Sensei Shiro Asano was born in Shinjuku within Tokyo in Japan on 29th Oct 1939. He graduated from Takashoku university having studied karate under Gichin Funakoshi and achieving his ambition of becoming all Japan universities champion in 1957 which he was to repeat the following year. He was to go on and achieve much more at both kata and kumite. By 1963 he had been appointed a JKA instructor and had been awarded 4th Dan.
Later in the 1960's he was to tour Europe along with Kanazawa sensei pioneering karate. They were both to live in Germany to promote and teach the art before jointly settling down in England, with Asano choosing Nottingham in which to live, in 1968. After three more years Sensei Kanazawa was to return to Germany having set up his own association Shotokan Karate International leaving Asano Sensei teaching on his behalf in England. In 1979 he was promoted to SKI chief instructor to Europe.
Asano sensei has always been noted for his indomitable fighting spirit, his distancing and timing. His knowledge of techniques, kata and bunkai is well respected by all Shotokan karate-ka who have trained with him. One technique he is renowned for is gyaku-mawashigeri, an inside out or reverse roundhouse kick not to be confused with an ushiro-mawashigeri. Outside of the dojo he is always approachable and has remained “one of the lads” enjoying a pint or a meal after training. In October 2001 at the age of sixty-two he was awarded 9th Dan.
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