Yoshihiko Iura Leads National Kata Course Weekend

Three National Kata courses, led by the renowned Yoshihiko Iura-sensei, Kodokan 8th Dan, brought a buzz of activity to the weekend of 22–23 November 2025.

Organised by the Southern Area and hosted at the Army School of Physical Training in Aldershot, the courses were further elevated by the support of the BJA Kata Commission through Dr Llyr Jones and Paul Jordan. A number of BJA kata officials and Senior Examiners were also in attendance, providing expert guidance and enthusiastic support throughout the event.

Over the two-day event, Iura-sensei delivered in-depth instruction on three Kodokan kata.  On the first day, he covered every aspect of Nage-no-kata, explaining the finer points of the 15 throwing techniques.  After working through all five sets, course participants developed a good understanding of the fundamentals and were able to perform the kata to a basic standard, while more experienced judoka enhanced their kata skills.   On the second day, Iura-sensei taught Itsutsu-no-kata in the morning – with many participants seeing this higher, more philosophical kata for the first time.  The course concluded in the afternoon with Katame-no-kata, taught with the same detail and thoroughness as Nage-no-kata the previous day.

BJA National Kata Judges conducted continuous assessments across the weekend.  All participants successfully attained their Level 1 kata awards, while judoka with prior kata proficiency were examined for higher-level certificates.  The weekend additionally featured two special presentations.  Jim MacKenzie received his 2025 BJA Kata Award trophy, and Iura-sensei received a BJA Certificate of Appreciation for his many years of promoting kata across the Association through his teaching at the National Course.

Following the event, Karen Roberts, BJA Development Director, remarked, “It has been exciting to explore new opportunities and deepen my understanding of the judo I use. As a competitor, I was always proficient in newaza, and studying Katame-no-kata with Iura-sensei over the weekend gave me greater insight into why that is.”

“The way my coach, Don Werner, structured our newaza drills to respond to uke’s reactions, closely mirrors how that kata is structured.  It was also fantastic to see so many coaches on the mat experimenting with creative drills they can incorporate into their judo sessions, especially for teaching children osaekomi-waza and escape techniques. I would highly recommend this experience to our innovative coaches.”

Llyr Jones Commission Chair added, “It was another excellent weekend of learning, with Iura-sensei leading our National Kata Course.  His focus on subtle details helped everyone better understand both the principles and mechanics of the techniques and appreciate how kata practice can improve their everyday judo.”

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