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{{short description|Japanese master of Shotokan karate}}
{{Infobox martial artist
| name = Tetsuhiko Asai
| image =File:Asai Sensei Nijushiho.jpg 
| birth_date = {{birth date|1935|6|7|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Ehime Prefecture]], Japan
| death_date = {{death date and age|2006|8|15|1935|6|7|mf=yes}}
| death_place = Japan
| death_cause = Liver cancer
| teacher = [[Gichin Funakoshi]], [[Masatoshi Nakayama]], [[Teruyuki Okazaki]]
| martial_art = [[Shotokan]] [[karate]]
| rank = 10th ''dan'' (JKS/IJKA)
| spouse = Keiko Asai
| children = 1
| students = [[Sadamu Uriu]], [[Soke Takeshi Kitagawa]]
| url = http://www.jks.jp/
http://www.ijka.net/
}}
{{Nihongo|'''Tetsuhiko Asai'''|浅井 哲彦|Asai Tetsuhiko|June 7, 1935&nbsp;– August 15, 2006}} was a prominent Japanese [[Grandmaster (martial arts)|master]] of [[Shotokan]] [[karate]] of the [[Japan Karate Association]] (JKA), founder and Chief Instructor of the International Japan Martial Arts Karate Asai-ryu (IJKA), and founder of the Japan Karate Shoto Federation (JKS; formerly known as the Japan Karate Shoto-Renmei).<ref name="ShotokanWay2007">[http://www.theshotokanway.com/tetsuhikoasaiprofile.html The Shotokan Way: Tetsuhiko Asai profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110117131210/http://www.theshotokanway.com/tetsuhikoasaiprofile.html |date=2011-01-17 }} (''c.'' 2007). Retrieved on March 27, 2010.</ref><ref name="IJKAAmericas2010a">[http://www.jks-americas.com/en/org/index.html International Japan Karate Asai-ryu (Americas): Organization] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100316214614/http://www.jks-americas.com/en/org/index.html |date=2010-03-16 }} (2010). Retrieved on March 27, 2010.</ref>

==Early life==
Asai was born on June 7, 1935, in [[Ehime Prefecture]] (on the island of [[Shikoku]]), Japan.<ref name="ShotokanWay2007"/><ref name="Bertel2009">Bertel, A. (2009): [http://andrebertel.blogspot.com/2009/08/we-returned-home-to-japan-in-time-for.html Tetsuhiko Asai Shihan Memorial Report] (August 16, 2009). Retrieved on March 27, 2010.</ref> He was the eldest of seven children.<ref name="OshiroDojo2005">[http://www.yamanni-ryu.info/meister/asai_e.html Oshiro-Dojo Seelow: Asai Tetsuhiko] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101226023056/http://yamanni-ryu.info/meister/asai_e.html |date=2010-12-26 }} (''c.'' 2005). Retrieved on March 28, 2010.</ref> As a boy, he trained in [[sumo]].<ref name="ShotokanWay2007"/> In addition, his father (a policeman) taught him [[judo]], [[kendo]], and [[Sōjutsu|sojutsu]].<ref name="ShotokanWay2007"/><ref name="IJKAAmericas2010b">[http://www.jks-americas.com/en/asai/bio.html International Japan Karate Asai-ryu (Americas): Biography of Master Asai] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100420064341/http://www.jks-americas.com/en/asai/bio.html |date=2010-04-20 }} (2010). Retrieved on March 27, 2010.</ref> When he was 12 years old, he witnessed a fight between a [[Boxing|boxer]] and a ''[[karateka]]'' (practitioner of karate); the karate combatant was able to disable his opponent with a kick, and Asai was impressed.<ref name="IJKAAmericas2010b"/>

==Karate career==
In 1958, Asai graduated from [[Takushoku University]],<ref name="ShotokanWay2007"/> where he had trained in karate under [[Gichin Funakoshi]], and [[Masatoshi Nakayama]]. He trained hard and was allowed to sleep in the karate dormitory.<ref name="IJKAAmericas2010b"/> At Nakayama's recommendation, he entered the JKA instructor training program and graduated from the course three years later.<ref name="ShotokanWay2007"/> Asai won the JKA championship in ''[[kumite]]'' (sparring) in 1961, and in ''[[kata]]'' (patterns) in 1963.<ref name="IJKAIreland2007">[http://www.ijkaireland.net/article10.php International Japan Karate Association Ireland: IJKA Ireland mourns the sad loss of Tetsuhiko Asai Shihan (9th Dan)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124034826/http://www.ijkaireland.net/article10.php |date=2010-11-24 }} (2007). Retrieved on March 28, 2010.</ref><ref name="JKA2005">Japan Karate Association (''c.'' 2005): [http://www.jka.or.jp/english/news/pdf/past_all_jp.pdf Past JKA All Japan Karate Championship Tournaments] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091229072559/http://www.jka.or.jp/english/news/pdf/past_all_jp.pdf |date=2009-12-29 }} Retrieved on March 28, 2010.</ref> He was overall JKA champion in 1961, having come first in ''kumite'' and second in ''kata'' that year.<ref name="JKA2005"/> Asai became the first instructor to introduce karate to Taiwan.<ref name="OshiroDojo2005"/><ref name="IJKAAmericas2010b"/> Through the second half of the 1960s, he taught karate in Hawaii for five years, with his students including Kenneth Funakoshi (a fourth cousin to Gichin Funakoshi).<ref name="IJKAAmericas2010b"/><ref name="Funakoshi2010">Funakoshi, K. (2010): [http://www.fska.com/about About FSKA] Retrieved on March 28, 2010.</ref>

