José Santana (karateka)

José Santana embarked on his martial arts journey at the age of fourteen under the tutelage of Luís Cunha, a Shotokan Karate instructor at Ginásio Clube Português (GCP) in Lisbon. He later expanded his training by joining the Budo School in Sapadores, where Mitsuharu Tsuchiya founded Goju-ryu Seigokan. [1] Inspired by the teachings there, José witnessed the performance of Sanchin kata by Katsumune Nagai, a four-time Seigokan Champion in Japan's Inter-State Championships.

In addition to karate, José pursued boxing and achieved national championship titles for two consecutive years, earning a spot on Portugal's Olympic Games team for the Moscow 1980 games.[2] Following Katsumune Nagai's departure and a hiatus in Seigokan's practice in Portugal, José ventured into Taekwondo at Sporting Clube de Portugal under the guidance of Chung Sun Yong, another esteemed national champion.[3] He travelled to Japan five times and to Macau several times, where he met Kata World Champion Atsuko Wakai,[4] also from Seigokan, to participate in seminars, championships and to take his Dan grading tests at Hombu Dojo of Seigokan, in the city of Himeji, Japan.

In 1998, José became Seigokan Karate World Champion in Kumite and World Vice-Champion in Kata, a feat he would repeat in 2004 when he again became Seigokan World Champion in Kumite. 2008 marked a new stage in the martial career of this Lusitanian Master, when he graduated in 6th Dan with the attribution of the title of Shihan and was named Chief Instructor of Seigokan for Portugal and Europe. This is usually a charge played by Japanese Masters.

In 2012, José was appointed by the Seigokan Japanese Masters collective at the annual meeting at Hombu Dojo in Himeji, a full member of the Nippon Seigokan Board of Directors, and the corresponding Diploma was sent to him.[5]

In July 2017, in an examination held at the Budokan in Himeji, Japan, under the supervision of a jury which composed of several Grand Masters of Seigokan who graduated above 8th Dan, he obtained the 7th Dan grade with distinction .[6]

• "Seigokan Portugal (Genesis) - Photo Album" by AKSP. CreateSpace Edition (2017); ISBN 978-1981352623
• "História da Seigokan em Portugal" by Eduardo Lopes. Bubok Edition (2015); ISBN 978-84-686-6750-8
• "Karate-do Seigokan em Macau - UMA LONGA HISTÓRIA DE SUCESSOS". CreateSpace Publishing (2017); ISBN 978-1981340231

• "Destak" Newspaper
• "Cinturão Negro n.172" Magazine
• "Cinturão Negro n.181" Magazine
• "Ripa Desporto" Newspaper
• "Sem Mais" Newspaper

• Portugal Seigokan AKSP (in Portuguese)
• Seigokan Hombu Dojo (in Japanese)
• Atsuko Wakai Official Website (in Japanese)