Hirokazu Kanazawa · Lineage tree

Also known as

Kancho Kanazawa · Soke Kanazawa

Description

Japanese master of Shotokan karate, ranked 10th dan, who held the 2nd dan in Judo. Kanazawa trained under Gichin Funakoshi and Masatoshi Nakayama at Takushoku University, won the inaugural All Japan Karate Championship kumite title in 1957, and was among the first graduates of the JKA instructor training programme. After teaching for the JKA in Japan and abroad, he left the association and founded the Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation (SKIF), which he led as Soke and Chief Instructor until his death in 2019. He was among the last living karateka to have learned directly from Gichin Funakoshi.

Teachers (2)

• 
  Funakoshi Gichin

  sports_martial_artsShotokan Confirmed

  Confirmed

  Well-documented across multiple sources that Kanazawa learned directly from Gichin Funakoshi, founder of Shotokan, and was one of the last living karateka to have done so

  The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  Well-documented across multiple sources that Kanazawa learned directly from Gichin Funakoshi, founder of Shotokan, and was one of the last living karateka to have done so

  “Kanazawa also learned from the founder of the Shotokan style, Gichin Funakoshi, and was one of the last living karateka (practitioners of karate) to have done so.”

  — Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Hirokazu Kanazawa - Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English)link history info

  “A direct student of Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan karate”

  — Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation. Hirokazu Kanazawa Soke - Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation link history info
• 
  Masatoshi Nakayama

  sports_martial_artsShotokan Confirmed

  Confirmed

  Wikipedia and SKIF's own bio, two independent sources, both directly state Kanazawa trained under Masatoshi Nakayama, then head instructor of Shotokan at Takushoku University and later JKA chief instructor

  The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.

  location_onTakushoku University badge

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  Wikipedia and SKIF's own bio, two independent sources, both directly state Kanazawa trained under Masatoshi Nakayama, then head instructor of Shotokan at Takushoku University and later JKA chief instructor

  “He began training in karate whilst at Takushoku University under the then-head instructor of Shotokan karate, Masatoshi Nakayama.”

  — Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Hirokazu Kanazawa - Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English)link history info

  “At Takushoku University he turned to karate, training under Masatoshi Nakayama and learning directly from Gichin Funakoshi.”

  — Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation. Hirokazu Kanazawa Soke - Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation link history info

Lineage

• Shotokan Masatoshi Nakayama ← Funakoshi Gichin · 2 generations

Ranks (2)

• sports_martial_artsShotokan

  military_tech10 dan Confirmed

  Confirmed

  SKIF bio lists 10th dan; Wikipedia confirms the International Martial Arts Federation promoted Kanazawa to 10th dan in 2000

  The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.

  Dan-Kyu System (2000)

  granted by Kokusai Budoin, International Martial Arts Federation

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  SKIF bio lists 10th dan; Wikipedia confirms the International Martial Arts Federation promoted Kanazawa to 10th dan in 2000

  “The International Martial Arts Federation promoted Kanazawa to 8th dan in 1978, 9th dan in 1988, and 10th dan in 2000.”

  — Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Hirokazu Kanazawa - Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English)link history info

  “Kanazawa held the rank of 10th Dan.”

  — Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation. Hirokazu Kanazawa Soke - Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation link history info
• sports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō

  military_tech2 dan Probable

  Probable

  Wikipedia infobox states Kanazawa held 2nd dan in Judo from his school years

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Dan-Kyu System

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Wikipedia infobox states Kanazawa held 2nd dan in Judo from his school years

  “He trained in judo during his school years, and held the rank of 2nd dan in that martial art.”

  — Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Hirokazu Kanazawa - Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English)link history info

Students (1)

• 
  Ari Anastasiadis

  sports_martial_artsShotokan Probable

  Probable

  Goran Glucina's first-person video description states that he and Ari Anastasiadis both trained under Hirokazu Kanazawa; corroborated by the Karate Maskoutain hommage. The interaction period is inferred from Anastasiadis's documented Tokyo/JKA stay in the late 1950s when Kanazawa was a JKA instructor.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  location_onJKA Honbu Dojo badge (1956–1960)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Goran Glucina's first-person video description states that he and Ari Anastasiadis both trained under Hirokazu Kanazawa; corroborated by the Karate Maskoutain hommage. The interaction period is inferred from Anastasiadis's documented Tokyo/JKA stay in the late 1950s when Kanazawa was a JKA instructor.

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “We all trained under the greatest Karate Master of modern times HIROKAZU KANAZAWA Soke who spread Karate -Do throughout the Western World.”

  — Glucina, Goran. (2022). KARATE DEMONSTRATION on NHK TV, TOKYO JAPAN 1985 Rare footagelink info

Honours (1)

• receipt_longMeijin title Probable

  Probable

  SKIF's own bio states Kanazawa was conferred the Meijin title in 2012; no independent source corroborates it

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  history_eduTradition only

  Tradition only: every supporting source is the lineage's own account of itself

  Title (2012)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  SKIF's own bio states Kanazawa was conferred the Meijin title in 2012; no independent source corroborates it

  “In recognition of his lifetime contribution to martial arts, Kanazawa was conferred the Meijin title in 2012.”

  — Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation. Hirokazu Kanazawa Soke - Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation link history info

Sources

Identifiers