Review of 2025

To wrap up the year I’d like to give a brief summary from this year—2025!

Before doing that, and before my final training of the year, I want to wish everyone a very happy, healthy and prosperous NEW YEAR.

Stay tuned, BIG THINGS TO COME IN 2026...

In January alone, Renshusei from across Japan, two Renshusei from Poland, and an International Seminar in Kapiti Coast (NEW ZEALAND). 

押忍!

アンドレ

_____________________

André Bertel

主席師範

国際空手道松濤館

Oita City, JAPAN

_____________________

(1.0) 連取生 (RENSHUSEI)

Besides domestic Japanese Renshusei, throughout the year we also had Renshusei (Trainees) from ten other nations: (1) Brazil, (2) Australia, (3) Germany, (4) Canada, (5) Italy, (6) South Africa, (7) Austria, (8) New Zealand, (9) Portugal and (10) Netherlands. 

(1.1) 国際セミナー (INTERNATIONAL SEMINARS)

1. Christchurch, NEW ZEALAND (February 15-16, 2025). Hosts — IKS Christchurch Ltd. (Head Organizer: Peter Burtenshaw Sensei)

2. Szczecin, POLAND (May 17-18, 2025). Hosts —  UKS Pomerania-Szczecin (Head Organizer: Paweł Karpov Sensei)

3. Vohenstrauß, GERMANY (July 19-20, 2025). Hosts — Turnverein Vohenstrauß Von 1864 E.V. (Head Organizer: Marcel Bieber Sensei).

4. Brandenberg, GERMANY (September 27-28, 2025). Hosts — Keiko Kampfkunst Und Sport E.V. (Head Organizer: Jan Gebhardt Sensei)

(1.2) Updated 型 (KATA) REQUIREMENTS—for 2026 IKS Dan Exams

初段 (Shodan)

a . One free-choice kata from Bassai Dai, Kankudai, Enpi, Jion or Hangetsu.

b . One free-choice kata from any Heian or Tekki Shodan.

弐段 (Nidan)

a . One free-choice kata from any Shotokan kata (excluding Heian).

b . One free-choice kata from Bassai Dai, Kankudai, Enpi, Jion, Hangetsu, Jitte or  

    Gankaku.

参段 (Sandan), 四段 (Yondan), 五段 (Godan)

a . One free-choice kata from any Shotokan kata (excluding Heian).

b . Second free-choice from any Shotokan kata (excluding Heian) or from one of the 

    official IKS Koten-gata.

六段 (Rokudan), 七段 (Nanadan), 八段 (Hachidan)

• Tokui-gata: One free-choice kata (any kata excluding Heian).

(1.3) Conclusive Remarks: Review of 2025 YOUTUBE Channel Videos

 

    

© André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (December 31st, 2025).

Special practice: All of the IKS (JAPAN) EXAMINATION KIHON

Special keiko today... I practiced all of the IKS Examination Kihon. Sorry, Japanese only. OSU!

 

1. 下段払い

2. 中段順突き
3. 上段順突き
4. 三本連突き
5. (自由な構え) 刻み突きから三本蓮突き

6. 上段揚げ受け
7. 上段揚げ受けから中段逆突き
8. 上段揚げ受けから前蹴り蹴上げ
9. (自由な構え) 一歩下がって上段揚げ受けから回し蹴り、裏拳横回し打ちそして中段順突き

10. 中段外腕受け
11. 中段外腕受けから中段逆突き
12. 中段外腕受けから寄り足（騎馬立ち）中段横猿臂
13. 中段外腕受けから寄り足（騎馬立ち）中段横猿臂そして裏拳横回し打ち

14. 中段内腕受け

15. 中段内腕受けから中段逆突き

16. 中段内腕受けから上段刻み突き

17. 中段内腕受けから上段刻み突きそして中段逆突き

18. (後屈立ち）手刀中段受け

19. (後屈立ち）手刀中段受けから中段縦四本貫手

20. (後屈立ち）手刀中段受けから刻み前蹴りそして中段縦四本貫手

21. (後屈立ち）手刀中段受けから刻み回し蹴りそして中段縦四本貫手

22. 中段前蹴り蹴上げ

23. 中段前蹴り蹴上げから中段順突き

24. 蓮蹴り: 中段前蹴り蹴上げから上段前蹴り蹴上げ

25. (自由な構え) 上段刻み突きから中段前蹴り蹴上げそして中段順突き

26. 横蹴り蹴上げ（騎馬立ち）

27. 横蹴り蹴込み（騎馬立ち）

28. 横蹴り蹴上げ足を変えて横蹴り蹴込み（騎馬立ち）

29. 回し蹴り

30. 後ろ蹴り蹴込 

31. 回し蹴りから中段逆突き

32. 回し蹴りから後ろ蹴り蹴込み

33. (自由な構え) 前蹴り蹴上げから横蹴り、回し蹴り、後ろ蹴り蹴込、裏拳横回し打ちそして中逆

　　突き

34. 三方向蹴り：前蹴り蹴上げから横蹴り蹴込そして後ろ蹴り蹴込

35. 移動目標：逆突き

© André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (2025).

一枚の絵が千を描く (Ichi mai no e ga sen o kaku): Part 2

TRAINING 25th and 26th December, 2025.

Special focus: 自然蹴り技 (SHIZEN KERIWAZA).

 

                                         © André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (2025).

一枚の絵が千を描く (Ichi mai no e ga sen o kaku): Part 1

Some images from Keiko over the last two days. As I conclude the year my focus primarily goes to Kihon and Kata practice.

This year, to wrap up, I have been following Nakayama Masatoshi Sensei's final grading syllabus kihon, before he passed away. I have an official copy of this and it has some renwaza not commonly trained now.

Indeed, such changes reflect a different approach and mentality in Shotokan Karate and, certainly, Karate in general.

In 2026, I want to talk about this point, from my mentor, Asai Tetsuhiko Sensei's perspective: who was Nakayama Sensei's 'right-hand man' in 1987, and the Technical Director of the JKA (Japan Karate Association).

Until then, 一枚の絵が千を描く (Ichi mai no e ga sen o kaku)... "A picture speaks a thousand words"

押忍!
 

 

　　　　　　　　　　　　© André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (2025).