Kenjiro Hori - Club Instructors

5th Dan JKAE
Men's Captain 1989-90, 1999-00

Ken began his karate training with CUKC when he arrived as an undergraduate student at Clare in 1987. He was awarded his 1st Dan by Enoeda sensei in May 1990, which remains the club record for the shortest time taken to become a black belt. In his third year (1989-90), Ken captained the club to a 10-0 Varsity victory, as well as a team kata gold and a team kumite silver at BUSA (now BUCS).

After a brief training period in Tokyo whilst working there, Ken returned to full training at Cannons SKC in London between 1994-8, during which time he gained his 2nd Dan. In 1998 Ken returned to Cambridge for his postgraduate degrees, and he served his second stint as the Men's Captain in 1999-2000. In 2001 Ken gained his 3rd Dan and qualified for his Full Blue by winning bronze medals in both individual kumite and kata at BUSA. In his time with CUKC Ken also won silver in individual kumite at BUSA 2002, four BUSA team kata titles (1990, 1999, 2000, 2001) and gold in both individual and team kata at the KUGB Central Regions in 2003, as well as a number of other individual and team medals. In his mind though, Ken's proudest achievement is to never have been in the losing side in the 6 years that he competed for Cambridge against Oxford.

Since 2005 Ken has been training at Oasis SKC in London with Ohta sensei, while maintaining his association with CUKC. He was awarded his 4th Dan by Ueki shuseki shihan of JKA in 2008. Ken continued to compete until his retirement from competition in 2013. Recent medals include the individual kata title at the 2012 JKA England National Championships, gold in individual kata and bronze in individual kumite at the 2012 JKAE Four Nations Cup, and silver in kata and bronze in kumite at the 2013 JKAE National Championships.

He was promoted to 5th Dan in 2015.

Ken holds an International Instructors License from the JKA.