Sasori SKC is pleased to announce that we have opened a new Dojo in Chelsea, London! The address of the new Dojo is St. John’s Church, 461-463 King's Rd, London SW10 0LU (https://maps.app.goo.gl/U6qaxuSkq6tP3fEP9) Training times are: 11:30am - 1:30pm. (first hour is beginners, 2nd hour intermediate to advance). See you there!
Sasori SKC - Christmas and New Year training dates
Sasori SKC Chelsea Dojo - temporary closed pending further notice
Please note that Chelsea Dojo is currently closed until further notice. We will announce our opening dates in due course. Kindly check back, otherwise, email us for any queries - sasorikarateclub@gmail.com
Sasori SKC - Easter break closure (April 8, 11 & 13)
Dear Sasori Members -
Sasori SKC - End of year classes and 2023 restart dates
Dear Members,
In-lieu of the year-end festivities, please take note of the following dates:
Last class for Chelsea Dojo: Saturday 17th December
Last class Blackfriars Dojo (Colombo Center): Tuesday 20th December
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Class restart Blackfriars Dojo: Tuesday 10th January
Class restart Chelsea Dojo: Saturday 14th January
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Sasori SKC would like to wish all members and their families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Kawasoe Sensei Seminar in Windsor, 6th November 2022
Queen Jubilee week: Sasori SKC - Thursday 2nd & Saturday 4th June
Dear Sasori members,
As you all know, this year our Queen celebrates 70 years of Reign, and we will celebrate with her.
To commemorate the special event, we will close our Dojo in Blackfriars on Thursday 2nd June, and Saturday 4th June in Chelsea.
Training will resume on Tuesday 7th June.
Judging at the Legend Shotokan Karate Championships 26 March 2022
Sanna Sensei, Chief Referee of Tatami Mat 3 at the Legend Shotokan Karate Championships on 26 March 2022, Bracknell Leisure Centre.
Sanna Sensei's birthday 15.11.21
Sasori club members celebrating Sanna Sensei’s Birthday in the Dojo
CLASSES COMMENCING IN CHELSEA -NEW VENUE!
We are pleased to inform you that Sasori SKC will commence karate classes at our new premises in Chelsea, commencing from Saturday 26 June 2021.
Where: Hall of Remembrance, Flood St, London SW3 5SY (https://goo.gl/maps/tBg1F4eQaYXwbWCt8)
When: 11:30am - 1:30pm
(The first hour is for all levels and the second hour for 6th kyu (green belts) and above)
Nearest underground station: Sloane Square
See you there!
Sasori SKC - Restart evening training: 7pm, Thursday 20th May 2021
Dear Members,
We are extremely pleased to advise that we will re-commence our first evening class at Colombo Center on Thursday, 20th May.
Training starts at the usual 7:00pm.
It’s time to dust off the cobwebs! So remember that when we restart training, we will need to start slowly to return to the level we were pre-pandemic. My suggestion to you all is to stretch and practice the 5 heian katas, tekki shodan, bassai dai, enpi, ji on and kanku dai.
I hope you have not forgotten, but if you need a refresh of memory of how to do the katas, click here.
Please let me know if you have any questions, otherwise, we look forward to seeing you all again next Thursday!
Osu.
Best regards,
A G Sanna
6th Dan
Our Typhoon (Hagibis) adventure
Our yearly pilgrimage to Japan this time was even more challenging than ever.
We arrived a few days before the JKA Gasshuku and therefore managed to relax (walking literally miles every day) all over Tokyo, and training at Naka sensei dojo in two different premises, the first very near the JKA Honbu dojo and the second one quite far from the centre of Tokyo.
The actual training was unique as usual, with Naka sensei brilliant way of making people realize how little they know about even the simplest of techniques.
The first day of the Gasshuku was great, as we met up with old friends and made new ones.
The new Chairman (Kusahara Katsuhide) speech was very passionate and we were all impressed by his English as he spoke first in English (for us gai jin) and then in Japanese, telling us all about JKA and their goals for the future.
