Biography of Shihan Otto Johnson - Goshin Budokan USA Shubukan Hombu Martial Arts Center

Shihan Otto Johnson began his study of Wado-Ryu Karate-Do 30 years ago under the tutelage of Hanshi Toshio Osako Shihan. Osako is a three-time All Japan Karate Champion and coach at "the renowned and feared" Nichi-Dai University of Tokyo in Japan. Shihan Johnson is a graduate of the Karate Instructors Training Program at Nihon University, under Toshio Osaka Shihan.

Shihan Otto Johnson Promoted to 9^th Dan In American Wado Ryu

Osaka instructed Johnson personally for the World Wado-Ryu Karate Championships held in the Budokan in Tokyo, Japan and International Karate Championships held in Osaka, Japan in 1979. Johnson won both gold medals. He is a former World International Karate Champion and the first African-American to ever accomplish this feat.

Shihan Johnson's home dojo is in San Bernardino, California. He trains many law enforcement personnel, including those in the Los Angeles Police Department (L.A.P.D.), Salt Lake Sheriff's, Salt Lake City Police (special tactics personnel), Department of Parole and Corrections personnel (California).

He has served as a coach to many local, regional, national, and international champions. He is a 5th level World Karate Federation (WKF) licensed referee and is qualified in law enforcement martial arts. He is in constant demand for his seminars and personal lessons.

Tournaments

1995 - 1998 Team Coach to 3 Silver Medal Teams in Arizona Wado Sport Karate Championship, sponsored by Marlin Moore and Ray Hughes in Arizona, Coach and Competitor
1995 - 1996 Silver Medalist, United States Wado Karate Federation Tournament
1996 - Silver Medalist Team, Fumio Demura's Japan Expo Karate Tournament
1996 - Coach of the Silver Medalist Team, Fumio Demura's Japan Karate Tournament
1979 - International Karate Champion - Budokan, Tokyo, Japan
1979 - Outstanding Karate Player - World Wado-Ryu Karate-do - Budokan, Tokyo, Japan
1979 - Outstanding Karate Player - Utah Open
1979 - 3rd Place Weapons, Utah Open

Videos / Movies / Television

Appeared in movie "Little Bigfoot", directed by Art Camacho, 1996
Featured on numerous television documentaries, "Sports Talk Television Show" in San Bernardino, "Today Show" (NBC), featured on all major networks, including ABC, NBC, CBS, and several cable stations
Star of 6 videos
Producer of 3 videos

Books / Magazines

Featured on the cover of Black Belt Video Magazine, 2000
Featured on the cover of Karate Star Magazine, 1998
Author of 2 books: "American Wado Manual" and soon to be published "New Testament to Living for Wado Karate", by Shihan Otto Johnson, 7th Dan, Karate-do, Wado-Ryu Karate

Other

Demonstrator for many famous celebrities, including bodyguard work for people such as Hector 'Macho' Camacho.
Presentor of over 75 seminars worldwide
Affiliated dojos worldwide

Photo Gallery

Click any image below for a larger version.

The larger version will "float" over the top of this page.
Use the arrows on the right and left to move to the next and previous photos.
You can also use the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.
If you are using a touch-screen device, you can swipe the images to advance.
After you have clicked on an image, clicking the play button (a right-pointing triangle in the upper-right corner) will start an auto-advancing slideshow.