Rika Usami: Karate, Championships, Coach & Net Worth
Do you enjoy watching Karate? If you do, then you probably have heard about Rika Usami, a Japanese Karateka who practices Shito-Ryu Karate.
Also, Rika Usami is the winner of the 2012 World Karate Championships. Usami is coaching the karate team at Kokushikan University.
In addition, Rika was the winner of several High School Karatedo Championships.
So, if you would like to know more about this beautiful Japanese Karateka, continue reading this article.
Quick Facts
Here are some quick facts about Rika Usami:
| Name | Rika Usami |
| Native Name | 宇佐美里香 |
| Date of birth | February 20, 1986 |
| Age | 38 years old |
| Place of Birth | Tokyo, Japan |
| Religion | N/A |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Gender | Female |
| Father’s Name | N/A |
| Mother’s Name | N/A |
| Number of Siblings | N/A |
| Education | A Private School in Japan |
| Height | N/A |
| Weight | N/A |
| Eye Color | N/A |
| Hair Color | N/A |
| Shoe Size | N/A |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Boyfriend | N/A |
| Occupation | Karateka |
| Current World Ranking | N/A |
| Major Achievements | 1x World Champion |
| Career Debut | 30th Japan National High School Karatedo Championships, 2003 |
| Career Wins | 11 Wins in Total |
| Medals and Awards | 11 Gold Medals, 1 Silver Medal, and 1 Bronze Medal |
| Event(s) | Individual Kata |
| University Team | Kokushikan University |
| Net Worth | $ 1.5 Million |
| Social Media | Instagram, Facebook |
| Karate Merch | Armour, Headgear, Gloves |
| Last Updated | April, 2024 |
Rika Usami: Family, Early Life, and Education
Born in Tokyo, Japan, born on February 20, 1986
But, the names of her parents are unknown.
Similarly, not much information about Usami’s siblings’ numbers and names is also unavailable.
However, since Rika started her journey as a professional Karateka from a very young age, it can be said that her parents were beneficial and supportive.
Early Life
Usami started Karate at ten after witnessing a female fighter on television and joined a Goju-Ryu-style dojo near her family’s home in Tokyo.
Further, Rika Usami’s older brother was a karate enthusiast who let her borrow his gi on occasion, which helped her enormously when she eventually decided to take up the sport.
In addition, Rika’s first karate tournament occurred when she was 12 years old and won a green belt in elementary school.
However, Usami did not compete in major events until she was 15 years old, and she won her first in the All Japan High School Karatedo Championships when she was 17 years old.
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Education
Japanese Karateka sensation Rika Usami is a well-educated woman.
Her parents let her join a Karate institute at a young age.
Rika Usami: Career
A Japanese Karate Queen, Rika Usami has a fantastic Karate career.
She has also won the All Japan Karate Championship five times.
In addition, Rika is also the Japan National Team Coach.
World Karate Championships
Usami won a gold medal at the 21st World Karate Championship, in Paris, France, from November 21 to November 25, 2012.
Further, Usami won the Women’s category under the individual kata when she fought against Sandy Scordo of France.
2010 World Karate Championships
Rika Usami won a bronze medal in the 2010 World Karate Championships held in Belgrade, Serbia, from October 27 to October 31, 2010.
A proud Japanese Karateka, she represented her country as best as she could.
In the same championship, Yohana Sánchez from Venezuela received the gold medal.
Additionally, Nguyễn Hoàng Ngân from Vietnam won the silver medal.
Also, with Rika Usami, Mirna Šenjug from Croatia was able to win the bronze medal.
Asian Games
The Asian Games is a four-year continental multi-sport tournament that attracts competitors from all around Asia.
Further, the 2010 Asian Games, also known as the XVI Asian Games, were held from November 12 to November 27, 2010.
Similarly, the games were held in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, with particular events starting as early as November 7.
In addition, under the women’s individual kata Rika became the gold medalist while Huang Yu-chi from Chinese Taipei became the silver medalist.
Finally, the bronze medals were given to Cheung Pui Si from Macau and Lim Lee Lee from Malaysia.
Rika Usami: Achievements
Usami was a gold medalist in the 2003 30th Japan National High School Karatedo Championships held in Sasebo, Japan.
