Kyokushin International Martial Arts Australia
Turramurra Honbu Dojo
About KIMAA
Shihan Howard has taught Kyokushin Karate on Sydney's North Shore for over 35 years.
At KIMAA all of our accredited black belts continue their learning through regular training and teaching seminars as taught in Japan, ensuring that KIMAA is able to offer the highest quality training experience across our 4 dojo locations.
Background
In 1989, after being promoted to the rank of Fourth Dan, Howard Lipman was invited to Tokyo by Sosai Oyama. During this visit he was promoted by Sosai Oyama to Branch Chief and was asked to form his own Branch of Kyokushin in Australia.
This he did and continued to travel to Japan to train with Sosai. In 1992 he was graded in Japan by Sosai at a Branch Chiefs’ training camp in Yugawara to the rank of Godan
( 5th Dan )
His last training trip to Japan was in 1993 when he was accompanied by Rick who was at that time graded to Sandan by Sosai.
On New Years Day of 1994 when Shihan rang Sosai to wish him a Happy New Year, Sosai asked him to return to Japan all expenses paid to spend a week with him, this Shihan did in early January and spent a week together with Sosai. There was no training, simply lots of meals and discussions together, this was to be the last time Shihan saw Sosai as he passed away in April of 1994.
This was a very special week in the company of a very special man and one which will never be forgotten.
From 2000 to 2008 Shihan concentrated on consolidating his Dojo at Turramurra, with considerable effort being put into his Dan grades to improve their knowledge and ability. He continued to travel to Japan during this time and attended tournaments and seminars to improve his own knowledge. KIMAA expanded when Shihan Rick began teaching at Kellyville Scout Hall in 2003. In 2006, training was moved to Annangrove, where training continues today. Annangrove dojo operates in a large scout hall surrounded by bush and parkland.
In January 2008 Shihan Howard met Hokama Sensei in Okinawa and knew at once that this Sensei was the man with whom he wished to continue his Martial Arts studies. Shihan returned to Okinawa in May of 2008 with Shihan Rick and a group of four Black Belts, and so began the three trips a year to Okinawa. The main purpose of these trips was to learn Kobudo so that we could teach this to our students as well as Kyokushin, and therefore broaden their knowledge of martial Arts generally.
The many years of experience Shihan has in Kyokushin has been added to by the instruction of Hokama Sensei.
Our commitment is to continue to travel to Okinawa to learn from Hokama Sensei and thus enhance our knowledge even further.
