The JKA France Shotokan Karate Spring Gasshuku was held in Le Thillay (France), from Thursday May 18, 2023 to Sunday May 21, 2023. This 2023 edition was organized in partnership with the HEIO DOJO LE THILLAY (Guerin sensei father & son) and marks the will for the structure to place itself in a dynamic trajectory of development. Two JKA HQ instructors were invited on this occasion: SHIINA Shihan and UEDA Sensei.
We were delighted to see that more than 100 karatekas came from all over France as well as visitors from Algeria, Tunisia and Luxembourg. We have overflowed our borders!
Spring Gasshuku was open to karateka of any shotokan organization, rank, and age. The participants were thus divided by workshop and the instructors rotated between the groups. Each and everyone was able to perfect the kihon, the kata and the kumite according to their level of practice.
On Thursday evening, the first class, under the direction of SHIINA Shihan, brought together around twenty teachers. In the purest JKA style, such as the training sessions faced by JKA HQ instructors, the emphasis was placed on a kihon favoring the length of the positions, and the speed of execution of the techniques. All this, implemented, in KUMITE, with rigor and explosiveness! The other lessons made it possible to deepen the kata HEIAN, KANKU DAI, JITTE, GANKAKU, TEKKI 1-3. Some physical preparation exercises to build a martial body were presented by UEDA sensei. Lautier Sensei, invited privately by the Thillay dojo, presented a course on open hand techniques (shuto, heito, nukite) and illustrated the ancient forms of teaching.
While on Friday afternoon the Instructor, Judge, Examiner D/D/D qualification exams were held, Saturday afternoon gave way to a Dan test (1-5).
We are very honored to have hosted a JKA event of this magnitude. It was a great success. The sensei have been models for combining rigor, benevolence and progress!
“Together” we have reaffirmed our ambition to develop shotokan JKA karate, guided by the aims displayed by JKA WF / JKA HQ. Three new dojos have expressed the desire to join the JKA-FSK structure.
The comments of the participants showed their impatience to meet next December for the Xmas Gasshuku under the direction of NAKA Shihan.