Soke Kozo Kuniba
President of the
Japan Karate-Do Kuniba-Kai International

A Brief Biography

Born on June 8th 1960, Kozo Kuniba began his karate training in 1965 under Sensei Masao Tateishi. He achieved the rank of shodan in 1969. He completed successfully in all Japan tournaments throughout the early 1970s winning or placing in the top three in kata and kumite on many occasions. As he matured in rank and responsibility, he made the decision to come to the US and train with his father, the late great Shogo Kuniba, in 1986.                         

  He continued this training over a three-year period and in 1989 won first place in the kata at the international Sei Shin Kai Tournament in Paris. During this period, he began his teaching and instruction of karate-do in earnest, also traveling extensively in Europe and the Middle East. In 1992 he was appointed international director of the Sei Shin Kai and in November 1999 became nedai Soke of Kuniba Ryu Goshin-Do, an art developed by his father integrating a lifetime of experience in many arts.

In April of 1999 Kozo Kuniba founded the Japan Karate-do International Kuniba-Kai organization, which promotes authentic Motobu-Ha Shito Ryu Karate-do and Kuniba Ryu Goshin-Do and Kobudo.   The Kuniba Family are the true heirs to the Motobu-Ha Shito Ryu Karate-do style that was founded by his Grandfather Kosei Kuniba (Kokuba), who established the original Sei Shin Kai Organization, and his father Shogo Kuniba who founded also the Kuniba Ryu Goshin-Do, Iaido and Kobudo systems.