As you read and study about Okinawan history, you will no doubt find various accounts relating to the significant cultural influences that led to the development of martial arts on the island. The Okinawans, like all civilizations, had developed basic, self defense...
Okinawa, the birthplace of Isshin‑ryu Karate, is the largest island in a chain known as the Ryukyu Islands and is located in the Pacific Ocean approximately 350 miles south of mainland Japan. Stretching roughly 800 miles from the Japanese island of Kyushu on Japan’s...
The story of karate begins on Okinawa, the largest of the Ryukyu Islands. “Okinawa is approximately 6 miles wide and only about 70 miles long” (“A Brief History of Traditional Karate”). Okinawa is situated in the middle of the trade route between Japan to the north...
Often referred to as the “parents” of Isshin‑ryu, Shorin‑Ryu and Goju‑ryu are the two styles that Master Tatsuo Shimabuku blended to create Isshin‑ryu. Before looking at “why” Master Shimabuku blended the two styles, it is important to briefly...
On the Isshin‑ryu patch are three golden stars rising above a dragon in a calm, gray sky. There are several different interpretations of the meaning of these stars. One common interpretation is that the stars stand for “mind, body, and spirit.” A second one is...
Legends are born of many notions, and when properly fed, tend to grow over time. Who among us could have ever imagined that, at roughly five feet tall and one hundred and twenty pounds, such a legend would grow as to encompass generations and to capture the essence of...