THE 2nd OKINAWA KARATE WORLD TOURNAMENT, Okinawa 2022 第2回沖縄空手国際大会 – Impressions & final remarks

Commemorating exactly one month in which the finals of The 2nd Okinawa Karate World 第 2 回沖縄空手国際大会 Tournament were held in Okinawa, after two days of qualifying and one more day of the main tournament, which saw the crowning of a new generation of dedicated and talented practitioners of Okinawan Karate, who despite the global contingency, demonstrated an indomitable fighting spirit and perseverance, values that are rooted in the depths of Okinawan Karate.

We leave below some words and impressions that will always fall short to convey the sensations that the karate community had the opportunity to experience during those days.

Before moving on to the review, we once again extend our deep gratitude to the entire Executive Committee of the 2nd World Tournament, Okinawa Prefecture, and to each of the volunteers who contribute with their efforts to make this another memorable experience for those who had the opportunity to participate.

どうもありがとiうございます

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Okinawa, Naha, August 2022

As of March 31, 2020, the statistics released by Karate Kaikan indicated that Karate is present in 193 countries and regions, with around 130 million enthusiasts around the world where at least 60 million are active practitioners of this martial art originated in Okinawa, where to date, between 350 to 400 dojos and around 10,000 active practitioners can be traced.

The current flagship project of listing Okinawan Karate at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, led by the Okinawa Prefecture Culture, Tourism and Sport Department Karate Promotion Division, joins the systematic effort developed by Karate Kaikan to promote, develop, preserve and spread this martial art that day after day adds more followers.

Among the projects sponsored by the Okinawa Prefecture (such as the Okinawa Karate international seminars, Okinawa Karate research project, The demonstration for “Karate no Hi” – Karate day on October 25) the realisation of the World Tournament continues to occupy an important space as a platform for promotion, recruitment and exchange between the participants. For this reason “The 2nd Okinawa Karate World Tournament”第2回沖縄空手国際大会 began on August 1 through August 9, despite the global contingency which undoubtedly impacted the travel from the attendants from overseas.

Around 830 participants, from 27 different countries, competed in kata of various styles in the adult division, to which were added the more than 1,360 participants of the 1st Okinawa Karate World Junior Tournament, an event that took place alongside the World Tournament this year.

Hosted by the 2nd Okinawa Karate World Tournament Executive Committee 沖縄空手実行委員会, the Okinawa Prefecture 沖縄県 and the Okinawa Dento Karatedo Shinkokai 沖縄伝統空手道振興会, the event aims to promote the entirety of the Okinawan traditional karate and kobudō. Seminars were held with the participation of around 840 participants, who had the opportunity to learn and appreciate the teachings of each of the selected masters in each style.

OKINAWa 2022: The Tournament Environment

Okinawa Times Newspaper – August 1st, 2022

“After years, the wait is finally over. The 2nd Okinawa Karate World Tournament and the 1st Okinawa Karate World Junior tournament will commence from august 1st to the 9 th. From the first day, masters who hold the Okinawa Prefecture-Designated Intangible Cultural Property “Okinawa Karate and Kobujutsu” will offer an inaugural demonstration at the “Special Dojo” of the Okinawa Karate Kaikan in the morning. In the afternoon, the opening ceremony will take place at the Okinawa Prefectural Budokan, where a total of around 670 participants will later have the chance to perform and exhibit their karate. On the end and the 3rd, the Junior World Tournament will be held at the Okinawa Prefectural Budokan and the Okinawa Karate Kaikan. There will be four divisions: Shuri/Tomari-te, Naha-te, Uechi-ryu and Kobudō.

After preliminary rounds for participantes form overseas, mainland Japan and remote island of Okinawa, the qualifiers will enter the main rounds. The awards and closing ceremonies will follow the final rounds.

For the Okinawa World Tournament, there will be 5 divisions. On the 4th and the 5th, the preliminary rounds for overseas, mainland Japan and remote island in Okinawa will be held. The Shuri/Tomari-te and Kobudō (Bō-Sai) divisions and the Uechi-Ryu and Naha-te divisions will be held respectively at the Okinawa Prefectural Budokan and Okinawa Karate Kaikan.

The tournament consisting in the last 16 will span from the 6th to the 7th. All divisions will complete their final rounds at the Prefectural Budokan on the 7th, where will be held the awards and closing ceremonies in the end.

On the 8th, the masters of each style will be invited to the “Okinawa Karate Seminar” for participants to get a taste of authentic karate”

TOP INTERVIEW, Okinawa Times.

The 2021 elected to the House of Representatives for Okinawa District 2, spoke about the current contingency in which the planning and development of the 2nd Okinawa World Karate Tournament took place.

In recent years, many around the world have faced hardships due various factors, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Yet it was needed in such hard times is an unyelding spirit, a quality that rest upon the core values of Okinawan Traditional Karate.

Thus it is hope that karate practitioners and enthusiast, around 130 million worldwide, will gather at the birthplace of karate, the “martial art of peace”, and fully experience both the spiritual and technical aspects that our founders have stablished.

Incidentally, as Okinawa saw the 50th anniversary of its reversion to Japan this year, the World Tournament seeks to be a place where participants can mingle and connect with fellow karatekas and gain deeper insight into the birthplace of karate. The Junior Wold Tournament will be held for the first time this year as well. It should be inspiring for the youth and the executive committee will take preventive measures in order to organise safe and secure tournaments.

The largest tournament where all the karate styles meet, The World Tournament will appraise the mans of preserving, transmitting and promoting traditional Okinawan karate. We also hope to make it an event that will push forward the registration of Okinawan karate in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
Kunio Arakaki
Social Democratic Representative
for Okinawa District 2, elected in 2021

THE 8 INTANGIBLE CULTURAL ASSET HOLDERS 無形文化財, mukei bunkazai

It is well known that in Japan “Intangible Cultural Property” (無形文化財 Mukei Bunkazai according to the law) refers to those arts that have a high historical or artistic value for the country and the national government designates as the holder/s of these Important Intangible Cultural Property individuals or groups who have achieved advanced mastery of the technique of this Important Intangible Cultural Asset, in order to guarantee the transmission of traditional art. The recognition of the holders can be individual, collective or a group.

In 1997, Okinawa Prefecture designated “Okinawa Karate & Kobujūtsu” an intangible cultural property and certified three prominent authorities as holders. After that, 6 people were certified in 2000, 5 people in 2013 and 6 people in 2020. Now eight, excluding the deceased, are still making efforts to develop their great culture.

Masahiro Nakamoto – Okinawa Dento Kobudō ( Shinken Taira kei) Hanshi, 10th Dan.
Kotaro Iha – Kobudō Hanshi 10th Dan
Morio Higaonna – Goju ryū, Supreme Shihan
Seikishi Iha – Shorin ryū, Hanshi 10th Dan
Masanari Kikugawa – Goju ryū, Hanshi 10th Dan
Tsutomu Nakahodo – Uechi ryū, Hanshi 10th Dan
Morinobu Maeshiro – Okinawa Shorin ryū, Hanshi 10th Dan
Shintoku Takara – Uechi ryū, Hanshi 10th Dan

THE TOURNAMENT

The Okinawa Prefecture is sponsoring The 2nd Okinawa Karate World Tournament in order to promote traditional Okinawa Karate and the future of this ancient martial art, by creating an opportunity for Okinawan karate enthusiast from all over the world to gather and interact with each other at the “birthplace of karate“, as well as properly preserving and passing on the techniques and spirit of Okinawa Karate, which we inherited from our predecessors who systematised its practice.

Several events were carried out within the frame of the tournament such as the Enbukai – public demonstrations-, seminars, opening and closing ceremonies, exchange meetings and the tournament itself. The latter maintained the same categories for each division that were used in the first version held in 2018.

Juniors Male – Juniors Female 少年男子 – 少年女子 (newly implemented in 2022)
Adults I Male/Female 成年Ⅰ男子 – 成年Ⅰ女子
Adults II Male/Female 成年Ⅱ男子 – 成年Ⅱ女子
Seniors Male/Female シニア男子. – シニア女子

Recognised as a powerful platform to capture the attention of the world and promote the values inherent in the practice of Karate, on this occasion it has allowed all of us who enjoy the practice of Karate in Okinawa to learn valuable life lessons, at the hands of two great and honorable competitors.

In the record below, captured by Ageisho Japan, you can see the Passai Sho kata executed by Yashiaki Kohagura, 70 years old Shorin Ryū Hanshi, 9th Dan, who in 1994 lost his eyesight. Despite what we can all recognize as a hard blow of life, in an event like this we have been fortunate to see how the world of excuses for not doing something can be subjected to nothing after seeing such an act of overcoming and courage.

The second moment was carried out by 90 years old Yoshitoshi Sato sensei, Shorinji Ryū – Seishinkan Karate do Renmei, who despite prevailing contemporary beliefs, presented an inspiring Sesan kata within the framework of the qualifying rounds for competitors from remote island of Okinawa, mainland Japan and Overseas – Senios Male シニア男子 division.

