We were recently lucky enough to have the Chief Instructor of SKIF (Shotokan Karate-do International Federation), Manabu Murakami Sensei, a 7th Dan, visit our dojo. This was the second time that we have had the opportunity to train with this master of Shotokan Karate and we were indeed very privileged to gain experience from his knowledge and training techniques.
Manabu Murakami Sensei currently holds the rank of 7th Dan and runs all SKIF international affairs. He has twice won the SKIF world Championships and has an impressive run of results, to date his achievements are:
- 3rd SKIF Championships, Team Kumite and Kata….. 1st Place.
- 4th SKIF Championships, Individual Kumite….. 1st Place.
- 5th SKIF Championships, Team & Individual Kumite….. 1st place.
- 7th SKIF Championships, Team Kumite….. 1st Place.
- 8th SKIF Championships, Team & Individual Kumite….. 1st Place.
Born on 1st October 1966 in Kyushu, an island off the south of Japan, He started practicing Karate at the age of 9 years with JKA instructor Sensei Maruo. When Sensei Kanazawa formed SKI he immediately joined his organization in the 70’s. At 18 Murakami Sensei studied at Takusoku University in Tokyo where previously Sensei’s Kanazawa, Miura, Asano, Nagai and Kawasoe had all studied. When graduating he took the two year SKIF Instructors course at the central SKIF Dojo and has remained there to this day. As Manabu Murakami Sensei said: “You should have fun practising Karate and if you motivate yourself you will get better each time. Look for that motivation which will stimulate you to enjoy it, then you will go far”.