We invite you to be part of another unforgettable chapter in the continuing tradition of IKKU Summer Camp. In 2026, our annual gathering will take on a special theme as we spotlight the richness of our Koga-Ryu Kobudo heritage through this year’s featured experience: Camp Koga 2.0.

Designed to build upon the strong momentum of our recent Kobudo Clinic, Camp Koga 2.0 will carry that spirit forward with expanded opportunities for kobudo training, study, and authentic martial arts education. This year’s camp is intended to deepen understanding, strengthen skill, and further connect participants to the traditional Okinawan weapons arts that remain such an important part of our legacy.

The camp is scheduled for June 4–6, 2026, in Carrollton, Georgia, and will be hosted by Robinson Karate Dojo. While the final venue is still being confirmed, we encourage everyone to reserve these dates now and stay tuned for additional announcements as plans are finalized. More event details will be released soon.

Camp Koga 2.0 is open to all styles and all ranks, offering a rare opportunity for meaningful growth through exceptional, authentic Okinawan martial arts training beyond the regular dojo environment. Whether you are a longtime practitioner or newly exploring the deeper traditions of kobudo, this camp promises a rewarding and enriching experience.

Training will begin on Thursday, June 4, at 6:00 PM, and the camp is expected to conclude on Saturday, June 6, at approximately 4:00 PM. Details regarding dinner plans and the awards ceremony are currently to be determined and will be shared as they become available.

We look forward to gathering in fellowship, training with purpose, and continuing the legacy together at Camp Koga 2.0.

Minimum $50 Deposit Due by May 6, 2026

Senior Instructors Include:

Ron Downton, Hanshi, 9th Dan – IKKU Assistant Director

Larry Griffin, Kyoshi-Sei, 8th Dan – IKKU Camp Director

Jenny Downton, Kyoshi-Sei, 8th Dan

Other IKKU High Dans

Member Annual Camp Cost:

$TBD –  Includes 6 Training Sessions. Thursday through Sunday

$TBD –  Includes 5 Training Sessions. Thursday through Sunday

$TBD –  Includes 4 Training Sessions. Thursday through Sunday

$TBD –  Family rate (each).  3 Days of Training

$TBD –  Any mix of Two Days of Training

$TBD –  Family rate (each) Friday/Sunday. Any mix of Two Days of Training

$TBD – Day Rate

$TBD –  Family rate (each)

$TBD – Half Day Rate

+$TBD – For Non-IKKU Members. (This will pay for one year IKKU Membership)

Make checks payable to Larry Griffin.  Mail to 6060 Devonshire Dr, Flowery Branch, GA. 30542

Tentative Session Schedule:

Thursday, June 4, 2026
4:30-6:00 pm- Check-in
6:00-8:00 pm- 1st Training Session

Friday, June 5, 2026
9:30 am-12:00 Noon- 2nd Training Session
12:00 pm-1:30- Lunch Break
1:30-4:00 pm- 3rd Training Session

Saturday, June 6, 2026
9:30 am-12:00 Noon- 4th Training Session
12:00- 1:30- Lunch Break
1:30-4:00 pm- 5th and final Training Session.

IKKU Summer Camp ends

Additional IKKU Information

To learn more about joining the IKKU – International Karate Kobudo Union, please visit our IKKU Registration Page. We welcome new members into our organization and host 6 to 10 scheduled events each year. This provides each participant with direct access to Soke Joseph Ruiz, Founder of the IKKU and Hanshi Ron Downton, as well as other high-ranking instructors within the organization.

For a full listing of upcoming training opportunities, please visit our Events Page, where we feature upcoming clinics, camps, and additional opportunities for engagement with the IKKU community.

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Hosted by Keishin Karate Kai – Kyoshi-Sei Larry Griffin at the Mulberry Creek Community Center in Flowery Branch, GA. on March 7, 2026. This is a great event to learn a Kobudo Weapon of YOUR Choice and get insight from our expert instructors at the event. Simply bring your Kobudo Weapon or borrow one from a Friend and join in on the Fun.

Featuring: Hanshi Ron Downton, 9th Dan and other IKKU High Dans

Event Description:

– Training will include our Five Traditional Weapons – Bo, Tonfa, Nunchaku, Sai, and the Kama

– Participants get to Choose what Weapon(s) they want to Train with to Review or Learn

– Kobudo Anatomy, Basics, and Kata are all part of the agenda for the day

– Weapon Basics, Drills, and Combinations

– So the Bottom Line – “It’s Your Choice”

Cost:

$70 for the Full Day

$35 for 1/2 Day

We will Break for Lunch – There are restaurants nearby, BUT we recommend you Bring Your Own

Additional IKKU Information:
For information about joining the IKKU – International Karate Kobudo Union, please visit our IKKU Registration Page. We welcome new members to our organization and have 6-10 scheduled events each year. This will allow you direct access to Soke Joseph Ruiz, founder of the IKKU, and other High Dan Instructors from the IKKU.

For a complete listing of upcoming scheduled sessions, please visit our Events Page. Here, we showcase our upcoming Clinics, Camps, and other opportunities for engagement with the IKKU.

The post 2026 IKKU 11th Annual Weapons Choice Seminar appeared first on INTERNATIONAL KARATE KOBUDO UNION.

Photo provided by the Hawaii Karate Seinenkai

This remarkable photograph, taken during Kanki Izumikawa’s first trip to Hawaii in 1961, marks a pivotal moment in karate history. The visit coincided with the opening of his first Goju-Ryu Senbukan Dojo on U.S. soil, a milestone that helped establish Okinawan karate’s presence stateside.