Yashiaki Kohagura, 70 years old Shorin Ryū Hanshi, 9th Dan

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE FIVE DIVISIONS: Naha-te, Shūri/Tomari-te, Uechi Ryū & Kobudō 那覇手系の部, 首里・泊手系の部, 上地流系の部, 古武道 (サイ – 棒)

NAHA-TE; is based upon the Chinese martial art that spread to Kume Village, which Kanryo Higashionna taught to his pupils after he studied in Fuzhou, China. His direct descendant Miyagi Chojun, founded Goju-ryu and the katas are characterised by their emphasis on physical strength.

SHURI/TOMARI-TE; Shuri-te developed in Shuri首里 during the days of the Ryukyu kingdom and was passed on from Matsumura Sokon to Anko Itosu. His pupil, Chochin Chibana founded later Shorin-ryu, and Gishin Funakoshi was the founder of Shotokan-ryu. Tomari-te developed in Tomari, a port of trade. Kosaku Matsumora is considered the forefathers this martial art. Kata of both Shuri and Tomari-te are characterised speed and flexibility.

UECHI-RYU上地流; Kanbun Uechi learned the martial art from Oangai Noon, and Kanai Uechi, his son, incorporated modern elements in order to complete the Uechi-ryu system, an style characterised by training the physical body to its utmost limits, reason why it has gained hight acclaim as a martial art that may be used in actual fight.

KOBUDŌ古武道; after the satsuma clan invasion to RyūKyū 琉球, individuals were prohibited from using bows, arrows and swords. As a consequence of this, people studied ways in which to turn everyday tools into weapons and this knowledge was passed along to develop Kobudō古武道, a unique martial art founded in Okinawa that find its development alongside karate 空手

Through a scoring system, on August 4 and 5, the preliminary rounds for people from overseas, mainland japan and remote island of Okinawa were held to determine the 12 competitors that will join the main tournament along the four from Okinawa, determined earlier this year. And so, on the 6th, the main tournament began with the round of 16 and quarter-finals determining the qualifiers who would fight for the top positions the next day at the Prefectural Budokan Arena.

THE ROAD TO THE FINALS – Okinawa, July 2022

**沖縄空手世界大会 – FINALIST LOUNGE DIVISIONS** – OKINAWA 2022

The arrival of our team to Okinawa took place about a week before the start of the tournament and the planning included acclimatisation training both physically and technically at Uechi sensei’s dojo as part of the final preparation for the event.

The very high levels of humidity will always represent an important aspect to consider in the acclimatization process, especially for those competitors who come from the southern hemisphere, which at this time of year are going through the winter period.

Added to the high temperatures, the body responds differently from the physiological point of view, permeating individual perception and performance in the kata execution. The management of breathing and the search for the proper balance in the levels of muscular contraction become a primary objective during the preparation, which must begin well in advance by being able to identify a low, medium and high execution intensity, which should be fundamentally based on the self-perception of effort – “Knowing yourself, is the beginning of all wisdom“, Aristotle use to said.

一心流沖縄伝統空手道協会 – スンスウ形 – 沖縄2022

“The four days of competition became very intense from a mental point of view as I tried to maintain concentration and a balanced emotional state for everything I felt was at stake. It was a very special preparation to get to that moment.

Considering that the first participation in 2018 did not have a happy ending, managing expectations also became a key issue during the process”
diego rodriguez,
when asked for a quick impression
in an interview with a local newspaper in sweden.

As the days passed, the levels of confidence increased and the mental factor took over. Nerves and expectations will always play a role in instances like this and knowing how to handle them should always be part of the specific training process.
How to position yourself in the main tournament, within the 16 competitors with the highest score, begins in the qualification round and the score obtained, which determines “the path to the final”

Performances with excessive tension, loss of balance and competitors forgetting the kata are some of the things that can be observed frequently. After all, it has been 4 years of waiting to earn the classification and a position in the final tournament that ensures a relative peace of mind on the way to the final.

Round of 16 and Quarterfinals were held in one day, leaving the semifinal and final for the next, creating a state of tension in which again the mental factor plays an important role.

Focusing on a years-long preparation process for a tournament with such specific and particular objectives, I believe, guarantees learning and growth even when medals and podiums are not achieved. The cultivation of the indomitable spirit through constant training regardless of the circumstances day after day and year after year awakens ever higher levels of technical and, above all, mental understanding. Commitment to oneself is the only thing one has the power to control because circumstances change every day, but those things that one wants most in life I believe, must always remain as the beacon that guides us.

On the last day of competition, you can only see the select group that made it to this stage. Despite the tough competition with truly exceptional performances, the human quality of all the competitors stands out, who, despite the results, interact with a genuine intention of friendship and happiness for having given their best. This is one of the essential objectives of the event: to create an opportunity for Okinawan Karate enthusiasts from all over the world to meet and interact in “the birthplace of karate”, as well as to preserve and properly pass on the techniques and spirit of Okinawan Karate”

ISSHINRYU, SILVER AWARD – SHURI/TOMARI-TE KEI 一心流首里・泊手系銀賞

Seishinkan Budō, through its founder, Osvaldo Rodriguez sensei, set foot on Okinawan soil for the first time approximately 28 years ago, with the aim of establishing a direct link and knowledge from the birthplace of karate. Through constant visits with some students on occasions and individually on others, the link with Okinawa through our sensei there increased with as the time passed. The commitment to support the expansion and preservation of Isshinryu has been a cornerstone of our school since the earliest days alongside Grandmaster Angi Uezu and Uechi Tsuyoshi sensei today.

World tournaments have always been a great platform for promotion and attracting the attention of enthusiasts around the world. Our school has always been present in the versions since 1995 with Okinawa Karate Kobudo World Pre-Tournament, seeking to position and represent Isshinryu as high as possible, a task that we have finally been able to achieve on this tour.

All those who were directly involved over the years and from all over the world agree that this has been a historic moment. Osvaldo Rodriguez sensei, together with Diego and our former students, sincerely hope that this will be a significant contribution to the work that Uechi Tsuyoshi sensei carries out as a representative of the style at the Karate Kaikan and who was ultimately responsible for positioning the Isshinryū katas on the official list. We sincerely understand that it is not a simple task.

金賞 – 銀賞
金賞 – 銀賞
銀賞
AWARDS CEREMONY
PODIUM OFFICIAL PHOTO
ISSHINRYU SUNSU KATA – Finals
金賞 – 銀賞 – 銅賞

And finally, at 3:30 p.m. on August 7, 2022, Diego Rodriguez, who lives and teaches Isshinryū Karate in Sweden, entered the Okinawa Prefectural Budokan Arena, together with Osvaldo Rodriguez sensei, to dispute the final of the Shuri/Tomari-te Kei, Male I category on the Court 1. In front, the 27-year-old representative from Okinawa, who ended up taking the gold award in what was a great presentation by the two karateka.

The great triumph was without a doubt having had the chance to present, in the words of Diego himself, “one of the best katas of my last training period. It has been here, in Okinawa, during these two weeks that I have been feeling that my kata has matured, I keep discovering more elements to pursue in my training“

Once again we thank all those who followed us and sent their best energies throughout the tournament. For keeping us in your thoughts and for following each presentation of Alfonso Lavanchy and Diego Rodriguez in each division and opportunity they had to participate.

“It is impossible for me not to thank our sensei in Okinawa, Tsuyoshi Uechi, for walking a path that should not be easy. Despite being a humble person and a low-profile sensei, standing up and showing Isshinryū in Okinawa is not an easy task within a culture that places such tremendous value on hierarchy, legacy and respect for traditions. I consider myself deeply honored to reap the efforts made by him and a lot of people who have been traveling to Okinawa from abroad for many years trying to accomplish things and support this effort.

I believe that a beautiful achievement takes a long time and ultimately involves lifetime considerations. They require a huge and coordinated effort of people so that everything is in the right place at the right time. For this reason, my gratitude to Osvaldo Rodriguez sensei and all those students who have supported our dojo. To those who have traveled to Okinawa for the last 27 years since Osvaldo sensei stepped on Okinawan soil for the first time, seeking knowledge and supporting Uezu Angi sensei -who was the man who ultimately gave us an opportunity, opening the doors of Okinawa for all of us . To the best of our abilities, we work every day to contribute to the preservation of Isshinryū on the path that Uechi sensei leads today in the Karate Kaikan, and I hope that my achievement is a humble contribution to this lifelong effort.

I predict that many people from Isshinryū will come to Okinawa now, especially in 2026, with the certainty that they have a place, a true platform to display the fruits of their efforts in a truly beautiful stage where tradition meets new, combining core values of traditional-karate with the modern, giving rise to friendship, cultural exchange, and most importantly, a place to promote Karate and Okinawan culture“

FINAL REMARKS

The logistic deployment of the organising committee of the second world tournament can be appreciated through the links that the reader can find below. Seishinkan Budō Sweden invites you to visit the following links of interest, where you can find from the final results of the tournament, videos of the inaugural demonstrations to the full streaming of the award ceremony and the entire event via Youtube.

