JKA-US Northwest is an incorporated (non-profit) association of traditional karate schools located in the northwestern U.S. states of Oregon and Washington. The purpose of our group, guided by our elected officers is to act as the governing organization of the registered JKA-US schools of the Pacific Northwest Region of the American Amateur Karate Federation.
Our goals are to provide quality instruction and foster education and development of JKA-US traditional karate in the Pacific Northwest. In addition to the daily training activities of our member schools, the primary activities we utilize for furthering our goals are educational training seminars and rank examinations held throughout the year. To ensure a high standard of instruction we regularly bring an impressive slate of outstanding instructors to the region from all over the country.
Our organization first began in the early 1960’s and owes its founding to Hidetaka Nishiyama and Robert Graves, both early pioneers of karate in America. Mr. Nishiyama was one of the first JKA instructors to move from Japan to the United States and was the founder of the JKA International of the United States. Mr. Graves was an early student of Nishiyama’s in Los Angeles. Graves relocated from L.A. to Oregon in 1962 and opened his first school in the state. Since that time he has been a key figure in the development of karate in the Pacific Northwest and in the establishment of many schools throughout the Region.
Over the past 5 decades some of the students of this organization have achieved high levels of proficiency and knowledge in their own right to become instructors who continue to work diligently to promote and spread the art of karate.
Our association is affiliated with the American Amateur Karate Federation (AAKF) and via that organization, with the International Traditional Karate Federation (ITKF).
Since its humble beginning in the days when karate was practically unknown outside of Japan, our alliance of schools has trained thousands of students, carried out countless hours of training activity and grown into a well established organization that is respected thoughout the country. We continue today to work to perpetuate and develop the efforts of our karate forefathers.
Our goals are to provide quality instruction and foster education and development of JKA-US traditional karate in the Pacific Northwest. In addition to the daily training activities of our member schools, the primary activities we utilize for furthering our goals are educational training seminars and rank examinations held throughout the year. To ensure a high standard of instruction we regularly bring an impressive slate of outstanding instructors to the region from all over the country.
Our organization first began in the early 1960’s and owes its founding to Hidetaka Nishiyama and Robert Graves, both early pioneers of karate in America. Mr. Nishiyama was one of the first JKA instructors to move from Japan to the United States and was the founder of the JKA International of the United States. Mr. Graves was an early student of Nishiyama’s in Los Angeles. Graves relocated from L.A. to Oregon in 1962 and opened his first school in the state. Since that time he has been a key figure in the development of karate in the Pacific Northwest and in the establishment of many schools throughout the Region.
Over the past 5 decades some of the students of this organization have achieved high levels of proficiency and knowledge in their own right to become instructors who continue to work diligently to promote and spread the art of karate.
Our association is affiliated with the American Amateur Karate Federation (AAKF) and via that organization, with the International Traditional Karate Federation (ITKF).
Since its humble beginning in the days when karate was practically unknown outside of Japan, our alliance of schools has trained thousands of students, carried out countless hours of training activity and grown into a well established organization that is respected thoughout the country. We continue today to work to perpetuate and develop the efforts of our karate forefathers.
© 2009 Northwest Region - Shotokan Karate. All rights reserved.
The work is unfinished though, and there’s room on our team for you…
Contact us via the web or visit one of our schools soon.
Contact us via the web or visit one of our schools soon.