One of the world’s most noted exponents of karate came to York to take a welcome session with Minster city martial artists.

Three clubs in the city – the Kenshinkan Karate Club, York Karate Academy and University of York Karate Club – recently switched allegiance from the Karate Union of Great Britain to the Japan Karate Association.

To mark the move, Yoshinobu Ohta, the JKA’s chief instructor, who is originally from Japan but now lives in England, took a course, open to members of all three clubs, at Canon Lee School, the base of the Kenshinkan club.

Sensai Ohta trained at the most famous karate establishment in the world, the Takushoku University Karate Club in Tokyo, and is a sixth Dan black belt.

York has another link to Takushoku, as Richard Hesselton, who trained in York, is a former captain at the club.