International Shotokan Karate-Do Alliance

Chief Instructor – Shihan Y. Sumi 8th Dan – ISKDA

Recognised by – Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation, Windsor Karate (UK), World JKA Karate Association, Karate Union of Australia

Master Sumi is internationally recognised as a contributor to Shotokan Karate on all levels and is Chief Instructor of many organisations World Wide.

Yoshikazu Sumi Shihan was born in Shiritori Japan on the 23rd June 1936. He started his practice of karate at the age of 18 years (1954) at Keai college and his first teacher was Sensei Takaura. He graded to Shodan (1st Dan) in 1957.

Sensei Sumi taught karate on a US air force base in Japan and in 1962 joined the Japan Karate Association under Masters Nakayama, Mikami and Yaguchi.

Sensei Sumi is privilaged to be one among a select few who participated in the first Instructors course run by the Japan Karate Association in Japan. One of many of his colleagues included his life long friend and senior instructor, the Late Hirokazu Kanazawa.

Sensei Sumi’s grade of 8th Dan was awarded to him in October 2002 in conjunction with member international organisations. On this date, the Late Soke Hirokazu Kanazawa, 10th Dan. President and Chief Instructor of Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation endorsed Sensei Sumi’s grade in writing.  

Today, Master Sumi is honoured and respected as one of the most senior instructors alive today who is still actively supporting Karate-Do practitioners around the globe.

Shihan Jan Knobel (9th Dan World JKA Karate Association)

Jan Knobel 9th Dan began his karate training in Holland in 1970, where he was influenced by his Japanese instructor Miyazaki Satoshi 8th Dan to continue with a karate journey that would become his life.

Knobel sensei was a formidable tournament participant where he became Dutch National Champion on several occasions, JKA (Asai faction) European Champion, and finally JKA (Asai faction) World Champion 1996. He has also coached his squad through to places in several European and World Championships.

As a former member of the JSKA, he was certified as a member of their Shihankai by Abe Keigo 9th Dan and he is a Fellow, Technical Committee member and holds the shogo: Hanshi with the International Shotokan-Rye Karate-Do Shihankai.

During his 50 years in karate, he has trained with some of the most senior Japanese instructors in the world both at in Europe and Japan to include such notables as Nakayama Masatoshi 10th Dan, Kase Taiji 9th Dan, Shirai Hiroshi 9th Dan, Enoeda Keinosoku 9th Dan, Abe Keigo 9th Dan and Yahara Mikio 8th Dan however one of the main influences was to be Asai Tetsuhiko 10th Dan, former JKA Technical Director and founder of Asai Ha.

Sensei Evan Singer (5th Dan ISKDA, World JKA Karate Association)

Evan began training in 1976 with Sensei Wolfgang Etienne of JKA Australia at the Bondi School of Arts hall under Sensei Shunsuke Takahashi, JKA.

Evan continued his association with JKAA training at Bondi Beach under dojo instructor Sensei Ashley Jansen (UK). Among students was Ted D’Arcy, a senior at that time. Evan also assisted with administration of the Bondi Beach Karate Club as Secretary.

With a future change in direction, founding members, Sensei’s Chris Sargent, Ashley Jansen (UK), Evan and others registered the Karate Union of Australia (KUA) in NSW with Master Y Sumi as Chief Instructor.  Over subsequent years, KUA grew Nation-wide and Evan contributed as KUA NSW President and KUA National Administrator.

Evan remains loyal to Master Sumi and with his support and under his authority continues his vision today with ISKDA.