Shirō Asano (karateka)
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Shirō Asano 9th dan (born 29th October 1939) is Chairman and Chief Instructor of Shotokan Karate-do International of Great Britain, and the Shotokan Karate-do International European Federation.
[edit] Biography
Born in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, Asano Shiro was a graduate of Takushoku University, Tokyo, and a former pupil of Master Masatoshi Nakayama.
He became the All Japan Universities Champion in 1957, and repeated this success in 1958.
Upon leaving University, during which time he had been a prominent member of the Takushoku University Karate Club, Asano was appointed a J.K.A. Instructor on 1st April, 1963, and by this time he was a 4th Dan.
He taught in Germany, and at Liverpool before finally taking up residence in Nottingham in early summer 1968. He became Chief Instructor to the Midlands Karate Group.
In 1974 he was appointed Chairman and Chief Instructor to Shotokan Karate-do International (Great Britain).
He received his 7th Dan towards the end of 1978 and he was appointed Chief Instructor in Europe in Spring 1979.
He was awarded 8th Dan by the Shotokan Karate-do International Federation in 1987. In October 2001 he was promoted to 9th Dan Hanshi.
Asano is noted for his superb timing, judgement of distance, his tremendous fighting spirit and his wide knowledge of Kata and Kumite techniques.
To this day Asano Hanshi, 9th Dan, remains one of the highest graded Karate instructors in the world. He was one of the first Japanese Instructors to bring the art of Karate-do directly from the formidable Takushoku University in Tokyo, Japan to the United Kingdom..
He has since coached Great Britain to World and European Championship Gold medals and continues to teach students across the world, he is a true Japanese Master!
