Menu
Shotokan Karate Academy proudly serving Lehi since 2019
Shotokan Karate Academy has classes in Lehi, perfect for kids, teen, and adult martial arts lessons.
Who we Are And why You Should Train Here
Shotokan Karate Academy focuses on the traditional teachings as taught by the Father of Modern Karate, Gichin Funakoshi and one of his notable students, Hidetaka Nishiyama. Funakoshi’s teachings later became known as Shotokan Karatedo.
Shotokan Karate originated in Okinawa, a small island south of Japan. It was popularized in Japan by Gichin Funakoshi in the 1950s. The name “Shotokan” comes from the name “Shoto,” which was Funakoshi’s pen name, meaning ‘waving or billowing pine’. Shotokan Karate is a traditional martial art. This means that improvements in character and mental discipline are as important as physical skill, if not more so.
Shotokan Karate is meant to be accessible to all, including, women, children, and those with or without great athletic ability. The Shotokan Karate Academy (SKA) offers a caring, safe environment where children and adults can learn the art of karate.
Its practice leads to:
• Muscular and Aerobic fitness
• Body alignment, balance and movement
• Increased perceptual awareness
• Stress management
• Concentration, confidence and discipline
PROUD MEMBERS OF UTAH ASSOCIATION OF MARTIAL ARTS
The Utah Association of Martial Arts was founded by our very own Sensei Jordan Diaz and one of his colleagues, Master Ty Hatfield. Their mission is to network every martial art school in all of Utah and spread the knowledge and teachings of each style. Some of these styles include Shotokan Karate, Jiu-Jitsu, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Kenpo, Hapkido, Judo, Kung Fu and so much more. UAMA recognizes the importance of diversity and the strength it has to offer. UAMA members train every month at their “Gatherings.” These events are for both kids and adults of all skill levels.
PROUD MEMBERS OF ISKA
The International San Ten Karate Association (国際三天空手道協会 “Kokusai San Ten Karate-Dō Kyōkai”) was founded by Master Vincent Cruz and includes members from all of the world, from California to South America, to Canada and Europe. Master Cruz’s vision had no boundaries or limitations as he sought to bring authentic and quality traditional karate training to those willing to work hard enough to realize the art’s value.
Get To Know Our World Class Instructors
Assistant Instructors
Mr. Aiden
Assistant Instructor
Mr. Asher
Assistant Instructor
Mr. Kaleb
Assistant Instructor
Ms. Micah
Assistant Instructor
Our Shotokan History
GICHIN FUNAKOSHI (1868-1957)
Funakoshi O’Sensei, the father of Shotokan Karate-Do, perhaps the most widely known style of karate and is attributed as being the “father of modern karate”. In 1922, Funakoshi introduced Shotokan Karate to Japan and the world, standardizing many of the forms that we practice today for teaching in elementary school, high school, and college levels.
Notable Students: Hironori Ōtsuka, Gigō Funakoshi, Isao Obata, Shigeru Egami, Teruyuki Okazaki, Tetsuhiko Asai, Masatoshi Nakayama, Yasuhiro Konishi, Hidetaka Nishiyama, Tsutomu Oshima, Taiji Kase, Hirokazu Kanazawa, Mitsusuke Harada, Masutatsu Oyama, Tetsuji Murakami, and many others.
MASATOSHI NAKAYAMA (1913-1987)
One of the founders of the Japanese Karate Association, holding the position of Chief instructor for many years. Formed the JKA Instructor Trainee Program which has created some of the finest karate instructors in the world. He was an internationally famous Japanese master of Shotokan Karate, wrote many textbooks on karate, which served to popularize this martial art. For 40 years he worked to spread Shotokan Karate around the world. He was the first master in Shotokan history to attain the rank of 9th dan while still alive and was posthumously awarded the rank of 10th dan.
Notable Students: Keigo Abe, Tetsuhiko Asai, Keinosuke Enoeda, Hirokazu Kanazawa, Takayuki Mikami, Teruyuki Okazaki, Hidetaka Nishiyama, Taiji Kase, Hiroshi Shirai, Shojiro Sugiyama, Tatsuya Naka, and many others.
HIDETAKA NISHIYAMA (1928-2008)
Student of Funakoshi and Nakayama, and a prominent Japanese master of Shotokan Karate. He was an internationally recognized instructor, author and administrator. Was one of the original students of the JKA, Nishiyama helped establish the Japanese Karate Association. He was also one of several JKA Instructors to found karate associations in the United States and around the world including the International Traditional Karate Federation (ITKF). He was one of the last surviving students of Gichin Funakoshi until his death in 2008. He was a pioneer of karate in the US and was awarded the rank of 10th dan in Shotokan by ISKA while still alive.
VINCENT A. CRUZ (1937-2015)
Founder of the International San Ten Karate Association (ISKA). Student of Hidetaka Nishiyama, Kaigate, Isao Obata, Kyuzo Mifune, H. Kotani, T. Tomiki, M. Hosakawa, and many others.
Notable students: Rick Johns (Panama), Ricardo Llewelyn (Panama and USA), and many others.
RICARDO LLEWELYN
Sensei Ricardo Llewelyn has been practicing Shotokan Karate since 1970. He holds a Kyu-Dan (9th Degree Black Belt) in Shotokan Karate and has been granted titles of Shihan, Kyoshi and Hanshi with the International San Ten Karate Association (ISKA). Hanshi Llewelyn is the President of ISKA, founded by Sensei Vincent Cruz in 1979. Sensei Llewelyn is also ranked with the Dai-Ichi Shotokan Karate Association (DSKA), headed by Sensei Ricardo Johns and the International Traditional Karate Federation (ITKF), headed by the late great Master Hidetaka Nishiyama.
