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Mitsusuke Harada

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Mitsusuke Harada
Born(1928-11-16)16 November 1928
Dairen,Manchuria,Empire of Japan
Died26 February 2021(2021-02-26)(aged 92)
Cwmbran,Wales,United Kingdom
StyleShotokaikarate
Teacher(s)Shigeru Egami,Gichin Funakoshi,Gigō Funakoshi,Genshin Hironishi
Rank5thdankarate
Websitehttp:// karatedoshotokai /

Mitsusuke Harada,MBE(Ruộng đất trên cao nguyên mãn hữu,Harada Mitsusuke,16 November 1928 – 26 February 2021)was a prominent JapanesemasterofShotokaikaratewho introduced this martial art to Brazil and was after based in the United Kingdom.[1]He founded the Karate-do Shotokai (KDS) organisation in 1965 and was its president.[1][2]Harada held the rank of 5thdan,personally awarded byGichin Funakoshiin 1956.[1]

Early life

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Harada was born on 16 November 1928 inDairen,Manchuria,which was then part of theEmpire of Japan;his father was aJapanese armyofficer.[2][3]He lived there until the age of 9 years, when his family returned to Tokyo.[2]Harada began training in karate in 1943 at the Shotokan karatedojo(training hall) inZōshigaya,Toshima Ward,Tokyo.[4]His first class was taught by Genshin Hironishi, then ranked 4thdan.[4]He later metGigō Funakoshithere, only two years before the latter's death due to illness.[2][4]On 29 April 1945, an Allied bombing raid on Tokyo destroyed the Shotokandojo;Harada wrote a letter to Gichin Funakoshi requesting to continue training if possible, and Funakoshi invited him to train at his eldest son's home, inKoishikawa.[4]Harada studied directly underGichin Funakoshi.[5]

In 1948, Harada began studying economics and commerce atWaseda University.[2][4]At the university, he trained under both Funakoshi (on Saturdays) and Toshio Kamata (Watanabe), and befriendedTsutomu Ohshima.[4][6]In 1949, theJapan Karate Association(JKA) was formed; Harada was often escorting Funakoshi by taxi around this time.[4]He also came into contact withShigeru Egami(also studying commerce at the time) and Tadao Okuyama, then ranked 3rddan,at Waseda.[6][7]Harada trained under both men, and they had a significant influence on his karate style.[6][7]Harada completed his Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1953 and went on to complete a master's degree in 1955.[7]During postgraduate studies, he assistedMasatoshi Nakayamain teaching karate to US military personnel.[7]

Brazil

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Following completion of his tertiary studies, Harada took a position with the Bank of South America inSão Paulo,Brazil.[7]His manager there, on learning of his new employee's martial art training, asked him to conduct a demonstration; following this, fellow employees and other associates began training under his direction.[7]Initially, the karate training took place in ajudodojo.[7]Harada wrote to Funakoshi to request affiliation with the JKA, but the latter apparently wrote back advising him to start his own karate organisation.[7]This marked the birth of Karate-do Shotokan Brazileo.[7]

In 1956, Funakoshi awarded Harada the rank of 5thdan,which was then the highest rank in Shotokan karate.[8]He has kept the same rank to this day, and 5thdanis still the highest rank attainable in his organisation (the KDS).[8]In April 1957, Egami sent Harada a telegram to inform him that Funakoshi had died. In the period that followed, political troubles saw many of Funakoshi's senior students (including Harada) form theShōtōkaigroup separate from the JKA.[8]

United Kingdom

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By 1963, Harada had around 16yudansha(students holding black belt status) at hisdojo.[8]At the time, karate students in Paris had heard of him and saved enough money to buy him an airline ticket to their city; Harada resigned from the bank, intending to take a year to travel before returning to Brazil.[8]After teaching in France, he travelled to the United Kingdom at the invitation ofKenshiro Abbe.[9]In early November 1963, he taught a karate course at Abbe'sdojo.[9]On 23 November 1963, Harada demonstrated karate as part of the National Judo Championships being held inLondon.[9]

Through the mid-1960s, Harada taught karate in the UK and Brussels.[9]He founded the KDS in 1965.[1][2]Harada returned to Japan for six months in 1967 and, while he apparently did not consider the journey fruitful overall, he did confirm a replacement to lead hisdojoin Brazil: Arinobu Ishibata.[9]Harada has been based in the UK ever since. The KDS experienced significant divisions in 1971 and 1988.[9][10]

Harada has also taught at other overseas clubs that were developed including: Canada, Estonia, Finland, Gibraltar, Israel, Morocco, Poland, Spain, USA.

Later life

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In October 1998, theNihon Karate-do Shotokaiinvited Harada back to Tokyo to demonstrate his art as part of Shotokan karate's 60th anniversary celebration, and he and a selection of his top students did so.[10]In 2007,QueenElizabeth IIappointed Harada as a Member of theOrder of the British Empirefor his services to karate.[10]Martial arts author Clive Layton has written two biographical works on Harada:Karate Master: The life and times of Mitsusuke Harada(1997) andReminiscences by Master Mitsusuke Harada(1999, co-authored with Harada).[11][12]

Mitsuske Harada died on 26 February 2021 at his home inCwmbran[13]at the age of 92.[14][15]

References

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  1. ^abcdKarate-do Shotokai: What is KDS?(c.2009). Retrieved on 21 March 2010.
  2. ^abcdefShotokai Encyclopedia & Japanese Martial Arts: Mitsusuke Harada – A brilliant career(c.2005). Retrieved on 21 March 2010.
  3. ^Shuriway Karate & Kobudo Resource Website: Mitsusuke Harada Hanshi – Shotokai(c.2000). Retrieved on 27 April 2010.
  4. ^abcdefgde'Claire, J. (c.2009).Karate-do Shotokai: Harada Sensei, MBE – Page 1Retrieved on 21 March 2010.
  5. ^Heinze, T. (2009):Die Meister des Karate und Kobudo: Teil 1 – Vor 1900(in German)(p. 52). Norderstedt: Books on Demand. (ISBN978-3-8391-1785-9)
  6. ^abcde'Claire, J. (c.2009).Karate-do Shotokai: Harada Sensei, MBE – Page 2Retrieved on 21 March 2010.
  7. ^abcdefghide'Claire, J. (c.2009).Karate-do Shotokai: Harada Sensei, MBE – Page 3Retrieved on 21 March 2010.
  8. ^abcdede'Claire, J. (c.2009).Karate-do Shotokai: Harada Sensei, MBE – Page 4Retrieved on 21 March 2010.
  9. ^abcdefde'Claire, J. (c.2009).Karate-do Shotokai: Harada Sensei, MBE – Page 5Archived2016-01-29 at theWayback MachineRetrieved on 21 March 2010.
  10. ^abcde'Claire, J. (c.2009).Karate-do Shotokai: Harada Sensei, MBE – Page 6Retrieved on 21 March 2010.
  11. ^Layton, C. (1997):Karate Master: The life and times of Mitsusuke Harada.Liverpool: Bushido. (ISBN978-1-8714-5702-5)
  12. ^Harada, M., & Layton, C. (1999):Reminiscences by Master Mitsusuke Harada.Gwent, UK: KDS. (ISBN978-0-9532-8321-7)
  13. ^"Mitsusuke Harada | Deceased Estates | The Gazette".thegazette.co.uk.Retrieved2021-05-29.
  14. ^"Décès de Maître Mitsusuke Harada".Fédération Française de Karaté(in French). 2021-03-23.Retrieved2021-05-29.
  15. ^"Passing of Mitsusuke Harada Sensei MBE".englishkaratefederation.Retrieved2021-05-29.
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