The Washington Karate Association - Ballard Dojo is the first Washington Karate Association school established by Hanshi Julius Thiry. Since the organization's inception in November 1966 up until 2004, the Ballard Dojo was located on the corner of 85th and 15th Ave NW and has been a familiar Seattle icon to Ballard residents for over 50 years.
In June 2004, the WKA Ballard Dojo relocated 1 mile east to a larger, more modern facility on 86th and 3rd Ave NW. Today, conveniently located in the heart of Greenwood, the Washington Karate Ballard Dojo is situated along several major bus routes and remains the benchmark for excellence in traditional Hayashi-ha Shito Ryu karate in Seattle.
The Washington Karate Association is a member of the International Hayashi-Ha Shitoryu Federation.
The Washington Karate Association is dedicated to cultivating the individual excellence of each of its students. This is achieved through the process of instruction in Karate-Do. Herein the students learn skills and values necessary to develop their personal best, so that they will approach life with courage, confidence, and the will to prevail. In our 50 years of operation, we have succeeded in this mission by adhering tenaciously, and without compromise, to the following precepts: