Hokubei Shihankai Information

Hokubei Shihankai, also known as the Japanese Karate Masters Association of North America or the Hokubei Karate-do Shihan-kai, was founded in 1994 as an organization dedicated to promoting, cultivating, and maintaining an understanding of the principles of traditional Japanese martial arts, both technically and philosophically. There are 36 founding members of the Hokubei Shihankai, who have achieved "Master Level" status in their art, and who teach traditional Japanese martial arts in North America. To learn more about each of Shihankai's founding members, click here. The experience and knowledge of these 36 founding members represents the collective wisdom of generations and centuries of traditional martial arts in Japan. Consequently, Shihankai's members seek to educate the people in the West as to the true meaning of the traditional ways of Japanese martial arts, and to set forth guidelines for upholding the high standards of teaching these arts. Further, Shihankai seeks to promote friendship and understanding among its members, which consists of many varying styles of traditional Japanese martial arts.