Shotokan Australia
DIFFERENT ORGANISATIONS.
ONE STYLE.
Shotokan Australia is a national collaborative network created to provide more opportunities for Shotokan karateka, instructors and dojos across Australia to train, learn and collaborate beyond organisational boundaries.
Our Purpose
Shotokan Australia is not another karate organisation. It is not a governing body. It is not an affiliation. It exists because, despite belonging to different organisations and following different lineages, we share something important: Shotokan Karate.
Our purpose is to create opportunities for those different branches of Shotokan to meet, train together, exchange knowledge and develop relationships — without asking anyone to give up what they already belong to.
"Nobody needs to leave anything. Nobody needs to join anything."
Our Principles
Seven founding principles that define what this network is — and what it will never become.
Affiliation Is Respected
Participation never requires a karateka, instructor or dojo to leave, change or weaken an existing affiliation.
No Ownership of Shotokan
Shotokan Australia does not claim ownership of Shotokan Karate, its history, traditions, techniques or identity.
No Joining
There is no requirement to become a member. Karateka and instructors simply participate when an opportunity is relevant to them.
No Membership Fees
There are no annual Shotokan Australia membership or affiliation fees. Costs are for activities — not for belonging to the network.
No Grading Authority
Shotokan Australia does not issue, validate or transfer kyu or dan grades. Technical authority remains with each karateka's existing instructor.
Technical Diversity Is Valued
Differences in technique, kata interpretation and methodology provide opportunities to ask questions and deepen understanding. We can train differently and still train together.
Collaboration, Not Competition
The objective is not to move karateka between organisations. The objective is to create more opportunities for them to meet.
The Network
What It Is
- A network.
- A meeting place.
- A national calendar of opportunities.
- A platform for communication.
- A means of connecting instructors and karateka.
- A facilitator of collaborative Shotokan activities.
What It Is Not
- A national governing body.
- Another Shotokan federation.
- A grading authority.
- A new karate affiliation.
- A replacement for existing organisations.
- A national technical authority.
- A recruitment pathway between organisations.
Participate when it is useful.
Share when it is appropriate.
Learn whenever the opportunity exists.