2026 marked Washinkai’s first four-day summer Gasshuku since 2023, and the event took place at a new venue: the Duke of York’s Royal Military School in Dover, Kent.
Students and Accommodation
Students attended from the UK, Spain, Norway, and Portugal, with grades ranging from complete novice to 8th Dan. Accommodation was comfortable and practical: both single and twin rooms were ensuite, and the reception rooms on each floor included fridge-freezers, sinks, a washing machine, and spacious seating areas where students could relax between sessions.
Training and Gradings
Training was held every day in the morning and afternoon. Every session took place outside and, despite the high temperatures, everyone enjoyed the Gasshuku. Gradings were held on Wednesday, with Pete Saunders successfully gaining his 5th Dan and Jenni Tilson achieving her Shodan.
Food and Facilities
The food provided was excellent overall. The promised BBQ was unfortunately omitted due to a mix-up between management and catering, and one breakfast did not provide enough protein for our energetic students. We have been assured that these issues will not happen again.
Atmosphere and Evening Activities
The atmosphere throughout the Gasshuku was fantastic, and students especially enjoyed Calum Mendham’s quiz on Wednesday evening.
Guest Instruction
Our guest instructor, Sensei Ohta, delivered his usual exciting kata session on Thursday morning. This allowed everyone to leave that afternoon having covered all aspects of karate-do.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank all the instructors for their hard work in making the Gasshuku such a success. Special thanks go to:
Pete Saunders, for organising the event and arranging the special Washinkai embroidered towels.
Mike Aldridge, for helping transport students to and from the railway station and supporting sightseeing trips for the Norwegian and Spanish students.
Chris Wateridge, for his excellent work with the drinks bar and T-shirts.
Calum Mendham, for running an exciting quiz.
Geovanny Sanchez Salazar and Alison Thompson, for helping novice students get to grips with their karate techniques.
Follow the link to see more photos on the Gallery
Feedback and Looking Ahead
The feedback has been extremely positive, and Washinkai has booked the same venue for the first week of August 2027.
Feedback highlights: “What a great week”; “We had a wonderful time at the Gasshuku”; “It was a very nice time and quite an experience for me”; “A fantastic Gasshuku, best for a while”; “Good course, good venue, good company”; “Great course and great catching up with all the karate family”; “Great course in a very good location”; “Thanks for such a great time in Dover, I really loved it”; and “Will definitely be back next year!”
Sensei Chris Thompson
