Joe Anderson Snr 7th Dan founded the T.K.A in 1973 (now Chairman of the T.K.A Executive Committee). The Toyakwai first started out as a judo club in the early 1960’s in Hackney London’s east end. The clubs instructors were Mr. Otani 10th Dan and chief instructor Brian Colins 4th Dan, with the B.J.C.This was the country’s top judo club at the time and in later years on a Sunday morning was the preferred training dojo for some of our future

Olympic stars like Brian Jacks Dave Starbrooke and Angelo Pariesey . Joe Anderson Snr started his marshal arts training at this judo club with his young sons and daughters. Joe Anderson Snr quickly developed a taste for marshal arts and decided to try his hand at Shotokan Karate under the top Shotokan masters Nishiyama, Enoeda, Kawasoe, Asano and the late master Nakayama. 

Joe returned to the Toyakwai judo dojo and formed the Toyakwai Karate Club which at the time was the only Karate club in East London, and a member of the K.U.G.B. Joe open the Karate sessions three times a week and they were instantly very popular. His son Joe Anderson Jnr was the country's youngest Double black belt at the age of 16, first gaining his black belt 1st Dan at Judo followed by his Black Belt 1st Dan at Shotokan Karate. Joe represented his country at both sports. 

Joe Snr soon brought on many fighters who won many trophies in the K.U.G.B. southern areas and national championships many were now members of the K.U.G.B. squad. Joe Snr was soon looking for his fighters to fight in outside all styles competitions and he became a member of the A.K.A. with sensei Miji Suzuki 8th Dan. The Toyakwai soon made its mark in the A.K.A. winning many top competitions across the country and getting his fighters selected for the A.K.A. national squad. 

The Toyakwai was now growing with Joe Anderson Snr. His sons Joe Jnr, John and other Dan Grades of the club were now were running their own clubs throughout London. Joe then decided the time was right to start the Toyakwai Karate Association and became a member of the governing body of the time. 

Through the 1980’s the T.K.A was growing in strength with clubs from Scotland Ireland Wales and throughout England. Such as London, Sheffield, Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, Coventry, Nottingham, Portsmouth and Devon & Cornwall. London, Essex and Kent started holding there own regional and national competitions and courses. 1981 saw club member go to their first summer camp in Clacton on Sea. Still going strong 21 years on but now held in Great Yarmouth. 

The T.K.A formed it national squad and were winning competitions up and down the country. By this time members were getting selected for the junior and senior British squad under squad manager Ticky Donovan. Joe Anderson Jnr was selected to fight in the junior European Championships in France, winning a silver medal. 

In the 1980's The T.K.A squad started to enter international competition their first was in Germany for the German Open, an international competition with 24 countries competing. They entered a team of 14 competitors winning individual gold's silvers and bronze medals plus Gold in the team even and taking home the overall competition champions cup. Next was Denmark again coming home with individual medals. Throughout the 80’s many international competitions were entered throughout Europe and because of our success abroad other international clubs and associations were noticing the T.K.A. Countries started approaching Joe Anderson with the wish of joining the T.K.A. This was the start of the Toyakwai Karate International (T.K.I). Among these were, Toyakwai Karate Australia, Toyakwai Karate New Zealand, Toyakwai Karate Pakistan, Toyakwai Karate Ukraine and Poland, Toyakwai Karate India, Toyakwai Karate Canada, Toyakwai Karate USA, Turkey and many more. Our newest arrival is Toyakwai Karate Malta (2001). 

In the late 1980’s the T.K.A was invited to it’s first World Championships held by the WSKF in Turkey. The individual fighters did not do as well as we all expected all going out before the semi finals. No medals from the individual event were won. On the second day Team events, the Men's senior team fought through to the finals, where the Japanese who won 3-2 beat us into silver place. The Women's senior teams also made the finals but were beaten by Turkey 3-2. 

Throughout the 1990’s the T.K.A went from strength to strength entering international competition winning in Germany, Holland, Denmark, France and many other countries. At home we were winning E.K.G.B national championships and the English Open championships in the mid 1990’s Joes sons John and Mark Anderson decided to leave the T.K.A and form there own association with a small group of Toyakwai clubs. The Toyakwai pulled together with their senior instructors throughout the country and restructured. This encouraged the squad managers to concentrate ever more on our up and coming junior members. 

In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s our junior squad have progressed to winning major world European and national championships. In 1998 the Danish Open saw us return with medals. In 1999 in the Funakoshi Shotokan world championships, held in Great Britain we returned with 6 Gold's, 5 Silvers and 9 Bronze medals. Also In 1999 we fought in the World Shotokan Karate Federation junior and cadet championships held in Sweden. We arrived home with 6 gold's 7 silver and 13 bronze medals and Joe Anderson Jnr was presented with the tournament cup and best coach award. The German open saw us winning gold's slivers and bronze. 2000 saw the T.K.A run its first international seminar in France with 120 students attending this 2-day course. In 2000 we again entered the Funakoshi Shotokan world championships held in Portugal winning 9 gold's 5 silvers and 7 bronze medals, winning gold in the male under 21’s team event.