Washington Karate Association

The Bellevue dojo of the Washington Karate Association teaches Hayashi-Ha Shito-Ryu karate, and a photo of the system's founder, Teruo Hayashi, hangs on the wall as it does in every WKA school. Hanshi Julius Thiry, a 9th dan, founded the association in 1966 with a dojo in Ballard and is its president. The association is a member of the International Hayashi-Ha Shito Ryu Karate-Do Federation.

Sensei Junko Arai, a 5th degree black belt, is the main sensei and manager of the Bellevue dojo and teaches there full time. She started training at the WKA as a student, spent ten years on the USA national team, competed in kata and kumite both individually and in teams, and is a two-time world championship silver medalist. Shihan Katherine Thiry, a 7th degree black belt, has practiced and taught Hayashi-ha Shito-Ryu for 37 years, all of it under Hanshi Thiry as her sole instructor.

Every class follows the same protocol: warm-ups with aerobic and anaerobic work, stretches and breathing, a formal opening and closing ceremony, and students cleaning the floor at each class. Classes may be split by rank, age or ability. Karate classes run Monday to Saturday, with a noon class on Mondays and Fridays and late afternoon and evening classes on weekdays. Tuesday evenings add a weapons class and a kumite class for red belts and above. The dojo has a hardwood sprung floor, a room with tournament-quality mats, a third practice room and locker rooms with showers. Family and visiting friends can watch any class.

The first step is a free trial lesson, which follows the normal class routine. A question-and-answer talk in the office takes place fifteen minutes before and after it. Newcomers bring comfortable clothing and train barefoot. Students with injuries or special challenges talk them through with the sensei first; for a child, the dojo can arrange that conversation ahead of the trial without the child present. Depending on experience, instructors may add semi-private or private lessons to support the first stages. Students can enroll right after the trial and attend unlimited classes from the start. Membership terms and fees are explained in the office. Kids have their own classes, including Kinder Karate and an after-school program.