Komakai Karate

What is Komakai Karate you might be thinking, well the best way I could describe it is to give a historical account of the dojo that lead to it.

The Jundokan of Indiana was established in 1964, by Larry Pickel.

Mr. Larry Pickel studied gojuryu karate, under Master Eiichi Miyazato at the Jundokan dojo in Asato, Naha City Okinawa, while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was in Okinawa for a total of 13 months; he was promoted to Shodan on February 14, 1964. Mr. Pickel said that he would go watch cock fighting with Miyazato Sensei and that, Miyazato Sensei would always ask him to bring him some Aqua Velva and Golden Wedding Whiskey from the base. Mr. Pickel also recalled that Koshin Iha taught a lot and that on occasion Morio Higaonna and Terou Chinen would train with him.

After his discharge from the Marines, Mr. Pickel returned to Chesterfield, Indiana. Upon his return, he began teaching; his first students were Glenn Keeney, Larry Davenport and Jerry Brown.

The dojo moved a few times over the years, but in 1966, Glenn Keeney, Jerry Brown, Mr. Pickel, and Larry Davenport purchased the John Chambers Judo Academy. For a short time, the then Jundokan of Indiana was known as the Anderson Gojuryu Karate Club, but soon became the Komakai Academy of Judo and Karate, after Mr. Pickel picked the name out of a Japanese dictionary. Later the judo program was dropped and the dojo became the Komakai Academy of Karate.

Mr. Pickel joined the dojo to the USKA in 1966 and began attending tournaments.

Over the next few years, the other three sold their interest in the dojo to Mr. Keeney. Mr. Pickel was the first to sell in 1967. Mr. Pickel appointed Mr. Keeney as his successor and by 1969; Mr. Keeney became the sole owner of the Komakai. Mr. Keeney, continued his education by training in shorei-ryu (shuri-ryu) under the direction of robert Trias and Phillip Koeppel.

There were several Komakai branch dojos, opened by Mr. Keeney's yudansha. I will list the dojos and their instructors, at times the instructors changed, I will also list those instructors as well.

Upland (Taylor University) Komakai (est. 1968) - Mr. Dwight Jacobes

New Jersey Komakai (est. 1970) - Mr. Dwight Jacobes

New Castle Komakai (est. 1972) - Mr. Keeney, Mr. Larry Hoyel, Mr. Alan Goff, Mr. Paul Bridges

Alexandria Komakai (est. 1974) - Mr. Keeney, Mr. Larry Davenport

Fairmount Komakai (est. 1974) - Mr. Mike Cox

Franklin Komakai (est. 1975) - Mr. John Connell, Mr. Ron Rollins, Mr. Ross Scott

Gas City Komakai (est. 1977) - Mr. Curt Jones

Marion Komakai (est. 1982) - Mr. Curt Jones, Mr. Mike Jones

Bern Komakai - Mr. Mike Cox

Atlanta Komakai - Mr. Paul Bridges, Mrs. Kim Bridges

Indianapolis Komakai (est. 1992) - Mr. Curt Jones, Mr. Mike Jones

After 1970, the dojo taught the Jundokan Gojuryu brought back from Okinawa y Mr, Pickel and Mr. Keeney became a leading figure in the USKA, he began learning the Shoreiryu (shuriryu) as taught by Mr. Robert Trias and Mr. Phillip Koeppel.  The karate at the dojo slowly became a mixture of the two systems which resulted in the following list of kata being mainly taught in the dojo from 1970 to 2004;

Gekisai Dai Ichi

Gekisai Dai Ni

Saifa

Seunchin

Shisochin

Empi Sho

Bassai Dai

Nifunchin

Dan Enn Sho

SanChin

Sanseru

Go Pei Sho

Seipai

Nan Dan Sho

Kanku Sho

Tuse Sho No Kon

Sai Jutsu Ichi

Chatan Yara No Sai

Some students also learned Anaku, Wunsu, Chinto, Rohai, Kururunfa, Seisan, Suparenpei, Sanchin Ichi, Tensho, Naifunchin Ni and San. After a student earned their shodan ranking, they were allowed to go out and learn from other instructors and bring things back to the dojo.  It might be of interest to know that even though two arts were taught in the dojo and one might learn a Goju and Shuri kata for the same rank, Mr. Keeney maintained the separation between the systems, teaching both Goju and Shuri kihon waza.

It was around 1991 or 1992, that the term Komakai Karate or Komakai system was starting to be used, besides maintaining the two karate ryu-ha, the Komakai was also heavily influenced by Kumite and was a power house not only in tournaments but also in full contact matches.  There may be some individuals that trained under Mr. Keeney that will say there is no Komakai System or Komakai Ryu, but all I have to say about that is translated the kanji located on the Komakai Menjo (certificates) it clearly states Komakai System!

Mr. Keeney closed his dojo and sold it in 2004, however he has yudansha who operate dojos under their own names with his full blessing. Such as Mr. Curt Jones in Marion. My dojo and Mr. David Dobbs Eishinkan Houston.