Senseis Michelle Critch, Mark Minarik, Dan Blackmore, Bob Davis, and Avi Rokah

Shima-kai Martial Arts was started in 2017, to promote the practice of traditional budo martial arts in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada.  We are a not-for-profit dojo, run by volunteers.  The dojo is located at The St. John’s Martial Arts Centre, 21 Mews Place (behind Pippy Place) www.stjohnsmartialartscentre.com The dojo floor is covered with 1000 square feet of tatami mats, permanently installed on a raised floor. The walls are padded and the ceilings are 20 feet high. The dojo is fully insured and climate controlled with heat pumps. It provides male and female change rooms as well as washroom facilities.

Shotokan is a system of karate that was brought to Japan from Okinawa by O’ Sensei Gichin Funakoshi.  Funakoshi was a teacher from Okinawa and a student of several karate and kobudo styles.  Training is usually divided into kihon (basics), kata (forms), and kumite (sparring).  Shotokan incorporates blocks, punches, strikes, kicks, and throws into a strong martial art system of self-defence.  While the techniques are budo in nature, the ultimate goal is the perfection of ones character through training.

Kobujutsu is a weapons system brought to Japan from Okinawa by Master Motokatsu Inoue.  It includes the effective use of Bo, Sai, Tonfa, Nunchaku, Kama, and Tekko.  Like karate, Kobujutsu training is divided into Kihon (basics), Kata (forms), and Kumite (fighting).  Both weapons and karate training share the same principles: dachi (stance), ma-ai (distance and timing), kime (focus), tai sabaki (body shifting), and kyusho (vital points).  Karate and weapons are meant to work as one, “like two wheels on a bicycle”.

We are part of the International Karate Daigaku and the Canadian Ryukyu Kobujutsu Association.