VIDEOS:

OKINAWA KARATE PROMOTIONAL VIDEO
Inaugural Performance – Special Dojo, Okinawa Karate Kaikan
Opening Ceremony – Okinawa Prefectural Budokan (Starting at min 09:37)
Opening Ceremony Demonstrations – Okinawa Prefectural Budokan (Starting at min 07:20)

PRELIMINARY ROUNDS for competitors remote island of Okinawa, mainland Japan and overseas (Video)

MAIN TOURNAMENT – Round of 16, Quarter Finals & Semifinals (Video)

Main Tournament Shuri/Tomari-te kei: Last 16 & Quarterfinals (Seisan at 1.09.13 – Sunsu at 2.56.14)
Main Tournament Shuri/Tomari-te kei: Semifinals (Seisan at 2.09.27)

MAIN TOURNAMENT – Finals (Videos courtesy of Ageshio Japan) –

Shuri/Tomari-te kei: “Karate kata decisive battle for the highest order” (Sunsu at min 09:38)
Naha te-kei: “World competition Kata”
Uechi Ryū: “Karate Kata World Competition Finals“
Kobudō Sai: “Kobudo Sai World Tournament Finals”
Kobudō Bō: “Kobudo Bo World Tournament Finals”

RESULTS:

The 2nd Okinawa Karate World Tournament – Official results from the website

7 September, 20227 September, 2022 by Diegoisshinryu

SPECIAL APPOINTMENT & RECOGNITION – Chile, December 2021

Concepcion Chile, December 2021

As part of a new trip to Chile between the 11th of December and the 7th of January, the Tokushinryū Kobudō summer camp and rank promotion was held at the South American honbu dojo. Kyū rank promotions took place alongside Ivan Parra sensei and Alfonso Lavanchy (Tokushinryū Kobudō Los Angeles and Santiago representatives respectively) who were promoted to Ni dan.

BŌ – TONFA KUMI TRAINING
BŌ JŪTSU SESSION
SAI JŪTSU SESSION
KYŪ RANK PROMOTION – December 2021
NIDAN PROMOTIONS – December 2021
SAI JŪTSU SESSION
LONG WEAPONS SESSION

At the board meeting, held on August 19, 2021 in Stockholm, it was agreed to appoint honorary members and special advisors of Seishinkan Budō Sweden as a token of appreciation for their support and guidance focused on who leads the group in Sweden, sensei Diego Rodriguez, Isshinryū Karate Godan and Tokushinryū Kobudō Nidan, who moved to the Swedish capital within the framework of a personal development project and whose main objective has been the establishment of our school in Europe, from which the stimulation and development of cooperation ties with other schools can take place, thus benefiting the students of our school and all those who are linked to the practice and development of martial arts.

Taking advantage of this relevant event, Osvaldo Rodríguez sensei and Iván Parra sensei were recognised in honor of their merits and important contribution in the establishment and foundation of the headquarters of our school in the city of Stockholm, Sweden, which officially began operations on May 10, 2021.

OSVALDO RODRIGUEZ SENSEI – Seishinkan Budō School, President & founder. Concepcion, Chile

EVERY JOURNEY BEGINS WITH A FIRST STEP

Undoubtedly, the bond established with the representative of Isshinryū Karate and Tokushinryū Kobudō in Europe, sensei Lars Andersen, was and continues to be a cornerstone in the present of our school in Sweden. This connection can be traced back to the year 2001 in Atlanta, USA, where Osvaldo Rodriguez and Lars Andersen sensei had the opportunity to share in the framework of the Traditional Okinawa Rengokai Karate & Kobudo World Championship, where Uechi Tsuyoshi sensei taught the corresponding Isshinryū seminar.

This relationship would extend years later through Diego Rodriguez, who traveled to the Danish capital in 2016 as part of a personal project, establishing contact with Lars Andersen sensei and beginning a productive and important relationship through the practice of Isshinryū Karate and Tokushinryū Kobudō to this day.

OSVALDO RODRIGUEZ SENSEI

Seishinkan Budō School president & founder – Honbu dojo, Chile.

Isshinryū Karate 7th Dan – Tokushinryū Kobudō 4th Dan. He began his Karate training in 1973.

“Issued as plenary recognition for his important contribution in the founding process of Seishinkan Budō in Europe and as a consequence, to the expansion of the spirit and teaching of Budō in the region”

IVAN PARRA SENSEI

Seishinkan Budō – Takeshi Dojo, Los Angeles, Chile

Isshinryū Karate 6th Dan – Tokushinryū Kobudō 2nd Dan. He began his Karate training in 1986

“Issued as plenary recognition a the trajectory and significant contribution to Seishinkan Budō School throughout the years and to the development and expansion of the Okinawan Karate & Kobudō in Chile”

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We hope with this, to contribute in the recognition of some of the many representatives of Isshinryū Karate, Tokushinryū Kobudō and related arts in all five continents.

Domo arigato gozaimasu

どうもありがとうございます

10 January, 202231 January, 2022 by Diegoisshinryu

SEISHINKAN HONBU DOJO – 2020 Black Belts Examination

Seishinkan Hombu Dojo, Concepcion – Chile. July 1st, 2020.

As usual and following the calendar of activities for this 2020, the examination process for black belt applicants in Chile has officially started on July 1st.

On this occasion, the following students have been summoned to be tested for their next respective ranks:

Mr. ALFONSO LAVANCHY, Nidan applying to Sandan – Seishinkan Omokiri Dojo Director, Santiago, Chile.
Mr. JOSE MIGUEL RIESCO, Nidan applying to Sandan – Seishinkan Taiki Dojo Director, San Pedro, Chile.
Mr. PAULO VERA, Nidan applying to Sandan- Hombu Dojo Concepcion, Chile.
Mr. RODRIGO MONARDES, Nidan applying to Sandan – Hombu Dojo Concepcion, Chile.
Mr. GERARDO SALDAÑA, Shodan applying to Nidan – Hombu Dojo Concepcion, Chile.
Mr. JUAN MANUEL SEPULVEDA, 1st Kyu, applying to Shodan – Hombu Dojo Concepcion, Chile.

All applicants have been holding for the past few years a consistent period of regular training in addition to developing and participating in support activities in their respective training groups, which is undoubtedly transferred to the rest of the students from the different dojos in the country.

Obeying history and complying with the standard of our organisation, the instance that takes place once a year, contemplates a long process that begins with the two most relevant aspects of evaluation: the theoretical/research aspect and off course the practical / technical part. The latter has been strongly modified in order to adapt to the current health circumstances that affect the regular operation of the honbu dojo, which prevents the regular training aimed at supporting the group. For this reason, an online training calendar has been established, in which it is intended to support more specifically the individual process of each one by the team of senior instructors.

The examining commission, chaired by Osvaldo Rodriguez Sensei, will be completed by the senior Seishinkan instructors team as follow:

OSVALDO RODRIGUEZ Sensei, Nana dan, Seishinkan Budo School – President.
IVAN PARRA sensei Roku dan. Seishinkan Takeshi Budo, Los Angeles, Chile.
DIEGO RODRIGUEZ sensei, Go dan. Seishinkan Budo Europe. Stocholm, Sweden.
MAGALY INZUNZA sensei, Yon dan. Seishinkan Honbu Dojo, Concepcion, Chile.
MAURICIO LOPEZ sensei, Yon dan. Seishinkan Tamashi Dojo, Los Lagos region, Chile.

THE PROCESS –

As is already known, the historical standard of our school invites applicants to develop a research topic that begins officially from the moment they are summoned to take part of the process.

Throughout history, the school has seen very interesting investigations, all oriented towards the practice of martial arts (and available in the Seishinkan honbu dojo library, for all interested in reviewing them), ranging from practicing karate 空手 as a physical activity and / or sport (with volumes of physical conditioning, training systems, exercise physiology, physical therapy, nutrition, etc), the role of pedagogy in the process of teaching martial arts to specific groups of people (pre-schoolers, teenagers, adults, seniors and how this can effectively support the process of formation and education within the formal and non formal aspect), the historical perspective and development of karate do and martial arts (fundamental role of the historical process of Okinawa 沖縄 in the future development of karate do 空手 道, history of Isshinryu 一心流 in different parts of the world, etc.) and a look from the sustainable leadership point of view and how to develop it effectively with the aim of achieving a sustainable organisation of martial arts, with all the angles and perspectives that this implies.

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This year and for the first time in history, a particular topic will be the one that will bring the whole group together, thus directing individual efforts towards a collective good which is intrinsically related to the topic itself: “Seishinkan, a school for life”.

In Osvaldo sensei’s own words, “the main premise in this new way of evaluating will be working as a team, so that the written document will be developed in a single topic addressed by all together”

On October 30, the written document must be completed and available for reading by the members of the commission who will have until November 7 to review it, the date on which the presentation will take place via teleconference at a time yet to be confirmed, carried out in Spanish and will be open to all interested parties upon registration (Click here to make your registration).

