Keigo Abe (阿部 圭吾 Abe Kiego, October 28, 1938 to date) is a senior shotokan karate master and Chief Instructor of the Japan Shotokan Karate Association.
He began training in Shotokan at the age of 16 with Myoto sensei at the Meikukan dojo and was graded 4th dan in 1964 at the age of 25. After leaving Nihon university, he graduated from the Japan Karate Association instructors programme in 1965. [1] While a student at the JKA Honbu, he learned directly from Masatoshi Nakayama, which is reflected in his deference to Nakayama as being his only headmaster. Like other kenshusei (junior instructor) of the day, in order to improve his fighting skills Abe would practice his techniques on the streets against local gangsters (yakuza).[2] and in his Best Karate Vol. 3, Masatoshi Nakayama wrote 'Keigo Abe's forte are back fist and other striking techniques as well as the expert use of ma-ai (distancing).
This was reflected in his time as a tournament competitor where he took 3rd place in the first JKA National Championships, was Captain of the Japanese team at the 2nd World Championships in Paris and took 1st place in 1973 at the JKA International Friendship Tournament, 1st place in the second Japan Karate Federation's (JKF) National Championships. and 1st place in the third Japan Karate Federation's (JKF) National Championships.[3]
During his 35 years at the JKA headquarters, Abe held the office of Director of Qualifications in the pre-split JKA and after the split in 1990, he became the Technical Director of the JKA (Matsuno faction), during some of the JKA's most turbulent years. He was one of only 10 karateka to referee and is the only Shotokan stylist to have performed kata, in front of the Emperor Akihito. Abe was the martial arts coordinator on the James Bond movie 'You Only Live Twice' and was responsible for formulating the Shobu Ippon tournament rules, which are used by most Shotokan stylists in the world today.
Renowned as a shotokan traditionalist, he left the JKA in February 1999 and formed his own international association; the Japan Shotokan Karate Association (JSKA) where he is supported by Matsuru Nagaki 8th dan, Assistant Chief Instructor and Makoto Matsunami 8th dan, Technical Director. Abe is currently graded 9th dan in shotokan karate and 6th dan in iaido. [4]
Sources
- Harry Cook. (2001) First Edition. [5].
- Masatoshi Nakayama (1978). Best Karate, Vol 3: Kodansha International. .
Further reading
- Harry Cook. Shotokan Karate: A Precise History.
- Masatoshi Nakayama. Best Karate Series: Vol 3.
External links
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