13 Sep 2017

World renowned kata grand master Nagatomo Kenichiro is expected in Botswana tomorrow at the invitation of Botswana Hayashi-Ha Karate Union to conduct a training programme with local karatekas.

Nagatomo, undeniably one of the most influential figures in the development of Shito-ryu karate worldwide will from tomorrow engage different level of karatekas for intensive karate classes until Sunday.

Confirming the visit yesterday, Hayashi-Ha Botswana chief instructor Shihan Mpho Bakwadi sang praises for the 8th Dan grand master, saying local karate students should not miss the opportunity to learn from him.

Bakwadi explained that Nagatomo’s visit came at the opportune moment when karate as a sport was enlisted to be part of the 2018 Youth Olympic Games slated for Buenos Aires and the forthcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Bakwadi said the objective of the visit such as Nagatomo’s was to improve and standardise the level of the karate technique.

Currently, the country has only three 6th Dan black belt instructors namely Bakwadi, Million Masumbika and Soccer Moruakgomo. Nagatomo is expected to impart the necessary expertise to the local karatekas. It is not the first time that the karate stable has tapped the technical expertise from across the shores.

In 2015, one of the finest instructors Nidaime Hayashi came into the country to engage the local karate students. Nidaime is the son of Teruo Hayashi, the late martial arts genius and the founder of the Hayashi-Ha Shito Ryu stable.

They have also benefitted from the skills of South African -based Japanese Karate Association 6th Dan sensei Karin Prinsloo.

Hayashi-Ha karate stable has produced some of the polished karatekas locally who have benefitted from national team assignments and took part in reputable tournaments worldwide such as the US Open and the recent Hayashi-Ha International Championships in Barcelona.

Some of the karatekas who form part of the Hayashi-Ha establishment are amongst others, the Groth brothers Kevin and Khaya, WKF kata rated Ofentse Bakwadi and Mohamed Ali Hussein who started at four years. Ends