Renshikan Karate-Do International

Sensei David Akutagawa, 6th Dan Chito Ryu, 7th Dan Shito-Ryu and Renshi (title equivalent to professor), has a dedicated Karate history spanning more than 40 years. He came to Canada after graduating from the University of Kohan, Kobe Japan, with an Economic Science Degree. Once arriving in Canada he began to take courses at the University of Calgary. His Karate background at that time was in the Shito-Ryu and Shotokan styles. He began teaching Karate at the RCMP academy in Regina in 1967 and taught the RCMP until 1977.  In order to further his Karate career, Sensei Akutagawa traveled to Toronto to meet and train under Sensei Mas Tsuruoka, the "Father of Canadian Karate", as well as the head instructor of Chito-Ryu in Canada. It was Sensei Tsuruoka who introduced Sensei Akutagawa to O'Sensei, Dr Tsuyoshi Chitose, founder and supreme instructor of Chito-Ryu. Thus began Sensei Akutagawa's training in Chito-Ryu.  Sensei Tsuruoka left Chito-Ryu in the early 1970's, whereby O'Sensei appointed Sensei Shane Higashi of Toronto as the Councilor, and Sensei Akutagawa as Vice Councilor of Canadian Chito-Ryu. In the late 1970's Sensei Akutagawa helped develop the National Karate Association and was Chairman of the Officials Committee for 5 years. In December of 1996 Sensei Akutagawa resigned as Vice Councilor of Canadian Chito-Ryu and founded Renshikan Karate-Do in January 1997. He has based Renshikan upon traditional Karate, focusing on the Chito-Ryu, Shito-Ryu and Goju-Ryu styles. Translated, Ren (group) Shi (men/people) Kan (building/hall) means: “A group of people who gather together to study karate.” It is described as a Kenkyu-kai, or researching association. It is Sensei Akutagawa’s goal to research and study the most authentic/original forms as taught by karate’s first masters. For our students with a focus on competition and sport karate, Sensei Akutagawa also brings to Renshikan knowledge of the standardized international katas (forms). More recently, with the shared knowledge from his friend and martial arts colleague Sofui Sensei (of Tokyo, Japan), he brings the art of Aikido to our studies. {For additional information on the history of Chito-Ryu visit the following website of the United States Chito-kai at www.chito-ryu.com/diversity.html for their perspective on the evolution of Chito-Ryu karate.}

Updated on June 21st, 2004

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