In 1975, Sensei Jorge Decena and Sensei Nixon Feliz began to study Karate under one of Sensei Miyazaki’s students, Mr. Kevin Burke who later changed his name to Seifullah Ali Shabbazz. In 1981, Sensei Decena and Sensei Feliz obtained their First Degree Black Belts under Sensei Toyotaro Miyazaki. They began teaching in 1980, under the direction of Master Miyazaki and became two of the best competitors in the East Coast.In 1981, Shihan Jorge Decena and Shihan Nixon Feliz founded Unique Karate Do Academy ( USKDA) and The Hispanic Karate Federation.
Mr. Toyotaro Miyazaki began studying Karate at the age of 15 along with Mr. Masakatsu Takahashi who studied under Master Tomasaburo Okano. In 1967, Mr. Miyazaki and Mr Takahashi came to the United States under the direction of Master Okano; and Mr. Miyazaki became the chief instructor of Tokutai Karate-Do and head of the U.S Kenko-Juku organization. Mr. Miyazaki immediately established a name for himself by winning American tournaments. Many titles fell to his excellent kick and punch combinations, and his ability to score on any opponent. He was one of the premier Karate tournament fighters, as well as forms. He maintained a top 10 ranking in the country for two decades, from 1960’s to 1980’s. He retired from competition for 10 years, coming back in the 80’s to keep winning and remain one of the best in the country, in forms as well as in weapons. His reverse punch was so fast, that it was compared to the movement of a lizard tongue. He is one of the most loved and prominent instructors of the East Coast. At the present time he is directing his own organization “T. Miyazaki’s U.S. Shoto-Kai.”Mr. Takahashi is very well known for his strength and power. He is actually the president of the Kenko-Juku Organization in the United States.
Master Tomasaburo Okano, a devoted student of Master Gichin Funakoshi, opened a school of Shotokan karate in Japan, under the guidance of Master Gichin Funakoshi. Born in Tokyo, Japan.
Master Gichin Funakoshi is known as the father of modern karate, who was also a school teacher, poet, and calligrapher. He was born in Shuri, Okinawa in 1868. He began his Karate studies at the age of 11. He was a student of the two greatest masters of his time, Masters Azato, Itosu, and Matsumura, among others. He became so proficient, that he was initiated into all the major styles of Karate in Okinawa at the time. Master Funakoshi introduced Karate to mainland Japan in 1916. His training in Karate-Do became an education for life.In time, he became a master in his own right and in 1922 he was invited to demonstrate karate to the Japanese public for the very first time. The demonstration was such a success he was invited to stay in Japan and teach, which he did with great success. For Sensei Funakoshi, the word ‘karate’ eventually took on a deeper meaning than just martial arts training, transforming into what is has become known as karate-do, the ‘way of the empty hand.’ He was to modify the Okinawan art by taking inspiration from traditional Japanese budo (kendo, judo, etc) and integrated their philosophical aspects into his and his student’s training. This became a total discipline, which represented a synthesis of Okinawaan and Japanese schools and in 1936 he established the ‘SHOTOKAN’ style of Japanese karate which was to be greatly influenced by his son Yoshitaka (Giko) and Masatoshi Nakayama, first headmaster of the Japan Karate Association.It is upon these concepts that in 1948, the Japan Karate Association (JKA) was founded. The establishment of the JKA lead the way to the spread of Shotokan karate throughout the world. Master Masatoshi Nakayama, one of Funakoshi’s greatest students, succeeded him as the headmaster of the JKA and during his time there he further developed Shotokan, based on his own research, into the style we know today. It was through master Nakayama’s vision, that Shotokan has spread throughout the world by enriching many people’s lives in many countries, while other senior instructors stayed in Japan at the Sohonbu to teach the next generation of Shotokan masters.
