Soke Kozo Kuniba: Budo Profile
Born: June 8, 1960 in Osaka, Japan
Second son of Soke Shogo Kuniba (1935-1992) and grandson of Seishin-Kai founder, Kosei Kokuba (1901-1959).
Kozo Kuniba began his karate training in 1965 under Masao Tateishi of Motobu-Ha Shito-Ryu. He received his Shodan in 1972 and Nidan in 1974 through Seishin Kai. A formidable competitor, he retired from Japanese tournaments as a champion at the young age of 14. By 1978, he was recognized as Sandan by the Japan Karate Federation (JKF).
After joining his father in the USA, Kozo underwent intense grooming to become the next Soke of Motobu-Ha. He was promoted to Yondan in 1989 and reached Godan/Shihan rank in 1991, during which time he aided significantly in the development of Goshin Do.
Following the death of Kunio Tatsuno in 1999, Kozo Kuniba and his older brother Kosuke Kuniba formed the Nihon Karate-Do Kuniba Kai, which earned JKF recognition. Kozo assumed the role of Kaicho and was awarded Nanadan.
As the International Soke for Motobu-Ha Shito-Ryu Karate-Do, Kozo Kuniba leads KKI with thousands of students in over 20 countries. KKI remains the only organization recognized by the JKF to issue Motobu-Ha Shito-Ryu Karate-Do menjo (certificates).
The primary goal of KKI is to unite the followers of Soke Shogo Kuniba, ensuring that the rich history of the style forms a solid foundation for its future evolution under the recognized leadership of Soke Kozo Kuniba.
Courtesy James Herndon
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