Sensei Rafael Crisóstomo began his training Shotokan Karate in 1972 at the Karate Club of  the National University of Engineering (KUNIC), when he attended as college student in Lima, Perú, under the instruction of Sensei Luis Chiock.
After two years, he also started training at KUNIC at the Peruvian Karate Federation (FPK) with Sensei Kenji Kimura. Sensei Kimura was a high rank sensei hired by the FPK to consolidate the Shotokan karate in Perú. 

Sensei Crisostomo continued his training with Sensei Koichi Kawauchi, who replaced sensei Kimura at the FPK and got his Black Belt with Senseis Kawauchi and Hidetaka Nishiyama.
Sensei Crisóstomo has a direct lineage in the traditional Shotokan style. His teachers have all studied under Masters Masatoshi Makayama and Hidetaka Nishiyama, both students of Gichin Funakoshi (founder of Shotokan Karate) and both considered pioneers of Japanese Traditional Karate.
Sensei Crisostomo continued training in the martial art of Shotokan with sensei Eduardo “Wayo” Salas, Panamerican Champion in his Karate Dojo J.K.A., in Lima Perú and started teaching Karate, specializing in classes for children at the Karate Dojo J.K.A.. 

After that, Sensei Crisostomo was staff karate teacher in different Dojos in Lima Perú such as YMCA, Martial Arts Club Kam KU, and co-founded The Club Karate Callao in his hometown, Callao, the main seaport of the capital city Lima, Perú.

After he moved to US, and worked as photojournalist during the last 30 yrs., he continued to teach and training karate at the Washington Metropolitan area in dojos at American University, Georgetown University, and the most recent, John Hopkins University Baltimore Campus, as guest instructor. 

Aside from this, he also taught Karate at community centers in Maryland for many years and created a unique group of children (appox 150).  It was very important to work directly with the parents not only to teach the high standards of Karate, but to achieve the top levels of education in each child.

Sensei Crisostomo it is collegiate member at J.K.A (Japan Karate Ass.), SWKF (IShotokan Word Karate Do Federation) and also registered as Roku Dan (4th Degree) at FPK (Peruvian Karate Federation) and 5th Degree Black Belt, at Shotokan World Karate Do Federation (SWKF) where he is also the Chairman of Judges Commitee.


Sensei's Philosophy
Sensei Crisostomo has been teaching traditional Shotokan Karate for over 30 years. His teaching embraces the idea that each student is unique, with individual goals and needs. His teaching methodology also emphasizes that Karate is not just a means of self-defense, but a way of life. He teaches this through mental and physical training with an emphasis on attitude and respect.

The main objetive of Martial Arts, in particular the karate-do Shotokan, is to find the physical, mental and spiritual development of the student and form a better human being. One that contributes in the creation of a just society and with its necessary values to positively influence the moment in a way.