Zen-Kyokushin European Championships & Seminar 2025
The first European Championships of the IKO World Zen-Kyokushin organization were held in Bydgoszcz, Poland, in November 2025. More than 400 competitors from over 50 clubs took part in the full-day event, competing in both kata (predetermined forms) and full-contact fighting.
Distinguished guests from Japan
The event was special not only because it was the first Zen-Kyokushin European Championship, but also because Zen-Kyokushin founder and high-ranking master Soshi Kazuyuki Hasegawa, 9th dan, and leading master Shihan Shigeo Niitsu, 6th dan, arrived from Japan to attend the event.
Sisu-Kyokushin representing Finland
The planning for the trip began already at the start of 2025, and in the end a total of seven karateka from Sisu-Kyokushin took part in the trip. Two of them participated in the actual competitions, and all seven took part in the seminar. In addition, four participants intended to take part in the belt grading.
From Finland, we were joined by Sempai Nikolai Sindonen, the head of Champion-FightClub Finland.
Two podium finishes for Finland
Sisu-Kyokushin successfully represented Finland in full-contact fighting with two competitors.
One of the club’s two head instructors, Sensei Ossi Karppinen, 4th dan, together with Emma Keskinen, 6th kyu, both won bronze in their respective categories!
Seminar / camp + belt gradings
After the competitions, a three-day seminar was held under the supervision of Soshi Kazuyuki Hasegawa and Shihan Shigeo Niitsu. The first day focused on technical training and deepening skills. On the second day, kata were practised and the first part of the belt grading was completed, including endurance and strength exercises, kihon, ido kihon, and kata.
On the third day, the kumite (fights) included in the belt grading was completed. The number of fights depended on the level of the belt rank being tested: lower belt ranks had ten fights, while dan candidates completed fights according to the formula dan × 10. Therefore, Shihan Jaroslaw Remus, who graded for 5th dan, fought a total of 50 times.
From Sisu, three karateka ultimately passed the belt grading successfully: Krzysztof, 4th kyu; Emma, 5th kyu; and Antti, 8th kyu.
Not just fighting
Trips like this are about much more than just blood and sweat. They also include plenty of shared moments, stories, laughter, food, and things to see.
Photos from the competition venue
