Approximately a year after I moved to Alabama, I received a call from Yuki Koda saying he could not make a living in Florida. He wanted to know if I could help him with a job if he came to Alabama. I called Mike Foster who was responsible for Mr. Koda while he was in the United States and told him that Mr. Koda had called and wanted to come to Alabama. He said okay.
When Mr. Koda arrived in Alabama with his family, I made arrangements for him to work in the iron-working business and to help me teach at my two karate schools. Later, in 1973 or 1974, Mr. Koda and I opened a dojo on 5th Avenue in Birmingham. It was during that time that Mr. Koda was able to purchase a house in Birmingham, Alabama.
There was another Japanese man named Hatchi Mutakami living in Florida at that time that was having the same financial difficulties as Yuki Koda. When Mr. Koda came to Alabama around 1972, Mr. Mutakami followed suit. Mr. Mutakami did iron work with Mr. Koda and myself.
During the next year or so, Yuki Koda opened a dojo in 5 Points West in Birmingham, Alabama. Mike Foster continued his dojo in Daytona Beach, Florida while I continued teaching at my dojos in Trussville, and Birmingham, Alabama.
It was during the early 1970’s that such karate notables as Mike Sadler, Mr. Toyama, and Mike Culbert came onto the Yoshu-Kai scene. It would be remiss of me to overlook their contributions to Yoshu-Kai karate in the United States.