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Shotokan is a style of karate, which was developed and modernised by Gichin Funakoshi. His demonstrations helped to popularise karate, which in turn led to the development of university karate clubs throughout mainland Japan. Funakoshi’s legacy continues to this day, as the UL Shotokan Karate Club was established due to widespread public interest.
The club is run by a team of traditional karateka. Tradition is the main aspect which keeps a club like ours strong. There are also pancake parties, the Clubs and Socs Ball, nights out, nights in, pizza parties, movie nights and, of course, the much-coveted Bi-annual Japan trip! January 2020 saw another successful trip in Japan. 11 of our members travelled to the home of modern Karate, Tokyo, where they trained under Grand Master Kanazawa along with the other sensei at the Honbu Dojo. As well as improving our kata and kumite, we also experienced Japan’s unique culture. We visited beautiful temples, the world famous Tokyo Skytree, Mt. Fuji and even tried a bit of karaoke while taking in the city’s vibrant nightlife. In the dojo we had the honour of celebrating New Years with the Sensei.
Throughout the year the club has seminars with leading figures in Irish Karate such as Sensei O’Donovan (5th Dan), who is a former national squad captain. As a member of the club you will be part of a welcoming, dynamic family. We cater for all styles of karate and all styles of people. Whether you have a ‘bog-toe kick’, an interest in learning some self-defence or simply want to get fit and meet new people, you’ll find the perfect balance in our karate club. If you are interested in joining, please click the join button at the top of the page.
For more information about our club, check out our UL Wolves page.