yaguchikarate.com

Sensei Yutaka Yaguchi is one of the most famous and beloved Shotokan Karate instructors in the world. He has now written and published a book of his memoirs and his philosophy of karate with Catherine Pinch, a long-time student. 

Sensei Yaguchi began training in the early days of the Japan Karate Association (JKA) with Sensei Nakayama and many other famous karate practitioners. Arriving in the United States in 1962, he has been instrumental in starting and promoting the art of Shotokan Karate throughout the U.S. Sensei Yaguchi has, for years, shunned any sort of publicity, rejecting requests for interviews from every martial arts magazine. 

Catherine Pinch is a three-time national U.S. International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF) karate champion, and certified instructor, judge and examiner. She trained with Sensei Yaguchi for over 15 years. Catherine resides in Eagle River, Alaska.

The book, called "Mind and Body - Like Bullet," has received rave reviews from several sources, including the web site, The Shotokan Way.

"Mind and Body - Like Bullet" is available at the retail price of  $34.95 U.S. Click here to purchase.

Bulk pricing is available at 10% discount for 12 or more books. Click here to order in bulk.

Special pricing is also available for international orders, non-profits, and fund-raisers. Please contact us at greenlightpubs@gmail.com for more information.

Books may be purchased online by clicking here. All major credit cards are accepted through PayPal.

To purchase the book, click here.

(by Catherine Pinch) It was both an honor and a somewhat overwhelming task to write Sensei Yaguchi’s memoirs. He has been my instructor for many years, and I’ve always known him only through the medium of karate. In order to write the book, I had to ask questions that I would never dare to ask as a mere student of karate, and he opened himself up in ways that astounded me.

Despite the fact he has been in this country for over 40 years, his English is still very limited. Because he wanted to be able to express himself fully, we used a translator for our 40 or 50 interviews. Some interviews were in restaurants over Japanese food; some were two-hour-long telephone conversations, with the translator conferenced in from Kentucky, me in Alaska, and Sensei in Denver.

I can only hope that I’ve conveyed the spirit in which Sensei Yaguchi wanted to communicate his story to the rest of the world. If there are any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies, I apologize. Sensei Yaguchi is one of the most honest people I have ever met, and any errors are most likely because of a misinterpretation on my part.

While going to university in Tokyo, Japan, Yutaka Yaguchi watched a martial arts demonstration that changed his life. He joined the karate club, and after graduation became a full-time instructor. He was part of a group of instructors who are legendary now. In 1962 he was sent to the United States, where he began instructing Americans in the art of Shotokan Karate.

Imaginative, dedicated, and driven, Sensei Yutaka Yaguchi has become one of the most well-known and beloved Shotokan karate instructors in the world. He is invited to teach and hold rank exams in the United States, Canada, and around the world. He still travels over 40 weekends a year, and teaches at his home dojo in Denver, Colorado during the week.