抱一龕道場 Hoitsugan Dojo, Shibuya-ku (2026)

01/12/2025

Practicing “Deai”

01/12/2025

Practicing “Deai”.

01/11/2025

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There will be a seminar with Kawawada Master in Italy! 🇮🇹
Registration is still open.✨
Everyone, don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — we warmly invite you to take part!

17/10/2025

In Loving Memory of Leon Montoya (1962–2025)

A man of strength, humility, and deep dedication, Leon Montoya’s life journey brought him from the heart of Colombia to the rigorous training halls of Japan, where he carved out a path of quiet excellence in the world of traditional karate.

In 1986, at the age of 24, Leon arrived in Japan with a singular desire: to take his karate to the highest levels. He found his spiritual and physical home in the legendary Hoitsugan dojo - founded by Nakayama sensei - and never left. While others came and went, Leon remained a constant. Through the decades, through all the highs and lows, he remained there - training, supporting, and embodying the true spirit of Budo.

He lived simply, with few possessions, and deep purpose. He kept a room in the Hoitsugan dormitory while building a life of service and quiet leadership within the dojo community. In time he became the steadfast big brother figure to many of those who had also chosen the Hoitsugan as their own anchor point in the midst of the Tokyo karate world.

Leon trained hard. And studied harder. A native Spanish speaker, he taught himself fluent Japanese, English, and French. As a student at Komazawa University, he earned respect for his academic rigor and physical prowess. At the JKA Honbu Dojo, he was always just a few steps away, both literally and figuratively - ever present, always trusted. Over time, he became acknowledged as the all-knowing senpai of the non-Japanese community, respected across generations.

His journey wasn’t straightforward. Though he earned his Sandan in 1989, it took two more years before he was invited on to the JKA Instructor Program. He accepted the challenge with humility: translating documents, supporting classes, and assisting his seniors in every way. Leon did it all without complaint.

Three years went by, the typical length of time for a non-Japanese instructor trainee to graduate, when the JKA chiefs declared that Leon had successfully completed a 3-year “provisional period”. They then announced that he could begin an “official” 2-year Kenshusei Instructor Program. It is a testament to Leon’s character that he wasn’t broken by that. He put his head down and “bent to it again”, to paraphrase his beloved Jack Kerouac.

Leon graduated in 1996, not just from the JKA Instructor program, but into a deeper phase of introspection, study, and spiritual inquiry. His love of sumo, literature, and philosophy enriched his world, but he never sought the spotlight and didn’t lobby to teach abroad as his peers might have done.

For those who had met and sweated with him in the Hoitsugan, he was more than a karateka. He was a brother, a guide, and a constant. They are the ones who can say: “this man touched my life and changed us for the better”.

It is a typical illustration of his personality that, for this obituary, several Hoitsugan alumni were asked when Leon’s birthday was. No one knew. However, all those asked said that he’d remembered their birthdays each year no matter where they were and how long they’d been away.

Leon lived with integrity, discipline, and quiet devotion. He leaves behind a legacy not measured in medals or titles, but in lives touched, hearts steadied, and traditions upheld.

He is survived by his wife, Yuriko, and will be missed more than words can say.

Leon Montoya was born in Medellín, Colombia on January 14, 1962 and passed away suddenly on October 10, 2025, aged 63.