Sensei Yutaka Yaguchi is not only the chief instructor for the Mountain States region, including part of Canada, he is the technical director for the International Shotokan Karate Association nationally. He is an 8th degree black belt who came from Japan to help start Shotokan Karate in the United States 35 years ago. Famous for his speed and power, he has developed more national champions than any other JKA instructor.

Born in 1932 in Hiroshima, Japan, Sensei Yaguchi began karate training in 1952. He tested under Master Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan Karate, for his first and second degree black belts. As one of the first graduates of the JKA Instructors Training Program, he has played an important role in the growth of American JKA karate and the internationalization of Shotokan karate.

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