News of Shindo

The Shindokai Dojo is the headquarter of the European Koshiki Karatedo Union (EKKU).

and a official branch of the World Koshiki Karatedo Federation in Tokyo/ Japan

Koshiki Karatedo is not a styl or school of karatedo, it is a modern scientific competition system.

Koshiki Karatedo is a controlled contact competition and modern scientific trainings system, which allows to truly testing Karatedo techniques through the use of Supersafe protective equipment. The equipment consists of a face guard (Men), which protects the whole face, the bodyguard (Anzen Bogu) and groin protector (Kin ate). This is maximum of protection for competition. The development of this equipment fully enables to fully develop of kicking (Keri), punching (Tsuki) and striking (uchi, ate) techniques without injuring yourself or your partner. This means that all people, women, children and seniors alike can rapidly hone their Karatedo skills in a pragmatic and realistic manner. It is also heightens the excitement of competitive meets for both the participant and spectator a like. Yet another benefit of being able actually to strike protected areas is the audible result of a kick or punch makes judging at competition easier and clearer. Together with the Koshiki Karatedo progressive set of competition rules, competitors can now display their Karatedo skill in the form of combination attacks and formerly prohibited techniques such as open hand strikes. Thereby it is allowing the advancement of a more free and creative style to participate. Koshiki Karatedo is not limited to any particular style or school of Karatedo and is been designed to permit practioners of all martial arts to test their skills under conditions of safety, sportsmanship, fairness and impartiality.

True Karatedo is a systematic fighting method using bare hands and feet, consisting of basic ways of punching, blocking and kicking. Based on this principle of bare hands and feet, Koshiki Karatedo does not use gloves or foot protectors such as boxing gloves or foot shields. Instead, we strike with bare hands and feet and use Super Safe body and face protectors to protect the parts of the body and face that cannot be trained to withstand injury. In addition to being protected by the Super Safe protective equipment, contestants are protected by Koshiki Karatedo safety rules and official referees who intervene as necessary to help prevent injury. The direct contact allowed in Koshiki Karatedo is the most fundamental element of Karate, and is in fact the original meaning of Karatedo which originated as a true traditional fighting system rather than not only sport.

By wearing the Super Safe body and face protector, it is possible to controlled punch and kick directly with dynamic power and a variety of techniques. Many techniques prohibited in non-contact, full-contact and semi-contact Karate can be used in Koshiki Karatedo because of our use of Super Safe protective equipment. Koshiki Karatedo rules allow many dynamic kicking and hand techniques to the upper level (eg. sword hand, ridge hand, hammer fist, punch, spinning back kick, etc), middle level (eg. punch, hammer fist, roundhouse kick, knee strike, elbow hit, etc), and lower level (eg. Foot sweeps, controlled low kicks, leg reaping etc.). The possibility of using so many techniques in Koshiki Karatedo allows us to enjoy Karate more deeply.

Koshiki Karatedo is an accumulation-of-points based competition system that awards points for offensive, combination and counter techniques executed by both contestants. Conventional non-contact Karate, for example, is a demerit mark system which stops punches and kicks without actual contact, then judges a match based on the technical execution of the first successful attack. Actual contact results in a loss of points by the offending contestant. Non-contact Karate does not award points for mutual attacking at the same time, combination techniques or counter techniques, which are critical elements of true combat.

Under Koshik Karatedo rules, however, points are awarded to both contestants if strong techniques are successfully executed simultaneously, and counter techniques are awarded the same points as initial attacks. Since the non-contact system only awards points for the first attack and does not score counter techniques, taller competitors with longer arms and legs have an advantage because they can easily score the first point. Under Koshiki Karatedo rules, however, contestants can use combination techniques and counter techniques positively and effectively; to more closely resemble true combat and reduce the advantage taller competitors have in non-contact Karate. Training and practice to improve technical skill and fitness become even more important in a system that allows combinations and counter techniques.

Although Koshiki Karatedo is a points-based system, a competitor can immediately achieve victory through the execution of an Ippon-full point technique. If a contestant scores an Ippon, the match is immediately declared over and the contestant is awarded victory. An Ippon technique is a technique or combination judged by the referees to be perfectly and powerfully executed, which without the safety equipment would likely have ended the match with the incapacitation of the opponent. Competitors therefore cultivate Bushido spirit by developing their techniques to the highest level, with the goal of achieving a victory through Ippon.-full point technique. This rule ensures that the true principles of karatedo as a martial art are an essential part of the competition system of Koshiki Karatedo.

Koshiki Karatedo matches can be easily and fairly judged because the attacking techniques can be clearly seen and heard. Contestants, referees, and audiences can recognize the results of matches not only through their eyes, but also through their ears. A cleanly executed technique making contact with the Super Safe protective equipment makes an easily determinable sound that can be heard by the referees and audience.

Any style of martial arts can safely compete under fair conditions using Koshiki Karatedo rules. Participants from many styles, such as non-contact Karate, full and semi-contact Karate, Kung Fu, Kempo, Tae Kwon Do, and others can compete with each other. Koshiki Karatedo is a truly martial competition system allowing all styles to test their techniques in a friendly, competitive match atmosphere.

The founder of Shorinjiryu Kenkokan Karatedo, Kaiso, Masayoshi Kori Hisataka, Kensei 10 th dan, engaged in many martial arts matches in Japan, Taiwan and China in the early Showa era (1920 ?) to find the truth of fighting. However, matches between skilled martial artists were extremely dangerous because of their highly trained punches and kicking. In those days when hand-to-hand combat was essential on the battlefield, such skilled techniques were as deadly as swords. To enable the safe development and practice of technique, Kaiso Masayoshi Kori Hisataka developed safety equipment for Karate by studying and adapting the safety protectors used in Kendo. In the early 1960s, Masayuki Kukan Hisataka, Hanshi 9th dan, started to consider a new style of fighting match with fewer prohibited techniques.

Hanshi Masayuki kukan Hisataka traveled widely to study and teach martial arts. Based on his experiences and research in and outside Japan, he sought to add the manners of Occidental knighthood spirit to the Bushido soul of Japan, and studied modern sports and Olympic Games regulations to combine them with a Japanese approach to martial competitions. Hanshi Hisakata examined the match rules and equipment of Japanese Budo (Judo, Kendo, Bogu-Karatedo, Sumo) and Occidental combative sports (Boxing, Fencing, Wrestling, Baseball, American Football, and Ice Hockey), and in 1979 developed the revolutionary “Super Safe” safety protector. Hanshi Hisataka developed the Koshiki Karatedo competition rules and “addition-of-points” system based on his extensive studies and the use of the “Super Safe” protective equipment.

The 1st Tokyo International Goodwill Karatedo Tournament was held based on Koshiki Karatedo rules in 1980

The So Hombu Dojo (headquarter) of Koshiki Karatedo is located in Tokyo/ Japan under Hanshi Masayuki Kukan Hisataka (9.Dan). more Infos under www.koshiki.de or direct to Renshi Olaf Lotze-Leoni 6.Dan at the Shindokai Dojo Hanover the headoffice of the european Koshiki Karatedo Union.

Introduction to Koshiki Karatedo