INSTRUCTORS
PHOTO GALLERY
Instructors
Shihan Akio Minakami
Shihan Akio Minakami was born in Tokyo, Japan and made a name for himself as an outstanding karate man. He won 5 Gold Medals at the Hayashi-Ha Shitoryu-Kai International Championships and 5 Gold Medals at the All Japan Karate Championships. He was also the first man ever to win 5 Gold Medals (every division possible) at the AAU National Championships. He was the first individual ever to receive a unanimous passing grade, meaning all 11 Masters (representing the 4 major styles) on the Japan Karate Federation examining board, gave him their approval. This is an amazing honor for which he will always be known. Today, Shihan Minakami holds an 8th Degree Black Belt in Hayashi-Ha Shitoryu-Kai, a 7th Degree Black Belt from the Japan Karatedo Federation, a Black Belt in Judo and a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Kendo.
Sensei Sean Roberts
Sensei Sean Roberts 5th Dan is 8-time British Karate Champion, 3-time European Karate Champion, and a Gold Medal winner with the England Team in the 1990 and 1991 World Shotokan Karate Championships. For a number of years, he was the Chief Instructor at Cambridge University Karate Club in England and was regularly invited to teach karate around Europe. He moved to Hawaii in 2002 and is now the Chief Karate Instructor at the University of Hawaii. He is currently studying for a PhD in Biomechanics, specifically looking at the kinematics and kinetics of karate technique. He is also a certified Iyengar yoga teacher and a Chartered Accountant.