Seishikan
Masao Tada Hanshi
Masao Sensei was born in 1939 and is the youngest of three brothers.
The eldest brother, Heiji Tada Sensei founded Seishikan in 1949 after seeing the dire effects the aftermath of World War 2 was having on the Japanese people. Heiji Sensei was Kancho until 1999 when he handed over the mantle of Kancho to his younger brother Shohei Tada Sensei.
Shohei Sensei retired as Kancho in 2018 and Masao Sensei assumed this role.
Masao Sensei was sent by Heiji Kancho to open a dojo in Adelaide South Australia in March 1972. This timing coincided with the rise in popularity of martial arts as a result of the Bruce Lee movies and the television show Kung Fu, featuring David Carradine. Classes were full to overflowing and soon satellite dojos were set up in Adelaide and in regional centres such as Millicent and Whyalla. John Plant Shihan was one of the founding members of the Gunson St dojo and is still training to this day.
After two years in Adelaide Masao Sensei returned to Japan and he was replaced by Kyoshi Tsujimoto Sensei who stayed until mid 1976.
Both Tada Sensei and Tsujimoto Sensei have visited Australia many times since then representing both Seishikan and JKF Gojukai.
Seishikan in Australia is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022, having been founded in Adelaide in March 1972 by Masao Tada Sensei.
John Hart Shihan
Head of Style in Australia
0407 835 186
jandmhart@ozemail.com.au
Chief instructor for Australia is John Hart, 6th Dan Kyoshi JKFG. John started training in Seishikan in April 1973. He has held the positions of Vice President JKFGA from 2012 until 2014 and served as President JKFGA from 2014 until 2021.