The club was formed in 1996 by the club instructor Steve Ashby (2nd Dan). He asked Sensei Dave Kershaw, who's Steve's own Sensei (instructor), to name the club and the name Kyōtō was given.
The Kyōtō Shotokan Karate Clubs' name comes from the old name of Bristol (Bristow: brycg, meaning "bridge" and stow, meaning "assembly place."). Kyōtō (pronounced Kyootoo) is written in Japanese Kanji as 橋頭, 橋 (kyō) meaning "bridge" and 頭 (tō) meaning "head", so a literal translation would be "bridgehead" or "vicinity of a bridge". So Kyōtō ni Dōjō means "Dōjō in the vicinity of a bridge".
We are a small, family friendly. Karate club situated in Shirehampton, Bristol.
Our aim is to teach traditional Shotokan Karate.
Club instruction is with Steve Ashby (2nd Dan)
The Kyoto Shotokan Karate club was set up in 1996. We are a constituted club, affiliated to Shotokan Karate International (SKI) of Great Britain (SKI-GB) headed by Hanshi Shiro Asano (9th Dan) - Chief Instructor to Europe and Great Britain..
Club Instructors are CRB checked and hold Personal Liability Insurance.
Our Child Protection Policy follows that set by Karate England (KE).
Tyra Shelper is the clubs primary First Aider. She has undertaken First Aid qualification specifically as a Sports First Aider.
Henry McGrath also trains with the club - he runs a Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinic in Bristol and author/lecturer in chinese medicines and acupuncture.
We run mixed classes for men, women and children twice weekly, at St. Bernards RC Primary School in Shirehampton and at Avonmouth Rugby Football Club, Shirehampton..
Each evenings class consists of two sessions: a beginners session (6.30pm - 7.30pm) aimed at white belts through to 8th Kyu orange belts and a advanced class (7.30pm - 8.30pm) aimed at all grades.
Our students range from boys/girls from age of 5 through to adults into their 60’s.
With the average cost of a one hour lesson costing anywhere between £3.00 - £7.00, we try to keep the cost to families as low as possible, charging £3.00 per evening (if you train in both sessions that’s £3 per hour!).
We are a non-profit making club, all training money goes into to the club to pay for hall hire, insurance and guest instructors.
We host regular courses in Bristol with senior Shotokan Instructors - to date we have had regular courses with Sensei Paul Mead (7th Dan) and Sensei Dave Kershaw (6th Dan).
Kyoto Club Instructor - Steve Ashby (2nd Dan)
Steve started his Karate training back in 1984, at the Konjaku Shin Karate Club, in Grimsby. Training was typically 3-4 times a week, under Sensei Dave Kershaw (now 6th Dan). Steve continued his Karate training at University in Middlesbrough, but regularly traveled back to Grimsby to receive tuition at the Konjaku Shin club.
In 1986, he moved to St.Albans, Herts, where he trained at a small S.K.I. club in the town and its’ sister club in nearby Luton.
He received his 1st Dan in 1991 and his 2nd Dan in 1998.
In 1992, he moved to Yeovil in the South West, and started to travel back and forth to Bristol to train at Bristol S.K.I., where he also taught.
In 1996, he set up the Kyoto Shotokan Karate Club in Shirehampton.
S.K.I. European Chief Instructor - Hanshi Shiro Asano (9th Dan)
The Chief Instructor to Great Britain and Europe is Hanshi Shiro Asano (9th Dan), who is based here in the UK at Nottingham.
Hanshi Asano was born in Shinjuku, Tokyo in 1939. He was a graduate of the infamous Takushoku University (Tokyo), and studied Karate under Master Masatoshi Nakayama. He became the All Japan Universities Champion in 1957 and again in 1958.
When he left University, as a 4th Dan, he was appointed a J.K.A. insructor in 1963, and taught at Germany and Liverpool for a while. In 1968, he settled in Nottingham.
In 1974, he was appointed Chairman and Chief Instructor to Shotokan Karate International (Great Britain).
In 1978, he was awarded his 7th Dan
In 1979, he was appointed Chief Instructor to Europe.
In 1987, he was awarded his 8th Dan.
In 2001, he was awarded his 9th Dan and the title of “Hanshi”, meaning “Instructor of Instructors”.
S.K.I. World Chief Instructor - Kancho Hirokazu Kanazawa (10th Dan)
The S.K.I. Chief Instructor is the world renowned Kancho Hirokazu Kanazawa (10th Dan).
Kanazawa was born in 1931, in the Iwate prefecture, Japan.
In 1956, he graduated from the infamous Takushoku University and joined the J.K.A.
In 1957, he won the Kumite title in the 1st All Japan Karate Championships, winning despite suffering a broken hand. In 1958 and 1959, he repeated this success becoming both the Kumite and Kata champion in both years.
In 1960, he was appointed Chief Instructor to Hawaii and the U.S.A.
In 1962, he was appointed Chief Instructor to the German Karate federation.
In 1977, he left the J.K.A. to form Shotokan Karate International (S.K.I.).
Shotokan Karate International (S.K.I.)
Shotokan Karate International (S.K.I.) was formed in 1977, when a number of high-ranking Japanese Instructors led by Hirokazu Kanazawa split from the J.K.A. The S.K.I. has its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, and today is one of the largest Karate organisations in the world.
In 2002 it registered as a non-profit organisation.
SKIF has member groups in 130 countries with several million members worldwide.
More detailed information about SKIF can be found here.
Shotokan Karate International European Federation (S.K.I.E.F.)
The Chairman and Chief Instructor to the S.K.I.E.F. is Hanshi Shiro Asano (9th Dan). Hanshi Asano is based here in the U.K. at Nottingham.
The Honbu Dojo is based in Wilford, Nottingham, where Hanshi Asano teaches and conducts grading examinations.
The S.K.I.E.F. offers several courses throughout the year with Hanshi Asano and other guest Japanese Instructors.
Two championships are held each year - the Shiro Asano Team Championships in the Spring and the National Championships in August.
Each year the SKI-GB presents a Wilkinson Sword of Honour to the SKI-GB member who has contributed to karate and the SKI-GB. Click here to view details.
