Aizawa Isamu (相沢 勇) was crowned world champion in the kata event for the 70-and-over division at the Shito-Ryu Karate-do International Championship held in Kanagawa Prefecture. Drawing on his frustration from previous national championships, he reached the top of the podium for the first time at a world championship.
Aizawa Isamu (相沢 勇), president of the Tokamachi City Karate Federation and head of 松風会, competed in the kata event for the 70-and-over division at the Shito-Ryu Karate-do International Championship and won the world title. The championship was held in Kanagawa Prefecture from 25 to 27 September 2026, with a total of 15 competitors from 4 countries.
Aizawa Isamu (相沢 勇) began practising karate in his second year of high school. After becoming drawn to karate during his time at Matsushiro High School, he devoted himself to the sport while working as a firefighter, winning his first title at the age of 25 in the general kata division of the Hokushinetsu Championships. He also competed in the National Sports Festival 7 times. He retired once at the age of 34, but continued coaching through 松風会 while serving as a judge, returning to competition in his 50s.
In the final of the kata event for the 70-and-over division, he advanced from the semifinals with a 3–2 victory among the entrants from 4 countries, then won the final 5–0 to become world champion. Looking back on his years of effort and challenges, Aizawa Isamu (相沢 勇) said he wanted to remain “Aizawa who can keep moving forever.”
Aizawa Isamu (相沢 勇) had finished runner-up in the senior division at the national championships for 2 consecutive years, and competing at the world championships also served as a chance to avenge those results. His record shows that he continued pursuing his own challenges while serving as a judge and watching others develop.