RIP Soke Katsuoh Yamamoto, 1938 - 2017

It is with much sadness that we share the information we received last night to inform us that Soke Yamamoto had passed away.  Soke was 78 years old, born on July 10, 1938.  At 9:41 on February 11, 2017 CST, and 12:41 on February 12, 2017 in Japan, his long and courageous battle with cancer came to a peaceful end.

 

After being  involved in martial arts for many years and becoming the founder of Yoshukai Karate in 1963, he has touched many lives and inspired so many people with his bravery and strength of mind.

He continued this legacy even through this last and most difficult battle to the end.  We lift up his family with prayers or wishes for comfort during this difficult time.  He was blessed to have wonderful care from them, and was so happy to have them by his side during this illness.  We will now carry on his legacy with pride, not forgetting the many teachings and lessons we all gained from him.  

Soke gathered much strength from WYKKO, as well as we did from him.   We will continue to share that with his family and stay close, assisting in any way we can.  These are the things he would want as his great legacy continues to live on in the way he wished.  Soke's family has expressed their gratitude for the love and support of the WYKKO organization during his illness.  

Minako San, his eldest daughter, has posted on Facebook this morning and you may send condolences there, for those who can and wish to do so.  We personally continue to pray for his family, students, and for his friends that have known him for a long time and will miss him dearly.  Osu!

Hiroaki and Donna Toyama

Mike and Denese Culbreth

Panama City Dojo

Congratulations to Barbara and Jimmy Crowley Sensei for this great article in Panama City Living. 

Every Monday and Thursday, the Croleys teach Yoshukai Karate, a traditional Japanese karate style, to students ages 3 to 15. Several groups of little ninjas, as Barbara lovingly calls her students, flock through the doors to train to reach their next level of achievement and skill, marked by different colored belts around their waist...

READ MORE...

 

Send your articles for your Yoshukai newsletter to frederic.lecut@gmail.com

 

Update on Soke Yamamoto's Health.

A message from Donna Toyama about Soke Yamamoto :

We have been getting messages from people who want updates on Soke, understandably, so Toyama Sensei asked me to send an update and ask if you could send a group email to update schools.  

On January 28 in the morning we received a message with the following.

Soke has been more stable and uplifted since the visits by WYKKO members and he and Minako San want all of WYKKO to know how much they appreciate the continued prayers and encouragement they continue to receive. It means so much to them.  

As of this morning, his creatinine levels in the kidneys remain too high, but he is trying to stay strong.  The doctors asked him if he would try an anti-cancer medication (assuming it is a chemo drug) and he agreed. It was administered yesterday.  

We don't know if that is something to be continued or when or what results it might give.  We will continue to update as we can get new information.  

Please continue to uplift Soke and their family as you are able.  They keep repeating how important and how much it means to him and their family.

Thank you all!

WYKKO 2017 Schedule

February 17^th - Black Belt testing in Pensacola, FL at the 

Hampton Inn reservations must be made by 1.17.17. Direct number is 850-932-6800 or 1-800-320-8108 and ask for reservations or go to this website 

http://hamptoninn.hilton.com/en/hp/groups/personalized/P/PNSFLHX-WLD-20170216/index.jhtml. The code is WLD.

February 18^th - Winter Camp at Hampton Inn in Pensacola, 

FL 

March 17^th to 19^th - Instructor’s Retreat Dothan, AL -  

Details to follow in January.

April 22 - Atlanta Closed Yoshukai Tournament and Black Belt presentation from Winter Camp.

June 16^th - Black Belt testing at Lake Point Resort, Eufaula, AL 800-5445253 reservation must be made by 4.16.17. Group code is 3902

June 17^th – Summer Camp Lake Point Resort, Eufaula, AL

July - California West Coast Summer Camp – Date to be determined

July 29^th - Oxford Tournament at the Oxford Civic Center. Black Belt presentation from June testing. 

September 9^th – 29^th Annual Sunshine Classic Open Karate Tournament, Panama City Beach, FL 

 

October - Black Belt testing date to be determined.

November 4^th - 38^th Annual Southern Regions Open Karate 

Tournament, Dothan, AL 

OSU

Sensei Toyama and Culbreth

Osu! Following the Dothan Tournament Shihan Greg Turnbull will be holding a full contact clinic from 11am to 2pm at Mr. Culbreth's dojo on Sunday October 30.

 

 

 

Please pass this along to all students. 

 

For further information contact:

Shihan Dai Josh Mc Cullars

 

Summer Camp 2016

World Yoshukai Karate Kobudo Organization  SUMMER CAMP 2016

OSU! Are you ready for Summer Camp 2016? 

Only students participating in summer camp pay the fee and family members lunch and dinner is provided free of charge. 

Lake Eufaula

Friday June 10th         

5:00 p.m.  Black Belt Testing at Lakepoint State Park Resort, Eufaula, AL.  This will be a great time for all kyu belts, parents, and family members to come and watch a Black Belt testing to see what is in store for them.  We have had a lot of requests in the past to hold a Black Belt testing in conjunction with another function so that other students can come and watch, so now is your chance.

Saturday June 11th           

8:00 a.m. - Registration in the lobby outside the conference center room.

8:30 to 9:10 a.m. - Line up for warm-up, stretching, and basics in the Conference Center to get all our bodies ready for the full day ahead of karate training and fun. 

9:25 to  3:20 p.m. - See schedule for choice of classes.

Summer Camp Schedule : The tentative summer camp schedule will be posted online 2 weeks before the event on our website (www.wykko.com) Please download and print a copy of the schedule, and start choosing the class you wish to attend.   

Directly after the training we will have a gathering for all the students and families out by the pool for food and fun (supplied by Mr. Culbreth and Mr. Toyama and "YOU KNOW IT WILL BE GOOD.") 

Please let us know how many will be attending.   After a full day of training enjoy the beautiful Lakepoint Resort with your family and friends : restaurant, lounge, jogging trails, golf, tennis, swimming, fishing and boating or just relax and enjoy the resort.   

We look forward to this summer camp being the biggest and best ever.  We know that everyone will mark his or her calendars for this event.    

REMEMBER YOU MUST BE PRE-REGISTERED FOR SUMMER CAMP BY JUNE 6th SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THE FOOD PREPARATIONS AND YOUR HOTEL RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE BY MAY 13TH. GROUP #2284  

Call 334-687-8011 to make your hotel reservations 

PRE-REGISTER online at www.wykko.com

If you have any questions, please ask your Instructor or call Mr. Culbreth at 334-794-8238 or Mr. Toyama at 850-261-4861.   

OSU!

Kaicho Hiroaki Toyama & Kaicho Mike Culbreth

PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ATTEND     

RAIN OR SHINE WE HAVE INDOOR FACILITIES     

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL INSTRUCTORS AND STUDENTS

W.Y.K.K.O. 1791 Ross Clark Cir. S.E. Dothan, AL 36301 (334) 794-8238

Visit Our Website

Shidokan Cup

Next Friday May 6 WYKKO fighters will be taking part in the Shidokan USA Open, Shidokan Cup V.

Mr. Mcinnish and Mr. McCullars will both be fighting single match knockdown fights against Shidokan fighters from GA.

Fights will take place at the Pickens County Middle School, 1802 Refuge Rd, Jasper, Georgia 30143 on Friday May 6 beginning at 7 pm.

For more information contact Josh McCullars