The sword was considered to be the Soul of the Samurai, and the blade itself a venerated object of both beauty and deadly efficiency; a fusion of harmony and function.

The Kissaki is the term for the deadly sharp cutting edge of the very tip.

The use of this term as a name for the karate association was carefully considered and deliberately chosen as representative of those qualities which distinguish the manufacture of such a blade.

Just as it is forged in fire and water, hammered, pounded and beaten until all the impurities disappear and it is shaped into perfection, just so is the spirit of the martial artist forged in the flames of challenge and adversity, tested and reworked time and time again in the intense workshop of the Dojo until such time as it stands, a new creation, straightforward, bold, keen and flexible, functional yet something more than it once was, stripped of the impurities of ego and falsehood.

The Torii symbol of the gate signifies the concept of entering deeply, not being concerned with the amount of things known, but more with the depth of learning and knowledge to be gained by a constant striving to reach to the heart.

A gate is something which is an entrance, but one which demands total commitment. It requires that one must go through to the other side, not merely peer in from the sidelines.

No half-heartedness but bold endeavour, this courage will often be called upon to bolster the spirit in its journey, as pitfalls and setbacks will continue to test the traveller.

The Yin-Yang emblem denotes the concept of balance and harmony. A constant reminder of the need for clear-sightedness, of temperance and of an understanding of the wholeness of a situation, a problem or even an enthusiasm."

Dave Hague 6th dan senior UK instructor with the Kissaki-Kai