Kenjiro Hori - Club Instructors

4th Dan JKAE
Men's Captain 1989-90, 1999-00

Ken began his karate training with CUKC when he arrived as an undergraduate student at Cambridge in 1987. He was awarded his 1st Dan by Enoeda Sensei at the Crystal Palace course 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. After a brief training period in Tokyo whilst working for a bank 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 lightweight kumite at BUSA 2002, four BUSA team kata titles (1990, 1999, 2000, 2001), a bronze (4th) in team kata at KUGB National Championship (2003), and gold in both individual and team kata at the 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. He now trains at Oasis SKC in London with Ohta Sensei while maintaining his association with CUKC, and is often seen at the JKA International Courses in Guildford translating for Japanese Senseis.

Ken passed Yondan in 2008 under Sensei Ueki from JKA HQ.