Hanshi Eiki Kurashita

Hanshi Kurashita was born November 11th, 1942 on the island of Yeshima, Japan.  In June 1957 he began his martial arts education under the guidance of Sensei Meitoku Yagi.  Three years later he became a personal student of Sensei Seiko Higa at the Shodokan school receiving his first dan in February 1963.  Sensei Kurashita continued in the tradition of the Higa family as a student of Sensei Seiko Higa’s son, Seikichi Higa, in 1965 and in April 1978 became the vice-president of the Kokusai Goju Ryu Karate Kobudo Renmei.

In May 1978 he started training kobudo with Sensei Komoyori Ryuji and, in July of the same year, became student of sensei Seitoku Matayoshi.  In October 1995 he was granted his 7th Dan and received the teacher’s degree, Kyoshi.  In July 1999 he became president of Kokusai Goju Ryu Karate Kobudo Renmei and remained in that post for nearly a decade.  In November 2000 he became 9th Dan in karate and 7th Dan kobudo, receiving the title, Hanshi.  In August 2009 the federation Rengokai granted him 10th Dan.

Sensei Kurashita is a devoted martial arts instructor and continues to teach  karate and kobudo all over the world.  His efforts have helped spread the teachings of Sensei Seiko Higa and the Shodokan School and he remains the advisor for the international relationship for the Kokusai (federation).

Sensei Ladislav Klementis

Sensei Ladislav Klementis was  born June 8th, 1948 in Bratislava , Slovakia and began his martial arts experience over 40 years ago under the teaching of Dr. F. Sebej.  In 1971, he became a personal student of Sensei Ogawa of the Goju Kai.  Sensei Klementis co-founded Slovakian Karate and Kobudo and founded the first karate club in Slovakia in March, 1972.

For the past twenty years, Sensei Klementis has been training Okinawa karate under the auspicious eyes of Okinawan Senseis Kurashita, Kiyuna, and Matayoshi and in 1994 he earned his 8th Dan in karate in Okinawa.   Currently, Sensei Klementis is an international instructor of Kokusai Goju Ryu karate kobudo Renmei, conducting seminars in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, India, Nepal, Azherbajdan, Canada, USA, Russia, Ukraine, Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic.  He also acts as the Slovakian Goodwill Ambassador to Okinawa.

In his 40 years of teaching he has raised over 3000 students, many of whom have earned titles at the National, European, international, and world levels in both kata and kumite.   Furthermore, Sensei Klementis is an accomplished international referee, president of Slovakia Federation of Okinawa karate and kobudo, as well as the president of the Slovakia Karate Federation.

Sensei Yaro Tarana

Sensei Yaro Tarana was born in 1960 and started practicing karate at the age of 14 under the tutelage of Sensei Klementis, one of the most renowned teachers in Slovakia.  Sensei Tarana received his first dan in 1982.   In 2004, he received his 6th Dan from Hanshi Choyu Kiyuna.

As a competitor, Sensei Tarana won numerous national and international titles for Team Slovakia and, when he made Canada his home, continued his winning ways with Team Canada.  Sensei Tarana now serves as a esteemed international World Karate Federation referee and is one of the foremost authorities on WKF Karate in Canada including acting as the coach to the WKF women’s world champion.

In 2009, in Okinawa, Sensei Tarana earned his 7th Dan.   He continues as the chief instructor at the Martial Arts Centre Dojo, Terrebonne, Quebec as well as the senior technical instructor for the development of Goju Ryu in Cambridge, Ontario.  Despite a rigorous international schedule, Sensei Tarana continues to perfect his karate under Sensei Klementis and Sensei Kurashita.