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Sensei Mitsusuke Harada

After the Shotokan was destroyed in the war, Harada practiced as a private student to Gichin Funakoshi, the master credited with introducing karate to Japan from Okinawa, and the founder of the Shotokan style. Then, at Waseda University, Harada came under the further influence of Funakoshi, and the likes of Masters Hiroshi Noguchi, Tochio Kamata and Tadao Okuyama, and was the close friends with Tsutomu Oshima, before training as a private student to Shigeru Egami, a man whose ability in Japanese karate circles was second to none. Such a lineage is a remarkable as it is unique.

Master Harada introduced karate to Brazil in 1955, the year he received his 5th Dan diploma from Master Funakoshi*, and traveled to Europe in 1963, teaching in France and Belgium, before becoming the first Japanese karate instructor to take up residence in Great Britain that same year. Today, Master Harada teaches karate in Europe, Scandinavia and North America, and is chief instructor to the Karate-Do Shotokai (KDS) organization."

From the book "Reminiscences by Master Mitsusuke Harada" by Dr. Clive Layton

Sensei Harada in Finland

Sensei Harada visits Finland usually twice a year with some of his senior students coming with him (usually Marie Kellet 5th Dan) and keeps long weekend courses (Friday to Sunday). We usually also get Roy Margetts 5th Dan here once a year to keep training course. Many other Sensei Harada´s senior students have also visited us, among them Tony Lima 5th Dan, Mark Hallam 5th Dan and many others.

We try to get Sensei Harada, or some other his senior instructors here in Finland 3-5 times a year and get really TOP level of teaching and guidance in the way of Karate Do. Without Sensei Harada and his seniors our practice would not be in the level that it is today, but even with this extraordinary knowledge that Sensei Harada provides us we have really light-years ahead of us before we can catch the level where he is now, but that is the fun of practice, you always have to go forward.

Sensei Harada's Diplomas

5th Dan from Master Gichin Funakoshi

Professor From Master Shigeru Egami

Document written by Master Shigeru Egami declaring that Master Mitsusuke Harada is the top representative and technical adviser for Europe for the Karate-do Shotokai group.

MBE - Member of the Order

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. It is the most junior of the British orders of chivalry and has more members than any other. The Order's motto is For God and the Empire.

The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority, these are Knight/Dame Grand Cross, Knight/Dame Commander, Commander, Officer and Member.

In the Queen's Birthday Honours List in 2007, Harada Sensei received an MBE for services to karate. 

Sensei Harada's interview

”Karate gets better year by year”

Read the interview