Akio Minakami
Encyclopedia
Akio Minakami is an 8th Dan Karate practitioner of Hayashi-Ha Shitoryu-Kai, president of the United States Hayashi-ha Shitoryu-Kai, and a former professional martial arts competitor.
Born in Tokyo
, Japan
, he immigrated to the United States in 1967 with his parents.
His training in the martial arts began at the age of 7 under Takagi where he trained in Jujitsu and Kodokan
Judo
. At age 21 he was the first man to win both kata
and kumite
at the All Hawaii Championships. Other notable accomplishments include winning 5 gold medals each at the Hayashi-Ha Shitoryu-Kai International Championships, the All Japan Karate Championships, and the AAU National Championships.
Akio Minakami received his Shihan
certificate in 1983 from both the Hayashi-Ha school and the Federation of All Japan Karatedo Organization
. Shihan Minakami currently holds the following dan ranks in martial arts:
In 1985 he founded the Minakami Karate Dojo in Seattle, Washington. Branches of the school are now located in Hawaii
, Mexico
and Europe
. The Minakami Karate Dojo teaches kumite
, kata
, sai
, bō
(both Kenshin-ryū and Yamanni Ryu
styles) and traditional Japanese dojo etiquette.
Born in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, he immigrated to the United States in 1967 with his parents.
His training in the martial arts began at the age of 7 under Takagi where he trained in Jujitsu and Kodokan
Kodokan
, or the Kodokan Institute, is the headquarters of the worldwide judo community. Literally, kō means "to lecture" or "to spread information," dō means "the way," and kan is "a public building or hall," together translating roughly as "a place for the study or promotion of the way." The Kodokan was...
Judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
. At age 21 he was the first man to win both kata
Kata
is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. The term form is used for the corresponding concept in non-Japanese martial arts in general....
and kumite
Kumite
Kumite means sparring, and is one of the three main sections of karate training, along with kata and kihon. Kumite is the part of karate in which you train against an adversary, using the techniques learned from the kihon and kata....
at the All Hawaii Championships. Other notable accomplishments include winning 5 gold medals each at the Hayashi-Ha Shitoryu-Kai International Championships, the All Japan Karate Championships, and the AAU National Championships.
Akio Minakami received his Shihan
Shihan
- Title of "Master" is a Japanese Honorific Title, Expert License Certification used in Japanese martial arts for Master Level Instructors. The award of the Expert License Certification is if designated by the qualification by virtue of endorsement by the [A] Association of Chief Instructors or [B]...
certificate in 1983 from both the Hayashi-Ha school and the Federation of All Japan Karatedo Organization
Federation of All Japan Karatedo Organization
The Japan Karate Federation is the national body for Karate in Japan. It was originally called the Federation of All Japan Karatedo Organizations and is affiliated with the World Karate Federation ....
. Shihan Minakami currently holds the following dan ranks in martial arts:
- 8th Dan, Karate, from Hayashi-Ha Shitoryu-Kai
- 7th Dan, Karate, from the Federation of All Japan Karatedo Organization
- 5th Dan, Chinen Yamanni ryuYamanni ryuYamanni-ryū is a form of Okinawan kobudō whose main weapon is the bo, a non-tapered, cylindrical staff...
Bojutsu, under Ryukyu Bujutsu Kenkyu Doyukai (Known as RBKD) - 3rd Dan, KendoKendo, meaning "Way of The Sword", is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship, or kenjutsu.Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sport-like physical elements.-Practitioners:Practitioners...
- 1st Dan, Judo
In 1985 he founded the Minakami Karate Dojo in Seattle, Washington. Branches of the school are now located in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The Minakami Karate Dojo teaches kumite
Kumite
Kumite means sparring, and is one of the three main sections of karate training, along with kata and kihon. Kumite is the part of karate in which you train against an adversary, using the techniques learned from the kihon and kata....
, kata
Kata
is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. The term form is used for the corresponding concept in non-Japanese martial arts in general....
, sai
Sai
-Education:*self-accrediting institution, a three-letter acronym in use in higher education in Australia to describe universities and other SAIs-Fiction:*Fujiwara no Sai, a character in Hikaru no Go media*Sai , a character in Naruto media...
, bō
Bo
-People:*Bo , name origin, plus people with the name*Bo , name origin, plus people with the surname**Bo , Chinese family names*Bo people , extinct minority population in Southern China famous for hanging coffins...
(both Kenshin-ryū and Yamanni Ryu
Yamanni ryu
Yamanni-ryū is a form of Okinawan kobudō whose main weapon is the bo, a non-tapered, cylindrical staff...
styles) and traditional Japanese dojo etiquette.