I'll make this quick: Can someone name some of the major differences between the two organizations and how they train?
My understanding was that SKA was either Shotokai or closely related to Shotokai. So these two threads, comparing JKA Shotokan and Shotokai, should provide some answers. http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69330 http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83870
I used to be apart of SKA for six-seven years of my martial arts training. It's a long story but it needs to be told so that people can understand the truth about Shotokan Karate in America. Tsutomu Oshima ( founder of SKA) was a valued student of Master Funakoshi ( founder of Shotokan). Tsutomu made it his life to perserve the teachings of Funakoshi. Before the SKA was found, Tsutomu teamed up with Nishiyama to start a dojo in California. Nishiyama had some sort of problems with Oshima so he devised a plan to have someone distract Oshima before karate class one day. This would make Oshima late to the practice. While Oshima was being distracted, Nishiyama took a large group of the karatekas from the dojo and moved them somewhere else. Two students were late to practice that day. When Oshima got to the dojo and saw that no one was at the dojo except for the two students who were late. This ultimately was the day SKA ( Oshima) and JKA (Nishiyama) were formed. At the time of Funakoshi's death, JKA refused to help SKA and the Shotokai (japan's Shotokan group, formed by Senior Egami), with Master Funakoshi's barial. This was a complete slap in the face by Nishiyama to Master Funakoshi. From this moment on Nishiyama and JKA would be unrecognized by SKA and the Shotokai. Master Funakoshi left all of his original texts to Tsutomu Oshima. Oshima and SKA are still the only group today outside of the Shotokai, that properly practice Shotokan. In the way that Master Funakoshi inteded. There is little difference between the form of the techniques, executed by the Shotokai and SKA. To be honest I have never found an organization that trains as hard as SKA. My only reason for leaving the organization was due to the fact that I wanted to learn more styles. I will say that if anyone ever decides to train in Shotokan outside of SKA or the Shotokai. They should definitely reconsider. If you take a look at the Karate-do Kyohan. Oshima is the model for all of the techniques. He also helped Master Funakoshi translate the books.
Hi Ty7, I've been mulling over how to respond to that post, because you raise several points where I respectfully disagree. In the interests of full disclosure, my Shotokan background is in the JKA. Regarding your point about Nishiyama and Oshima. I'm not convinced that story about Nishiyama making Oshima late to practice and then stealing away all the students is accurate--it reads like a foundation myth. Why didn't the students exercise independent thought and choose the school they wanted? Why did it matter that much who got to class first that day? But I'll assume for the sake of argument that that story is true. My question is: so what? Somebody snubbed somebody sixty years ago. What effect does that have on your day-to-day training in the dojo, or what you yourself gain by training in the art? I can't see that it has any effect whatsoever. Do you disagree, and if so, why do you think those sorts of issues are important? I also have to disagree that the JKA's non-attendance at Funakoshi's funeral was the source of the JKA/Shotokai schism (and my understanding was that they didn't attend because the Shotokai organized the funeral and didn't invite them, but I don't know if there's concrete proof either way, and like I said above, I don't really care who snubbed who sixty years ago). I think the whole funeral escapade was a symptom of a schism that already occurred. The source of the schism was not etiquette or respect for the dead, but instead sport kumite. The JKA felt that kumite competitions belonged as part of a karate curriculum; the Shotokai and Funakoshi did not. Would you disagree that sport competitions were the breaking point between the JKA and the Shotokai? I will agree that the Shotokai and the SKA strive to practice karate exactly like Funakoshi did, whereas the JKA does not. So I will agree with your assertion that the Shotokai and SKA are the only organizations that practice karate "In the way that Master Funakoshi intended." However, I will emphatically disagree with your next assertion, "I will say that if anyone ever decides to train in Shotokan outside of SKA or the Shotokai. They should definitely reconsider." No one organization has a monopoly on good training. And Funakoshi was just a man--he doesn't have a monopoly on good karate theory. Therefore, I think this sort of inflexible loyalty to one organization, any organization, is counterproductive. I personally like the modern JKA's approach to many things (not everything...but that's for another thread), but I would never tell people to avoid ANY non-JKA Shotokan. No one organization has a monopoly on good instructors, and that's what really matters, right?
