The winter edition of the Traditional Karate Seminar Gasshuku 2016 took place on February 17 to 21, 2016 at the Japanese Martial Arts and Sports Centre Dojo – Stara Wies in Poland. The seminar gathered 150 participants from 10 countries: Armenia, Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Turkmenistan, United Kingdom and Uruguay.

The trainings were conducted by the very special instructor from Japan – MASARU KAMINO Sensei, who is a Shihankai Member of JKA (Japan Karate Association). He is 78 years old, but he is still in excellent physical shape, promotes methods of extending the physical and mental activity and he is still practicing karate actively. He has continuously been a champion in kata and kumite JKA for the last 30 years.

The Winter Gasshuku 2016 was also attended by Chiyomaro Shimoda Sensei – legendary first Japanese karate instructor in Poland and supporter of idea of traditional karate development.

KAMINO sensei focused on basic techniques and their implication to the combination attack and sparring. Very special training was, how to develop speed in the karate technique. We tried to add this to KATA JION and EMPI.

Wlodzimierz Kwiecinski Sensei, WTKF President, was a coordinator of the Gasshuku seminar. He summarized that this seminar had been full of physical activity and then they had collected a lot of positive energy.

The accompanying event was the Plebiscite for the Best Polish Traditional Athletes 2015 which was held on February 20. During the ceremony Mr Steve Nakada, WTKF Chief Executive Advisor, donated the personal souvenirs (tie and watch) of Nishiyama Sensei to the Centre DOJO – Stara Wies.