About us
Karate with JKA Massey
The JKA Massey karate club was started by Peter Zimmatore (5th dan) and his wife Yuriko (2nd dan) in 2018 after Peter and Yuriko arrived in New Zealand. Prior to their arrival they had lived in Japan for many years and studied at the JKA hombu dojo in Tokyo.
They are both lifetime members of the Japan Karate Association which practises the Shotokan style as developed by Master Funakoshi. The dojo is run on similar lines to the hombu dojo in Japan and follows a traditional Japanese style of instruction.
Senseis
Peter Zimmatore
Chief Instructor, 5th dan
Peter Zimmatore is the Chief instructor of JKA Massey.
Peter began his training in England with Enoeda sensei and over the years grading to 3rd dan and qualifying as a judge and Referee.
To fulfill his lifelong dream he went to Japan in 2003 to study at the JKA Headquarter dojo (hombu). For the next ten years he lived just 500 metres away from the hombu dojo in Tokyo where he trained every week.
Peter is now 5th dan, B instructor and qualified examiner.
Yuriko Zimmatore
Assistant Instructor, 2nd dan
Yuriko Zimmatore is assistant instructor at JKA Massey. She started karate in Japan at the hombu dojo in Tokyo and is a 2nd dan D judge and D instructor.
Shelley Grobler
Assistant Instructor, 3rd dan
Shelley Grobler is an assistant instructor at JKA Massey. She started training in South Africa where she was a member of the SA National team. She is 3rd dan and a D instructor, judge, and examiner.
Kriez Cuevas
Assistant Instructor, 1st dan
Kriez and Teresa started their karate under Takahashi Masanori sensei of JKA Philippines over 40 years ago.
They have been training in New Zealand with Peter and Yuriko sensei at Massey university and Silverdale and are now running the JKA Massey dojo in Milford.
Teresa Cuevas
Assistant Instructor, 1st kyu
Kriez and Teresa started their karate under Takahashi Masanori sensei of JKA Philippines over 40 years ago.
They have been training in New Zealand with Peter and Yuriko sensei at Massey university and Silverdale and are now running the JKA Massey dojo in Milford.
About Karate
SHOTOKAN 松濤館
sho (matsu) 松 - pine
to 濤 - wave, billow
shoto 松濤 - Funakoshi's pen name
kan - 館 - hall, building
Funakoshi Gichin is known as the father of modern day karate. He was born in 1868 in Okinawa and as a boy studied karate under two masters, Master Itosu and Master Azato.
He became a school teacher and introduced karate into the Okinawan public school system, training in karate all the while with both masters. It was during this time that Okinawan karate emerged from its seclusion to become a legally sanctioned martial art.
In 1922 he was invited to demonstrate karate in mainland Japan by the Japanese Ministry of Education. This made such a powerful impression on the Japanese people that he was besieged with requests to remain in Japan and continue to teach, which he did.
His first dojo in Tokyo was named after him by his students, shoto > pine waves (Funakoshi's pen name), kan > building and this was eventually used as the name of his style of karate.
In 1955, the Japan Karate Association (JKA) was established in which Funakoshi served as chief instructor until his death in 1957.