Washington Karate Association Bellevue Dojo

50 Years of Hayashi-Ha Shito Ryu Karate

The Washington Karate Association Bellevue Dojo is celebrating its 50th anniversary, having taught traditional Hayashi-Ha Shito Ryu Karate-Do to thousands of students across the Pacific Northwest and worldwide. The dojo sits on Bel Red Road in Bellevue and operates as a member of the International Hayashi-Ha Shito Ryu Karate-Do Federation under Hanshi Julius Thiry and Shihan Katherine Thiry.

Kids Karate Programs

WKA Bellevue runs full age-separated kids classes plus one of the most comprehensive after-school programs in any Seattle-area martial arts school. Programs include:
- Kids Karate (traditional Hayashi-Ha Shito Ryu curriculum with belt-rank progression)
- After School Program (van pickup from Audobon, Bennett, Cherry Crest, Clyde Hill, Rose Hill, and Spiritridge Elementary schools)
- Teen and Adult Karate (continued ranks under master-level instruction)
- Family training options across the weekly schedule

What's Included

• 50 years of continuous operating history in Bellevue
• International federation affiliation (Hayashi-Ha Shito Ryu)
• Four named senseis on staff (Hanshi Julius Thiry, Shihan Katherine Thiry, Sensei Junko Arai, Sensei Thomas Burke)
• After-school van pickup from 6 named Bellevue elementary schools
• Hours seven days a week including Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon

Experience

Half-century tenure and direct international federation lineage put WKA Bellevue in a different category from commercial-franchise dojos. The van pickup from six specific elementary schools is unusual in scope and turns the after-school challenge into a one-call solution for many east-Bellevue families. Pattern suits families wanting their kids in a serious traditional karate program with seven-day-a-week schedule flexibility.