My son has been really enjoying his classes at IKF. Sensei George is an excellent instructor and I appreciate how the classes are very diverse and can accommodate any age from children to adults. If you're thinking about joining, definitely don't hesitate. read more

Top Karate Dojo on the island! Why? Sensei George Kotaka is two time world champion and an exceptional instructor. My daughter has been training with him and the International Karate Federation (IKF) is a top organization. George truly cares for my daughter's development and is helping her to gain confidence and maximize her potential. Since she started training with George, her self confidence and positive outlook on life has increased. In addition, George has helped her compete in IKF and AAU Karate events with excellent success. We enjoy going to class five days per week and it's the best part of her day. As a parent - it's a beautiful thing watching my daughter grow with her positive attitude, plus she is able to protect herself if required. Thanks Sensei George! High recommend considering checking out IKF and join the winning team. Mahalo! read more

International Karate Federation - Two time gold medalist during IKF invitational- top trainer - Sensei Kotaka + Top Dojo IKF = victories and positive development - Martial Arts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I have 2 children that attend IKF and they have been going for over 5 years now. With anything over time, children will get bored of repetition, but Sensei George does a very good job of changing up the class styles. He switches from kata to weapons to sparring, and he tries to do some mini games at the end of class to give the children fun time. They really look foward to these little competitive games. IKF has 3 different class levels, so if you want to start your child early, around age 5 is a good time to start. It is a family run business, and all the teachers are friendly and patients with the children. I highly recommend trying out for a free session if your child is interested. Another aspect that does not get mentioned a lot is that if your child is feeling competitive, there are also tournaments. Your child can compete against their classmates or children from other dojos in kata, weapons proficiency, and sparring for medals. These tournaments are held once every few months, and yearly they do complete nationally. Sometimes, they also go internationally. read more

IKF is an excellent Karate Dojo. Sensei George Kotaka is an excellent teacher who is firm but understands how kids work. He is has won multiple international karate competitions. The Kaimuki Dojo is beautiful. My kids really enjoy their lessons. read more

IKF and Sensei George were recommended to me by a friend and I am glad I started my son at this dojo. Having trained in karate myself, I knew what I was looking for. Sensei is an excellent instructor who really cares that his students are learning and paying attention. He wants them to reach their full potential, not only in physical strength but also in their confidence. How Sensei remembers every student's name from day 1 is amazing. Truly the place to be! read more

During Covid, my son had expressed interest in starting karate. As I was looking around I found International Karate Federation was close by and offered a free class for him to come and see if he would like it. Upon arriving to the class, I was impressed on how clean the Dojo was and their protocols in dealing with Covid. After the first class my son was hooked and has been attending for the past 2.5 years. Sensei George is extremely patient with the students and does a very good job at explaining and demonstrating what needs to be done. He also leverage a few black belts to help reinforce proper form to the students. The classes can be a bit large at times, but they do a very good job at keeping all the kids actively engaged as well as challenged to their various belt levels. read more

My son started taking karate with Sensei George over a decade ago. Since then my daughter, my husband and I all started training at IKF. There are many classes available at convenient dojo locations. Sensei George, Sensei Mari and Sensei Taylor are motivating and patient instructors who teach all skill levels and ages. They expect you to train hard and do your best, but they make it fun, too. I am grateful for all that IKF has instilled in our family, such as discipline, respect, humility, perseverance, and great family memories. IKF is family owned and they make their students feel part of the IKF Family. read more

