Master Funakoshi Sensei – Gichin Funakoshi — 1869 – April 26, 1957
Gichin Funakoshi is known as the Father of Modern Day Karate and is probably the best known name in karate history.
He was born in the city of Shuri on the island of Okinawa in 1868 and by the age of 11, Funakoshi was training with the great Okinawan teachers Anko Itosu and Yasutsune Azato. At this time, it was illegal to learn martial arts, though that did not stop him and many others practicing in secret. Around the turn of the century the art came out into the open and began to be taught in public schools, thanks largely to the efforts of Anko Itosu.
Sensei Gichin Funakoshi and Japan
By the time Funakoshi was an adult he excelled in karate, so much that the Crown Prince of Japan, ask Funakoshi chosen to perform a demonstration for him.
When the Japanese Ministry of Education held a demonstration of karate in Tokyo a year later in 1922, the Okinawan Department of Education who he worked for as a school teacher asked him to be the one to perform it and introduce the art to Japan; when he did, a new era in the history of the martial arts was born.
The Japanese were so impressed that he was asked to stay in the country to further demonstrate and teach his art. This began with an invitation from Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo, who asked Funakoshi to demonstrate karate in front of over one hundred of his students.
He quickly gained students in the universities in and around Tokyo and soon he had enough interest to start his own dojo. Amongst his more prominent beliefs was Funakoshi’s conviction that the best martial arts exponents should be so confident that they had nothing to prove about their fighting prowess. The true art was found in subduing an opponent without fighting, echoing the teachings of the legendary samurai Tsukahara Bokuden from over 400 years previously.
However; through his most senior students such as Hidetaka Nishiyama and Masatoshi Nakayama, Shotokan karate lived on and grew. Today, it is practiced by millions of students and is a famous fighting system, respected and feared throughout the world.
Master Masatoshi Nakayama — April 13, 1913 – April 15, 1987
Masatoshi Nakayama wrote many textbooks on karate, for almost 40 years, until his death in 1987, Nakayama worked to spread Shotokan karate around the world. He was the first master in Shotokan history to attain the rank of 9th Dan while alive. Nakayama’s grandfather was Naomichi Nakayama, a surgeon in Tokyo, who had also been the last of the family to teach, Nakayama’s father was Naomichi Nakayama, an army physician and a (practitioner of his father to Taipei, so Nakayama spent some of his formative years there Apart from his academic studies, he participated in skiing, swimming, tennis, and track running. In May 1949, Nakayama, Isao Obata, and other colleagues helped establish Funakoshi was the formal head of the organization.
In 1956, working with Teruyuki Okazaki, he restructured the Shotokan karate training program to follow both traditional karate and methods developed in modern sports science . Nakayama established Kata (patterns) and Kumite (sparring) as tournament disciplines. Students of the large dojo (training halls) subsequently achieved an unmatched series of tournament successes in the 1950s and 1960s.
Many of this program’s graduates were sent throughout the world to form new Shotokan subgroups and increase membership. Nakayama also held positions in the Physical Education department of Takushoku University, eventually becoming head of that department. He also headed the ski team at the university.
Later life
In 1972, Nakayama, with some help from one of his students, Hirokazu Kanazawa, set up a personal dojo in the basement of his apartment building, naming it “Hoitsugan. Karate students from outside Japan lived in the dormitory rooms and trained in this dojo from the early 1970s.
After rapid promotion through the ranks in the 1950s, Nakayama still held the rank of 8th dan in 1974. He was promoted to 9th dan in the 1980s, becoming the first Shotokan master to be awarded this rank while still living. Nakayama continued teaching Shotokan karate until his death on April 15, 1987, in Tokyo, Japan.
Adrian Ellis – Shihan, President IKO
Adrian Ellis is the owner of a private security, the firm was established in 2004 and has now expanded internationally providing private physical security, access control, in executive protection for multitude of clients.
