MUMON  KARATE

 

In 1960, Waseda Karate Club graduate Mr. Tsutomu Oshima had brought several American students to Japan to spend time training at Waseda University.

 

As the club Captain, Mr. Honda spent time getting to know Mr. Oshima and Mr.  Caylor Adkins. During the visitors time in Japan, Coach  Shibuya and Professor Ohama asked Mr. Oshima to lead a group of five Waseda Club Members, including Mr. Honda, on a visit to Okinawa. This was the first sports or martial arts group to visit Okinawa since WWII. Coincidentally, many of the leaders of Okinawa were alumni of Waseda University, so they were well received. The group practiced at major dojos for ten days, visiting several famous karate masters, and appearing on television. Among the groups they visited were the Ryukyu University Karate Club, Master Soken Hohan, and Master Choshin Chibaba.

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Mr. Honda graduated Waseda University with a degree in Civil Engineering and San-dan (3rd Degree Blackbelt), the highest rank given by Waseda University Karate Club.

 

In 1962, Mr. Honda moved to the United States to pursue a Graduate Degree in Civil Engineering at UCLA. Sadaharu and Caylor, the pioneering American Karateka practiced intensely during this time. Mr. Honda started to assist Caylor by teaching students in the Long Beach California.

 

Mr. Oshima returned to the United States in 1963. The three (Ohshima, Adkins, and Honda) grew the instruction in California. In 1966, Mr. Honda completed his Masters in Engineering and was recruited to work in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  

 

At the request of Mr. Honda's junior from Waseda University, Mr. Kazumi Tabata asked Mr. Honda to assisted in a Special Training at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Mr. Tabata was expanding Karate in Boston, and asked Mr. Honda to take over the CMU club. Mr. Honda continued the development of Karate clubs in the eastern United States starting with Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh and in 1971 formed the Pittsburgh Shotokan Karate Association, not-for-profit.

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Recommended by Senior Ohshima, Sadaharu tested for Godan (5th Degree Black Belt) in 1976 in a special dan (black belt rank) promotion personally administered by Senior Kamata-Watanabe during the 20th Anniversary Celebration of Shotokan Karate of America.  Also in 1976, the year of the bi-centennial, Sadaharu became a proud US Citizen, an honor which he does not take lightly.

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Mr. Ohshima, Honda, and Adkins founded Shotokan Karate of America in 1981. For over 20 years, Mr. Honda actively grew SKA as President and Head of the Blackbelt Council.  In 2002, Mr. Honda retired from SKA to pursue his interests in Budo Karate.

 

Mr. Honda continues his affiliation with Waseda University Karate Club and other Shotokan and martial arts masters throughout the world. In 2002, Sadaharu was recognized by the Japanese Government for his contribution to traditional arts in America.  His Excellency Ryozo Kato (the Ambassador of Japan to the US) honored Sadaharu as an“ambassador” of traditional Japanese culture and art on the third day of November, which is known as Culture Day (Jp. = Bunka-No Hi). The masters of the traditional arts are considered to be the keepers of Japan’s beautiful artistic legacy.

 

Sadaharu is also an accomplished business leader holding the Chief Executive Officer positions at WinAdvisory Group and MKK Technologies (US subsidiary of Maeda Kensetsu Kougyo Kabushiki-gaisha).

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Mr. Honda has also authored three books on business between America and Japan, and was an Executive Professor in Residence at the A.J. Palumbo School of Business Administration at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh.