Family Memberships

Low monthly options

No Contracts | 24/7 Access

History & Lineage

Discover the origins of Shotokan Karate and trace the club's pure lineage. Learn Authentic Japanese Shotokan Karate Online from respected, high ranking, English instructors.

Pure Shotokan Karate Lineage

Illustration of Gichin Funakoshi - The revered 'Shoto'. He brought modern day karate in to the world in the year 1906 where it quickly grew to become the most famous of martial arts.
Gichin Funakoshi - The revered 'Shoto', bought modern day karate in to the world in the year 1906 where it quickly grew to become the most famous of martial arts.

The Origins of Karate:
From India to Okinawa

Karate is a martial art with a rich history. It traces its origins back to India, and from there, it was introduced to China; over 3,000 years ago. 

Legend has it, that an Indian Buddhist monk brought Zen Buddhism to China in 527 AD. He sought to physically and mentally strengthen the monks of the Shaolin Temple, so he developed Kempo – this became the basis of Karate and Kung-Fu.

Following Japan’s 11th-century civil wars, many refugees fled to Okinawa, a small island southwest of Japan. The Okinawans, mainly fishermen and farmers, were already proficient in the Martial Arts, however they faced a turning point in 1429 when a law banning weapons was introduced. This lead to a greater emphasis on unarmed combat techniques, which lead to the development of KARA-TE, meaning “empty hands”. 

Authentic Shotokan Karate Training brought to you so you can train online from anywhere!

Timeline of Kara-Te

Trace the timeline of Karat-te right to your instructors today. Authentic Japanese Shotokan Karate Training brought to you by respected high ranking English instructors.

Pure Shotokan Karate Lineage

1906

Kara-Te became part of school curriculum.

Okinawan schoolteacher Gichin Funakoshi gave a demonstration of Kara-Te. It was so impressive that Kara-Te became part of school curriculum.

1917

Demonstration in Kyoto

Sensei Funakoshi asked to give demonstration in Kyoto, Japan. Probably the first time that Kara-Te had been seen in Japan.

1923

Ongoing teaching

1923 Sensei Funakoshi moved to Japan and Kara-Te was taught in military and universities.

1928

Kara-Te Acceleration

1928 Kara-Te accelerated across Japan.

1936

The Shotokan name

Sensei Funakoshi opened a permanent Dojo (training hall). His pen name at the time was SHOTO and therefore the place where he trained was called SHOTOKAN or SHOTO’s hall.  

1947

Japan Karate Association

Sensei Funakoshi attempted to form an all styles Karate organisation called Japan Karate Association. This was rejected by other styles so the J.K.A. became Shotokan only.

1957

Karate around the world

Sensei Funakoshi died and the J.K.A. handed to Sensei Nakayama who continued with his master’s wishes and trained such famous instructors as Kanazawa, Kase and Shirai. These instructors were then sent all over the world to spread the word of Karate.

Pure Shotokan Karate Lineage

Gichin Funakoshi

Gichin Funakoshi, The Father of Modern Karate, was born in 1868 in Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture. He was the son of a Samurai who started training in the Martial Arts as a young man to help overcome his frailness.

Shotokan

Gichin Funakoshi became the Chairman of the Okinawa Shobukai in 1913. Funakoshi was a school teacher and a poet who wrote under the pen name of “Shoto”. From 1924 until his death in 1957, he travelled around Japan teaching karate at many Universities. He wrote several books on Karate including his autobiography, Karate-Do: My Way of Life, which was completed shortly before his death.

After a hard day of teaching in the local school and several more hours of strenuous karate practice, he would often walk up Mount Torao and meditate among the pine trees. Mount Torao is a very narrow, heavily wooded mountain which, when viewed from a distance, resembles a tiger’s tail. The name “Torao” in fact literally means “tiger’s tail”.

In later life, Funakoshi explained that the cool breezes which blew among the pines made the trees whisper like waves breaking on the shore. Thus, since he gained his greatest poetic inspirations while walking there, he chose the pen name of Shoto, “pine waves”.

Master Nakayama (left) Gichin Funakoshi (right)

Master Nakayama (left) Gichin Funakoshi (right)

Shotokan Tiger

Gichin Funakoshi’s pen name “Shoto”, which literally means ‘pine waves’, and today is synonymous with the tiger symbol and Shotokan Karate-do. However, few people understand the relationship of Shoto to what is commonly known as the “Shotokan Tiger”. When Gichin Funokoshi was a young man, he enjoyed walking in solitude among the pine trees which surrounded his home town of Shuri.

The tiger which is commonly used as the symbol for Shotokan karate is a traditional Chinese design which implies that “the tiger never sleeps”. Symbolised in the Shotokan tiger, therefore, is the keen alertness of the wakeful tiger and the serenity of the peaceful mind which Gichin Funakoshi experienced while listening to the pine waves on Tiger’s Tail Mountain.

Pure Shotokan Karate Lineage

Eddie Whitcher

Sensei Edward Arthur Whitcher, was the founding member of the Kenshinkai Shotokan Karate Club, after being given the club name by Shihan Kanazawa.

Eddie Whitcher

Sensei Whitcher, started Martial Arts around 1960 with Judo. Following a motorcycle accident he was forced to give this up. Out of curiosity derived mostly from American magazines, he started karate in April 1963.

The next milestone in Sensei Whitcher's Karate life was in 1965 when four Japanese Sensei arrived, including the two well known Karate Masters, Shihan Enoeda and Kanazawa. In July of that year, Sensei Whitcher took an open grading under Sensei Kanazawa and attained 3rd kyu.

In April 1966 Sensei Whitcher was one of the first Western students of Shihan Kanazawa to obtain Shodan. This was soon to be followed in 1966 with Nidan. This is documented under an interview with Nick Adamou.

Shortly after taking Nidan, Sensei Whitcher followed Shihan Kanazawa to Japan, where he would stay for four years, and in fact meet his wife Toshiko Whitcher. He endured daily sessions of brutally hard training, which far exceeds that of today's classes. Further difficulties including finance and the extreme humidity made his stay even more of a challenge. Due to his ability, Sensei Whitcher was directly invited by Shihan Kanazawa, to join the instructor's class.

Sensei Whitcher's time in Japan ended in 1971 when he returned to England as Sandan. This is when he started his own club in Tenterden Road, Dagenham where he continued to train at his incredible pace.

During this time in 1978/9, the club was very small and consisted of students like Glen Moulds and Peter Edwards until he sadly passed away in 1990. The name Kenshinkai was handed over to his two most senior Instructors Glen Moulds and Bernie Heerey. Bernie still trains at the old dojo in Dagenham but has changed to more Jujitsu type training, and Glen Moulds runs the Kenshinkai Shotokan Karate Group, continuing in the footsteps of Sensei Whitcher.

Sensei Whitcher was one of the first westerners to achieve Shodan, he spent 3 years training in Japan and became the first Britain to receive his 3rd Dan from the JKA in 1971. In 1979 as he helped setup the ESKA as joint chief instructor, leaving in 1981 because he was tired of associations; deciding to train indepenedtly.

Sadly, in 1990 Eddie Whicher passed away, though he left his mark upon the heritage of Shotokan Karate and gave us the Kenshinkai legacy to uphold.

Pure Shotokan Karate Lineage

Kenshinkai

Kenshinkai Shotokan Karate Club is one of the oldest Shotokan Karate clubs in the country (established June 1972).

Kenshinkai

Sensei Whitcher’s time in Japan ended in 1971 when he returned to England as Sandan. This is when he started his own club in Tenterden Road, Dagenham where he continued to train at his incredible pace.

During this time in 1978/9, the club was very small and consisted of students like Glen Moulds and Peter Edwards until he sadly passed away in 1990. The name Kenshinkai was handed over to his two most senior Instructors Glen Moulds and Bernie Heerey. Bernie still trains at the old dojo in Dagenham but has changed to more Jujitsu type training, and Glen Moulds runs the Kenshinkai Shotokan Karate Group, continuing in the footsteps of Sensei Whitcher.

Sensei Whitcher was one of the first westerners to achieve Shodan, he spent 3 years training in Japan and became the first Britain to receive his 3rd Dan from the JKA in 1971. In 1979 as he helped setup the ESKA as joint chief instructor, leaving in 1981 because he was tired of associations; deciding to train indepenedtly.

Sadly, in 1990 Eddie Whicher passed away, though he left his mark upon the heritage of Shotokan Karate and gave us the Kenshinkai legacy to uphold.​

All members of the club are required to have karate insurance which is included in the annual membership fee.

The club is currently run by Glen Moulds 6th Dan who is refered to as Kancho which means ‘master of the house and owner of the dojo’. 

With more than 45 years, Kancho was the senior instructor to Eddie Whitcher and took over the club on his death and was graded to 5th Dan under Sensei Mikio Yahara 8th Dan and a Japanese grading panel in June 2005.

In 2017 Sensei Moulds was awarded his 6th Dan by the Kenshinkai Instructors Technical Committee. Kancho is assisted by Chief Instructor Sensei Andy Walls 5th Dan who has been with the club and training for over 25 years.

Kenshinkai welcomes both adult and children beginners and advanced students to join their Online club. We also welcome other clubs to join us if you are looking for a friendly and traditional Shotokan organisation with the emphasis placed on training and working from home.