Adrian’s martial arts training begin in the early 80’s, he competed in full contact karate and freestyle karate before settling and finding his passion in the traditional aspect of Shotokan Karate, some of his training was with J. Mirza and Del Saito, which was the foundation of Sensei Shojiro Sugiyama, who began training under Hideyataka Nishiyama.
As a competitor Adrian became one of the most successful athletes in AAU history winning
Seven consecutive national titles and participating on several International teams, traveling around world, and winning Gold medal in the 1980 Goodwill Games, he was a two time recipient of the athlete of the year and served as an Advisor on athlete’s rights relative to the USOC.
After winning his 7th consecutive national title in kumite, Adrian retired from competition and begin working as a mechanical designer he, later left the engineering field and opened a successful Karate school, the program was so successful Adrian was appointed as executive director for the AAU Martial Arts Program, overseeing all martial arts programming associate with Disney Sports complex. The program experienced some of its most successful growth under Adrian’s leadership.
After leaving the AAU Adrian was appointed as National Director for the USSSA National Karate Program and shortly afterwards was asked to oversee all martial arts development and growth for the USSSA, in that same year he formed The International Karate Do Organization (IKO) which he serves as the President today.
The International Karate-Do Organization has grown throughout the United Sates, UK, Japan and the Caribbean maintaining the traditional values of karate through like-minded individuals.
Adrian also spends much of his time speaking on various topic around the country, and working with the various organization including Rotary International, Masonic Lodge, and serving on the Board of Director for the African American Chamber of Commerce.
USSSA National Karate Program, National Director
USSSA National Team Catichiba Brazil, Head of Delegation 2012
USSSA National Team, Ontario, Canada, Head of Delegation 2014
World United Karate Organization, Executive Committee
International Karate Do Organization, President United States Olympic Committee, Advisor for athletes rights AAU Karate Team, Head Coach AAU martial arts program, Executive Director
Organizational Structure
Officers
President – Hanshi Adrian Ellis (Founder/President)
Treasurer – Chas Whitely
Legal Counsel – Open
General Secretary – Open
Technical Committee
Open
Competition Coaches Committee
Albert Doorlag, Chairman
Referee Committee
Chris Wilkes
Public Relations Committee
Haley Mills
Maria Morales
Members
Alabama
Steve Baxley – Director of Dojo Development
Steve Alexander
Barry Roth
Isabelle Houston
Bogan Brooks
Craig Ramasy
Sofia Colbert
Mississippi
Rick Hammers
Frenchie Chermie
Terry Johnson
Karen Barkman
Hanna Kelly
Clayton Johnson
Florida — IKO Headquarters
Hanshi Adrian Ellis Senior Instructor
Chas Whitley
Patrick Reid
Frank Westmoreland
Marc Valcourt
Carlos Batista
Michael
Texas
Darien Cherry
Winton Garrett
Whisper Garrett
Tennessee
Pat Johnston
Michigan
Al Doorlag
Chris Wilkes
International Affiliations
Bahamas
Marcus Rolle
Dominican Republic
Santo De Jesus Tejada
Ethiopia
Samuel Melese
Dagnachew Tegegn
Ghana
Shihan George – Slater Commodore
Nigeria
Uyoata Enefiok Obott
Togo
Sierra Leona
Victor Amara
Liberia
Benin
Guinea
Peter-Claver Ayaovi Aniaku
Guyana
Jeffery Wong Director
Nadia Rohman
Todd Bobb
Kendrick Cheeks
Haiti
Jean Desir
Joseph Thales
Fanord Watson
Rudjerry Blac Doblas
François Servilus
Trinidad & Tobago
Lex Springer
United Kingdom
Ken Tsai
Brazil
Martinho Oliveira
Leonardo Coradini
Marcius Pirôpo
Romania
Dermengiu M. Lonel
This structure is based on shotokan, each style has its own system of ranking and does not adhere to the shotokan system currently used and in iko.
We are a traditional karate Organization, dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Traditional Japanese and Okinawan Karate around the world
