In 1956, Gima Makoto, also known as Gima Shinkin, founded Gima-ha Shotokan-ryu in Japan. This martial arts style has since gained popularity worldwide and boasts skilled instructors who have achieved success at various levels of competition, including the World Karate Championships and Pan-American games. Gima Makoto, who had previously worked as an assistant instructor for Gichin Funakoshi and played a significant role in promoting and expanding Shotokan karate both in Japan and beyond, is revered for his adherence to traditional Shotokan techniques. Following Gima Makoto's passing in 1989, one of his top senior instructors, Shihan Mitsunori Kobayashi, took over the leadership of the Gima-ha International Karate-Do Federation. Kobayashi, a 9th dan black belt who holds a master's degree from Otani University and attended Meiji University, is an accomplished figure in both the martial arts world and in Japanese politics, where he serves as an alderman in Ojiya and is a Buddhist priest at Jyosho-Ji.