Instructors
Sensei Haramoto, our chief instructor, is a 6th Dan black belt and certified instructor of the JKA. He began his training in Tokyo, Japan in 1962; in 1966 he participated in the All Japan Collegiate Karate Championship Tournament and won the first place together with his Aoyama Gakuin University Karate Club team. Later, while earning his MBA at Aoyama Gakuin Graduate School, he taught JKA Shotokan karate at the university. Sensei Haramoto came to the United States in 1970, establishing the JKA of Northern California, headquartered in San Francisco. In 1975, Sensei Haramoto was appointed judge at the World Karate-Do Championship Tournament. Sensei Haramoto comes to the Stanford dojo about once a month to lead special training seminars and organize examinations and tournaments.
Classes are taught by three instructors. Oscar Baranchuk teaches on Tuesdays, Bryan Choo on Thursdays, and Merv Dixon on Saturdays.
On occasion, Sensei Masataka Mori from New York visits us and teaches special lessons. We also organize joint training sessions with other dojos in the area.