It was then Ueki Masaaki turn to welcome us, with another speech (this time with the use of an interpreter).
Training took place in different floors of the full time Shotokan Karate building, with the members being divided in groups of various levels.
The second day was not different, but because of the vast number of participants we had to travel to a Gym in Hongo Sanchome (luckily for us the place is only a few minutes away from our accommodation at the Ryokan Homeikan Daimachi Bekkan.
At the end of the superb sessions we were given the bad news, because of the Typhoon (Hagibis) the next two training sessions at JKA Honbu were cancelled and so was the party (we only went to Japan for the latter) the grading was somehow allowed to take place on that Sunday, the only other event allowed was the special rights where instructors take an examination in order to qualify (allowing them to grade students to the various levels, 1st dan, 2nd dan etc.) according to the qualification obtained.
The day after was the anticipated Typhoon day, and we anticipate the fact that most shops would be closed, so shopped for food and beverages the night before, as we were told by the staff at the Ryokan that it would be safer to remain indoors.
That day was horrendous, with extremely strong winds and furious rainfalls.
Finally, Sunday arrived and we managed to go to JKA Honbu as we were promised a refund of our seminar fees.
We could hear the buzz upstairs where the grading was taking place.
The next few days were spent soaking in the sights of Japan and travelling to a new and unexpected place, a natural SPA (Onsen in Kusatsu) where visitors took advantage of the natural hot springs to bathe in them.
We look forward to our next Japan trip in October 2020!
The International JKA (Japan Karate Association) joint Training Camp on 11.10.2019
Sensei Sanna attended the International JKA Autumn training camp in Tokyo in October. Pictures of the camp below:
7th July special course with Sensei Sanna
On 8th July, sensei Sanna returned to Harlow Town for a karate Seminar following last year success with the SKE London group, lead by Rod Butler sensei (Butler sensei is the author of the best seller book about Keinosuke Enoeda sensei).Sanna sensei gave this Seminar a special flavour by making the students realise that what we practice (Shotokan karate) is not boring.
The basic techniques were revisited but in a way which engaged the karateka making them think about each technique individually and in a different light, as in why and how to perform them, changing their understanding of waza (techniques) and making them appreciate the latter even more.
The second class was even more challenging as Sanna sensei made them practice the bunkai (practical application of kata) with a partner making the performance reflect the mood of each and every move.
The course was well attended and a huge success.
Sasori SKC Christmas dinner
Sasori SKC celebrates 2018 over pizzas and burgers at The Firestation, Waterloo. It was a great night had by all.
A very happy birthday to Sensei AG Sanna on 15 November 2018!
Sasori SKC Dojo celebrated Sensei Sanna’s Birthday in the Dojo
A successful Karate course at Enfield Karate Club, Southbury Leisure Centre on 8th July 2018
Karate seminar hosted by Sensei Sanna, hosted by Enfield Karate Club.
A great Technical Seminar at Fukuoka/Sasori SKC in London
A great day at Fukuoka/Sasori SKC in London where a group of WTKO members and a few friends from other Karate Groups attended a Seminar by two senior WTKO instructors (Scott Langley and Angelo Sanna) who took turns teaching their audience a few ideas on how to make their Karate work by understanding Kihon (Basics). Langley Sensei made a point in emphasising Gyaku-Zuki and which body parts to engage to perform it correctly, followed by Kizami-Zuki and Mae-Geri, all done using the correct posture, and without losing form, while Sanna Sensei combined some basic techniques plus steps and made them into a sparring exercise followed by Kihon Kata (Taikyoku Shodan) with a difference by changing the usual techniques with other blocks and punching, this was followed by Heian-Nidan using only one arm, and then the other, then the Kata was repeated but starting moving to the right rather than to the left, and the latter was followed by some applications. All in all a really enjoyable and meaningful way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Soon to be repeated (we hope)!
WTKO European Championships - Amsterdam
On 3rd October 2016, WTKO hosted the WTKO European Championships in Amstedam, Holland. Congratulations to Amy Davis and Angeline Kua, winning Gold in senior Kumite and Kata respectively for team WTKO England!