Instructors
Japan Karate-Do Genbu-Kai International is a worldwide organization, with schools distributed in practically every state of the USA. The head director is Shihan Fumio Demura, who very frequently visits the USA branches, and branches worldwide. In Florida, Japan Karate-Do Genbu-Kai is directed by Sensei Keith Moore, who is based in the West Palm Beach area. Originally from Syracuse, New York, Sensei Moore set out to share his knowledge and teaching in the art of Shito-Ryu Karate-Do Genbu-Kai to all people regardless of age, sex, disability, or race.
All of our instructors are carefully chosen, first for their ability in this Art, and, equally important, for their dedication and proficiency in teaching. They attend a weekly class for instructors held by high-ranking experts from Japan. The standards of the Japan Karate-do Genbu-kai of America are exactly as those in Japan. Our policy of exchange students and instructors in which Japanese experts visit our group and our members make frequent visits to schools in Japan, bears out this fact.
While Florida has various studios and types of Karate, some are highly respected and others are of questionable merits. For this reason, Shihan Demura has made sure that the instructors of this school are among our best black belts, who are completely reliable and qualified to teach the best methods possible.
Our dojo is not only a highly trained facility to learn self-defense or the techniques of this powerful Martial Art, it is simply much more than that.
Japan Karate-Do Genbu-Kai of Florida is discipline and control, taught directly not only for the purpose of self-defense development, but also indirectly oriented to many uses in our regular life. Our organization help builds character in young individuals, and strength towards mature adults; encourages courage in women and respect in men; and in addition to maintain physical shape and healthy condition, it also enhances our intellectual state and our mind control.
Some of the aspects we mentioned before, carefully blending the old-traditional Japanese convention with today's western lifestyle. Feel free to contact us if you would like additional information, or would like us to tailor specific classes for your organization, groups, individuals, or private training. We can also provide customized demonstrations and exhibitions in community's events, charitable parties, benefits, schools, and similar organizations.
Shihan Fumio Demura
Director & Chief Instructor,
Shito-Ryu Genbu-Kai International
- 1938
- September 15th Fumio Demura is born in Yokohama, Japan.
- 1948
- Begins Kendo and Karate training with Asano Sensei.
- 1950
- Begins training in Itosu-Kai under Ryusho Sakagami Sensei.
- 1956
- Receives his first black belt in karate.
- 1957
- Wins first place in East Japan Championships.
- 1958
- Begins Iaido study under Ryusho Sakagami Sensei.
- 1959
- Begins Kobudo training with Shinken Taira Sensei.
- 1961
- Wins All-Japan Karate Championships.
- 1965
- Comes to USA to become Chief Instructor/Director of Japan Karate-Do Itosu-Kai.
- 1965
- Holds First Annual International Goodwill Tournament.
- 1968
- Becomes Chief Director of the Olympics Karate Policy Committee.
- 1969
- Inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame as "Sensei of the Year".
- 1971
- Holds first Annual International Goodwill Karate Championships.
- 1975
- Inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame as "Martial Artist of the Year".
- 1986
- Promoted to 7th Dan (Black Belt) in Shito-Ryu Karate.
- 1989
- Begins study of Batto-Ryu with Taizaburo Nakamura Sensei.
- 1999
- Inducted into the Martial Arts Museum Hall of Fame.
- 2000
- Inducted into the World Martial Arts Hall of fame.
- 2001
- Becomes Chief Instructor/Director of Shito-Ryu Karate-Do Genbu-Kai.
- 2003
- Inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
- 2005
- Celebrates 40th Anniversary as an Instructor in the United States of America.
- 2005
- Promoted to 9th Dan (Black Belt) in Shito-Ryu Karate.
- 2006
- Inducted into the World Martial Art Masters Association Hall of fame.
Sensei Keith Moore
Chief Instructor,
Florida Genbu-Kai
- October 1980
- Begins training at the Cortland Family YMCA, located thirty miles south of Syracuse, New York. Also introduced to Judo and Ju-Jutsu during this time, receives Sho-Dan December 1987.
- November 1989
- Opens first dojo in LaFayette, a suburb ten miles south of Syracuse. During the next two years, splits time teaching between the Cortland and LaFayette dojo's.
- February 1993
- Accepted into Japan Karate-Do Genbu-Kai International, under the guidance of Senpai Charles Hobbib.
- 1995 - 2002
- Begins hosting annual Fall Genbu-Kai seminars and tournaments in conjunction with Oneonta's spring events.
- 1996 - 1997
- Assists Senpai Hobbib with initiating the New Jersey Genbu-Kai.
- May 2001
- Expands and opens a second location in Fayetteville, an eastern suburb of Syracuse, concurrently operating two martial art schools in the Central New York area.
- October 2003
- Being presented with job opportunities in the Ft. Lauderdale area, moves to South Florida.
- November 2003 - 2005/2006
- Travels weekly to the Miami Rengo-Kai, under the guidance of Doug Stein, to assist teaching, and introduces Kobudo and Batto.
- July 2004
- Relocates to the Palm Beach area.
- January 2009
- Starts teaching within the Palm Beach County School system in their adult education program.
- December 2010
- Opens dojo in Royal Palm Beach, Florida and establishes Genbu-Kai Florida.
- February 2016
- Inducted into the Genbu-Kai Black Belt Hall of Fame.
Moore Sensei teaches karate close to the way the master's originally taught. In society today, both domestic and social, discipline is lacking and very closely watched. However, martial art training is hard, everyone sweats, starts at the bottom, and students earn knowledge and rank. When sparring or practicing self-defense moves, students will first learn them slowly, and do them gently. However, when a student has learned either well, we take the intensity to a level that would equal a real street encounter. Above all this, Moore Sensei stresses that having a positive attitude, good manners, and trying your best, is just as important as learning martial arts, if not more!
Traditional martial arts can be very beneficial to anyone interested in learning. It teaches discipline, perseverance, patience and most of all a sense of well-being.
Also, it can be a great way to either get in, or stay in shape. To some people, martial arts can be very overwhelming, while others seem to learn and excel faster. This is only human nature, but everyone who learns martial arts will benefit somehow.
Moore Sensei currently holds the following ranks:
- Genbu-Kai Shito-Ryu Karate
- 5th Dan
- Suishin Itto-Ryu Batto-Do
- 5th Dan
- Okinawan Kobudo Rengo-Kai
- 4th Dan
- Fugakukai/Kihara Aikido (Karl Geis Tomiki style)
- 3rd Kyu
- Kamishin-Ryu Jujutsu
- 5th Kyu