In Memory Of Grand Master Chinkichi "Tatsuo" Shimabuku
(Shimabukuro)
History of Shorei Ryu Karate-do, Isshinryu Karate and the
Shorin Ryu Karate-do (Okinawan) Federation by Sensei John McArthur
A boy
was born on 19 September 1908 in the village of Chun to a farming family whose
surname was "Shimabukuro". He was given the first name Chinkichi by his parents
of the Shimabukuro Family. Young Chinkichi grew into a strong young man with a
great desire to learn and achieve. At an early age, he began to study karate
from his uncle Irshu Matsumora, also known as Kamasu Chan, in the village of
Chun. He studied with his uncle for about ten years. He began studying with
Master Chotoku in 1926 Kyan in the village of Kadena. Chinkichi's karate-do
Master Kyan was his first formal karate Sensei developing this student's
practice and ki for which Kyan was known.
Chinkichi had reached his full
maturity of five feet two inches and 120 pounds by this time in his life.
Chinkichi studied with Choki Motobu as he continued to study with Sensei Kyan.
He highly developed and honed his skills with Motobu in kumite, elements of
grappling. Shimabukuro, dissatisfied with his surname common to his country and
area - much like Johnson or Jones in the United States, shortened Shimabukuro to
"Shimabuku". He was a farmer and karate teacher during the mid and late 1930s.
During the occupation of the Ryukus Islands by the Japanese in the mid
to late 30s, Shimabuku, being a businessman and an opportunist, invested all his
money in horses and carts and was employed by the Japanese military to help
build the air strips at Kadena, Okinawa. Shortly before the outbreak of World
War II and the bombing and invasion of Okinawa by the U.S. Marines), Shimabuku
closed his business was moving to northern Okinawa and later Japan escaping the
danger eminant to come to Southern Okinawa when U.S. Marines launched invasion
on the island that was held by the Japanese. Shimabuku's family waited World War
II in Japan battle where he studied Japaneese Martial Arts.
During
Japaneese occupation of Okinawa, Shimabuku taught karate to the officers of the
Japanese military. There were photographs of Shimabuku and his Japanese students
during this time, but most known pictures were destroyed by Chinkishi's parents
before the invasion by Allied Forces to keep their son's training of Japaneese
officers in martial arts secret knowing Shimabuku could later be charged an
enemy of allied forces.
When the war was over, Shimabuku returned with
his family to Okinawa but didn't change his life, because he kept farming as the
primary means to have food for his family. With more and more U.S. Armed Forces
Personnel were stationed on the Island of Okinawa, Shimabuku quit farming and
began teaching them Chan Migwha Ae Karate. The U.S. Armed Forces Special
Services initiated contracts in 1958-59 with to karate and martial arts
instructors on Okinawa to teach martial arts to U.S. Servicemen. Tatsuo
Shimabuku was one of these instructors. He received $250.00 per month. During
the late 1950's that was substantial money for Okinawans who struggled to exist
after World War II. Shimabuku was recognized being proficient in Shorin-ryu and
Goju-ryu, the latter form of martial arts he skillfully developed during the war
years living in Japan.
Master Shimabuku never titled a "Dan" because
there was no such title and ranking system during that era. During those years,
one was awarded Black Belt or a Master based on his actions as viewed by one's
fellow Karate Ka. After Sensei Kyan's death, 20 September 1945, Shimabuku began
studying with Master Chojun Miyagi furthering his "ki" learning Goju-Ryu Katas.
He was stedfast in study with Miyagi until Miyagi's death on 8 October 1953. It
was during this time that Shimabuku began experimenting with new techniques. He
wanted to change the techniques to be quicker and faster. Using Kendo Protective
Equipment during kumite, he started developing different ways to block and
punch. Shimabuku went on to further his study of weapons with Tirara Shinkenin
the late 1950's and early 1960s.
Shimabuku went to sleep and had a dream
of a woman, sort of half woman and half sea creature. She had one hand raised in
a fist, the other was lowered and open. An image of a Dragon was flying across
cloudy sky above her. After Master Shimabuku awoke, he believed that dream was
"Divinely Inspired". It was that day, 15 January 1954, Master Shimabuku decided
to break away from Okinawan traditional styles. He nameed this new style of
Karate - "Isshinryu" later. Another monumental event occurred, Shimabuku changed
his first name from "Chinkichi" to "Tatsuo". Tatsuo means dragon in Japanese;
yet a more important thing in this teaching is that the dragon symbolizes
wisdom, power, control, and social influence. Going a step further, a Flying
Dragon in Master Shimabuku's dream always depicts God's natural signs of rain,
wind, clouds and lightning depicted in the Bible as ways to instrumentally get
people's attention. Before his dream day, Master Shimabuku had been developing
and refining his ideas. He called what he taught before Isshinryu Karate-do,
"Chan Migwha-Te Karate-do." The name honored Master Kyan. Kyan's nickname was
"Migwha" meaning "Small Eyed Chan". "Chan" in Okinawan vernaular means "Kyan"
with "Te" meaning "Hand". This school was the "Small Eyed Kyan's
Karate-do."