Over the years, Asai advanced within the JKA, and was appointed as Technical Director.<ref name="ShotokanWay2007"/> Following Nakayama's death, the JKA experienced political troubles and divided; Asai and colleagues (including [[Keigo Abe]] and [[Mikio Yahara]]) formed one group, while Nakahara Nobuyuki and colleagues formed another group—which in 1999 was officially recognized as the JKA.<ref name="Smith2004">Smith, J. G. (''c.'' 2004): [http://www.karate.co.uk/kwf.html Karatenomichi World Federation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323014753/http://www.karate.co.uk/kwf.html |date=2010-03-23 }} Retrieved on March 28, 2010.</ref> In 2000, he founded the International Japan Martial Arts Karate Asai-ryu and the Japan Karate Shoto-Renmei.<ref name="ShotokanWay2007"/><ref name="IJKAAmericas2010b"/> Apart from the ranking of 9th ''dan'' in Shotokan karate, he also held the ranks of 3rd ''dan'' in [[Jōdō|jodo]], 2nd ''dan'' in judo, 2nd ''dan'' in [[Jūkendō|jukendo]], and 2nd ''dan'' in kendo.<ref name="OshiroDojo2005"/>

==Later life==
Reflecting on relations between JKA instructors who had graduated from Takushoku University, Asai said, "we all pretty much get on nowadays, contrary to our official stances and federations. In saying that, some of us don't, but isn't that life? ... I am happy to say that most of the deep rooted rivalry has gone amongst my peers. I think that the passing of Mr. Enoeda, Mr. Kase, Mr. Tabata and Mr. Shoji and so forth has brought many of us back to reality. Obviously this is not limited to Takushoku University, it is all about us international karate pioneers getting very old."<ref name="Bertel2006">Bertel, A. (2006): [http://www.theshotokanway.com/asaisenseiarchiveinterview2.html Master Tetsuhiko Asai: "Bujutsu Karate is my life" – Tetsuhiko Asai Sensei's final interview] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717032441/http://www.theshotokanway.com/asaisenseiarchiveinterview2.html |date=2011-07-17 }} Retrieved on March 27, 2010.</ref>

Asai's health deteriorated with age, and he underwent liver surgery on February 10, 2006.<ref name="Asai2006">Asai, K. (2006): [http://www.jks.jp/t-english/asai-seikyo.html The passing away of Asai Tetsuhiko Shusekishihan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228093927/http://www.jks.jp/t-english/asai-seikyo.html |date=2009-02-28 }} (September 1, 2006). Retrieved on March 27, 2010.</ref> He died at 2:50 <small>PM</small> on August 15, 2006, leaving behind his wife, Keiko Asai, and their daughter, Hoshimi Asai.<ref name="ShotokanWay2007"/><ref name="Bertel2009"/><ref name="Asai2006"/><ref name="Cheetham2007">Cheetham, J. (2007): [http://www.shotokanmag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=150:issue-90&catid=85:back-issues-90-99&Itemid=3 Editorial] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716063620/http://www.shotokanmag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=150:issue-90&catid=85:back-issues-90-99&Itemid=3 |date=2011-07-16 }} ''Shotokan Karate Magazine'', Issue 90 (January 2007). Retrieved on March 28, 2010.</ref><ref name="KSL2006">[http://www.fsinet.or.jp/~jks-gifu/06oct_e.pdf Karate Shoto League: Gifu District newsletter – Mr. Tetsuhiko Asai, Chief Instructor, succumbs to illness] (October 2006). Retrieved on March 28, 2010.</ref> More than 2,000 people attended his funeral, which was held on September 1, 2006, at [[Gokoku-ji|Gokokuji Temple]] in Tokyo.<ref name="IJKAAmericas2010b"/><ref name="Asai2006"/><ref name="KSL2006"/> Asai received the rank of 10th ''dan'' posthumously from the JKS,<ref name="IJKAAmericas2010b"/> and was eventually succeeded as President of the IJKA by his widow (despite her not being a karate practitioner) <ref name="Asai2009a">Asai, K. (2009): [http://ijka-americas.com/docs/news/200912_letter_from_mrs_asai.pdf Letter to friends of Shihan Asai]{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }} Retrieved on March 28, 2010.</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of Shotokan organizations]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.jks.jp/ Japan Karate Shoto Federation] {{in lang|ja}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150204124704/http://www.jks.jp/16_english_top.html Japan Karate Shoto Federation] {{in lang|en}}

{{JKA All-Japan Male Champions - Kata}}
{{JKA All-Japan Male Champions - Kumite}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Asai, Tetsuhiko}}
[[Category:1935 births]]
[[Category:2006 deaths]]
[[Category:Japanese male karateka]]
[[Category:Japanese karate coaches]]
[[Category:Martial arts school founders]]
[[Category:Martial artists from Ehime Prefecture]]
[[Category:Shotokan practitioners]]
[[Category:20th-century Japanese philanthropists]]
[[Category:20th-century Japanese sportsmen]]