Master Gichin Funakoshi arrived from the Japanese Prefecture of Okinawa to Tokyo to teach karate. He was officially invited by the Japanese Ministry of Education to introduce the art through a series of demonstrations conducted throughout the mainland.

Master Funakoshi writes and publishes Karate-Do Kyohan, the first instructional text of Shotokan techniques and forms.

The Japan Karate Association is established with Gichin Funakoshi in place as its first Chief Instructor.

Karate is introduced to the members of the United States Strategic Air Command (SAC) whose team came to study the art. This led to the first exposure of karate to people and places outside of Japan.

The Japan Karate Association Instructor Training Program is developed with the purpose of standardizing Shotokan techniques and creating official instructors, examiners and later, judges. Dr. Takehiko Sakai, a leading orthopaedic surgeon and senior ranking student to Master Funakoshi, devised the program's curriculum and lectured on a weekly basis on various topics including sports medicine and kinesiology.

The Japan Karate Association is officially sanctioned by the Japanese Ministry of Education, as a result of 3 years of strategic planning and countless mock matches under the provocation and direction of Master Funakoshi's student Masatoshi Nakayama, the first official JKA All-Japan Karate Tournament took place at Tokyo's Metropolitan Gymnasium and was open to the public.

Also this year, the karate community mourns the death of its "Father" and teacher, Master Gichin Funakoshi.

Masatoshi Nakayama is appointed as the successor and 2nd Chief Instructor of the Japan Karate Association. Beginning this year and through the decade, Master Nakayama was responsible for delegating graduates from the Instructor training program to Europe, the Americas and finally throughout the world. Many of those instructors still remain in their original destinations teaching and promoting the art of Karate-Do.

5th All-Japan Karate Championships at which Prince Akihito presided as guest of honour.

Master Nakayama publishes the text Dynamic Karate.

As celebration of the 50th anniversary of karate's arrival to mainland Japan, the first official international JKA tournament is held. It also served as a memorial to Master Gichin Funakoshi.

The Japan Karate Association sends a team to the United States to celebrate the bicentennial at an international goodwill tournament in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Master Masatoshi Nakayama publishes the first volume in the Best Karate series. Through the next 12 years, successive volumes are published featuring profiles and photographs of the JKA's top instructors demonstrating basic techniques, kata and kumite.

The 1st World Shoto Cup Karate Championships are held in Tokyo, Japan.

Karate-ka throughout the world mourn the passing of innovator and 2nd JKA Chief Instructor, Masatoshi Nakayama.

The 2nd World Shoto Cup Karate Championships are held in Brisbane, Australia.

The 3rd World Shoto Cup Karate Championships are held in Sunderland, England.

The 4th World Shoto Cup Karate Championships are held in Tokyo, Japan.

Motokuni Sugiura is appointed as the 3rd Chief Instructor of the Japan Karate Association.

The 5th World Shoto Cup Karate Championships are held in Philadelphia, USA.

The official announcement and commencement of World Federation of the JKA

The 6th World Shoto Cup Karate Championships are held in Tokyo, Japan.

The 7th World Shoto Cup Karate Championships are held in Paris, France.

The 8th World Shoto Cup Karate Championships to  held in Tokyo, Japan.

2004    

2006