Hiroshi Shirai

was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He was the founder of the Istituto Shotokan Italia, a subdivision of FIKTA (the Italian Traditional Karate Association) and of the SCI (Shotokan Cultural Institute, formerly WSI - World Shotokan Institute). Shirai held the title of Shihan and was responsible for taking the dan examinations within SCI and, together with Carlo Fugazza, for those within the FIKTA.

Biography Shirai was born in Nagasaki, Japan on 31 July 1937. He started learning karate in 1956, three years after seeing a promotional video of the Japan Karate Association (JKA) at Komazawa University.

In 1962, he won both the kata and the kumite championships of the JKA, thereby becoming one of those receiving the title 'Grand Champion'.

After a world trip to promote karate together with Taiji Kase, Hirokazu Kanazawa, and Keinosuke Enoeda to Europe, South Africa, and the United States of America, he settled in Milan, Italy in 1965. Under his tutelage the Italian karate flourished and many titles went to his students.

Shirai died home in Milan on 9 October 2024, at the age of 87.

Goshindo

Shirai felt that the self-defence (goshindo) aspect of Shotokan karate has been too much in the shadow of kumite and kata. Although he practised karate for self-defence initially, he focussed on kumite for a few years until moving to Europe. He started refocussing on self-defence and its incorporation in the practice of shotokan karate.

Graduation history Shirai received the following dan ranks: 1st - 1957; 2nd - 1959; 3rd - 1961; 4th - unknown year; 5th - 1964; 6th - 1969; 7th - 1974; 8th - 1986, 9th - 1999. He received 10th dan in 2011.