Sensei Hitoshi Kasuya - 9th Dan 

Chief Instructor - World Shotokan Karate-Do Federation

Born in 1948, Sensei Hitoshi Kasuya graduated from the rigorous JKA specialist instructor’s training course, Kenshusei, in 1973.  A student of Hosei University (Tokyo) he distinguished himself in the University Karate Club as team captain. Sensei Kasuya excelled in these early years in the relatively new arena of sports (competition) karate.  

In 1975 he competed in the International Amateur Karate Federation (IAKF) 1st World Championships, held in the USA, where the Japanese team, of which he was a member, won 1st place in both kata and kumite.  He was establishing the foundation for his future as a distinguished teacher of Japanese karate, excelling in numerous international championships.

1980 and 1982, saw his selection as member of the Japanese national team who competed in the WUKO (now WKF) World Championships and it was around this time he was also reassessing his karate future. He learned his Sempai (Senior Master) Kanazawa Sensei was leaving the JKA to form his own organisation and he decided to follow him and assist in establishing what was to become SKI (Shotokan Karate International).

1983 saw the 1st SKI World Championships in Japan where Kasuya Sensei, won the individual kata and member of the winning team kumite event. At the 2nd SKI World Championships he won the individual kumite and member of the winning team kumite event.

He founded The World Shotokan Karate-Do Federation in 1990.

His teaching combines an analytical approach with fundamental Budo mind-set. While maintaining an emphasis on traditional Shotokan techniques, Sensei Kasuya has infused his style with a unique system of rotational dynamics that takes WSKF karate to a level never before seen in mainstream Shotokan Karate - establishing him as one of the leading Shotokan karate instructors in the world.  His philosophy and contemporary attitude inspires generations of karate-ka.