INSTRUCTORS ACADEMY

The article includes citations on the rules of the SRKHIA.

Sensei Taiji Kase and sensei Hiroshi Shirai founded the World Karate Shotokan Academy (WKSA) in 1989. The purpose was to enable teaching of karate as a fighting method and a lifestyle. Since then Taiji Kase has been teaching his way of karate that people started gradually to call Shotokan Ryu Kase Ha. This karate style has been developed during Kaseís fanatic 60 years of karate training. In year 2001 a group of his older students decided - in co-operation with sensei Kase - to establish the Shotokan Ryu Kase Ha Instructors Academy (SRKHIA). The purpose of this organisation is to respect the life work of Taiji Kase and also to maintain and develop Shotokan Ryu Kase Ha Karate-do. The academy educates instructors who will support Kase in his teaching of karate. The SRKHIA will achieve these goals by arranging courses and by informing the members effectively and also by forming a committee (Shihankai) to lead the organisationís activity.

The SRKHIA is a non-profitable and non-political organisation. Membership is not restricted by e.g. race or sex. The belt degree must be at least 3.dan (SRKH). Members must follow the rules and principles of the academy.

The members of SRKHIA must participate in at least one gasshuku every second year. The highest instructors must also take part in teaching work. Membership in the academy is based on personal contacts. Membership in SRKHIA does not exclude membership in any other organisation. Members of SRKHIA are free to practice other fighting skills and to attend courses of other styles.

Taiji Kase is the leader of the organisation and also the technical authority. He is responsible for the direction, details and development of the SRKHIA. Shihankai is the leading committee of the SRKHIA as mentioned before and consists of six persons - Taiji Kase, Dirk Heene and four other older members of SRKHIA.

The most important task of the SRKHIA is to develop international co-operation. Other tasks are effective informing and arranging courses. The academy does not arrange any competitions whatsoever. The courses (called gasshuku) that are intended only for members are arranged two to three times per year. These courses can be arranged independently or included in some other courses. The gasshukus are free of charge for members - except for travel and accommodation costs.
Shihankai is responsible for the belt grading system and the instructor level (renshi, kyoshi, hanshi) grading.

Officially the SRKHIA started to function in March 2002. The amount of members is about 200 persons. Almost all countries in Europe, including Finland, are represented.