Introducing Renshi Sean Harding

I am pleased to introduce you to Renshi Sean Harding from Georgia into our Goju-kan family.
Renshi Sean is a retired Navy Commander with 32 yrs of active duty. And will now reside in Hawaii working with a private company for the military.

Sean has travel to many places within his military career and no stranger to Hawaii, having been stationed here before and training with the Wado-ryu group (JIKC) where he earned his Shodan rank under Soke Kyohiso Hirano.
Sean was an all around tri-athlete at one point, a certified PADI Dive Master and studied various styles of martial arts for many years with Goju being his long term.

He has taught martial arts in Washington, Georgia and South Carolina for the military and private sector.
Sean comes from a list of Martial Arts Associations to include a few...
* Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate Kobudo Association
* Zen Koku Yudansha Sekai (Intl Black Belt Society)
* Martial Arts Training Institute, Inc
Renshi Sean has been certified as a Yondan (Goju) in 2009 by Hanshi Steve Berkowitz.
Sean's extensive background will provide further insight within our Goju-kan group.

I welcome you and your family to Hawaii (again), an look forward to a long lasting "team work" relationship.

Osu, Shihan Jann

Goju-kan Hawaii - 2011 Gasshuku pictures

                          2011 Gasshuku picture gallery is up!
                            Click here to go to picture gallery

Aloha to my fellow Martial Artist and friends,

The UMAA July 2011 Gasshuku host by the United Goju-kan Karate-do Hawaii has been a huge success thanks impart by all of you that attended. This year’s two days seminar provided to be an enlightening experience for all participates, gaining new found friendships worldwide, a better understandings of other martial art styles and the mere comradely through training with one another. That says it all.

I applaud all of our honored guest instructors for giving of their time while sharing the knowledge, passion and he love for the Martial Arts.

To Hanshi Peter Carbone, Kiyoshi Frank Williams, and Eric Marn

Thank you very much! 

To this, we have had the priviledge to have an international guest instructor, Renshi
Warren Smith - New Zealand, a person so very close to in my heart and a longtime friend.

It has been a most wonderful time with each of you whom we all had opportunity to learn from, share with and train together “UNITED” as one. Thank you all gentlemen!

To the participants of the UMAA 2011 Hawaii Summer Gasshuku, Thank you for showing your enthusiasm and attending with keeping an opened mind. We could not have done this without you.

I look forward to seeing you all again at future events, where we would once again come together as one, sharing in “UNITY”.


Thank you very much!

Sensei Jann Aki - Chief Instructor, United Goju Kan Karate do Hawaii

UMAA – Hawaii State Director

Newest Blackbelt

After starting at the age of 6 years old. Jacob Eustaquio (now 17) has achieved his

Shodan rank.

Jacobs grading was held at the Kaneohe Hombu on July 5th. Members from the

New Zealand Goju Shinjo-Kai along with Renshi Warren Smith and a few

senior members from the Hawaii Goju-Kan assisted in Jacob's grading.

Many congratulations to you Jacob from all of your Goju-Kan family. You have made me

a proud sensei and your parents even prouder.

OSU!

Goju-kan Hawaii - 2011 Gassuku is all done!

Our 2011 Hawaii Gasshuku is all done. And we had an awesome time, if I do say so myself.
To all of those that attended... my hats off to you. To Sensei Williams, Carbone, Smith and Marn I am grateful to have had you as my guest. I hope all enjoyed the trainingand great times while in Hawaii.
CAN'T WAIT TO DO IT AGAIN!
Osu

Goju-kan Hawaii News

Congratulations!!
 to everyone on a job well done!                

Goju-kan Hawaii News - Black Belt

Congratulations !!

  

Meet 11 year old James Fujimori. Our NEWEST Junior Black Belt.

James has been training with Goju since age 5. His grading was held on April 27, 2011.

Aside from all the other routines for grading's, James had to kumite 8 other students

at one minute rounds each with a rest time of only 30 seconds in between fights.

Two were adult black belts that made it all worth the challenge. James will become a full

SHODAN when he reaches age 15. This is our standard age limit.  From his fellow 

students of Goju as well as myself, Congratulations James on a job well done.

 

 

Congratulations to Kala Domingo, Kaley & A'ali'i Kelling (l to r)

for attaining their Brown Belt rank of San kyu (3rd level)



Goju-kan Hawaii - Cuba Pictures(May 2011)

New Pictures - 2011 March Cuba Trip

     Click here to see the gallery  

  

Arriving in Cuba was an awe aspiring experience for me.

Sensei Eric Marn of the Funakoshi Shotokan - Hawaii planned this trip gathering for the both of us. 

We were met by a deligation of Cuban Martial Arts Sensei's from Goju, Shotokan & Escrima.

Discussion for the week long training was at hand. And they wanted much to learn from us. 

A training seminar in two areas were set up. Havana and Varadero province were chosen.

Participants came from many areas to joint in. Sensei Marn and myself split the everyday
training taking turns and even going solo at times as a few wanted only a to learn Escrima or Goju.

The Cubans are very serious when it comes to training and our two hour classes ended up to five to six hours a day... awesome!

I met many fantastic students, family members and on lookers. Communication was
interesting as we tried to understand one another by using hand gestures and martial arts lingo.
I had an interpetor, "Ryan", whom was with me most of the time and made things easier for both sides.

All in all, the point always got across with smiles and laughter.

We stay at the home of Humberto & Mari. Two wonderful people that I have ever met. Mari cooked up tasty meals that never went to waist.

Humberto was our offical interpetor. His words to the Cubans was always the right ones to say. He was a major part of our training being very diplomatic..

Many Thanks to these senseis from the various groups and provinces.

Shotokan Sensei's - Perros, Sardinios, Falcon

Goju Sensei's - Rojas, Torres, Cabrera, Suarez

Escrime Guru - Soto
My apologies if I left anyone out. You are all in my heart!

Especially to the GOJU students I had the pleasure of training with. Thank you for your undivided attention. 

I also want to to say a special Thank You to Tamara and her family for allowing me to spend time with them in their home.
I can't wait to return... "I WILL BE BACK"

Aki Sensei