Asai Sensei Memorial Practice: Christchurch, New Zealand.

The 4th Tetsuhiko Asai Sensei Memorial Training was held at the Christchurch Shotokan Karate club. The session was not a big class, but nevertheless had ample spirit and was a great tribute to Sensei.

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The training included exclusive practice of Asai Sensei's kihon (fundamentals) and his tokuiwaza (favourite/specialised techniques), specifically focused on drills he taught at the JKA Honbu Dojo in the early 1990's. We also practiced the kata Junro-shodan, and some very special kumite points from it, which are directly applicable for self-defense. The session concluded with a demonstration of advanced Asai-ryu kata and several points emphasised by Asai Sensei in jiyu-kumite (with both errors and correct methods modeled). In addition to this class, a black belt session was held focusing on refined kata and bunkai/oyo-jutsu. The kata and corresponding kumite covered were Kibaken, Junro, and the Asai-ha Shotokan-ryu versions of Gankaku, Nijushiho & Tekki-nidan.

© André Bertel, New Zealand 2010.