The technical / practical part, fundamental and mandatory to finalise the examination process, was initially planned for January 2021, with the aim of giving margin to the health crisis derived from COVID-19 that may affect the possibility of carrying out that instance one one hand, and affect the travel itinerary of some members of the commission from abroad on the other.

In this opportunity, all the corresponding Isshinryu technical program for each level will be evaluated, in addition to the Kumite 組手, Kobudo 古武道 and Tameshiwari.

ACTIVITIES CALENDAR –

A comprehensive time frame has resulted in a clear schedule in which applicants must comply, among other things, with attending individual training and support sessions via teleconference with part of the team that will evaluate the process and at the same time prepare the research whose results will be presented under the same desire to provide students with tools that contribute to the process of individual development.

This process is also aligned with the institutional mission of our organisation through the specific objectives it pursues. Namely:

“Nurture constantly our students of different knowledge concerning the practice of Karate-Do Isshin Ryu 一心流, oriented towards the maximum theoretical and technical development of all Seishinkan students”.
“Stimulate and generate in our students the ability to transfer the Dojo’s learning to everyday life”
“Deliver practical tools for personal development”
“Nurture our students of solid philosophical foundations that contribute to the search of a personal path of grow”

In this way, the activity calendar provides a clear guiding thread to successfully complete this process.

INSTITUTIONAL MISSION & VISSION – Seishinkan Budo School

EXPECTATIONS & GOOD WISHES –

“Without a doubt one of the great virtues of our school is resilience. Rising, adapting and dealing with circumstances, sometimes disastrous, like a wind in our favor, is something that is at the foundation of Seishinkan.
Today is not the exception. Despite the complex moment that our country and humanity are suffering with the contingency of COVID 19, Seishinkan has once again agreed to reinvent itself and will make the project “Black Belt Exam 2020” a historic moment for our school. Without losing the real essence of face-to-face work in the Dojo, but adding the tools that we have in our favor today, a new exam modality has been planned.
It will undoubtedly be a great challenge that will once again make our mark. I do not doubt the effort, commitment and dedication of each one of the summoned, from whom I hope the best. My trust and that of everyone is placed in them.
For my students, strength, discipline and correct attitude.
Never forget:
-A true warrior see the invisible, feel the intangible and achieve the impossible-“

OSVALDO RODRIGUEZ SENSEI
Seishinkan Hombu Dojo
President

“Year 2020.
This year has brought us new challenges, new challenges that lead us to meet our deepest self. This year has filled us with fear and torment, but it is up to each of us to succeed.
For Seishinkan, this black belt exam is a new way of facing life with pro-activity and resilience.
Flexibility; you have to adapt to the circumstances that life offers us, always focusing on the good of situations, despite the harsh and intense they are.
The greatest challenge of this exam will undoubtedly be being forced to find yourself and work on your personal limitations.
To all the students in the exam: life is giving them the opportunity to be part of a story. Much strength, patience and love towards yourselves”.

MAGALY INZUNZA SENSEI
Seishinkan Hombu Dojo
Chief Instructor

Without further ado, Seishinkan and all its members wish everyone the best of success in a process that is expected, stands out for the growth and learning of the entire group involved, and for them to successfully transform the circumstances that have marked this 2020 in something productive that helps them achieve the objectives and goals set.

To those interested in following the process and being part of the videoconference in which the results of the written work will be presented, we invite you to contact us through the following link.

“2020 BLACK BELT TESTING VIDEOCONFERENCE: “Seishinkan: A School for Life”

1 July, 202010 July, 2020 by Diegoisshinryu

2020 FIRST TERM ACTIVITIES: Summary & Evaluation

Stockholm Sweden, July 2020.

Arriving in the middle of 2020 and according to the calendar of activities for this year, a group of Seishinkan should be in the second week of training in Okinawa, within the framework of the tour scheduled last year and which contemplated various activities in Karate Kaikan 沖縄空手会館 and a series of trainings with Uechi Tsuyoshi and Tokumura Kensho sensei.

As expected, the event was not left out of the global health crisis that has affected all countries, forcing changes to be made and events suspended.

Below and as usual since last year, we review the most relevant activities carried out during the first period of 2020.

TOKUSHINRYU KOBUDO EUROPE – Winter Camp & 2020 Tokushinryu Cup

February 28th – March 1st, Copenhagen Denmark, 2020

With the usual attendance of kobudokas from Germany, Sweden and Denmark, the 6th version of the Tokushinryu Kobudō Europe Winter Camp and 5th Tokushinryu Cup took place at the facilities of the Valby Shibu in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Friday was the official event’s kick off with a session of just over two hours led by experienced instructor Jim R. Sindt sensei, personal student and representative of Hanshi Patrick McCarthy 9th dan.

Sindt sensei holds 6 dan in Koryu Uchinady and 4th dan in Yamane-Ryū Kobudō and he was the special guest that the organization had with the aim of enriching and contributing to technical growth through other perspectives related to the training and development of traditional weapons.

tikushinryu-2020-winter-gassuku-1-copy

The session was oriented to the use of the Sai, through an exercise developed by McCarthy sensei and which has the particularity of being in continuous evolution as it is the focus of contribution of the Koryu Uchinadi groups in the world, therefore, you can frequently see multiple variants (Click here for videos)

TOKUSHINRYU CUP 2020

Making its debut the WUKF point scale system in all rounds, the 5th version of the Tokushinryu Cup was carried out, whose logistics was led in this occasion by Martin Frederiksen sensei, who has been following and contributing closely the incorporation of the kobudo as a division in the last national tournaments of the WUKF. This effort also adds to the one developed by Lars Andersen sensei who is emerging as one of the Kobudo leaders in the region by being the new kobudo coach of the national team (WUKF Danish Team)

TOKUSHINRYU CUP – 2020

JUDGES BRIEFING

1st Place – Diego Rodriguez

2nd Place – Andreas Mitschkewitz

3rd Place – Nilas Hjalte Lundt Simonsen

To provide an international standard, the tournament was held under international WUKF rules and external judges supplemented the refereeing work.
Three rounds using points and not flag system, determine the podium for this 2020 Tokushinryu Cup as follow:

1st place: Diego Rodriguez, Seishinkan Sweden (Tokushin no Nunti Sai – Final round Kata)

2nd place: Andreas Mitschkewitz, Joshinkan Germany (Chatanyara no Sai. – Final round Kata)

3rd place: Nilas Hjalte Rundt, Tokushinryu Denmark (Tokumine no Kon – Final round Kata)

TOKUSHINRYU CUP -2020 Podium

TOKUSHINRYU CUP -2020 podium

ISSHINRYU KARATE & KOBUDO WORLDWIDE – 2020 Virtual Tournament

April 18th – May 10th, Puerto Rico 2020.

During May, the initiative promoted by Eduardo L. Gonzalez sensei, Isshinryu Puerto Rico, was carried out, which aimed to mobilize Isshinryu groups around the world within the framework of the event called “Isshinryu Worldwide 2020, Virtual Tournament”. The event took place from the situation generated by the still current health emergency that affects the world and that has forced to drastically modify the functioning of societies, directly affecting the practice of physical activities and sports. Undoubtedly, all the Isshinryu dojos and practitioners in the world have also been affected, so this initiative was in search of supporting them.

The event consisted of organizing a virtual tournament in which the competitors participated by performing a karate kata and / or Kobudo which they had to record and upload to the event platform to be evaluated by a panel of 7 judges. The score would be delivered after the deadline, determining the podiums in the different categories that would later give way to the Karate Kata & Kobudo Grand Champion division.

In order to find an adequate balance in the evaluation of the kata, the panel of judges formed it this time:

Russell Gunnyrusp Best Sensei
Javier Martinez Sensei
Eduardo L Gonzalez Sensei
Alexis G. Morales Sensei
Pablo Molina Sensei
Osvaldo Rodriguez Sensei
Andy Sloane Sensei

The deadline to upload the videos on the event platform was May 3 and the results would be published a couple of days later. Some of the most relevant criteria to consider were an “adequate sequence of movements, appropriate use of positions and posture and the ability to stay in focus. Strength and precision in the execution of basic techniques, demonstrate courtesy with attitude, good spirit, good effort and contact correct visual and observation of the basic elements kata: strength levels, contraction and expansion of the body and changes in the speed of techniques”.

Eduardo L. Gonzalez sensei was very optimistic and gave a positive balance of the activity:

Being these the 1st Isshinryu Virtual Tournament, more than 50 competitors from different parts of the world attended, many of them exhibiting great technical quality. The task from the beginning was challenging when having to find a team of judges that allows balancing the evaluation. We have R. P. Best (9th dan), Javier Martinez (9th dan), Alexis Morales (8th dan) Osvaldo Rodriguez (7th dan), Pablo Molina (7th dan) and Andy Sloane (6th dan).

