OUR INSTRUCTORS:
Sensei Anthony Katsapaou
Anthony has over 12 years of martial arts experience and has successfully competed in Belgium and Okinawa, as well as spent time training with the Northern Karate Schools, Canada's largest Karate school. He most recently tested for 2nd Dan black belt under Sensei Koei Nohara 10th Dan.
Sensei Jeff Bryant
Jeff has over 12 years of martial arts experience, and tested for his black belt under Hanshi Koei Nohara 10th Dan at the Ryukyukan Honbu Dojo in Okinawa, the birthplace of Karate. He has also successfully competed in Full Contact Kumite and Kata competitions in Belgium, California and Okinawa.
ABOUT MATSURI DOJO
Ryukyukan Badge
Founded by Sensei Craig Finch 6th Dan, Matsuri Dojo has been teaching traditional Karate since 1992. We pride ourselves in having a truly in-depth knowledge of both the martial arts and modern teaching methods.
The teachers at the school are fully qualified and all of our black belts are registered with the Okinawa Karatedo Shorinryu Ryukyukan Karate Kobudo Federation, Okinawa, Japan. We are committed to helping you reach black belt excellence; we will do everything in our power to assist and encourage you if you too are committed to this goal.
ABOUT OUR STYLE: SHORINRYU
Shuri Castle, Okinawa
By the late 1800’s, three branches of Karate had developed that represents a locality in Okinawa, each different in history and form, together forming the base of virtually every karate style practiced today. One of these branches was called Shuri-te, named after Shuri, the seat of the rulers of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
Shuri-te master Anko Itosu passed on Karate to his top students: Chosin Chibana who named his branch Shorinryu (Kobayashi) Karate, and Chotoku Kyan who named his branch Shorinryu (Matsubayashi) Karate.
ABOUT RYUKYUKAN
Hanshi Koei Nohara 10th Dan
Ryukyukan is the Karatedo Federation that we belong to, based in Okinawa, the birthplace of Karate.
Ryukyukan is committed to the preservation of the original Shuri-te/ Shorinryu Karate as taught by Sensei Itosu in the 1800’s. Our president, Hanshi Koei Nohara of Okinawa, has spent his entire life studying (Kobayashi) Shorinryu as taught by Sensei Chosin Chibana, and (Matsubayshi) Shorinryu as taught by his father Kaoru Nohara, a direct student of Chotoku Kyan.
There are several other Matsuri branch Dojo’s in the UK that all belong to Ryukyukan, and we are fortunate to have a strong international network with Dojo’s in Okinawa, mainland Japan, USA, Belgium, Chile, India and Sri Lanka. Students may have the opportunity to visit these to attend seminars and competitions.