Ramsgate has played host to the first European Uechi Ryu Karate seminar, which involved practitioners gathering from around the UK, Germany and the United States for a weekend of hard karate training.
Uechi Ryu is a karate style that originated on the Japanese island of Okinawa and is different from many other karate styles due to retaining much of its Chinese kung fu influences.
High ranking instructors attended to share knowledge with the participants, including octogenarian Sensei George Mattson, a 10th Dan black belt, responsible for bringing Uechi Ryu karate to America over 60 years ago from Okinawa, where he was stationed as a member of the US military.
Also leading training sessions were sensei’s Darin Yee, Paul Swift and Roy Bedard from the US, Paul Kronschrabl from Germany and Al Wharton, originally from Bermuda and now living in Kent.
The seminar was organised by Shogun Martial Arts school leader Lee Adams, who teaches karate and aikido at his full-time dojo in Herne Bay.
The event, held at Ellington Infant School, was a great success, with international visitors enjoying their time in Ramsgate. Plans are currently being made for the next European event, likely to be held in Germany next year.
For more information about training in Uechi Ryu karate, visit the Shogun Martial Arts Facebook page, or contact [email protected]
