HISTORY OF WORLD KANREIKAI KARATE
Our organization was founded in July of 2004 by Hanshi Manny Matias, 8th Dan and Chief Instructor, from Headquarters in Danbury CT (USA), by Sensei Robert Underhill, President, also from Headquarters, and by Sensei Denis Cordeiro, Director, from Montreal (Canada).
In the mid 70's after an extensive search, Hanshi Manny Matias chose to pursue his martial arts practice under the guidance of Soshu Shigeru Oyama. He gave up his schools, black belt, and title as a Sensei from another style to train under the great Soshu Shigeru Oyama. Soshu Shigeru was then Saiko Shihan in the Kyokushinkai Karate Organization founded in Japan by Mas Oyama. After a period of intensive training, Hanshi Manny opened his Kyokushinkai dojo in Connecticut. When Soshu Shigeru Oyama separated from Kyokushinkai and formed World Oyama Karate, Hanshi Manny loyally followed him and remained with him until Soshu Shigeru stepped down as Director of the organization in 2004.
A short time after the formation of World Kanreikai Karate, Shihan Shlomi Levy, who operates five karate schools in Israel, joined the organization. Shortly after, the newly consolidated "New York dojo”, led by Shihan Jose Cotton, Shihan David Sheeger, Sensei Maria Van Dessel and Sensei Michelle Gay, also joined, further strengthening the new organization.
These people are the pioneers who shared the vision of World Kanreikai Karate at its outset. Together, they and many others have developed an organization that promotes Traditional Japanese Contact Karate by pursuing the teachings of the great masters Mas Oyama and Soshu Shigeru Oyama.
Sensei Bob Underhill, Shihan Shlomi Levy, Hanshi Manny Matias, Sensei Denis Cordeiro and Shihan Jose Cotton at World Kanreikai Summer Camp, Jiminy Peak, MA, USA.
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