To begin your practice of karate at the Tahoe Shotokan Karate Dojo, all you need to do is just show up.
After you have practiced regularly for a few months, you might naturally like to know how you are progressing and ask if you can be graded.
Kyu tests are held twice a year in April and November. There are no fees to participate in kyu tests.
In order to participate in kyu tests or other SKA activities outside of the Tahoe Shotokan Karate Dojo, you must be a member of SKA.
- SKA membership dues are for each calendar year, and are $100 per year for non-black belts. However, for new members, the first year’s dues are only $75.
- Furthermore, new members who join in the second half of the year will receive a further $25 discount from their second year’s dues.
The most important benefit of being a member in SKA is the opportunity to attend practices with Ohshima Shihan‘s senior black belts. These practices are a few times a year at the Shotokan Ohshima Dojo in Santa Barbara, California, which are open to beginners:
- Kids practice (for kids and parents who are practicing) – typically held in June
- Open practice after the Nisei Week Tournament – typically the Sunday following the first Saturday in August
- Senior practice (white belts over 40 years old) – typically held in October
- Last practice of the year – first Saturday in December
In addition, each year, the senior black belts lead a practice for women, brown belts, and black belts. Thus, the number of times that you can practice at the Shotokan Ohshima Dojo with Sensei’s senior black belts in a year, are limited.
While Santa Barbara is about a 9 hour drive from the Lake Tahoe area, consider that for other people around the world to attend a practice with these senior black belts, require up to a 17 hour flight. If you had the opportunity to receive instruction from the pre-eminent artists/experts in any other field that you were studying, no distance would be too far to travel.
Those of us who have practiced for many years with Ohshima Sensei cannot adequately describe the benefits we have received from his instruction. If you wish to further your practice of karate and join SKA, please talk to one of the senior members in the dojo.