After two completely canceled editions due to covid and last year’s one-day camp only, exclusively with Belgian instructors, we as the organization were very pleased to welcome back this year several instructors from JKA Headquarters: Mori sensei, Taniyama sensei and Igarashi sensei.

It is now 30 years since S. Miyazaki Shihan left us, but his spirit lives in Belgium up to the present time. He still holds a special place in hearts of Belgian karatekas.

All three instructors arrived a day earlier and stayed a day longer. Ideal for fraternizing and bonding with some old acquaintances. This is because the international JKA camp S. Miyazaki offers a broad social forum in addition to the trainings.

The instructors were enthusiastically welcomed at the airport on Thursday, June 29^th and they set for Ghent. After short recovery from the night flight followed by some sightseeing in the center of the old town, they sign up for a festive evening meal, saving the strength for the three days of training starting next day.

The activities on Friday, June 30^th, started with the dan-exam for 4^th and 5^th dan.  For the results the candidates had to wait until after the entire camp, kept in suspension and afraid if they passed or not. The first training was foreseen already in the afternoon initiating no less than seven training sessions during the three consecutive days for each of the eight groups. The participants – a total of 525 karatekas – were divided into groups by grade (youth trained separately most of the time).

Each training was based on a kata, bringing up various karate aspects, such as:

1. How to use kime in kihon – kumite – kata
2. How to use rhythm in kihon – kumite – kata
3. How to use koshi in kihon – kumite – kata
4. How to use tachi kata in kihon – kumite – kata
5. How to use kihon waza in kihon – kumite – kata
6. How to use kata in self defence
7. How to use kata in kumite (in ippon kumite – kaeshi ippon kumite – jyu kumite)

Mori sensei, Taniyama sensei and Igarashi sensei were assisted by several Belgian instructors in order to give all groups and all participants the best possible teaching (with/or without an interpreter). The members of the Belgian JKA family fully appreciated the training courses of all instructors, which were challenging and physical as well as instructive and given in a pleasant atmosphere. In short, everyone was more than satisfied with this edition!

After the camp, the three sensei visited Bruges with Gneo sensei for some sightseeing and to eat a delicious Belgian waffle. On the following day, an extensive exploration of the capital Brussels and its surroundings was on the agenda. So, there was more than enough time to relax and we hope that Mori sensei, Taniyama sensei and Igarashi sensei had as much fun as the other participants.

If you wish, you can enjoy some nice images and a ‘looking back’ video. You are also more than welcome to already save the date for the next edition, namely from Friday 5^th  to Sunday 7^th of July 2024!

Oss,

Andy Willaert
Organizer international JKA Camp S. Miyazaki
President JKA Belgium