About

DIRECTOR OF ASHIHARA KARATE INTERNATIONAL
Shihan and Director of Ashihara Karate, Kaicho Hoosain Narker. The birthplace of Kaicho Narker was in Cape Town in 1963. His Martial Arts began in 1974, at the age of 11, he joined the Shotokan Karate dojo (instructor - Ismail Behardien) in Retreat. After three or four months the club relocated to Grassy Park and he ran 4km there and back to train. When that club eventually closed down he "hijacked" a friends karate book (Karate by Bruce Tegner - now a prized part of his book collection) and learnt all that he could out of it. (He laughs now when he recollects how he interpreted Heian Nidan from the book due to inexperience). In 1976, he joined Shukokai Karate (Eric Smith & Jonathan Tommy) and when that club closed, he continued at another branch (Neville Williams). When that club closed down too, he moved to a Kyokushin dojo (Shihan Neville Paulsen) in Retreat. In 1978, at a national tournament, he met and befriended a person who played a very important role in his future karate career,. William Quantoi. Early in 1980 he started training in Sea Point at the Headquarters of Kyokushin Karate, training under Hanshi Len Barnes (now 8th Dan), Shihan Trevor Tockar (now 6th Dan) and others. In September of 1980 he opened his own dojo in Retreat (today the Ashihara Honbu), and three months thereafter William Quantoi joined him. An association, lasting for many years, was formed between the two and this association played a major role to what is in existence today. In 1981, he had the honor of training with the late legend of karate, the great master, Sosai Masutatsu Oyama as well as with two leading Japanese Sensei. He was also fortunate to perform the kata - Tensho, and to receive critique from Sosai Oyama.

While attending University in 1982, he trained with the Karate-Do dojo (Gert Husselman) on Campus as well as training with Shihan Kenny Uytenbogaardt (now 6th Dan) at his Bellville dojo. During this time he still managed to train and teach at his own dojo in Retreat. Due to the adherence of the S. A. Kyokushinkai to the political system imposed by the then government, Hoosain Narker and William Quantoi divorced themselves from Kyokushin and went their own way, calling their organization (then two dojo) Shin Kakuto Jutsu. Even though this move meant a lot of hardship, they continued to develop due to their challenging spirit. Towards the end of that year, he trained with Shotokan Masters Hirokazu Kanazawa and Hitoshi Kasuya.
In 1984, he moved to the Strand and started training at the local branch of Okinawan Goju Ryu (Vincent February & Bakkies Laubscher). In that same year, they (W.Q. and H.N.) joined the Ashihara Karate Organization.
In March of 1985, he was appointed the Country Representative for the New International Karate Organization by Kancho Hideyuki Ashihara. Soon thereafter, he attended a two week Okinawan Goju Ryu International Gasshuku, training with such esteemed instructors like Sensei Morio Higaonna, Teruo Chinen, etc. Training with Kancho Mamoru Miwa, the 10th Dan founder of TenshinKan Karate based in Saitama-Ken, Japan, followed this up
in 1986, he attended seminars by noted American Martial Artists Bill Wallace and Billy Blanks.
Since 1980, he has attended several seminars and courses with South African instructors like Bakkies Laubscher (7th Dan Goju Ryu), A.K. Ismail (6th Dan Kyokushin), Sonny Pillay (5th Dan Shotokan), Max Grunau (6th Dan Ishin Ryu), Nigel Jackson ( 7th Dan Shotokan), etc. In fact, he has attended more than 100 such courses both locally and abroad. Between 1986-87, the commitment to Ashihara Karate became too great and he had to apply himself solely to his organization which at that time has spread to Transvaal and Natal.

In 1988, he spent a few months as an "uchi-deshi" - (a live-in full time student) at the U. S. Headquarters for Ashihara Karate, training with Shihan Joko Ninomiya (now the Kancho of Enshin Karate).
During this time he took part in the U. S. Open Championships - the Sabaki Challenge, considered one of the toughest tournaments for Full Contact Karate. Although he also gave classes whilst in America, he spent most of his time in trying to improve his knowledge and understanding of Karate. He also met and trained with noted teachers such as Dan Inosanto (Filipino Kali /Jeet Kune Do), Dennis Palumbo (Hakko Ryu Jujutsu), Paul de Thouars (Silat), Dan Hirsch (Okinawan Goju Ryu), etc. In Nebraska he trained daily for several hours per day doing Tai Chi. He was also fortunate to conduct some seminars on his method of Karate as well as doing Combat Shooting with members of the U. S. Army Home Guard.