Dr. Jon Beltram (b. 1941) founded the Kansas City dojo in 1966. He retired as senior instructor in 2019 and no longer leads practices. Jon is godan (5th degree black belt) and a Senior Council member of Shotokan Karate of America. He has authored several essays: Strategies for Conflict, Ice, Heat, & Injury, Warmup & Stretch.

Dr. Beltram began martial arts training in 1959 and holds black belts in Judo (under Wey Sing Kim, 1959 World Judo Champion), Okinawan Shorei Kempo (under Mel Wise), JKA Shotokan Karate (under Mr. S. Mikami, 3 time All-Japan Champion), Goju Ryu Karate (under Shoichi Yamamoto and Gosei Yamaguchi), and Yun Moo Kwan Tae Kwon Do (under Jang Yul Park, 1958 Champion of Korea). Jon met Tsutomu Ohshima in 1965, was awestruck by Mr. Ohshima’s level. He became Mr. Ohshima’s student and joined SKA in 1966 (at that time, SKA was called SCKA, Southern California Karate Association). Jon started the Kansas City dojo that same year.

Mr. Ohshima awarded Jon godan in August of 2000. Godan (5th degree black belt) is SKA’s highest rank.

Dr. Beltram has presented free-fighting and self-defense seminars throughout the United States. You can read some great stories about him in our 30th Anniversary Album and our 50th Anniversary Album.

More than ninety of Dr. Beltram’s students (and his student’s students) have attained black belt rank.

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Jon Beltram’s 1996 remarks on the 30th anniversary of the KC Dojo

I was an 18 year old boxer in Lexington, Missouri in 1959. I had, quite by accident, stumbled across a Tae Kwon Do instructor at the local military school. During those early years, I studied Tae-Kwon-Do, Okinawan Shorei Kempo, Okinawan and Japanese Goju-ryu, JKA style Shotokan, Judo, and Aikido. I became very involved in commercial karate and active in the tournament circuit.

It was my good fortune to hear of Tsutomu Ohshima, who was a direct disciple of the founder of Shotokan Karate, Gichin Funakoshi. Mr. Ohshima was living in Los Angeles and sent one of his juniors, Mr. Mamoru Ohara, to Kansas City in 1966. I was so impressed that I began to practice and teach only Mr. Ohshima’s unique style of Shotokan Karate, and that was the beginning of Shotokan Karate in Kansas City.

I know so well that time and change are inevitable, but it just doesn’t seem possible that thirty years have passed so quickly. Forty-one of my juniors have become black belts. One is yodan, seven are sandan, nine are nidan, and twenty-four are shodan. They are leading practices at six dojos in the area. I am so lucky to have been associated with each of them.

Photos from 1996 practices and the KC 30th Anniversary

I have often expressed my belief that special training is the essence of our practice. It teaches us to do the things that must be done, when they must be done, whether we want to do them or not. To do our very best, no matter what our condition. To never give up.

I am proud to have been involved with SKA for the past thirty years. I am proud to have been a part of Mr. Ohshima’s vision to become stronger human beings, to improve society, and to lead the way to a better future.

-Jon K. Beltram, October, 1996

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David Altman’s 2016 remarks at the 50th Anniversary Banquet of KC Dojo

It truly warms my heart to see all of you here. I mean this. You’re my best friends. We are here to celebrate our practice, to Celebrate 50 years of Shotokan Ohshima Karate-Do in Kansas City. This martial arts practice is not learned through books or YouTube videos or movies (although I have to admit there are times when I rewind and fast forward through movie scenes to learn a technique or throw).

Our Karate practice has been handed down and taught to us by Mr. Tsutomu Ohshima. This senior-junior relationship is vital in our practice. We would not have met Sensei if it were not for our seniors. A Karate-ka has 3 lives, his/ her senior’s life, his/her junior’s life and their own life.

Dr. Jon Beltram started his martial arts training in 1959 and has been leading Shotokan Ohshima Karate-do in KC for 50 years, since 1966. Sensei sent two of his juniors to Kansas City, Mr. Ohara and Mr. Okabe. This was the start of Kansas City Shotokan. I started Karate practice with Jon Beltram in 1976.

After 40 years of practice, I am as surprised as you are. We cannot forget why we practice, not for rank, not for glory. We practice to perfect our character, so that we can improve our lives and the lives of those we love, and for the lives of society that we may affect. This is what has been passed down to me from my teacher and this is what Mr. Ohshima wants for us.

You know Master Funakoshi said, “The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory nor defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants”.

Sensei has also given us the beautiful word polishing. It means to look at our self with strict eyes, try to recognize our weaknesses, to eliminate them and courageously step forward. To never ever give up. To never ever give up. I have heard this tenet since I started practice with Jon Beltram.

Then I recently read an article about Winston Churchill and he used to tell his troops to never, ever, ever give up.

I thought to myself, “That man stole that saying from my teacher!” I think the actual quote from Mr. Churchill was:

Never, never, never give up.

I want to finish up by saying thank you to all of you for first taking time out of your beautiful lives to celebrate 50 years of Shotokan Ohshima Karate-do in Kansas City with us. Second, I want to thank our spouses, our partners for being so supportive of our practice. I can’t thank you enough.

I want to thank our Seniors: Dr. Jon Beltram, godan with 50 years of leadership of KC Shotokan; Dr. John Teramoto, godan and BBC president; Mr. Michael Schuler, godan; Dr. Jim Kaplafka, yodan; Donnie Duncun, yodan; Carl Johnson, yodan; Mike Lyon, yodan; Greg Barstow, sandan; Dr. David Mills, sandan; Colonel Mike Bedinger, nidan; and Earl Rand, nidan.

I would like to present a gift of thanks to our teacher Dr. Jon Beltram. He is the epitome of “never, never, never give up.” Remember, in life we are all faced with different challenges and adversities good and bad. What makes you who you are is how you overcome those challenges.

I wrote Ohshima Sensei a while back and asked if he would create a calligraphy for our celebration. It means will or intention. On behalf of Mr. Ohshima, I’d like to present his calligraphy to Dr. Jon Beltram for his leadership and dedication to continuing Shotokan Ohshima Karate-Do in KC for 50 years.

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