Ελληνική Οργάνωση Shito-ryu Shukokai Karate Do

Saturday 9th of July - Saturday 16th of July
A week full of beautiful memories! A week full of indescribable emotions. Emotions, which can only be understood by all those who participated in the Summer Camp of the European Shito-ryu Shukokai Karate Do Union. in Heraklion of Crete. Even Students of white belt have travelled from other countries of Europe, from such a long way, to live unforgettable moments during this event. Students that were thirsty not only for experience, but also for knowledge! There have also been students of the Shotokan style of Karate, who showed an intense interest toward the seminars and we thank them very much.

The whole summer camp was lead by the great Japanese Instructor, Shihan Tsutomu Kamohara - 8th Dan, Chief-Instructor/Technical Director & Α' Vice-President of Shito-ryu Shukokai Karate Union Europe. Denis Casey was by his side, Β' Vice-President of Shito-ryu Shukokai Karate Union Europe, and Chief-Instructor/Technical Director of Scotland & Wales, along with Thomas Hausner - 6th Dan, President of Shito-ryu Shukokai Karate Union Europe and Chief-Instructor/Technical Director of Austria, Christopher Mileham - 6th Dan, General Secretary of Shito-ryu Shukokai Karate Union Europe, as well as a lot of other great Instructors.

From the Greek side, Nikolaos Karaiskakis - 4th Dan was participating, Chief-Instructor & Technical Director of Greece, Α' Vice-President Shito-ryu Shukokai Karate Union Greece, having his wife Anna Hourdaki by his side, 4th Dan, President of Shito-ryu Shukokai Karate Union Greece, Georgios Plousos, 2nd Dan, Β' Vice-President of the Union from Dafnes of Heraklion, Amargiotakis Emmanouel, 1st Dan, Treasurer of the Union, from the Athletic club "Ikaros" of Kato Gouves of Heraklion, the member of the Directory Committee, Nikolaos Pitsitakis, 2nd Dan and the member of the Directory Committee & responsible person for International Public Relations, Dimitrios Petrakis, 1st Dan.
Sensei Kamohara has taught the whole syllabus of Shukokai up to the 2nd Dan. Trainings took place every day, from 10:00 to 12:00 as well as from 17:00 to 19:00 in the closed stadium "Linto", next to Pankritio Stadium.
The Greek Shito-ryu Shukokai Karate Do Union was really fortunate to be taught "Papuren" kata. A kata of Chinese origin, which o-Sensei Kenwa Mabuni was taught by Go Ken Ki, the very-well known tea merchant and grand master of the White Crane system. This kata is known by only a very few karatekas today, since it is quite rare. It has now become a new element for the Shukokai syllabus.

During Tuesday, the organisers of the show of Kriti TV entitled "Kalo Mesimeri" have asked for a small demonstration, which was initially performed by a selected team of Shukokai students, and thereinafter by Sensei Kamohara and Sensei Hausner. The demonstration was accompanied by some interviews later on, where the questions concerned the history and philosophy of Karate, the European Summer Camp - to which a thorough report was offered - as well as other matters of general interest.

During the afternoon/evening of the same day, instruction was taken over by the Chief-Instructor of Greece, Sensei Nikolaos Karaiskakis - 4th Dan, who taught "Maezato No Nunchaku" kata, which is a kata of Ryu-Kyu Kobudo, the art of traditional weapons of Okinawa, as well as basic techniques.

On Wednesday, a daily excursion was on schedule towards the western side of the island (Kournas Lake, Koumos, Georgioupoli, Chania), where the foreign participants had the chance to admire the island from a wider perspective.

On Thursday, sessions were performed normally, while on Friday, the morning session was initially performed on the beach of Creta Beach Hotel (where the participants from abroad were accomodated) and later on, in the sea!

During the afternoon/evening Dan Gradings took place in the dojo of Sensei Karaiskakis, in which 7 students participated, of which 6 were Greeks and 1 British, with total success. In detail, the successful were the following:

1) Mike Rowland - 5th Dan
2) Georgios Plousos - 2nd Dan
3) Stergios Tsakalakis - 2nd Dan
4) Nikolaos Pitsitakis - 2nd Dan
5) Dimitrios Petrakis - 1st Dan
6) Emmanouel Amargiotakis - 1st Dan
7) Stella Alevizaki - 1st Dan

At the same time, the evening session was again taken over by Sensei Karaiskakis, to teach Kobudo. During the evening of the same day, the "Sayoonara party" followed, wish a farewell to all participants from abroad, who would now soon return to their countries, while during Saturday morning, a last session was performed, where the Dan diplomas were conferred to the successful, as well as a diploma of participation to all the partipants of the summer camp

It is also worthy to mention that Sensei Kamohara, with the great help of an experienced student from Austria, has filmed a professional DVD which will contain the whole syllabus of Shukokai up to the 2nd Dan, in detail (kata, bungai, kihon kumite etc), which will most likely be released by the end of this year.

The Summer Camp of Shito-ryu Shukokai Karate Union Europe - which was organised by the Greek Shukokai Union - was such a beautiful experience which passed very quickly, as if it only lasted for a moment.

Everyone left our island, being very happy with the Cretan hospitality, as well as with the whole organisation and renewed their appointment for the World Cup of Shukokai, which will take place in Chartres of France, on the 10th, 11th & 12th of November 2005. The continuance will be given in the World Championship, which will take place in Amagasaki of Japan, during April of 2006. Sensei Karaiskakis will participate in both events with a selected team of students of Shukokai Greece, as well as in the seminars of Haruyoshi Yamada, Hanshi, 9th Dan - Chief-Instructor of Shito-ryu the World Shito-ryu Shukokai Karate Do Union, which will take place in Amagasaki of Japan.

Shukokai is one of the most traditional organisations, with its headquarters based in Japan. Chief-Instructor is Haruyoshi Yamada, 9th Dan Hanshi, President of the World Shito-Ryu Shukokai Karate Do Union, 8th Dan Hanshi Japan Karate-Do Federation Supreme Judge Japan Karate-Do Federation, President West Japan Workers Karate-Do Federation, Game Director, Japan Society for Physical Culture, Japanese Olympic Committee representative for Inagawa. Chief Instructor for Europe is Tsutomu Kamohara, Hanshi, 8th Dan, Α' Vice-President & Technical Director of Shito-ryu Shukokai Karate Union Europe.
This organisation teaches the art of Karate in the most pure way of traditional martial arts.

We thank all participants who have honoured us with their presence. The first European Summer Camp in Greece, and specifically in Heraklion of Crete, is a starting point for relevant international organisations of Shukokai in our country.