Returning to New Zealand to support the Christchurch Shotokan Karate Club

Throughout my career as a karateka I have moved backwards and forwards from Japan nearly a dozen times. And of course now is no different, so this is certainly not new in my life, even though it is new for the readers of this blog. After three years and three months of daily training, and teaching karate in Japan, I will once again return to Christchurch, New Zealand. My karate assignment is to assist in the growth of "high-quality" Shotokan karate in the Canterbury region, which has been one of my passions, since I first went to Japan as a 16-year old nidan. Needless to say, I will be supporting the CHRISTCHURCH SHOTOKAN KARATE CLUB, which is led by Lyall Stone Sensei. I will also be available for private training.

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Christchurch Shotokan Karate is the only club in the Canterbury region teaching traditional Shotokan correctly without compromising standards: There are other Shotokan clubs in Christchurch City, however their standards are shameful, literally not worthy of being called karate. Regardless of any affiliation to Japan, what these groups are teaching is not traditional Shotokan, and have been highly detrimental for the development of Shotokan in New Zealand. Therefore the only group I will work cooperatively with, will be the Christchurch Shotokan Karate Club. This will once again result in the emergence of a Shotokan karate club, in Christchurch City, offering high class Japan/international standards, to cater for everyone who is interested in practicing authentic Shotokan karate in the Canterbury region.

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The Christchurch Shotokan Karate Club has a long history with Asai Sensei from the Japan Karate Association days, right through to the present time: I would like to talk about this more here. It is the ONLY CLUB IN NEW ZEALAND with a history of "more than two years with Asai Sensei!" The club followed Asai Sensei since the original Japan Karate Association split right at the opening of the 1990's.

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Christchurch Shotokan Classes: The general classes of the Christchurch Shotokan Karate Club are held in the central city, in the gym of the in Christchurch Polytech Institute of Technology. These are held on Tuesday's and Thursday's starting at 6pm sharp. Daily advanced classes are also held, however these require application to attend. If you wish to contact me for private lessons, do so via my email: andrebertelono@gmail.com come to the dojo, train, and talk to me afterwards.

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As a professional international karate instructor I have to again emphasize that this is the THE ONLY DOJO teaching REAL SHOTOKAN KARATE in Christchurch-City, hence my support of it. My motivation in saying this is in hope that "authentic and world class is kept alive, and developed to a high level in my hometown" (as opposed to being reduced, and made into a joke, by groups, and instructors, which are completely incompetent).

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Upon returning to New Zealand I will be attending the general classes as well as daily black belt training, so if you make it to Christchurch, remember to bring your karatedo gi and obi. Mizuho and I look forward to seeing you when we get back to New Zealand. OSU!

© André Bertel, Japan 2010.