Tutsuo Shimabuku told his senior students he was breaking way
from Okinawan traditional styles causing many of his students left him. Master
Shimabuku formulated a new style karate-do that was radically different from the
old Okinawan Karate-do styles searching for a name for his new system. Master
Shimabuku's senior student, Eiko Kaneshi suggested the new karate-do name. In
the original "kanji", the name was "Isshin-Do". Master Shimabuku changed the
kanji to "Isshinryu" that now remains its formal name.Master Shimabuku held an
exhibition for the Third Anniversary of Isshinryu Karate-Do, 16 February 1959,
new forms were shown by Master Shimabuku. During the early years of Isshinryu
Karate, 1956-57, Harold Long and Don Nagle studied Isshinryu from Master
Shimabuku. During this time in Tatsuo Shimabuku's life, Isshinryu and Shimabuku
became one, the Grand Master of Isshinryu Karate-Do.
Grand Master
Shimabuku had a "#1" Okinawan student and a "#1" American student, as U.S. Armed
Forces personnel say. Eiko Kaneshi was the #1 Okinawan student. Eiko Kaneshi was
to become his best Okinawan student of all time, and Harold Mitchum became his
#1 American student. Before Harold Mitchum, there was a Marine by the name of
Sargeant Hall who excelled as Grand Master Shimabuku's student to be a Sensei.
All that Sensei Mitchum recalls is his saying, "Sgt. Hall sure hit hard". When
Sgt. Hall left Okinawa, Sensei Mitchum became the Grand Master's #1
Student.
Sgt. Hall took Harold Mitchum to meet Grand Master Shimabuku, 23
March 1958, so Harold Mitchum started studying Isshinryu Karate. Master Tatsuo
Shimabuku's classes grew large, so he opened another dojo down the street two
blocks from the main dojo in Agena village. Agena is outside of Gushikawa City.
At the second dojo Grand Master Shimabuku had Sensei Mitchum teach, where he
taught American and Okinawan students. The Grand Master had a small dojo at one
end of his daughter and son-in-law's house, where Yukis and Angi Uezu lived.
Angi Uezu did not start studying Isshinryu Karate-do until the mid '60s. Grand
Master Shimabuku opened another dojo across the street from the gates of Camp
Hansen, Kinville, Okinawa. U.S. Marine Corps Special Services cancelled the
Martial Arts contracts with local instructors. Grand Master Shimabuku did not
understand why.
After World War II, with the U.S. Armed Forces occupying
the Ryukus Islands and big Island of Okinawa, a strategic point for training
Army, Navy, Air Force and many, many Marine Corps personnel. American christian
denominations started bringing many missionaries to the islands to convert
Ryukans to christianity. A young man, Dennis Bennett, made several missionary
trips to Okinawa where he met Grand Master Tatsuo Shimabuku and was fascinted
with Shorin Ryu and Isshin Karate-do. Grand Master Shimabukuro talked his
friends Harold Mitchum, Steve Armstrong and Dennis Bennett to go with him to
find out why his karate teaching contract of U.S. Armed Forces personnel was
terminated. It was explained to the Grand Master and his friends by Lt.
McArthur, Special Services Officer, that U.S.M.C. Special Services believed they
were paying too much for the services. Grand Master Shimabuku and his friends
were told that Special Services were going to do studies to learn how much
instructors in Japan were paid and perhaps reduce the contracts paying whatever
amount per month the studies revealed. Grand Master Shimabuku's agreement was a
single contract, but due to Lt. McArthur's interest in Shorin Ryu and Isshinryu
Karate-do, Grand Master Shimabuku found himself with two new contracts, since he
had two schools in prime locations, which resulted in being paid the same rate
for each school, which made his monthly income double. Grand Master Shimabuku
found himself in the meeting with Special Services Officer, Lt. McArthur,
hearing his friend Dennis Bennett calling for prayer as their meeting started.
All men bowed their heads while Mr. Bennett said a short prayer asking and
thanking God for this opportunity to be blessed by way of the meeting allowing
godly wisdom and direction to be the result. Here came Grand Master Shimabuku's
introduction to God, the Father God, Son Jesus and Holy Spirit. Seeing God's
intervention in finding himself with two contracts, at double the monetary
income monthly, made the Grand Master aware of God's favor and divine power when
prayers are given in Jesus's name.