TLDR: * I 100% recommend IKF! My family has been training at IKF for 2.5 years and we absolutely love it. Why We Started: * Before we joined IKF, I had a little over a decade of experience in martial arts training. I had taken a long break from training while my kids were really young. As my kids got older, I thought it would be fun to train together with them. I could simultaneously spend more time with them, toughen them up, and get back into shape myself. It was a challenge finding a school that could be a good fit for me AND my kids. I'm so grateful we found IKF. Here's why: Instructors: * George Sensei is a world champion in karate. It's a rare opportunity to be able to learn from such a prestigious martial artist. Despite being a rockstar, he is incredibly humble and a great teacher. * In fact, every IKF instructor that I have met is exceptional at teaching all ages and skill levels. They apply a perfect balance of firm discipline and kind compassion. * It can be intimidating joining a new martial arts school, but George Sensei and all the other instructors warmly welcomed us and made us feel comfortable when we first started. * As we continue to gain experience, they gradually increase the intensity of the training to maintain a consistent level of challenge so that we can progressively improve at a comfortable rate. They are great at understanding each student's individual limits and pushing us just hard enough to challenge ourselves without ever feeling discouraged. Their instructions and feedback are always fair and constructive. * As business people and mentors, the instructors are polite, respectful, and professional. They genuinely care about every student and are excellent role models for our children. Classes: * Classes consist of a variety of activities to help improve mobility, flexibility, strength, speed, power, endurance, balance, fighting technique mechanics, memory, and coordination. The variety keeps it fun and engaging but is consistent enough to gain mastery over specific skills. * You get out what you put in. If you are just starting out, you can ease into training at a comfortable pace. If you want to push yourself, you can absolutely get a vigorous workout. This was a great environment for our family to train together since we started out with varying levels of experience. * Training is super fun and we always leave class feeling good from all the endorphins. Community: * One of the main reasons why we chose to join IKF was because we wanted to surround ourselves with good people. * Not just the instructors are great, but the students are friendly and supportive. * The culture of this community is healthy and refreshing. * We've made friends with so many authentic and genuine people. I appreciate the bonds we have made and look forward to training together with them every week. Anti-Bullying: * As a parent, one of my biggest fears is that my kids may be bullied at school. In my experience, bullies like to pick on easy targets that they know will not defend themselves physically or emotionally. * IKF has helped equip my kids with the tools they need to mitigate the risk of getting bullied by simply making them hard targets. * They don't have to be the best fighters in their school. They don't even need to throw a single punch. They just have to be tough enough physically and mentally for bullies to feel it's just not worth picking on them. * As they gain more control and mastery over their physical capabilities, my kids become more confident in the way they carry themselves. * The strict but fair instruction style of the IKF instructors has taught them to not be overly sensitive but instead to be mentally and emotionally resilient. * Thanks to the culture of humility and respect promoted in the dojo, they've developed honorable behavioral habits as a natural part of daily life. Being strong is not enough. Keeping their egos in check will help them avoid provoking conflict. Conclusion: IKF has been a blessing to me and my family. Training with this community encourages me to be a better person, and I am forever grateful that they are helping me raise my kids to be good people. Mahalo! read more

My daughter has been a student for 2 years and her karate training has helped her with her self confidence and improve strength physically a great deal. As a parent, I am impressed with George sensei's patient yet firm teaching style. From day 1 he memorized my daughter's name as well as calling each of the 30 students names out when placing them in groups for drills. They practice kata as well as striking on mits, pads, and bags, which I think adds more reality to their striking. The Kaimuki branch has full view windows to watch your children as they train as well. Highly recommend IKF if your child has an interest in learning karate. read more

My two children, ages 11 and 6, have been with the IKF Kaimuki location for a year now. Not having much exposure to karate or other martial arts, I wasn't sure what to expect with my own children, but it has been amazing for them, both in and out of the dojo. Sensei George Kotaka is their main sensei. He is strict and firm with kindness and has incredible patience. Not only does his class teach the children how to perform karate, but Sensei George instills discipline and focus in the children, which I find hugely important in this age of increasing distractions. My kids look up to him as a role model, and there are many instances in our daily life when we say, "What would Sensei George do?" As the children progress in their belts, they are given the role of being examples and leaders for the lower belts and I have seen how this helps to build confidence and discipline in both of my kids. You are able to observe a class and try one class for free. I highly recommend IKF! read more

This review is for the IKF Kamiloiki dojo. The classes are Monday, Wednesday and Friday 4:30-5:30. My son has been going for a year now. George sensei and Hiroko sensei are wonderful! George sensei is strict but that's necessary to keep little boys and girls in line ;) He enjoys the tournaments and has made good progress. I also like that this dojo is affordable. There are also many higher belts that are really dedicated. Sensei has them help the lower belts so I think it's a good experience for all. We are honored to have a sensei with such an impressive background. read more

George's kick boxing class is great! He's so patient & really knows what he's doing. The dojo is clean & they have lots of equipment to use. Free validated parking. read more