Saratoga
"The ultimate aim of the art of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the characters of its participants." - Gichin Funakoshi
Curt Wvong faces Charles Forsberg of Canada at the 50th annual Nisei Week tournament in Pasadena, CA Site Map Adults’ practice Children's practice Dojo etiquette Glossary of terms Reading list Membership in SKA YMCA membership Photo gallery Brochure SKA Dojos in the Bay Area Contact us Links Shotokan Karate of America website Northern California Event Calendar Southwest YMCA	Welcome to Saratoga Shotokan! We are an affiliate dojo of Shotokan Karate of America (SKA), a non-profit organization teaching traditional Karate in the United States since 1955. SKA has more than 120 dojos in North America as well as in thirteen countries including Canada, France, Israel, Switzerland, Japan, and Hong Kong. SKA and the Saratoga Dojo are dedicated to teaching Karate in the traditional Japanese manner. We welcome students of any age. Class structure allows for the admittance of new adult students at any time of the year and of new children students at regularly scheduled dates. Members of the Saratoga Dojo participate in regional special events such as clinics, exchange practices, tournaments, and special classes at the Ohshima Dojo lead by Tsutomu Ohshima, the founder and chief instructor of SKA. Learn more about adult practice, children's practice, practice times, and instructors by clicking the links below.  Instructors Craig Hamman - yodan (4th degree black belt) Craig started training in 1981 under France Borka at the Auburn Dojo, in Auburn, CA and was promoted to yodan in 2000. Of particular note is Mr. Ohshima officiated at all of Craig's black belt tests. In 1983 Craig founded the Alta Dojo in Alta, CA and in 1986 founded the Chico Dojo at Chico State University. In 1989 Craig moved to the San Jose area and practiced at Stanford University with Jim Sagawa until 1995. In 1995 he co-founded the Saratoga Dojo with Manfred Chiu, where he remains Saratoga's lead instructor. Curt Wvong - yodan (4th degree black belt) Curt began practicing karate at the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, Canada, with Canada Shotokan Karate in 1986. He was a member of the Canada West team that won the Nisei Week team tournament in 1995, and was promoted to yodan in 2007. Curt moved to San Jose in 1999 and has been practicing at the Saratoga Dojo since 2004. Mack Kusumoto - shodan (1st degree black belt) and dojo manager Practice Times Adults’ practice: Mondays and Wednesdays Beginners’ class: 7:05 to 8:00 pm Advanced class: 8:00 to 9:00 pm Saturday class: 11:30 am to 1:30 pm Children's practice: Mondays and Wednesdays 6:20 to 7:00 pm All practices are held at: Southwest YMCA 13500 Quito Road, Saratoga, CA 95070 (408) 370-1877 Craig Hamman demonstrates nagewaza with Johnny Martin