Where would I find a listing of the winners (1st,2nd place)?
specifically Mens kumite and kata (was there a kobudo category?).
just so you have the right list, I know Fumio Demura won 1st place in 1961 (not sure which category).

I believe the championships started around 1957. I'm interested in the period from starting year(57?) to 1979.

also, does anyone know if/where it is possible to order videos of the tournaments for specific years?

thanks for any info you can give.
-Ed

Hey Ed

Try this link.

http://www.jka.or.jp/english/news/archives.html

exactly.
(your google-fu is STRONG! I couldn't find it.)

Thanks John.

hmmm...strange though. I didn't see Demura sensei (1961-cat:?) or S. Kimura (62,63-cat:kumite).

I'll have to find out more specifics.... thanks again.

That's because they didn't win it.

Bear in mind that in Japan, they had as many people describing themselves as world or all Japan champions as other countries do now.

See, it's not a new trait!!!!!

really? Fumio Demura's website claims it along with every article w/bio written ...and Shigeru Kimura has told me himself and has websites and articles w/bio stating same.

Perhaps there were official tournaments named similar? I find it hard to believe, but not impossible I suppose, that high-profile Karate-ka would state something falsely.

Hedkikr, can you shed light on this? what have I got wrong?

JKA is Shotokan only.

The way I understand it, Demura & Kotaka fought each other in the finals 2 consecutive years - one won the first year & the other won the next year.

I don't know if Kimura fought in the same tournament but it was known as the All-Japan tournament (same as Demura's championship)

Let me do some snooping. Sorry I couldn't add much.

thanks.

I can help you out with a few names and dates. 1978 - Kancho Joko Ninomiya

1961 1962 Masayuki Kukan Hisataka

thats all for now

1962, Chuzo Kotaka Sensei.