Isshinryu Karate History

THE BEGINNINGS

By the turn of the twentieth century, Okinawan karate consisted of two major styles, Shuri-te and Naha-te. Techniques in both styles primarily evolved from the original Okinawan art of "te" and from the Chinese martial arts that had been introduced to the Okinawans. Shuri-te emphasized natural movements utilizing linear steps, speed, and naturally controlled breathing. Naha-te empasizes steady-rooted movements utilizing semi-circular steps and rhythmical breathing with respect to body movements (Sanchin). Evolving primarily from the Wu Tang style of Chinese fighting, there are several close-in grappling techniques involved in Naha-te. This is one reason for the low Seiuchin stances, and the dropping of center of gravity.

Shinkichi Shimabuku was born in Chun Village, Okinawa, on September 19, 1906. He was one of ten children born into a farming family. By the age of eight, he had a strong desire to study the martial arts. He walked several miles to the home of his uncle, Urshu Matsumura (Kamsu Chan), who was a Shuri-te instructor, only to be turned away. This did not discourage young Shimabuku, however, as he made the trek every day until his uncle relented and accepted him as a student. At first, Matsumura would only give him menial chores to perform around the dojo, but after a few weeks he saw his nephews true desire to learn and begin his training. He studied informally with his uncle for several years.

By the time Shimabuku was a teenager, he had attained the physical level of a person six years his senior. His physical condition was due to his karate training as well as his working on the family farm. He excelled in athletic events on the island. By the time he was seventeen, he was constantly winning two of his favorite events, the javelin throw and the high jump

Around the age of twenty-three, Shimabuku desired to further his knowledge and began to study under the legendary Shuri-te (Shorin-ryu) master, Chotoku Kyan in the village of Kadena. He began his training with Master Kyan in 1929 while attending the Okinawa Prefectual Agricultural School. Within a short time, he became Master Kyan's best student and, under Kyan's instruction, learned the katas: Seisan, Naihachin, Wansu, Kusanku, and Tokumine-no-kin-bo. He also began his study of 'Ki' for which Master Kyan was most noted. Shimabuku studied with Master Kyan until Kyan's death in 1945. He always considered Master Kyan his first formal sensei and was very loyal to him.

While continuing his studies with Master Kyan, Shimabuku sought out another famous Shorin-Ryu instructor, Master Choki Motobu, during the early 1930's. Master Motobu was known throughout the island for his fighting prowess, and as his student, Shimabuku quickly developed his fighting skills into a precise art.

Shimabuku had always been fascinated by Naha-te Goju-Ryu and sought out Master Chojun Miyagi, the founder of Goju-Ryu, after Master Kyan's death. Enrolling in his dojo, Shimabuku quickly became Master Miyagi's best student, and from him learned the Seiuchin kata and the all important Sanchin kata. Shimabuku studied with Master Miyagi until Miyagi's death in 1953.

After his apprenticeship under these three masters, Shimabuku entered a special martial arts festival on Okinawa during the mid 1930's. His performance of both Shorin-Ryu and Goju-Ryu katas so impressed the spectators, that by 1940, he was recognized throughout the Ryukyu Islands as the formost proponent of Shorin-Ryu and Goju-Ryu karate. He was the first person ever to master both systems.

Coming from a farming family, Master Shimabuku had always been poor, yet he was very innovative and opportunistic. He had a natural talent in adapting things to work for him. As a young man, he discovered a way to bind tile to the roofs of the homes in Chun Village without using mud, which had been the traditional way. Prior to World War II, he saw an opportunity and started a small business. Purchasing sever horses and carts, he received a contract to help in the construction of Japanese air fields in Kadena. He was doing quite well until the allied invasion of Okinawa began. During one of the bombing raids by allied forces, his business was destroyed.

During World War II, Master Shimabuku's reputation as an expert in karate was such that Japanese officers stationed on Okinawa kept him from military conscription in exchange for karate lessons. After the war, he resumed farming and taught karate to a handful of students. However, due to his reputation it was only a short time before U.S. military personnel began to seek him out for instruction. Once at a demonstration, he missed the nail that he was driving into a board with his Shuto hand and cut the back of his hand. He put a handful of dirt on the cut and finished the demonstration.

