eat it without complaining.
@AI True. I also find it very confusing why you get points for this and not for another punch. I used to work at the door in a city where the whole doorman community was mainly Shotokan. Training buddies of mine also sparred with Kagawa, Tanaka, and a few others of the top brass JKA. They are certainly not fake.
De hecho el estilo del sensei Kagawa es impecable,ordenado,conserva la esencia y elegancia del Shotokan JKA tradicional ganarle a otro grande como Yahara lo demuestra.
I was gonna ask this question. I am not a competition practitioner, and have no idea what rules are or used to be... but why was Yahara's opening jodan that cut Kagawa's lip (right in the beginning) considered an Ippon? Was it because he slipped ? Thank you.
@becs5120 I had thought that it was unclear which was intended - due to no written records of the art (Naha-te, Shou-te etc) being kept, and the shared symbol for both 'Chinese' and 'empty' - until Gichin Funakoshi decided 'empty hand' fit better. I'm sure he gives his thoughts in Karate-Do Nyumon.
You mean Gogen Yamaguchi Sensei, I meant Takashi Yamaguchi Sensei who is also ex-JKA. And followed Kagawa sensei to the JKS. I think he did his instructors course with the JKA? But I'm not sure.
@genious4real No, muay thai generally does not chamber the round kick. Some camps do, probably because of TKD influence (TKD is huge in Thailand), but when 99% of people say Muay Thai round kick they're picturing the no-chamber straight-leg.
@aiyer1989 I watched some videos of both those fighters. While they are both outstanding competitors and incredibly athletic, I fail to see why you think neither Yahara or Kagawa would be able to defeat them.
@genious4real Obviously over time it evolved, but those were the two styles Oyama combined to initially create it. And while I do think Muay Thai had an influence, I don't think it was nearly as strong as some people assume. They already did lowkicks before Oyama sent his people over to Thailand. You can't clinch and knee under Kyokushin rules, which makes for different tactics. And if MT influenced their punching it sure doesn't come out in their ruleset.
Yes but Yamaguchi Sensei has done the instructors course and still does it every day - whereas most people do it and leave. Kagawa Sensei is chief instructor to the JKS.
these men are not playing. they are just that good that they are able to strike with full kime and end 1mm of their intended target. Try fight them before disrespecting them, and be sure to have your plastic underpants on, cause you will s... yourself
It's funny both these men have superb techniques as I've seen them train. Then the face off, all goes to pot and out the window and not a decent technique in sight. Goes to prove when faced with the pressure and fear of the fight all training is lost and basic instinct takes over, this has happened to me also. All goes to jelly....
Yes and no. I mean they are having to pull alot of punches and techniques as its not full contact. At the same time they are still very fast and their timing is still very good.
Its knowledge of the competition your oponent is equally skilled and if you think to do a big technique you have the risk of being hit by a counter so better stick to the basics
@jin54363 First, Okinawa had their own style called Te (Hand) which was later influenced by their trade partners in China (Kung Fu). After Okinawa was invaded by Japan, this is where the major Japanese roots start. Those are the connections in a nutshell.
@555hansy what jin54363 says is very! wrong.. karate means empty (kara) hand (te), so without weapons. it spread from okinawa to japan and after WWII it became popular in the west aswell, cause many american soliders were living on okinawa for many years. teakwondo is based on (shotokan)karate, but the style changed quite a bit; today its mostly about kicks, although it was about kicks, punches etc, just like karate. the different karate styles today mainly differ in terms of kata/kumite...
uhm i see....we seem to be talking not of the same...there is was (dont know if he passed away) an Yamaguchi Sensei i think his nickname was the Cat... what i was trying to say is that Kagawa Sensei as the JKA karate school behind him, the same for Asai Sensei, so the techniques are equal... i never had the chance to train with Kagawa Sensei but i would like to even belonging to JKA. OSS
Yahara sensei won the fight Kagawa sensei won the game. Both knew it when they walked off the floor. Never let winning a competition be your reason for being there. It’s to test your timing and speed not play tag. I’m not knocking Kagawa sensei, I’m simply stating what took place here.
That's a very sweeping statement. The instructors course that Kagawa Sensei is the chief instructor for is taught by Yamaguchi Sensei - who some would consider a REAL karate-ka - his fights are just as hard core. Yamaguchi students, such as Nagaki or Nihey Sensei are just as tough to fight and watch. So I think Kagawa sensei has passed on his knowledge and ballet ways to the next generation. REAL Karate is still out there - change your club. Good training
gudging by the fact itself that you could reply that fast would mean your not taking the nessicary time to train to be good enough to win against such fast people. and im sorry, im not trying to be rude, but ive never heard of vale tudo, what do they focus on and what are their strengths? just for my own knowledge, please and thank you.
ask also the boxers why they let their guards down when they they can be punch on their face. You can guard your face without putting your arms across your face.
@genious4real So what would you listen to? A link to a Kyokushin forum where various Kyokushin guys explain the difference between Kyokushin and Muay Thai round kick? A video of round kicks from Kyokushin tournaments where you can see chambers and no downward angle. Lol, just let me know.
Have respect PaulGappyNorris, you apparently dont know what shotokan karate is. it might be an accumulated form but it is nevertheless very much dangerous a school. Learn , do your research then make comments. and also you really dont want this to go beyond what you call a "game of tags", believe me talking from first hand experience from an interschool compitition.
@superjedimaster01 Karate was is meant to make you a better person...mastery of the spirit through mastery of the body, so isn't it kinda twisted to use it just for competition? Thats atleast my opinion
Why are there non-contact rules in these competitions, yet lots of face contact and injuries? Why are there less injuries in full-contact tournaments? The facts are simple: this is sport karate,and nothing to do with 'fighting'.
if you cant knock down an opponent wih 1 o 2 at least tsukis or kicks then you're doing something wrong.... in this kumite we can see good technique maybe he touched his mouth but he controlled it the most he can otherwise rip teeths
don't worry i didn't see it as you were bragging. More that you were just being open about your experiences training with the highest status of karateka.