The competition was divided by sex, age and ranks, which gave a total of 35 first places in the respective divisions and with two Great Champions in Kata of Karate and Kobudo. With the participation of students from Puerto Rico, the United States, Argentina, Chile, the Dominican Republic and Sweden, the winning school with the highest participation was determined by the highest number of podiums reached by each group.

KATA KARATE GRAND CHAMPION: Antonia Arevalo, Seishinkan Budo School, Chile

KATA KOBUDO GRAND CHAMPION: Diego Rodriguez, Seishinkan Budo School, Sweden.

SCHOOL WITH THE LARGEST PARTICIPATION: Seishinkan Budo School – Chile. Determined by best average performance after a triple tie between Chile, Argentina and Puerto Rico.

The quality and professionalism of the karateka was of the highest possible level for which our Association congratulates and recognizes them.
Thank you for making this event a great success and we look forward to seeing you next year.
Eduardo L Gonzalez
Pablo Molina
Founding members of APOIKK.

PODIUM PERFORMANCES:

Karate Kata Grand Champion performance – Antonia Arevalo, Seishinkan Budo School, Chile. Isshinryu Karate – Sunsu Kata (Click Here)
Kobudo Kata Grand Champion performance – Diego Rodriguez, Seishinkan Budo School, Sweden. Isshinryu Kobudo – Shishi no Kon Kata (Click Here)
Karate Kata 1st Place (3rd to 5th dan) – Diego Rodriguez, Isshinryu Karate Sunsu Kata (Click Here)
Kobudo Kata 1st Place (3rd to 5th dan) – Diego Rodriguez, Isshinryu Kobudo Urashi Bo (Click Here)

Considering the large number of Isshinryu groups around the world, the realities and challenges of each one in normal times, this initiative proved to be a powerful platform that allowed participants to be motivated to show the results of the regular training processes in each region, being able to appreciate the technical differences but above all the large number of practitioners involved with the systematic practice of Isshinryu. Undoubtedly, the challenge remains for leaders to be able to concentrate criteria, promote exchange activities that allow each group to permeate different perspectives with which the practice of martial art in the world is approached. The long-awaited summit will continue to be able to organize a worldwide event in which the number of Isshinryu groups that can exchange training, contribute to the growth and strengthening of Okinawa Karate grows.

From Chile the initiative was highly valued, and from the beginning a team willing to participate was coordinated, thus supporting an activity that was characterized by the use of communication platforms and social networks to see the realities of different practitioners around the world. Along with this, he gave extra motivation to many of the participants to prepare the best possible performance given the individual conditions due to the health situation.

Seishinkan Budo School thanks the organising team and judges for the time invested in this activity, looking forward to the second version that will allow us to continue cultivating exchange relationships worldwide.

Link of interest: courtesy of Eduardo L. Gonzalez sensei, here you can find the link to the event where more details and all the audio-visual records are still available – CLICK HERE –

2nd TERM ACTIVITIES: Foreseeable Future

With the progressive but also uncertain reopening of the borders of many countries in the European Union added to the particular situation of each region (Okinawa for example, with more than 54 days without registering contact cases and the South American continent going through the winter season with a rather diverse picture of realities) it creates a rather bumpy panorama in which it is difficult to predict at this time how the activities scheduled for the second semester will develop.

“OKINAWAN KARATE NORDIC SEMINAR, in the footsteps of Grand Master Chotoku Kyan” – Stockholm Sweden.

The organizing team is closely monitoring the situation, waiting to make a final decision as soon as possible to determine the suspension of the 2020 version of the event, which has been acquiring traditional edges for the past 2 years.

“The 1st Okinawan Karate Nordic Seminar, Sweden 2018” – Click Here

“The 2nd Okinawan Karate Nordic Seminar – Helsinki 2019” – Click Here

SEISHINKAN BUDO SCHOOL, Okinawa tour 2020.

Deferred until further notice with possibilities of being carried out in early 2020.

“OKINAWA 2018: Training Sessions & Rank Promotions” – Click Here

TOKUSHINRYU KOBUDO EUROPE, Summer Camp & Tokumura Cup 2020, Nakskov, Denmark.

Suspended by the organizing team, which until now leaves the past “2020 Winter Camp & Tokushinryu Cup” as the only camp in the organization that will bring together the European kobudokas this year.

WUIKA & TOKUSHINRYU KOBUDO EUROPE South America Tour, Concepcion, Chile 2021.

The project promoted by Diego Rodríguez and strongly supported by the WUIKA organization in Europe and South America that invites any member of Isshinryu and / or Tokushinryu to participate in the exchange and travel to the headquarters of WUIKA and Seishinkan in South America with Diego Rodríguez sensei is in the evaluation stage, considering the situations facing both continents regarding the health crisis and the final decision is expected to be made as soon as possible.

Interested parties are welcome to express their interest in being part of this experience that already has wonderful results in the first version carried out in 2018-2019.

“WUIKA & TOKUSHINRYU EUROPE South America – Chile Tour 2018-2019” Click Here

Seishinkan Budo School Europe is hoping that the entire community is healthy and strong in the face of the current health situation. Perseverance in Budo, strength and patience in the Karate & Kobudo training

1 March, 20202 July, 2020 by Diegoisshinryu

SECOND TERM ACTIVITIES 2019: Summary & Evaluation

Stockholm Sweden, November 2019.

The 2019 comes to an end and with the Isshinryu World Cup in London during July as the most relevant event worldwide (review the article here), it’s time to review the activities carried out during the second term of the year, which were aimed at strengthening the technical development of Isshinryu Karate and Tokushinryu Kobudo in the region, mobilizing multiple logistics teams that managed to carry out the training instances in Denmark, Romania and Sweden mainly.

Seishinkan Budo School invites you once more to review each one in detail below.

WORLD UNITED ISSHINRYU KARATE EUROPE – Training Week, Romania 2019

Suceava Romania, December 17 – 22, 2019

At the invitation of Alex Covasa sensei, Isshinryu Nidan, a series of trainings was carried out for a week where the technical advisory work in Isshinryu Karate & Kobudo commissioned by WUIKA in the region continues.

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The absence of seminars and massive classes that involve a great logistic deployment and investment of time, allowed to give rise to specific training oriented to improve key aspects in the practice of katas, such as postural correction, breathing management and transition of the center of gravity through different positions and more dynamic kumite exercises (Yakusoku Kumite 約束組手). Nigiri game (gripping jars), Kitae (body conditioning), Isshinryu Kihon and a large part of the katas were the central axis from which these essential concepts were developed.

ISSHINRYU KARATE – December 2019

Lucian Nastasi, Isshinryu Shodan, who currently lives in the United States and carries out an individual training process, took part in some sessions that lasted for more than two hours and that served him to review and update general technical details in his katas.

Seishinkan Budo School once again expresses the deepest gratitude for hospitality and the great enthusiasm for learning, something that is becoming more and more characteristic in Isshinryu groups in Romania and that turns out to be without doubt, one of the most important assets not only of them, but of any martial arts practitioner who wishes to grow and advance in the Do.

Domo Arigato Dozaimasu

どうもありがとうございます

Diego Rodriguez Sensei

Seishinkan Budo School

TOKUSHINRYU KOBUDO & ISSHINRYU KARATE WORKSHOP, Stockholm Sweden 2019

Stockholm Sweden, October 30 & November 02, 2019

At the invitation of the Åkersberga Karate Club, led by Juha Lagerberg sensei, an Isshinryu Karate and Tokushinryu Kobudo workshop was held in the location of Åkersberga, Stockholm Sweden during the past October and November.

The interest in these traditional arts of Okinawa, was born after the contact established during the Okinawan Karate Nordic Seminar, (In the Footsteps of Grand Master Chotoku Kyan) held in Stockholm in 2018 and Helsinki in 2019, where the author was leading the Isshinryu Karate section, awakening since then a high level of interest among the participants.

Since then the growing interest of club members, channeled through their managers, have promoted and developed very positive relationships that have resulted in projects like this, which also included an introduction to Okinawan Kobudo.

ISSHINRYU KARATE INTRODUCTION – Sweden, November 2019

沖縄徳身流古武道 OKINAWA TOKUSHINRYU KOBUDO

The first session held during October was oriented to the practice of Okinawan Kobudo. Brief introduction to the principles developed through Tokushinryu Kobudo, founded by Tokumura Kensho Sensei, was the base that allowed to practice basic techniques of Bo and Gusan (Jo or Sanchaku Bo)

The session were oriented to the development of the basic principles of the style such as the power generation and the appropriate impact through the alignment of the body segments in the different offensive and defensive techniques.

Basic sections of the Tokushin no Gusan kata were used as a base template to apply these principles, in a training session that lasted for a little over an hour and a half and whose evaluation was very positive by the students who also managed to establish relations between the Kobudo and the principles frequently used in the practice of Karate.

沖縄一心流空手 OKINAWA ISSHINRYU KARATE

Held at the beginning of November, the growing interest in Isshinryu 一心流 in Sweden and Finland has had its development from the two versions of the event called “OKINAWAN KARATE NORDIC SEMINAR, in the footsteps of Grand Master Chotoku Kyan”.

