8th Dan
Chief Instructor of France & International Technical Advisor to WIKF (1949–2010)
It was with deep sorrow that I heard of the passing of Hiroji Fukazawa Sensei on the 11th of June 2010 in his hometown of Paris. This came as a great shock to me, as I cannot imagine WIKF without him.
Fukazawa Sensei was a phenomenal Karate-ka, a gentleman, and a great instructor who touched the lives of many people. He will be truly missed, but his legacy lives on — a life dedicated to Wado Karate.
Our thoughts are with his family — his wife Elisabeth and daughter Sayuri.
We will greatly miss Fukazawa Sensei.
— Robert McGrath
Early Martial Arts Journey
He began martial arts at a young age, starting with Kendo and later Judo. At age 14, he began training in Karate-do.
For the first 18 months, he trained at a dojo in Inoue, before moving to Sensei Minoru Mochizuki’s dojo, where he trained for several years. He also studied Aiki Jutsu, Aikido, and Katory Chinto Ryu.
In 1974, he travelled to France to help Sensei Mochizuki’s son, Hiroo, spread Karate-do. He soon moved to northern Italy where he lived for two years and established Wado Karate dojos.
Legacy in France and WIKF
Sensei Fukazawa eventually settled in France, where he served as Chief Instructor of the WIKF Federation. He also held multiple roles in the French Karate Federation, including:
- Federal Expert
- Member of the French Grading Panel
He was renowned for his deep knowledge of Wado kata and the explanation of bunkai (practical applications). His work was captured in a DVD commissioned by the FFK (French All-Styles Federation).
A founder member of WIKF, he was appointed International Technical Advisor to the Wado International Karate-do Federation Technical Committee by Professor Tatsuo Suzuki Hanshi in 2008.
He was taken from this world on June 11, 2010 — a very sad day for Wado Kokusai.