On 27th of October one of the biggest sumo tournaments took place in Tokyo.
     All current sumo stars participated in this event, which was held in the Ryogoku Kokugikan sports hall - the same one, in which The First World Open Karate Tournament was organised by  Sosai Masutatsu Oyama in year 1975.

Total of 10 000 spectators gathered in the hall.

     As a part of the event, so called Danpatsushiki  - traditional hair cutting ceremony of finishing career sumo master - Higonoumi was held. As the only representative of karate art - Kancho Shokei Matsui was invited to take part in this prestigeous moment - as one of the most valuable person for japanese Budo. 
     Tournament was won by the young sumo-ka - Asashoryu, who suprised everybody and defeated much bigger then himself - Yokozuna Musashimaru. 

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     In Tokyo's Mizuho, during the summer festival organised each year as a part of O-matsuri, kyokushin karate demonstration took place. Approximately 40 Nishitama Dojo's karateka, which is a direct branch of Honbu Dojo, presented basic techniques kihon, forms kata, fight kumite and tameshiwari - breaking techniques. 
     After demonstration of boards, roof tiles and hollow blocks breaking, sensei Tsuyoshi Iwakawa presented breaking of baseball bats with the shin. Following - sensei Masao Nagatomi broke four ice blocks using hand technique and finally as a main point of the show - dojo's main instructor sensei Ryu Narushima presented his favourite leg technique  jodan-mawashi-geri breaking ice blocks with his dynamic kick. As a guest participant of this demonstartion, Polish instructor - sensei Andrzej Zacharski, who has been training in Japan since the beginning of the year, presented kata Sushiho.
     The show was appreciated with big applause. Articles and photos appeared in the local newspapers.  

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      On July 24 - 27 the Summer Camp Benasque 2003 was held in Spain. Chief instructor was shihan Antonio Pinero 7 dan.

     The annual East European Summer School was held in Cracow, Poland on the week of July 23-27. Approximately 180 participants took part in the event that is conducted annually by Shihan Andre Drewniak and invited Instructors from around the world. Apart from Poland, the quest participants were from: Czech, Slovakia, Belarus and Germany.
     For the second year in a row Shihan Katsuhito Gorai and Sensei Ryu Narushima of IKO Honbu were guest Instructors for this years event that covered Kihon, Ido Geiko, Kata and Kumite strategy for all levels. On the last day of the camp there was a promotion test and over 70 students challenged for their new grade. The event finished with a Sayonara party where students performed music and comedic skits to entertain the Instructors.
     All the instructors said that each year they see a big progress in the technical level amongst the participating karateka.
     " Keep your head low (modesty), eyes high (ambition), mouth shut (serenity); base yourself on filial piety and benefit others. " - words of Sosai Mas Oyama remained shihan Gorai, encouraging the students to hard training before this year's 8th World Open Category Championships.

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     On July 9 - 13, the West European Summer Camp 2003 was held at the National Sport Center Papendal, Arnhem, Holland. Nearly 130 Kyokushin students from Holland, Poland, Ukraine, France, Denmark, Austria, attended this event which was organized by the Dutch Kyokushin Karate Organisation lead by Shihan Loek Hollander and assisted by Shihan Ton van Rijn, Sensei Henk Gerhards and others.

     The seminar was also strongly supported by Branch Chiefs and Instructors from Holland and by visiting international Instructors, Shihan Pinero from Spain, Shihan Drewniak from Poland, Shihan Wakiuchi from Italy and Shihan Blizniuk from Ukraine.  

     The Seminar conducted extensive basics through advanced techniques and included a much-anticipated Tameshiwari clinic. At the end of the camp a promotion test was conducted for nearly fifty people that included Kumite for all levels. At the conclusion, Shihan Hollander and Shihan van Rijn presented all participants with a certificate and souvenir to commemorate their attendance and great weekend of training at the camp.

     During the camp an unofficial EKKO Board meeting was held with participation of President A. Pinero, General Secretary A. Drewniak, Treasurer Ch. Fischer, Member S. Blizniuk, Advisors: L. Hollander and T. Van Rijn. Many important points for the development of european kyokushin were discussed, including: Re-registering of EKKO from Swiss law to the EU law in Brussels; Money Saving Plan; Final acceptation of new EKKO Website; preparations to the 3rd European Open Weight Category Championships Baja '03 and the 18th European Weight Category Championships Papendal '04.

     In many Country Representatives' opinion, this summer camp was historical event, as it gathered the most important kyokushin leaders in Europe and thanks to this many new ideas were born. It seems like the new era of European Kyokushin Karate Organisation has started.