The most important elements of the Isshinryu founded by Shimabuku Tatsuo sensei (島袋龍夫 1908-1975), such as the use of Chinkuchi チンクチ, blockage techniques with the muscular part of the arms and the traditional attack of hands (Tsuki) in vertical position, have proved to be an element that captures the attention and gives a totally different perspective to the traditional way that is customary to see in the other traditional Okinawan Karate Styles.

Encouraged to experience these elements and be able to connect them with the techniques and karate stances, the two sessions were full of enthusiasm, training and questions oriented to the historical / philosophical part of one of the most contemporary Okinawan Ryūha 沖縄流派 and derived from the teachings of Kyan Chotoku sensei 喜屋武朝徳 (1870 – 1945), which provides in its bases a strong connection with the Shuri-te 首里手.

Strong ties, the growing interest to further develop the principles of Kobudo and further investigate the roots of karate through Isshinryu are undoubtedly the pillars that guarantee a relationship of mutual cooperation in the activities planned for the year 2020.

Seishinkan Budo School appreciates the trust placed by Åkersberga Karate Club, and the instructors team led by Juha Lagerberg sensei in the development of the activities mentioned above and we express our greatest enthusiasm in continuing this joint work in the future.

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WORLD UNITED ISSHINRYU KARATE EUROPE – INSTRUCTOR CAMP, Denmark 2019

Copenhagen Denmark, October 11 – 13, 2019

At 5:00 p.m. on Friday, Isshinryu instructors from different parts of Europe gathered at the WUIKA Europe Hombu dojo to officially give the kick off to the 2019 Instructors Camp in Copenhagen, Denmark. The event took place just a few days after the return from Okinawa of Lars Andersen sensei with a group of students who were training with Uechi Tsuyoshi sensei at the Isshin Ryu hombu dojo.

Isshinryu instructors from Romania, Germany, Sweden and Denmark met once again to align criteria, rectify technical protocols and especially share a weekend of training at the WUIKA honbu dojo in Europe.

Taking advantage of the official activity character that brought together many of the official WUIKA instructors in the region, the promotion to Go Dan (5th dan, Renshi go) of Andreas Mischkewitz sensei (Joshinkan Germany) who is a dedicated karate practitioner for the last 34 years and who also holds a godan in Okinawan Goju Ryu and a Sandan in Tokushinryu Kobudo.

ANDREAS MISCHKEWITZ Joshinkan Germany Go Dan Rank Promotion

The trainings were divided into general sessions, strongly oriented to the practice of the basic positions in isshinryu and the transitions to execute the basic techniques, and later in two specific sessions where stations were established in which the practitioners could receive specific technical advice within the Isshinryu Karate and Kobudo Katas.

After a total of 12 hours of training distributed in 3 days, all participants were able to get fundamental elements to continue the development of the various training programs with their students in the various dojos of the organization. With the emphasis on finding the right tools and strategies to deliver the technical program to the new generations, a systematic and consistent growth of the Isshinryu can be guaranteed to the new generations of practitioners; undoubtedly a task in which the WUIKA Shihankai (technical council) in Europe is working with a high level of commitment.

With the establishment of this instructor camp as an annual activity as a goal, the activity ended on Sunday and the instructors left for their countries of origin to implement the program and the corrections developed during the weekend.

TOKUSHINRYU EUROPE SUMMER CAMP & TOKUMURA CUP – Nakskov 2019

Nakskov Denmark, September 13 – 15, 2019

The 4th edition of the Tokumura Cup It was held on Saturday, September 14, within the framework of the 5th Tokushinryu Summer Camp organized by Tokushinryu Kobudo Nakskov Shibu and attended by kobudokas from Germany, Romania, Sweden and the host country, Denmark, who gathered in the center sports of the commune.

Aligned with the main objective of the tournament which is to appreciate the greatest number of practitioners performing as many katas as possible and thus evaluate the technical standard in the region, the tournament was divided into Kihon Cup (for Kyu ranks) and the Tokumura Cup for brown and black belts.

Mohagama, Hamahiga no Tonfa y Tokushin no Nunti Bo were the katas chosen by Diego Rodriguez, Seishinkan Budo School, Sweden, who again took first place, but not before playing a tight final with Danish Alexander Dyreborg (Tokushinryu Valby Shibu – Denmark) who presented a very clean and every time better Tokushin no Gusan.

The podium of the fourth version of the Tokumura Cup was as follows:

1st Place, Diego Rodriguez Sensei – Seishinkan Budo School – Sweden
2nd Place, Alexander Dyreborg – Tokushinryu Kobudo Valby – Denmark
3th Place, Carsten Muller – Tokushinryu Kobudo Valby – Denmark

With this result, Diego Rodriguez also becomes the second European practitioner to win the Tokushinryu Cup (celebrated in the framework of the Winter Camp) and the Tokumura Cup the same year.

TRAINING SESSIONS:

Carried out during Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday morning, they were focused on the development of Tonfa exercises (Roman Pavalatii sensei, Tokushinryu Romania), Sai and Bo, the latter being the main focus of Lars Andersen Sensei to develop the part of Kumite through progression in defense reaction exercises.

The last session held on Sunday and as usual, served for participants to practice the katas of the curriculum of choice at stations.

Seishinkan Budo School wishes to express a great gratitude and celebrates once again the impeccable management and effort on the part of the organisers Lasse & Dorthe Jensen of the Nakskov Shibu to carry out the event that allows to gather annually the practitioners of Tokushinryu Kobudo from different parts of Europe.

OKINAWA ISSHINRYU KARATE SEMINAR – Kata & Kumite

Suceava Romania, July 17 – 20, 2019

Just over a week from the IWKA World Championship in London, UK (Click here for details), the Isshinryu group led by George Craciunescu sensei was visited by Diego Rodriguez sensei with the aim of carrying out three training sessions aimed at preparing the athletes who would be part of the WUIKA Romania team that would participate in the Isshinryu Ryu karate world tournament.

Special emphasis on reviewing the details of kata athletes and providing advice on the regulations that will be used for the Kumite division were the two major topics to be developed in the 3 training days held at the facilities of the Isshinryu Karate club run by George and also attended by Alex Covasa sensei with one of his instructors.

Isshinryu Karate Kata Training Session

ISSHINRYU KOBUDO – Tokumine no Kon Kata

WUIKA EUROPE – ROMANIA 2019 TRAINING SESSION George Craciunescu – Diego Rodriguez – Alex Covasa

There was also a special training session whose objective was to review the complete kata program in Isshinryu (Karate & Kobudo) with a view to increasingly adjusting the standard of the instructors under the technical wing of WUIKA Europe, directed by Lars Andersen sensei whose I work together with the technical council

Seishinkan Budo School expresses its deep gratitude for the always outstanding hospitality and enthusiasm of Isshinryu’s dedicated students in Romania who always show a great willingness to learn. Congratulations to George Craciunescu for his constant work, which is reflected in each of his students and instructors who support the teaching work within his club.

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2020 EVENTS & PROJECTS

Some of the most relevant projects and events that are already on the agenda for this year 2020 are:

SEISHINKAN BUDO SCHOOL, 2020 Grand Opening. Stockholm Sweden.

With which it is hoped to officially start the activities of the Seishinkan hombu dojo in the city of Stockholm Sweden, it is considered an open class of Isshinryu Karate and Tokushinryu Kobudo that hopes to receive the entire community interested in Karate and Kobudo of Okinawa.

“OKINAWAN KARATE NORDIC SEMINAR, in the footsteps of Grand Master Chotoku Kyan” – First term 2020, Stockholm Sweden.

In its third version and held for the second time in the capital of Sweden, the event that has been adding enthusiasts in its two previous versions, promises to continue developing and publicizing the main styles that derived from the teachings of Kyan Chotoku sensei and This will continue the mission of expanding Okinawa Karate and Kobudo.

The logistics team of the event is already working to bring together enthusiasts around Isshinryu, Shorinji Ryu and Shorin Ryu Seibukan.

SEISHINKAN BUDO SCHOOL, Okinawa tour 2020.

In June 2020, the visit to Tokumura Kensho sensei & Uechi Tsuyoshi sensei is scheduled for a tour that promises to be full of training and the development of activities that seek to strengthen ties with the cradle of karate and the entities in charge of the development of this martial art abroad.

Members from Europe and South America will meet in the intense Okinawan summer and for a little over two weeks they will carry out the activities that are still in the planning stage.

TOKUSHINRYU KOBUDO EUROPE Winter & Summer Camp, Denmark.

Which have already become a tradition and part of the kobudokas training agenda that follow the teachings of Kensho Tokumura sensei in Europe. The logistics team of the Valby Shibu in Copenhagen, is already in coordination for the event that will take place at the end of February and that hopes to receive as usual the participants from Germany, Sweden, Romania and Denmark to also participate in the Tokumura Cup 2020.

