Description

The Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation (SKIF) is the international Shotokan karate organization founded by Hirokazu Kanazawa in 1978 after he left the Japan Karate Association (JKA). Headquartered in Tokyo, SKIF grew into one of the largest Shotokan organizations, with branches across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Note: SKIF's own materials date its founding to 1978, while some secondary sources state 1977.

Also known as

SKIF · Shotokan Karate International Federation

Founded

• 
  Hirokazu Kanazawa

Affiliations (1)

• corporate_fareDerived fromJapan Karate Association Probable

  Probable

  Directly quoted in a Japanese-language secondary source ("独立し" - "became independent from"), consistent with SKIF's own English-language materials and founding date; a single well-documented departure, not a contested multi-claimant schism.

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

  1978

  Kanazawa left the Japan Karate Association in 1978 to found SKIF.

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Directly quoted in a Japanese-language secondary source ("独立し" - "became independent from"), consistent with SKIF's own English-language materials and founding date; a single well-documented departure, not a contested multi-claimant schism.

  “1978年（昭和53年）、日本空手協会から独立し、國際松濤館空手道連盟を設立。”

  — Wikipedia contributors. (2026). 金澤弘和 - Wikipedia (JA). Wikipedia (Japanese)link history info

Locations (1)

• location_onTokyo

  warning No sources cited

Tags

shotokan · karate · federation · skif · japanese

Sources