The JKA England International Spring Course took place at K2 Crawley from April 26th to April 28th, 2024. Okuma Sensei from JKA HQ returned after a decade, joined by Hirose Sensei for his first visit to England.
Preceding the main event, additional training sessions were held in Nottingham, Harpenden, Hursley, and London, led by these esteemed instructors.
The main Gasshuku featured Okuma Sensei, Hirose Sensei, Sawada Sensei from Belgium, and our Chief Instructor Ohta Sensei. With nearly 500 participants from across the globe, this year’s course was one of the busiest and received glowing feedback for its educational and enjoyable experience.
The participants enjoyed comprehensive training in Kihon, Kumite, and Kata, with the flexibility to choose their preferred Kata for practice sessions. The event also included Kyu gradings, coaching assessments, and JKA Dan gradings up to 5th Dan, alongside examinations for instructor, judge, and examiner roles. Congratulations to all successful candidates.
Looking ahead, anticipation is already building for the Winter Course featuring Imamura Sensei, Shiina Sensei, and Ohta Sensei.

David Paulus
Deputy Head of Association