Hiroshi Shirai
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese master
of Shotokan
karate
. He is the founder of the Instituto Shotokan Italia, a subdivision of FIKTA (the Italian Traditional Karate Association) and of the SCI (Shotokan Cultural Institute, formerly WSI - World Shotokan Institute). Shirai holds the title of Shihan and is responsible for taking the dan
examinations within SCI and, together with Carlo Fugazza, for those within the FIKTA.
, Japan. He started learning karate in 1956, three years after seeing a promotional video of the Japan Karate Association
(JKA) at Komazawa University
.
In 1962, he won both the kata
and the kumite
championships of the JKA, thereby becoming one of those receiving the title 'Grand Champion'.
After a world trip to promote karate together with Taiji Kase
, Kano, and Keinosuke Enoeda
to Europe, South Africa, and the United States of America, he settled in Milan
, Italy. Under his tutelage the Italian karate flourished and many titles went to his students.
During the last years Shirai has given special goshindo oriented stages in Europe often together with Claudio Ceruti, Massimo Abate, and Angelo Torre.
For the practise of goshindo, Shirai has developed several basic (kihon
) training methods focussing on simple, powerful and effective techniques, almost always executed in a frontal stance towards the opponent. Turning, in order to achieve this stable frontal stance is a basic principle of Shirai's goshindo.
In addition to kihon, Shirai developed specific goshindo kata. These kata stress the importance of being able to address an attacker coming from any direction. Several of these kata include grabbing and open hand techniques, elements not so often seen in 'normal' Shotokan karate.
Grandmaster (martial arts)
Grandmaster and Master are titles used to describe or address some senior or experienced martial artists. Such titles may be, to some extent, aligned to the elderly martial arts master stock character in fiction...
of Shotokan
Shotokan
is a style of karate, developed from various martial arts by Gichin Funakoshi and his son Gigo Funakoshi . Gichin was born in Okinawa and is widely credited with popularizing karate through a series of public demonstrations, and by promoting the development of university karate clubs, including...
karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
. He is the founder of the Instituto Shotokan Italia, a subdivision of FIKTA (the Italian Traditional Karate Association) and of the SCI (Shotokan Cultural Institute, formerly WSI - World Shotokan Institute). Shirai holds the title of Shihan and is responsible for taking the dan
Dan (rank)
The ranking system is a Japanese mark of level, which is used in modern fine arts and martial arts. Originally invented in a Go school in the Edo period, this system was applied to martial arts by Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo and later introduced to other East Asia countries.In the modern...
examinations within SCI and, together with Carlo Fugazza, for those within the FIKTA.
Biography
Shirai was born on July 31, 1937 in NagasakiNagasaki
is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Nagasaki was founded by the Portuguese in the second half of the 16th century on the site of a small fishing village, formerly part of Nishisonogi District...
, Japan. He started learning karate in 1956, three years after seeing a promotional video of the Japan Karate Association
Japan Karate Association
Japan Karate Association is one of the most influential Shotokan karate organizations in the world...
(JKA) at Komazawa University
Komazawa University
Komazawa University is one of the oldest universities in Japan. Its history starts in 1592, when a seminary was established to be a center of learning for the young monks of the Sōtō sect, one of the two main Zen Buddhist traditions in Japan.The university in Tokyo campus comprises eight faculties...
.
In 1962, he won both the 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 the 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....
championships of the JKA, thereby becoming one of those receiving the title 'Grand Champion'.
After a world trip to promote karate together with Taiji Kase
Taiji Kase
was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate who was one of the earliest masters responsible for introducing this martial art into Europe. He taught his style of karate, Shotokan Ryu Kase Ha, in France from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s. In his later years, he travelled across the world teaching...
, Kano, and Keinosuke Enoeda
Keinosuke Enoeda
was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He was a former Chief Instructor of the Karate Union of Great Britain. Enoeda was ranked 8th dan in Shotokan karate, and was widely renowned as a formidable karateka . Following his death, Enoeda was posthumously awarded the rank of 9th dan.-Early...
to Europe, South Africa, and the United States of America, he settled in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy. Under his tutelage the Italian karate flourished and many titles went to his students.
Goshindo
Shirai feels that the self-defence (goshindo) aspect of Shotokan karate has been to much in the shadow of kumite and kata. Although he practised karate for self-defence initially, he focussed on kumite for a few years until moving to Europe. He started refocussing on self-defence and its incorporation in the practise of shotokan karate.During the last years Shirai has given special goshindo oriented stages in Europe often together with Claudio Ceruti, Massimo Abate, and Angelo Torre.
For the practise of goshindo, Shirai has developed several basic (kihon
Kihon
is a Japanese term meaning "basics" or "fundamentals." The term is used to refer to the basic techniques that are taught and practiced as the foundation of most Japanese martial arts....
) training methods focussing on simple, powerful and effective techniques, almost always executed in a frontal stance towards the opponent. Turning, in order to achieve this stable frontal stance is a basic principle of Shirai's goshindo.
In addition to kihon, Shirai developed specific goshindo kata. These kata stress the importance of being able to address an attacker coming from any direction. Several of these kata include grabbing and open hand techniques, elements not so often seen in 'normal' Shotokan karate.