A year of intense training and milestones!

Since spring 2024, various events across California, Arizona, and Oregon have focused on preparing the Northwest members of Team USA for the upcoming JKA World Cup in October, officially known as the prestigious 'Funakoshi Gichin Cup Karate World Championship Tournament.'

Sensei Thomas, a seasoned JKA TEAM USA member competing in the senior category this fall, has undergone rigorous training throughout the year and led instructional sessions at multiple camps.

The world championship is an event to promote the correct dissemination of Karatedo worldwide and contribute to world peace based on the teachings of Supreme Master Funakoshi. About 130 countries worldwide are members of the Japan Karate Association now, and the world championship tournament, named Funakoshi Gichin Cup, has been held in many countries worldwide every three years. It is equivalent to Olympic competition for members of the JKA-Japan Karate Association, the only independent karate entity legally and officially recognized by the Japanese government.

Another milestone for SKS was the participation of its students in the inaugural JKA Gasshuku in the Pacific Northwest, hosted by JKA Oregon Shiba Dojo in Beaverton in August, where they excelled in the kata and kumite tournament.