Gojukai Karate, Cape Town

The All Africa Karate-Do Gojukai hombu Dojo was opened in April 1980 by Saiko Shihan Goshi Yamaguchi, son of karate legend Kaiso Gogen Yamaguchi (the Cat) and Peter Brandon Hanshi.

These two men went on to be all they could be in the world of Gojukai Karate. Saiko Shihan Goshi Yamauchi became the President of the International Karate-Do Goukai Association (the position his late father bestowed on him and Peter Brandon Hanshi was made the President of the African Continent as well as the Vice-President of the IKGA.

This dojo has produced more world champions than any other dojo in Africa and has seen over 200 black belts pass through its doors with one student, Shihan Trevor Norval, going on to become president of Namibia. Through his hard work and dedication he has produced outstanding students including Sensei Leonard Martin the current chief instructor of Namibia.

This building has only had two functions since it was built in 1903, making our headquarters over 100 years old. It was originally built to be the first Hindu Temple in Cape Town before being sold to Gojukai and Peter Brandon Hanshi because of the apartheid system and group areas act. Little did the government know, Gojukai was teaching in the townships from 1968 and that Peter Brandon Hanshi was secretly teaching South Africans of all colours and creeds.

Peter Brandon Hanshi, 8th dan, is assisted by his son Frank Brandon Sensei, 5th dan in teaching 130 students from the ages 4 to 60 years old. The feeder system in the organisation is amazing: white belts train together, once they have passed they join the yellow, orange, green and blue belts. After grading to purple they begin training with brown belts. Once they have graduated to Shodan (black belt) in Japan they train in the Shodan class. After this, the Nidans (2nd dan) and above train together.

We are in the process of establishing an academy that will assist in the uplifting of our youth.