SENSEI ERIC PANSING
Head Instructor
Sensei Eric began his martial arts journey at the age of 9 in Honolulu, Hawaii with his twin brother and nephew and is currently a 3rd Degree Black Belt with almost 20 years of experience. He was student under Sensei Rusty Titus and Sensei Howard Takahashi, and later trained under Soke Hirano of Japan International Karate Center. During his time in Hawaii, Sensei Eric was part of the competition team where he would develop and learn the most. He would compete in over 50 tournaments in 5 years taking 36 Gold medals, 21 Silvers, and 22 Bronze Medals in various events. He capped off the 2004 season as national champion in sparring.
He and his family moved to South Carolina, his birthplace, in 2006 with his father retiring from the navy. Sensei Eric would then train under Sensei Kevin Marshall and would begin learning how to teach. He would compete in several more tournaments in the state during that time, become the state Champion in Weapons in 2008 and the Kumite Champion in 2009. He would decline joining the SC state team to compete at nationals to continue his teaching obligation at the dojo.
Sensei Eric is very skilled and knowledgeable in martial arts and is a exceptional teacher. He is focused on a students martial arts and personal growth, wanting them to succeed in all facets of their life.
SOKE HIRANO KIYOHISA
(1938 - 2009)
The founder of the JIKC, and Heiwado Karate, is Soke Kiyohisa Hirano. He has more than 50 years of experience in Karate and other martial arts. Born in Yokohama, Japan, he studied martial arts when many of the original Japanese Masters and their immediate successors were still alive. He studied with Master Hironori Ohtsuka, the founder of Wado-ryu. He was the 1960 winner of the All Japan Karate Championship, the only national All Japan Intercollegiate Kumite Championship which featured different karate styles.
In 1962 Soke Hirano moved to Hawaii and shortly thereafter established JIKC. It spread throughout the United States and is taught internationally.