 

Pure Shotokan Karate Lineage

Seinsei Moulds

Sensei Glen Moulds was born in Hull, Yorkshire in August 1957. Educated in Hull he joined the Army from 1972 to 1978 serving 4 years in Germany.

Sensei Moulds

Born in Hull, Yorkshire, in August 1957, Sensei Glen Moulds began his martial arts journey in the Army, where he first experienced TaeKwonDo during his service from 1972 to 1978. After leaving the Army, he joined the Metropolitan Police in 1979 and began training in Shotokan Karate under Sensei Eddie Whitcher in Dagenham, Essex.

Training five days a week under the Japan Karate Association (JKA) system, Sensei Moulds earned his Nidan (2nd Dan) rank. Following the passing of Sensei Whitcher in 1990, Sensei Moulds and Sensei Heerey became Chief Instructors of Kenshinkai. Honoring Sensei Whitcher’s last wish, Kenshinkai joined Sensei Kanazawa and the Shotokan Karate Kanazawa Ryu International Federation (S.K.K.I.F.).

Glen then became a Detective Sergeant on the prestigious and world famous ‘Sweeney’ (Flying Squad) and the pressure was on to maintain his training which somehow he managed to do while also working 14-16 hour days.

As a founding member of S.K.K.I.F., Sensei Moulds held a senior position and was awarded Sandan (3th Dan) by Sensei Kanazawa in 1993. He represented the S.K.K.I.F. England squad in Las Vegas but later left the police force to pursue his passion for teaching Karate full-time. Due to internal politics, he and other senior members resigned from S.K.K.I.F. and joined a Toyakwai group under Sensei Joe Anderson.

In January 2003, Sensei Moulds rejoined Kenshinkai with the Japan Karate Association – UK (JKA-UK). Within nine months, he fulfilled his dream of training in Japan with Sensei Mikio Yahara (8th Dan) and paid his respects at the gravesite of Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan Karate.

In July 2005, Sensei Glen Moulds successfully passed a rigorous grading examination in front of esteemed Senseis, including Yahara (8th Dan), Kawasaki (6th Dan), Sidoli (7th Dan), and others. Along with earning his 5th Dan, he also attained Japanese Examiners, Referees, and Instructor qualifications.

Since 1990, Sensei Moulds has taught over 3,000 students, many of whom have achieved high ranks, such as Peter Edwards (6th Dan), Dave Lewin (5th Dan), and Geoff Mitchell (5th Dan) of London Matsuba Kai Karate Clubs. His students have spread worldwide, including Dave Barker (3rd Dan) in Norway, Christina Traher (2nd Dan), Captain of the Oxford Blues Karate Squad, and Jenan Wijayasri, Captain of the Cambridge Blues Karate Squad.

in 2005 Sensei Moulds built his own sports complex spread over 10 acres of land incorporating a large public gym, a campsite, a running centre, archery centre, sports massage, restaurant and of course his own dojo, now the hombu (headquarters) of Kenshinkai Shotokan Karate. He resides in Barrow with his wife, Julie, and their four daughters, Jade, Yasmin, Paris, and Charlie. 

In 2019, after years of planning, Sensei Moulds launched “My Online Karate,” the world’s first authentic Japanese Shotokan online club. Initially met with skepticism, it grew to reach 34 countries by January 2021, expanding Kenshinkai’s global presence. The hombu dojo welcomes international students, offering a campsite and pod for accommodations.

In 2024 Sensei Moulds moved to Portugal to enjoy his training in the sun and his time with his online members now in 45 countries. He visits the UK occasionally to train with Andy Walls, Gary Perry and several online members

Sensei Glen Moulds

(6th Dan)

Sensei Glen in action over the years

Sensei Glen Moulds Black Belt 6th Dan (Japan) leads the team of Instructors with Andy Walls 5th Dan. With over 60 years of experience between the two of them, we will guide you through each module allowing you to get guaranteed quality personal attention.

Pure Shotokan Karate Lineage

Kenshinkai Club Lineage

This timeline illustrates the pure and direct path from the foundations of Shotokan Karate to the current day practice of Kenshinkai Shotokan overseen by our Chief Instructor, Sensei Moulds 6th Dan, Japan.

c.1827/28 - 1906

Yasutsune Azato

Master trainer of

Gichin Funakoshi

c.1830/32 - 1916

Yasutsune Itosu

Master trainer of

Gichin Funakoshi

1868 - 1957

Gichin Funakoshi

Founder of

Shotokan Karate  

1913 - 1987

Masatoshi Nakayama

b. 1931 SKKIF

Hirokazu Kanazawa

1941 - 1990

Eddie Whitcher

Founder of Kenshinkai

1957 -

Glen Moulds

Chief Instructor Kenshinkai

Scroll to Top