In the back row of the photo stand two men who, for decades, were listed as “unknown”, a mystery that puzzled Hawaiian karate historians. After detailed study and verification by Soke Joseph Ruiz, it has now been confirmed that the second person from the left in the back row is none other than Kiyoshi Aihara.

The Aihara Connection

Photo provided by the Hawaii Karate Seinenkai

According to Soke Ruiz, Aihara Sensei, besides training with Gichin Funakoshi and Egami, also trained with Kanki Izumikawa while living in Japan. This connection gave Aihara access to both Katsu-Ryu Kempo and Koga-Ryu Kobudo, traditions that would later become essential components of the International Karate Kobudo Union (IKKU).

This photo provides historical evidence of the cross karate pollination occurring between the masters of the era. This historical link not only enriched Aihara’s own martial foundation but also helped seed Soke Ruiz’s later experiences training at Izumikawa’s dojo overseas, creating a living bridge between the Okinawan, Japanese, and Hawaiian karate lineages.

The Early Senbukan Legacy in Hawaii

Local newspaper advertising Izumikawa’s Hawaii Senbukan in 1961

Among Izumikawa’s early students was Kenneth Murakami, who trained under him while stationed in Japan with the U.S. Air Force, and George Miyasaki from Hawaii. When Murakami returned home, he continued spreading Izumikawa’s teachings, first from his aunt’s garage, and later through dojos hosted at the old Jikoen Temple, Daijing Temple, and Aiea Hongwanji.

Miyasaki frequently taught alongside him, ensuring that Izumikawa’s Goju-Ryu principles took firm root in Hawaiian soil, a legacy that continues to shape the region’s martial arts community to this day.

A Rediscovered Link in the IKKU Lineage

This discovery does more than solve a long-standing historical mystery,  it solidifies a critical link in the IKKU’s lineage, connecting Soke Ruiz’s modern teachings directly back to the roots of Kanki Izumikawa’s Senbukan and Aihara’s Zen Shotokai.

By confirming Kiyoshi Aihara’s presence in that historic 1961 photo, we gain a deeper appreciation for the interconnected nature of karate’s evolution, a lineage that flows from Okinawa to Japan, to Hawaii, and ultimately into the hands of the IKKU’s practitioners today.

We have reached out to the Hawaii Karate Seinenkai for additional information sharing.

Join the IKKU Family

We invite you to subscribe and be notified as we release more kata from the KoToSu-Ha Shito-Ryu system. This is a rare opportunity to train with us—virtually and in person—while preserving the authenticity of our art for future generations.

If you are interested in joining the IKKU and gaining access to live events, training camps, and detailed instructional materials, click here to begin your membership. Enrollment is currently open to qualified practitioners.

For upcoming training opportunities, visit our Events Calendar and plan your next step toward mastery. We look forward to seeing you on the dojo floor.

The post Uncovering History: Kanki Izumikawa’s 1961 Visit to Hawaii and the Hidden Link to Kiyoshi Aihara appeared first on INTERNATIONAL KARATE KOBUDO UNION.

Featuring: Soke J.R. Ruiz, Hanshi, 10th Dan, Hanshi Ron Downton, 9th Dan and other high dans of the IKKU.

Be Ready to Work Empty Hand Kata and Bunkai
Bring your Kobudo Weapons
Open to All Ranks and Ages

Dinner will be on your own Saturday at TBD at 6:00 p.m. We will need to make reservations by the Xth, so please let us know as soon as possible if you plan to attend.

Cost:

Friday – Saturday: Current IKKU Members $80 – Non-Members $120

Saturday (lunch on your own): Current IKKU Members $60 – Non-Members $100

Friday or 1/2 day Saturday: Current IKKU Members $35 – Non-Members $75

IKKU Membership:

$35 Annual        $150 Lifetime           $5 IKKU Patch

Schedule:

Friday Evening January 16th

4:30 – 5:00 — Check-in & Warm Up

5:30 – 7:00 — Training Session (All ages are welcome)

Dinner on your own

Saturday, January 17th

9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. — Check-in & Warm Up

9:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon — Morning Session

12:00 noon – 1:45 p.m. — Lunch (on your own)

2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. — Afternoon Session

Dinner Saturday Evening

Dinner on your own at TBD restaurant at 6pm.

Be there or be square!

Directions:

Take I-20 West to the Villa Rica/Carrollton exit #24. Turn left at the end of the ramp South Hwy. 61 to Carrollton (10-12 miles). Go downtown Carrollton to the square (pass the Courthouse on left then First Methodist Church on the right), turn right at the second traffic light past the church – Rome Street then take the first right – Old City Hall Avenue. Dojo is the first building on the right parking in front and on the side of the dojo building.

Information call Dojo: 770-830-6324, Cell: 770-312-9981.

Robinson Karate Dojo

Lodging:

Quality Inn:  770-834-2600

Holiday Inn Express: 770-838-0508

Hampton Inn: 770-838-7722

Marriott: 678-664-5200

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KARATE KOLLEGE

Traditional Martial Arts for Teens & Adults Located in Social Circle, GA | www.IKKU.org

At Karate Kollege, we don’t hand out trophies – we forge character, discipline, and skill.

We’re not a daycare. We train martial artists who are ready to be pushed – mentally, physically, and spiritually.

Now enrolling Teens & Adults who want:

• Traditional Japanese Karate
• Real-World Self-Defense
• Mental Toughness & Physical Conditioning
• An Old-School, No-Nonsense Training Environment
• Call or Text KYOSHI MICHAEL at (404) 775-8163

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