WUIKA & TOKUSHINRYU KOBUDO EUROPE South America Tour, Chile 2021.

In the planning stage is the second version of the project promoted by Diego Rodriguez and strongly supported by the WUIKA organization in Europe and South America, which invites any member of Isshinryu and / or Tokushinryu to participate in the exchange and travel to the hombu dojo of WUIKA and Seishinkan in South America with Diego Rodriguez sensei and take part in the regular karate and Kobudo classes and seminars developed by the instructors team during that season in the dojos of Chile.

More details will be released soon and interested parties are welcome to express their interest in being part of this experience that already has wonderful results in the first version carried out in 2018-2019.

What is the project about, images, details and the story of the experience of the participants from Romania and Chile, can be found in the following link.

TOKUSHINRYU & WUIKA EUROPE South America – Chile Tour 2018-2019

Seishinkan Budo School Europe wishes all the Karate and Kobudo community the best wishes for this year 2020, wishing the development and success of all those projects that unite us in the practice of Okinawa Karate and Kobudo.

31 December, 2019 by Diegoisshinryu

IWKA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2019 – London UK

London, July 28, 2019

Being 12:00 hrs on Sunday, Michael Calandra sensei ended the Kobudo seminar, the last official activity of the event called IWKA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2019, LONDON UK (Click here for further details) that took place from July 25 to 28 at the Redbridge Sports & Leasure Center’s facilities in London, England.

The event that featured an exceptional logistic deployment of the Gosshin Isshinryu Karate organization, led by Muthusamy Ramathas sensei and closely supported by Calandra Michael sensei, who traveled from New York to receive the more than 36 clubs and schools of Isshinryu with 450 participants from 10 countries.

The event had the relevant participation of Kichiro Shimabuku Sensei, first-born son of the late founder of Isshinryu and president of the Isshinryu World Karate Association (IWKA) who traveled from Okinawa to also lead the Isshinryu seminar sessions.

ISSHINRYU KARATE & KOBUDO SEMINARS

一心流空手古武道

From noon on the 25th, the day was full of training with the different seminar sessions for children, beginners and black belts that were led by:

Kishiro Shimabuku sensei, IWKA president Hanshi 10th dan: Isshinryu Karate Basics & Kata sessions.
Michael Calandra sensei, IWKA 8th dan: Self Defence & Okinawa Kobudo sessions.

With a strong emphasis on the Isshinryu basic principles, blockages and stances, Kishiro sensei later gave way to the practice of the Seisan and Seiunchin kata, which were reviewed during the two hours of seminar with the black belts.

ISSHINRYU SEMINAR – IWKA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

SHIMABUKU KISHIRO – IWKA

ISSHINRYU KATA SEMINAR – IWKA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

SELF DEFENCE SEMINAR, by Michael Calandra sensei – IWKA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, London UK

IWKA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP HIGHLIGHTS

ISSHINRYU 2019 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

沖縄一心流国際大会

Different Isshinryu organisations, schools and clubs gathered during the 26 and 27 to contest the podium of the 14 categories of black belts sorted by gender, age and ranks for the divisions of Karate Kata, Kobudo Kata (traditional weapons) and Kumite (sparring).

The organizing committee of the event determined to give full confidence to the team of referees of the WUKF (World Union of Karate Federation) so that they could carry out the task of providing justice during the tournament. With this purpose, the event agenda considered a meeting for coaches and referees during the morning of Thursday 25 with the aim of clearing doubts, transparent regulation and joining criteria in general terms for the evaluation of competitors in kata.

Mr. Liviu Crisa, WUKF president, expressed great satisfaction of seing the organisation for the first time in europe of the Isshinryu World Championship.

“My happiness is even greater when I hear about the decision to use WUKF rules for running this championship and I am looking forward for a long and fruitful collaboration between WUKF and IWKA.

WUKF is the home of all karate-ka from all the nations that need fair and hight level competitions and an educational program that hope to make the world better”

The high score was set for the “Grand Champion” trophy dispute in the kata division, which had as its premise the exclusive use to compete of Sunsu, the main and unique kata of Isshinryu Karate.

DIEGO RODRIGUEZ – World United Isshinryu Association / Seishinkan Budo School

DONALD WASHABAUGH – Isshinryu World Karate Association

After a tight first round that had Kishiro sensei as an observer in the front row, the Chilean representative of WUIKA and Seishinkan Budo School Diego Rodriguez (1st Place Karate Kata & 1st Place Kobudo Kata, Male 30-44, 3rd – 5th dan Black Belts), tied in score with Donald Washabaugh (1st Place Kobudo & 2nd Place Karate Kata Male Masters 6th dan and up), representative of the local IWKA organisation, forcing an extra round of tiebreaker which gave the winner to the local representative for a tight difference.

Dazzling participation also had the WUIKA team that this time brought together athletes from the United States, Denmark, Chile and Romania, who together added a total of 101 medals in addition to 5 Grand Champion trophies.

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LARS ANDERSEN & MADS NØRBY – WUIKA Denmark, Kobudo Division 6th dan and up along with John Ingram Sensei

TONNI CHRISTIAN – Denmark

Karate Kata podium – Haslev Karate Skole Denmark students

LARS ANDERSEN SENSEI- WUIKA Denmark, Kobudo Division 6th dan and up

LARS ANDERSEN SENSEI – Denmark

WUIKA United States podium

LARS ANDERSEN SENSEI- WUIKA Denmark, Kobudo & Karate Kata Division 6th dan and up &

SHELBS MCLANE – WUIKA United States podium

NELLIE BRADSTED – WUIKA Denmark, Kata karate Female 30 – 44 1st & 2nd Dan and Diego Rodriguez Sensei from Chile.

GEORGE CRACIUNESCU student’s podium – WUIKA Romania & Diego Rodriguez sensei from Chile.

DIEGO RODRIGUEZ SENSEI – WUIKA CHILE Kobudo Kata Male 30 – 44 3rd – 5th Dan

WORLD UNITED ISSHINRYU KARATE ASSOCIATION: One Team, One Hearth

Four countries, two continents, three Isshinryu organizations and eight Isshinryu clubs / schools met for the first time in history to bring the WUIKA team to life, attend a Isshinryu World Championship and achieve historic results with a podium presence in virtually all divisions of the event, including Kumite, Karate Kata and Kobudo Kata.

An association that stands out for the search of the technical aspects of Isshinryu that unites its members, the regional directors seek to create instances that benefit the growth of all members of the association, who come from different schools, clubs and organizations of Isshinryu, by what this world championship presented as a magnificent opportunity to share with all the members who traveled to form the team that was inscribed in history.

WORLD UNITED ISSHINRYU KARATE ASSOCIATION

In this regard, Osvaldo Rodriguez sensei (Isshinryu Karate 7th dan, Seishinkan Budo School & WUIKA South American director), comments: “The initiative to bring WUIKA together in London was something positive and I really regret that we could not have been more people integrating the team and supporting the participation of South America. I think the first approach of USA / Europe and South America was a big step”.

We mentioned that Rodriguez sensei could not be present in London being on the eve of a new trip to Okinawa to visit Uechi Tsuyoshi & Tokumura Kensho sensei.

On the other hand, John Ingram sensei (Isshinryu Karate 9th dan, Ingram´s Okinawan Karate & WUIKA director United States) who traveled with 19 athletes comments “I was extremely impressed and proud to see how our membership from around the globe pulled together. Personally I have never seen anything so impressive in my nearly 50 years in Isshinryu “, referring again to the group consisting of clubs and schools from 4 different countries, whom he could also see in action on the front line when being appointed within the team of referees of the event, being in charge some of the categories of Kumite (sparring) and kata.

Lars Andersen sensei (Isshinryu Karate 7th dan, Joshinkan & WUIKA Europe director) was also very impressed by the number of schools and instructors working together as a team, however “it must have been a lot more dojos. Denmark had 3 dojos represented. I was proud to see how well the dojos worked together. This was the first time that a lot of instructors and students met and I think that a lot of friendships were made”.

LARS ANDERSEN SENSEI – WUIKA Europe

JOHN INGRAM SENSEI – WUIKA United States

OSVALDO RODRIGUEZ SENSEI – WUIKA Sudamerica

In conversation with the three regional directors, they were also asked for their opinion regarding the technical level appreciated in the WUIKA team during the championship in London and what are the projections regarding upcoming calendar activities. These were their comments.

JOHN INGRAM SENSEI – WUIKA United States

“I was very pleased with the level of kata and kumite of ALL WUIKA clubs. I believe as an association we hold a high standard and that was evident at the IWKA championships. I am very proud of the work my partner Lars Andersen Sensei has done in Europe. He has developed a very strong base and implemented a consistent curriculum. Our partner in South America, Osvaldo Rodriguez Sensei has a very strong group as well. His Seishinkan representative in London, Diego Sensei confirmed that!

