Instructors

Ken Hori Sensei, 6th Dan JKA

Kenjiro Hori sensei is the Chief Instructor and the founder of Cambridge Karate Dojo. Ken began training karate in 1987 with Cambridge University Karate Club under Eric Pich sensei, with regular visits by Keinosuke Enoeda sensei. From 2005 till 2019 Ken was a student of Yoshinobu Ohta sensei, 7th Dan and the Chief Instructor of JKA England, at Oasis Shotokan Karate Club in London.

Ken competed in both kumite (fighting) and kata (set forms) until 2015. His achievements include both individual and team medals at BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) Championships (for which he was awarded the Cambridge Full Blue in 2001), KUGB Central Regions, KUGB National Students, KUGB Nationals, and more recently, JKAE Nationals, Shotokan Cup, and Four Nations Championships. In 2012, Ken was crowned as the Men’s Individual Kata champion at both JKAE Nationals and JKAE Four Nations Championships where he also won bronze in kumite. Ken was later appointed the JKAE national team Squad Coach until 2019.

Ken now referees at JKA competitions in England and Europe, and is found regularly translating for Japanese instructors at international courses both in England and Japan. Ken holds Instructor (B), Referee (B) and Examiner (C) JKA International Licences.

In 2023, Ken also became the Chief Instructor of Cambridge University Karate Club. In 2024, Ken graded to 6th Dan JKA at the JKA Spring International Gasshuku in Okinawa.

Through his regular training with JKA instructors at Head Quarters, Ken’s aim is to bring traditional JKA karate taught at the Honbu Dojo in Japan, which he visits annually, to students in Cambridge.

When he is not teaching or training karate, Ken can be found lecturing MSc courses in Economics and Finance at Birkbeck, University of London, where he is currently the Head of Department for the Department of Economics, Mathematics & Statistics.

Joe Gaughan Sensei, 3rd Dan JKA

After a life-long fascination with martial arts Joe started his karate journey in the east of Scotland around 1990 with Jim Wood sensei. He achieved his 1st and 2nd Dan under Keinosuke Enoeda sensei in 1995 and 1998. Joe moved to the US for several years and for a period practised kendo and crossfit! Following a return to the UK in 2015 Joe joined Ken Hori sensei at the Cambridge Karate Dojo where he has been practising regularly since, achieving his 3^rd Dan under Ueki Shuseki Shihan at Brussels in November 2019. 

When not in the dojo, Joe’s day job is working for a multinational biotech firm where he leads the European team.