"Shimabuku driving nail with hand."

Master Shimabuku continued to study and develop his skills in both styles, but he was not satisfied that either style was the ultimate fighting art. His interest in ancient weapons (Kobudo) continued to grow and he sought out the best weapons instructors on the island. His first weapons instructor was Master Moden Yabiku. In a short time, he became a master in such weapons as the Bo and the Sai. (During the late 1950's and early 1960's, he continued his study of Kobudo with Master Yabiku's top student, Shinken Taira. This training took place in Master Shimabuku's dojo in Agena.)

It was during the late 1940's that Master Shimabuku began experimenting with different basic techniques and kata from both the Shorin-Ryu and Goju-Ryu systems as well as Kobudo. He also experimented with many of his own ideas. He called this style Chan migwha-te which means 'small-eyed Kyans karate'. Master Kyan's nickname was 'migwha', meaning 'small-eyed', and 'Chan' is the Okinawan pronunciation of Kyan. Chan migwha-te was the style taught to U.S. military personnel in the late 1940's and early 1950's.

By the early 1950's Master Shimabuku was refining his karate teachings combining what he felt was the best of the Shorin-Ryu and Goju-Ryu styles, and incorporating his own techniques. While his experimentation continued, his adaption of techniques and kata were not widely publicized. He consulted with several of the masters on Okinawa concerning his wish to develop a new style. Because he was highly respected as a karate master, he received their blessing. (This would later be rescinded due to the many radical changes made in traditional Okinawan karate.)

THE BIRTH OF ISSHIN-RYU KARATE

"Mizu-Gami patch"
One night in 1954, Master Shimabuku fell asleep and dreamed of a beautiful sea goddess, half woman, half serpent, named "Mizu-Gami". She represented the calmness a martial artist should display in facing turbulent conditions, symbolized by the churning sea, but having the strength of the serpent, if needed. Her left hand was open as a sign of peace, but her right hand was clenched in a fist indicating her willingness to fight if the need arose.

A dragon appeared in the shy symbolizing the fighting fury displayed by a dragon as does the half-serpent body of Mizu-Gami. The ascending dragon also represents good luck. Three stars appeared symbolizing the birth of a new system of karate. The left star represented Shorin-Ryu (the mother), the right star represented Goju-Ryu (the father), and the middle star representing Isshin-Ryu (the child). The gray evening sky symbolized serenity and implies that karate is to be used only for self-defense.

Master Shimabuku also said that the three stars denoted that it was dark of nightfall. The dragon in his dream was a good luck symbol in Okinawan folk lore. It symbolizes the dragon palace that was located at the bottom of the ocean.

The next morning when Master Shimabuku awoke, he felt that his dream had been a divine revelation. He met with his top student, Eiko Kaneshi, and told him of his dream and his desire to break away from Okinawan tradition and start a new style of karate. The date was January 15, 1954. Upon announcing his decision to start a new style, many of his Okinawan students left, including his brother Eizo.

The new system was not initially given a name, and in fact, went through two name modifications before Isshin-Ryu was finally adopted. However, the official birth of Isshin-Ryu karate is January 15, 1954. The Mizu Gami was drawn from Master Shimabuku's description by Shosu Nakamine, Kaneshi's uncle, and was chosen to be the symbol for Isshin-Ryu karate.
Sanchin' kata. Master Shimabuku was only around five feet tall and weighed approximately one hundred and twenty pounds, yet he possessed unusual strength for a man of his size.

In 1955, the 3rd U.S. Marine Division was stationed in Okinawa, and the Marine Corps chose Master Shimabuku to provide instruction to marines on the island. As a result of this instruction, Isshin-Ryu was to be spread throughout the United States by marines who returned home. The karate that the Marines brought back to the United States was a blending of what Master Shimabuku thought to be the best of the karate systems.