Similarly, she won the 2004 4th World Junior & Cadet Karatedo Championships held in Cyprus.
And the athlete won the 2006 8th Asian Junior & Cadet Karatedo Championships held in Singapore.
Further, Usami also was able to win the 2007 35th Japan Cup Karatedo Championships.
Similarly, she won 2007 51st All Japan Universities’ Karatedo Championship under individual kata.
In addition, Rika was the second runner-up in the 2007 36th Japan Cup Karatedo Championships under individual kata.
But, she won the 2008 37th Japan Cup Karatedo Championships.
And the karateka won the 2009 Asian Karate Championships held in Foshan, China, under individual kata.
Additionally, Rika also won 2010 38th Japan Cup Karatedo Championships and the 2011 39th Japan Cup Karatedo Championships.
Similarly, she won the 40th Japan Cup Karatedo Championships held in Japan under individual kata.
Finally, she was a gold medalist in the 2012 21st World Championships held in Paris, France.
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Rika Usami: Trainer
The legendary Rika Usami’s trainer was Yoshimi Inoue.
Further, Yoshimi was born on September 27, 1946, in Tottori, Japan, a small coastal village.
Then, Inoue founded his first school in a small gym in Tottori when he was in his twenties.
A year after his master’s death, Inoue founded Inoue-ha Shito-Ryu Keishin-kai, a style marked by rapid sharp motions that are well-timed.
On a trip to the United States in 1986, the Japanese government chose four people to represent each of the leading Karate schools. Shito-representative Ryu was chosen.
Mie Nakayama
Mie Nakayama was the first of Inoue’s great world champions. In addition, in Tottori, she had begun her training with him.
Further, Nakayama competed in her first kata contest after only two months of training and won.
Additionally, she was about eighteen years old at the time.
In 1982, Nakayama won the Individual Kata title, gaining international acclaim. Mie repeated the feat in 1984 and 1986.
Finally, between 1998 and 2004, Ryoko Abe and Atsuko Wakai continued to win world titles.
Rika Usami and Antonio Diaz
Rika Usami and Antonio Diaz, two of Inoue’s best, won world champions at the 2012 World Championships.
For the first time in the tournament’s history, the same teacher taught both the male and female individual kata champions.
In addition, Diaz successfully defended his title, which he had won in 2010 for the first time.
Yoshimi Inoue gave seminars worldwide until his death from cancer on May 1, 2015.
Rika Usami: Style
A devout Karateka, Rika’s Karate style is Inoue-ha Shitō-Ryû. Kenwa Mabuni devised shit-ry, a type of Karate, in 1934.
This style is a hybrid of several Okinawan martial arts primarily practiced in Osaka.
Many successor karate schools cite this style as an influence due to issues in Kenwa Mabuni’s line of succession and Mabuni’s significant endeavors to commercialize the martial art discipline in Japan.
Further, Yoshimi Inoue invented the Inoue-ha Shitō-Ryû.
In addition, Yoshimi Inoue, born in Tottori, Japan, learned Karate at the age of sixteen.
Also, he moved to Osaka when he was 18 years old and became Soke Hayashi’s “uchi-deshi.”
Finally, in his entire life, Soke Hayashi has only had one “uchi-deshi.”
Coach
Former world champion Rika Usami was named the new coaching director of the Japan Karatedo Federation (JKF).
Following a power harassment scandal in the karate world right before the Tokyo Olympics, it brought a scientific approach to coaching to a martial arts world that values tradition.
Rika Usami: Net Worth
The net worth of Rika Usami is about $1.5 million.
Further, Rika accumulated the net worth by working as a professional Karateka.
However, information about her monthly or yearly salary is unknown.
Rika Usami: Social Media
She is active on various social media. Further, she has a Facebook and an Instagram account.
Here, she usually posts about her achievements, her pieces of training, and occasional photos with family and friends.
Moreover, Rika’s social media presence can be summarised as follows:
Facebook: Over 43k Followers
Instagram: Over 43k Followers
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FAQ
Who is the coach of the Japanese Karate Team?
The coach of Japanese Karate Team is Rika Usami. Further, she was selected for this role because of her outstanding performance.
Finally, she is also the coach of the karate team at Kokushikan University.
