TKRI is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing high quality karate training to interested students and to promoting research related to the various interrelated karate traditions of Japan and Okinawa. Regular classes are held in the states of Missouri and Viginia, and since 1993 we've been regular demonstrators at the annual Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Gardens (the largest such event in the nation.) We also arrange and sponsor presentations, seminars and lectures by important authorities on martial culture. Past events have included:
- the 2001 Budo Symposium at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. The Budo Symposium was a cross disciplinary event that brought experts from various related academic and martial disciplines including Karl Friday, William Bodiford, Dave Lowry, Meik Skoss, Ellis Amdur, Harry Cook, Julianna Juan, Doug Daulton and Geoffrey Wingard.
- In October of 2007 we sponsored a weekend-long seminar on the verbal de-escalation of violent situations by psychologist Ellis Amdur, an expert in crisis intervention as well as a well-known Koryu and aikido practicioner and author.
- Dave Lowry, also a well-known koryu practicioner and the author, has presented lectures on the history of the various martial traditions of Japan and Okinawa, as well as on ethics and budo.
- In 2006 we hosted a weekend-long kenjutsu seminar by Meik Skoss.
- Skoss has also presented lectures and instructed classes on the evolution of sword training as expressed in kata.
- Koryu author and practitioner Diane Skoss presented a lecture and demonstration on gender and the martial arts of Japan, especially as regards to weapons.
- Chris Smaby held a seminar on pressure point training as related to karate kata.
- Other events sponsored by TKRI have included presentations by Harry Cook, Elmar Schmeissar, and Howard High.
- TKRI-Virginia has also provided and hosted many karate events of its own, including demonstrations for school groups throughout its surrounding area, ranging from elementary schools to college cultural fairs.
- Finally, a list of our events could not be complete without mention of our annual gasshuku. For the last five years TKRI-Virginia has hosted a long training seminar at a campsite near Ferrum, Virginia. TKRI VIrginia has consistently brought highly qualified instructors such as Harry Cook and Elmar Schmeisser together with students of karate from around the world to camp and train in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Ferrum Virginia.
TKRI is affiliated with the Seijinkai Karate-Do Association under the direction of Harry Cook. The curriculum is primarily drawn from JKA style shotokan and Okinawan goju ryu karate, though we approach the various forms of karate as interrelated folk arts. Students learn a wide variety of martial techniques, including grappling, throwing, locks, pins, use of pressure-points etc. as well as the striking and blocking techniques which many associate with karate.
TKRI instructors incorporate elements of modern sports science into their classes in order to make training in karate as safe as possible while still maintaining karate’s combative aspects. These aspects are addressed through body contact and vigorous exchange of techniques, but the training attitude is one of cooperation and not belligerence. Though sensitive to the cultural aspects of the art, our instructors utilize contemporary teaching methods, when appropriate, in order to facilitate learning for the western student.
The focus of our karate practice is self-defense and character development - not sport - and we do not promote or participate as an organization in karate related competition.
