To all students:   I hope everyone is doing well and remaining healthy. We have all experienced blizzards and weather events in the past, but this is something very different. I... More

One of the worst things about moving is that you lose all your friends. You have to start from scratch and get people you have just met to like you in the midst of people they... More

After 20 years of training in Shotokan Karate at Takahashi Dojo in Amityville, it’s become a part of me. Yes, it has improved my physical strength, balance, flexibility and... More

Greetings, Takahashi Dojo family! I’m writing this West Coast dispatch before I’ve made a June trip to New York—during which we’ll have trained together and done some catching... More

“WE ARE THE DOJO!” How long have you been studying karate, and did you start at Sensei Takahashi’s dojo (or a different one)? For the past 25 plus I have been a student of... More

Shojikisho is a senior student at the amity dojo. He has written stories for each of the dojo kun principles, and has written the below story about Endeavor.   Megumi hana was... More

This article originally appeared in the March 2017 issue of Westchester Magazine under the title: This Eighth-Degree Black Belt Is 70 Years Old and Still Going Strong.   This... More

The names and movements for the basic Ten No Kata drill are described. TEN NO KATA Chudan Oi-Zuki Jodan Oi-Zuki Chudan Gyaku-Zuki Jodan Gyaku-Zuki Gedan-Barai, Chudan... More

KARATE TERMINOLOGY Counting Ichi (ee chee) 1 Ni (nee) 2 San (san) 3 Shi (shee) 4 Go (go) 5 Roku (ro kew) 6 Shichi (shee chee) 7 Hachi (ha chee) 8 Ku (koo) 9 Ju... More

I'd like to open by expressing my appreciation to all the men and woman, past and present, who strive to preserve our human birthright, freedom. Since I have never served in the... More

Friends…Countrymen…KARATEKA! It is I, your humble west coast representative for Mt. Kisco (Tom L. covers West Amity), reporting from sunny Cali-fOr-nI-A. June 3rd marked two... More

This is part one of a serial of stories related to the dojo kun and may give us a better understanding of to “Seek Perfection of Character”. JINKAKU KANSEJ-Nl-TSUTOMURU Many... More

I own and operate a scaffolding company. If asked how karate fits into my everyday life as the CEO of the company, I would have to say that studying Shotokan under Sensei... More

Since the Kihara family is the only family at our dojo in which all members study karate together, I thought it would be interesting to interview them for the... More

Tokyo will host the 2020 Olympics and their Olympic Committee has proposed adding five new sports to the Summer games - skateboarding, sports climbing, surfing,... More

As a student of martial arts, I am always interested in listening to, and learning from, the insights and advice of others who have travelled the same path. While nothing can... More

An excerpt recommended by Matt Levito from Funakoshi's Karate-Do Kyohan The tremendous offensive and defensive power of Karate-do is well known. Karate-do is an art with which... More

This content is taken from "Kata: The Folk Dances of Shotokan" by Rob Redmond Bassai probably means something like "Extract from a Fortress." In short, "Rescue." The first... More

It has been my experience that there is maybe one or two times in life when we really get what we desire, when all things just come together and the fantasy you were playing in... More

What is MRSA? MRSA is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a potentially dangerous type of staph bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics and may cause skin and... More

Back from the Dojo's second trip to Japan (the first was in 2013). We had 17 on this "adventure" vs. 13 – numbers slightly favored the members of the Mount Kisco Dojo. The group... More

Directed by Akira Kurosawa The Hidden Fortress is a classic – an amazing, adult film, which pairs up the legendary Japanese director, Akira Kurosawa, and one of his favorite... More

Dear dojo family, I took a crack at writing a proper article for all of you—one that peels back the secrets of martial arts, Shotokan karate, Sensei's sidekick—but every time,... More

An Interview with Maria Vlock, Our 2016 Co-Captain Q. How old were you when you started with karate at our dojo, and what got you interested in the first place? A. I was between... More

Excerpt from an article recommended by Matt Levito at http://www.mykarateclub.co.uk/history-more/ Understanding the principles and philosophy of traditional Karate-Do is... More

This content is taken from Kata: The Folk Dances of Shotokan by Rob Redmond Kata were imported originally from China where they were called quan and were practiced each as an... More

Below is an interview with our student, Jim Rielly (M.D.). He's fairly new to our dojo, and has studied at several other places in the past. His answers to the questions are... More

My Adventure with Sensei Takahashi, Shotokan Karate and the Takahashi Dojo Part 1: My Shotokan story begins in January of 1980. I was in the middle of working towards getting my... More

Book Review - Karate-Do, My Way of Life by Gichin Funakoshi "It was nearly four decades ago that I embarked upon what I now realize was a highly ambitious program: the... More

Using Strategy in Free Style Sparring – Fundamentals An article recommended by Matt Levito, written by By Stef Socratous, http://cambridgekarateclub.org... More

This content is taken from http://shotokankaratecsl.com It is generally accepted that Ten no Kata was created by Gigo Funakoshi as a simple training tool for beginners.... More

Gichin Funakoshi's 20 Precepts of Karate-Do The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory nor defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants.- Gichin... More

Michael, you have been a student at the dojo now for so long and have been so successful; you are an inspiration not only to the kids there, but to the adults as well! You're a... More

Samurai Banners Starring and produced by Toshiro Mifune Toshiro Mifune may be the most famous Japanese actor of his time, having made innumerable movies, most of which are about... More