A meeting was called in Agena,
Okinawa, in 1960, to establish a karate-do association. Master Tatsuo Shimabuku,
Kinjo Kinsoku, Eiko Kaneshi, Steve Armstrong, an interpreter, and others were
present. There were two main decisions that came from this meeting: (1) the
Okinawan - American Karate Association was established; and (2) with Harold
Mitchum as President. The Association established dues being paid monthly and
the membership roster of members was made up by Ralph J. Bove, Harold Mitchum.
The association's officers were Harold Mitchum, Steve Armstrong, and Ralph J.
Bove. The Association's name was changed from Okinawan-American Karate-Do
Association to Shorei Ryu Karate Do Federation, in 1961, and a newsletter was
sent out stating that all Dan grades awarded prior to June 10,1961, were
invalid. All Black Belts went back to Shorei Ryu Dan Grade and Grand Master
Shimabuku reissued other ranks accordingly. A formal letter was issued by Grand
Master Shimabuku, October 1967, when forming a karate-do association in the
United States appointing Mr. John McArthur to the post of President of Shorin
Ryu Kararte-Do Federation Of America. John McArthur by then had received the
rank of Dan in Shorin Ryu and Isshinryu Karate - do.
Grand Master
Shimabuku's main dojo had a roof put on using S.R.K.F. funds. Photographs
appeared Okinawa newspapers of Master Shimabuku donating money to charities. In
1966 Master Tatsuo Shimabuku visited the United States. Mr. Steve Armstrong had
Grand Master Shimabuku flown to Tacoma, Washington, from Okinawa to visit with
him. The Grand Master flew on to Los Angeles to visit Dennis Bennett, then an
avid martial artist free stylist Dan of Shorin Ryu Okinawan and Isshinryu
Karate-do. During the visit to Bennett's dojo a new organization was formed,
Shorin Ryu Karate Do Association USA. Grand Master Shimabuku judging Bennett's
karate discipline, instruction and skills awarded him rank of Dan. Bennett also
was named President of the newly formed Shorin Ryu Karate Do Association USA.
Grand Master Shimabuku then flew to Knoxville, Tennessee to Mr. Harold Long's
dojo where Sensei Long was promoted in ranking status. The Grand Master flew to
New Jersey meeting Mr. Don Nagle making promotion to Sensei Nagle and the Grand
Master Shimabuku returned to Mr. Steve Armstrong's dojo in Tacoma, Washington.
All four men were promoted to Dan 8, but Sensei Bennett's personal feelings of
his karate-do proficiency standards being personally very critical, imposed upon
himself, have let him only claim being Dan 6 while possessing certificates and
letters awarding him karate ranking of Dan 7 and 8. Receiving some criticism and
encouragement from other martial artist senseis has not changed Sensei Bennett's
ideas about claiming his promotions. Mr. Steve Armstrong filmed Master Shimabuku
doing the 14 Isshinryu Katas. They are Eight Empty Hand and Six Weapons Katas.
Master Shimabuku turned over the running the Shorin Ryu Karate Do Association
USA to Sensei McArthur and Sensei Bennett in the early 1974. At that time, the
Shorin Ryu Karate Do Association USA was expanded to include a subsidary called
Shorin Ryu Karate Do Federation International.
Grand Master Tatsuo
Shimabuku died 14 September 1975. He was cremated, his ashes buried in a
Botanical Garden Cemetery, near Kadena Air Base's Main Gate, beside his eldest
daughter. Grand Master Shimabuku's initial intent was to bequest the Isshinryu
Karate Owkinawan Assocaition to his #1 student, but shortly before his death
Grand Master to console his son, Kichiro, he peacefully bequeathed Isshinryu
Karate on Okinawa to Kichiro. The Grand Master had given directions to his North
American Isshinryu Karate Do Masters to teach lsshinryu Karate Do and expand
their organizations. These leaders were Harold Long, Steve Armstrong, John
McArthur, Dennis Bennett and Don Nagle. Master Kichiro Shimabuku began the
Isshinryu World Karate Association, with a branch in the United States. The
American Okinawan Karate Association remained active with Master Armstrong at
the helm. Dennis Bennett and John McArthur remained active as Grand Masters in
the Shorin Ryu Karate Do Federation International with branches in Los Angels,
CA, and Okinawa City, Okinawa, Japan. Sensei Long and Sensei Nagle have actively
expanded their schools and karate organizations to become powerful in the United
States training literally hundreds in years past in their respective areas,
Knoxville, Tennessee, and New Jersey.
Copyright
1999-2000 by John McArthur Enterprises. Unauthorized publication, reproduction
and use prohibited without written consent of the copyright owners and
claimants. Use, publication and dissemination authorized by Shorin Ryu Karate Do
Federation International and Shorin Ryu Karate Do Assn. is with written consent
by the owners and claimants for educational and business purposes.
Chuck
Norris Martial Arts View Pictures