The first two marines to bring Isshin-Ryu karate to the United States were Don Nagle and Harold Long. Don Nagle opened his first dojo at Camp Lejune, North Carolina, while Harold Long's first dojo was in his back yard at Twenty-Nine Palms, California. Upon their discharge from service, nagle moved to Jersey City, New Jersey, and opened the first Isshin-Ryu dojo in the Northeast. Long returned home to Knoxville, Tennessee, and opened his first dojo at the Marine Reserve Training Center.

Returning later were Harold Mitchum Steve Armstrong, Clarence Ewing, Jim Advincula, Bill Gardo, and Harry Smith as well as others. All these men had an impact on the spread of Isshin-Ryu karate in North America.

In 1960, a meeting was held in Agena to establish the first Isshin-Ryu Karate association. In attendance were Master Shimabuku, Eiko Kaneshi, Harold Mitchum, Kinjo Kinsoku, Steve Armstrong and others. From this meeting, the Okinawan-American Karate Association was formed with Harold Mitchum as the associations first president. A year later, the name of the association would be changed to the American-Okinawan Karate Association.

Master Shimabuku made two trips to the United States to visit with his top students. The first trip was in 1964, and the second in 1966. During his 1966 trip, he visited Steve Armstrong in Tacoma, Wasington, Harold Long in Knoxville Tennessee, and Don Nagle in New Jersey. All three men were promoted to the rank of Hachi-Dan (Eighth Degree). Each of these men became a driving force in the promotion and spread of Isshin-Ryu karate in the United States.

Another important event took place during this trip. While visiting the dojo of Master Steve Armstrong, Master Shimabuku was filmed performing all fourteen Isshin-Ryu katas as well as some basic exercises and self-defense techniques. Copies of this film were circulated among the top instructors.

Master Shimabuku continued teaching at his dojo in Agena until his retirement in early 1972. He passed his legacy over to his number one son, Kichiro Shimabuku. There was much controversy over this decision as Master Shimabuku had originally intended to pass the system on to his number one Okinawan student. When Kichiro learned of this decision, he was outraged and demnaded that his father keep with Okinawan tradition and pass the system over to him. Master Shimabuku relented and granted his wish, buy their relationship would never recover. Master Tatsuo Shimabuku died on May 30, 1975.

During the summer of 1974, Harold Long, along with Harry Aklin and several others, made a trip to Okinawa to visit Master Shimabuku. During this visit, Lond discussed and received approval to start another organization. This organization would become known as the International Isshin-Ryu Association, and was founded in 1975.

After Master Shimabuku's death, Kichiro came forward and claimed his father's system. He had started the Isshin-Ryu World Karate Association, in 1974, and through this organization, established the Okinawan helm. However, he was not followed by many of the Americans who considered him their junior. During the remainder of the 1970's and 1980's, Isshin-Ryu splintered with several organizations emerging in different parts of the United States. Disenchanted with thi IWKA, Angi Uezu left Kichiro and started teh Okinawan Isshin-Ryu and Kobudo Association in 1989.

Throughout these turbulent years, Steve Armstrong, Harold Long, and Don Nagle remained steadfast in their promise to their mentor and continued to be the driving force in the growth of Issin-Ryu karate throughout the United States. Armstrong retired in the early 1990's due to declining health and passed the reins of the AOKA to Lew Lizzote.

On June 26, 1993, Master Harold Long and Master Don Nagle turned the leadership of Isshin-Ryu over to Joel Buchholz, James C. Burris, and Walter "Toby" Cooling at a ceremony held in Elkton, Maryland. All three men had been promoted to Ku-Dan (9th degree) by either Master Long or Master Nagle. They were charged with the continued development and growth of Isshin-Ryu karate. Further, they were directed to make every possible effort to unify Isshin-Ryu throughout North America.

As a result of this directive, Masters' Burris and Cooling founded the United Isshin-Ryu Council in 1994. The purpose of the UIC is to bring the various factions of Isshin-Ryu karate together for the mutual benfit and learning of all. While individual organizations still govern themselves, the UIC acts as an umbrella. By 1997, four major organizations had joined the UIC as well as many individual groups who were without an organization or leadership.