This content is taken from the book, Kata, The Folk Dances of Shotokan by Rob Redmond The Tekki kata are three unusual kata in the Shotokan system. Originally Tekki were... More

An article recommended by Matt Levito, written by Iain Abernethy, http://www.usadojo.com/ Practically all karateka practice kata; however, most only practice the initial stage... More

Once a kata has been learned,it must be practiced repeatedly until it can be applied in an emergency,for knowledge of just the sequence of a form in Karate is useless. – Gichin... More

As someone who enjoys the study and practice of Karate, I constantly look to find areas to apply this knowledge to in my daily life, as well as looking for other applicable... More

Ten students, two family members, and Sensei Takahashi made their way to Tokyo, Japan, this summer for an adventure. The trip was spectacular, and included visits to many... More

Shotokan and Striking Martial Arts Compared to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Ground Based Systems There is often discussion about which is the most "effective" martial arts style.... More

Another health benefit of practicing Karate…it may lower your blood pressure! The American Heart Association published a review last year in the journal Hypertension concluding... More

An Interview with Veteran Robin Wilson Robin, since you are one of the very few of us who practiced at the dojo as a child and then again as an adult, you are in a unique... More

"Fresh cup of coffee, Mr. Marty?" asks a waiter, as my neighbor Marty grandly pulls up to the Manhattan Diner bar like he's Norm from "Cheers." "Actually, Miguel, I'd much... More

Heian Have you ever considered the historical background, perhaps even significance, of a particular kata? In this issue we take a look at the meaning of "Heian." This content... More

The Way of the Warrior. The Paradox of the Martial Arts; by Howard Reid and Michael Croucher, 1991, Overtook Press "When a master...faces an opponent he brings to the... More

Everything flows on like a river, without pause, day and night. -- Confucius 551-479 BC Water in the natural environment is flowing and adaptive as in a river or ocean. For... More

Calm, balanced and disciplined, what better attributes could you want in a fighter? The crane is a master of angles. She has learned to wait until the last second and then by... More

Even after many years, kata practice is never finished, for there is always something new to be learned about executing a movement. - Shoshin Nagamine More

The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory nor defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants. ― Gichin Funakoshi More

I started studying karate with Sensei when I was 8. My mother wanted me to take karate to learn how to defend myself and we took class together for years. I have studied with... More

I have been a student at the Takahashi Karate Dojo in Amity Harbor for five months. Starting this art later in life, with no prior experience has propelled me to new insights.... More

Founder of Kenkojuku Shotokan Federation Master Tomosaburo Okano was born in 1922 and was a direct student of Master Gichin Funakoshi and his third son Master Yoshitaka (Gigo)... More

Sensei Masakazu Takahashi began his karate training under Master Tomosaburo Okano In 1961. Sensei Takahashi is the head of the U.S.A Kenkojuku Karate Association and holds the... More

Why Part II? Because this is a re-write of an article submitted to the Dojo News years ago. Some things have changed, some have not. Our Dojo has a new home. A little smaller,... More

The literal translation of the word Karate means "empty hands." This refers to the fact that Karate originated as a system of unarmed self-defense using only the hands, feet,... More

You are about to undergo a unique experience, for Karate is more than physical combat. While it builds your body, it enriches your mind and deepens your spirit. As one writer... More

Gi The gi is the name of the uniform traditionally worn by those engaged in Karate. Even more than a uniform, it is an instructional aid. By wearing a gi, beginners immediately... More

These are the basic rules of the Dojo: Always display good manners in the Dojo. Bow upon entering and leaving the training floor and Dojo entrance and say OSS! Strongly. Bow to... More

Kata is an important part of karate training. Each Kata consists of a series of blocks and counter attacks designed to ward off an imaginary opponent. In order to become... More

Taikyoku Shodan: A Schematic Diagram Taikyoku Shodan is the first formal kata that must be learned in Shotokan Karate. The figure below is a diagram of the movements involved in... More

Student Passports All purple, brown, and black belt students who are 16 years of age or older, must have a student passport before they attend special training events. If you do... More

Seek Perfection of Character Be Faithful Endeavor to Excel Respect Others Refrain From Violent Behavior More

My introduction to karate began as early as memories began to form of my life. As a little girl I was drawn to this beautiful thing I had no understanding of. Whether it was... More

Early life Gichin Funakoshi was born in Shuri, Okinawa in the year of the Meiji Restoration around 1868 to ethnic Okinawan parents and originally had the family name ... More

Kumite involves the utilization of blocks, kicks and punches in a sparring situation. Control and safety are of the utmost importance during kumite training. Students are taught... More

As long as I can remember I had a strong desire to practice the art of karate. As a child my father had refused me lessons, afraid that I would injure myself. As I got older the... More

A Tribute to Kenneth Hutchinson, 1947-2003 Where shall I turn now When I am in need of a friend? At Takasago, even aging stately pines cannot replace lost friends. —Fujiwara... More

“I must be out of my mind!” It’s a thought that keeps playing over and over, like some hysterical mantra, as I step barefoot onto the parking lot of the beach. The windswept... More

A Brief History of Shotokan Karate At the all-Japan athletic exhibition at Ochanomizu in 1922, a poor provincial schoolteacher from Okinawa demonstrated, by means of scrolls and... More