WIKF in Canada

Wado Ryu Karate in Canada, started when Jim Hamilton emigrated to Canada (Prince George, B.C.) in 1970.  He was a student of Sensei Tatsuo Suzuki and was a 2nd Dan at that time.  In 1977, Mr. Alex Waith opened a dojo in the Toronto Ontario area, and Mr. Graham Guthrie opened a dojo in Swift Current Saskatchewan.  They were also both students of Sensei Suzuki.

Around 1981, Sensei Otsuka (the founder of Wado Ryu karate) left the Wado-Kai organization and formed the Wado-Ryu Renmei.  Sensei Suzuki stayed with Sensei Otsuka, and the groups in Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia also moved over to the Wado-Ryu Renmei organization.

Sensei Suzuki left the Wado Ryu Renmei and formed the Wado International Karate-do Federation in 1989.  At this time the groups in Ontario and Saskatchewan stayed with Wado-Ryu Renmei,  while the group in British Columbia stayed with Sensei Suzuki and became members of Wado International Karate-do Federation.

In the spring of 1991, Wado International Karate-do Federation of Canada, was registered with Karate Canada and became a recognized Karate Style group within Canada.  At that time there were two clubs in British Columbia who were members of W.I.K.F. Canada.  They were in Prince George run by Kenneth Corrigan and Campbell River by Dan Wallis.

In 1991, W.I.K.F. came to  Saskatchewan when Lorne Davies opened his dojo in Swift Current, and at this time Sam Shafiee started bringing Sensei Suzuki to the Toronto area.  By 1993 there were two main Ontario clubs.  One club in North York run by Sam Shafiee and the other in Hamilton run by Michael Ham.

Today we are pleased that our organization has grown to have Karate Clubs in Nova Scotia, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.