Several of the Isshinryu dojo’s in Europe only compete in full contact kumite. Some of them are interested in the semi contact kumite under WUKF rules. My plan is to video some drills that will aid them. I think if we continue to all work as a group each sharing our strong points we will be raised to a higher level.

The only event scheduled now is our Gasshuku in Florida oct 24-27. In the future, Lars Sensei asked me to possibly plan our 2020 WUIKA / Tokushinryu gasshaku for Florida close to the date for IHOF (Isshinryu Hall of Fame). That way those from out of the USA could include a trip to Tennessee. We are only an hour and a half from Disney, Kennedy space etc. Lars Sensei also wants to plan a trip for me to come teach in Denmark within the next couple of years. All of our kata are very close. I would like to share some of the small differences in what Mitchum Sensei taught. I believe some of the small differences are due to the fact that Mitchum Sensei also trained in Shorin with Kinjo Chinsaku who was Master Shimabuku’s best Okinawa student”

LARS ANDERSEN SENSEI – WUIKA Europe

“Regarding the level shown by the athletes who made up the WUIKA team, I must say that I was impressed by the standard, but we need to work more on posture, timing and Hiki Ashi.

The WUIKA directors in the US and Europe have decided that we will fully support the IWKA World Championships, so I hope to that WUIKA members will support the next World Championships in India. For future events I hope to set up a black belt training camp in Denmark in November 2019.

OSVALDO RODRIGUEZ SENSEI – WUIKA Sudamerica

“I was following closely the details of the event through social networks and especially through Diego, who traveled to represent us. In what I could appreciate and based on what I know of the various Isshinryu groups, I have no doubt that the level of WUIKA was among the best of the event and that working together all this will become noticeably powerful in the future.

I believe that bringing together people from the USA, Europe and South America to work on the weaknesses and strengths of each group will be a great wealth for all our students and future generations of Isshinryu. I certainly believe that the Kumite is the weak part in relation to the regulation and I think WUIKA should aim high on this. The WKF regulation or the closest to it should be working north”.

There is no doubt that Isshinryu, despite being an Okinawa-born style with deep roots in its principles and values to this day, had a massive growth around the world, mainly the United States due to the large number of marines stationed in the island by the historical process by all very well known. The rest of the world followed to this process and as a result thousands of practitioners follow the “One heart style“一心流 in some way.

For this reason, as a result of a worldwide effort to unite Isshinryu students, an organisation was born that serves as a platform for serious practitioners to train under regional directors in different parts of the world, stimulating a sense of belonging and a deep respect for to the different roots of its practitioners. These joint efforts and a look towards a shared vision result in moments like those experienced during the last Isshinryu World Tournament in London.

Finally, WUIKA, Seishinkan Budo School and the writer wish to express their deepest thanks and highlight the tremendous team work deployed by M. Ramathas sensei and Goshinkan Isshinryu in London.

We also express our gratitude to the support of Michael Calandra sensei, who traveled from the United States to attend the process and also, to accompany Kishiro Shimabuku sensei closely.

And last but not least, Kichiro Shimabuku sensei himself, who at 80 years of age maintains the vitality and energy of the Okinawan people, which allows him to provide the possibility for his students and Isshinryu enthusiasts to practice at his side and enjoy his teachings.

Mention and special thanks to John Ingram sensei, Osvaldo Rodriguez sensei and Lars Andersen sensei, regional directors of WUIKA, for agreeing to deliver some words regarding the event and future plans of the organization.

Domo Arigato Gozaimasu

DIEGO RODRIGUEZ INZUNZA

Seishinkan Budo School Europe

Traditional Isshinryu Karate

Go Dan

29 July, 20195 August, 2019 by Diegoisshinryu

FIRST TERM ACTIVITIES 2019: Summary & Evaluation

Stockholm Sweden, July 2019.

After the success of the WUIKA & TOKUSHINRYU EUROPE SOUTH AMERICA TOUR (Review the article here), during December 2018 and January 2019 that had two WUIKA Romania students visiting several dojos taking part in a busy schedule in Chile, several activities took place during the first period of 2019 that mobilised the directors of WUIKA and Seishinkan in Europe and South America.

The exchange of students, seminars, tournaments and master classes are some of the most relevant activities that have been developed during the first period of 2019, leaving projects and tasks to continue and unforgettable postcards for those who were involved in each of them.

We invite you to review each of them in detail below.

TOKUSHINRYU KOBUDO 2019 WINTER GASHUKU & TOKUSHINRYU CUP

沖縄徳身流古武道

March 1 – 3, Copenhagen Denmark, 2019

March 2019 and Tokushinryu Valby Shibu’s logistical team dressed up to organize splendidly once more the Winter Gashuku & Tokushinryu Cup, the first of two annual events that gather all the Tokushinryu Europe practitioners in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Unlike the previous versions, this year the Tokushinryu Cup took place on Saturday morning due to the visit of the vice president and representative of the WUKF (World Union of Karate do Federations) in Denmark, Søren Helsted, who attended the event as an observer in the framework of the standardization of the category of Kobudo for the next United Karate of Denmark (UKD) National Championship during April and that will have as a novelty the debut of the Kobudo as division of competition.

Mr. Helsted, who is in constant communication with Lars Andersen sensei, was very satisfied and expectant of the results that inclusion will have for the first time in the history of Kobudo as official category in a Danish National Championship.

The champion of the 2019 version was again Diego Rodriguez (Tokushinryu Sweden) followed by Sven Mischke and Adreas Mischke, members of Tokushinryu Kobudo Germany, who completed the podium of the 2019 Tokushinryu Cup in its latest version under the format of “free choice of weapons”, due to the modification that forces the black belts to present more advanced katas / weapons in the first round.

According to Lars Andersen Sensei (Tokushinryu Kobudo Europe Director) the new format, that will be implemented immediately this 2019 (Tokumura Cup, in the framework of Nakskov’s Summer Gasshuku in September), aims to support the ultimate goal of the tournament, which is to be able to appreciate a wide and varied repertoire of kata/weapons and levels through the participants in the event that come from the different Tokushinryu groups in Europe. We can also anticipate the “technical isolation” that occurs when not having the possibility of interacting frequently among the various groups in Europe, which also have different karate and kobudo backgrounds.

The seminars were focused on strengthening the use of the Gusan, through the practice and correction of the Kata, in addition to the study of some Bunkai, emphasising as usual, the correct alignment of the segments and application of force in each movement.

CLICK BELOW TO CHECK THE AUDIO VISUAL RECORDS

2019 TOKUSHINRYU CUP

Once again the Seishinkan Budo School greatly appreciates the organisational deployment by the Tokushinryu Valby School to successfully carry out this new version of the Winter Camp and the 2019 Tokushinryu cup.

HEINZ TESSNER – Tokushinryu Kobudo Germany

DIEGO RODRIGUEZ & MARTIN KAISER – Tokushinryu Kobudo Valby, Copenhagen Denmark

PELLE FRIDELL – Tokushinryu Kobudo Denmark

THE 2nd OKINAWAN KARATE NORDIC SEMINAR

沖縄空手古武道

April 6 – 7, Helsinki Finland, 2019.

After the success in the first incursion of this event in 2018 in Stockholm Sweden, the logistics team of the Okinawan Karate Nordic Seminar moved again to give the initial kick to the second version, this time in Helsinki, Finland, hosted by the representatives of Seibukan Shorin Ryu 聖武館少林流 in the region.

The project’s main objective is to revalue the roots of Okinawan Karate through the practice and revision of the main styles that derived from the teachings of the outstanding Shuri Te master, Chotoku Kyan 喜屋武朝徳 (1970 – 1945) . Isshinryu 一心流 by Tatsuo Shimabuku 島袋龍夫(1908-1975), Seibukan Shorin Ryu 聖武館少林流 by Zenryo Shimabukuro 島袋善良(1908-1969) and Shorinji Ryu 少林寺流 by Joen Nakazato (1922-2010) are the karate styles that the participants have the possibility to experience and together, discover those principles and techniques that share the same roots.

With a greater framework of attendance compared to the 2018 version, the event was highlighted by the concurrence of practitioners of different styles such as Shotokan, Shito Ryu, Kyokushin, Shorin Ryu Seibukan, Shorinji Ryu, Isshinryu and Koryu Uchinadi among some others, who enjoyed of practical sessions aimed at highlighting what connects over what differentiates each one, creating an exclusive atmosphere of growth and collaboration.

The instructors responsible for conducting the training sessions during the Okinawan Karate Nordic Seminar are:

Mr. Robert Iversen, Okinawa Shorinji Ryu, 7th dan. Sweden
- http://www.shorinjiryu.eu
Mr. Kim Mitrunen, Okinawa Shorin Ryu Seibukan, 5th dan. Finland
- https://fssk.org/
Mr. Diego Rodriguez, Okinawa Isshinryu Karate & Kobudo, 5th dan. Sweden (Chile)
- http://www.diegoisshinryuseishinkan.com
- http://www.seishinkanbudo.org

DIEGO RODRIGUEZ SENSEI – Okinawa Isshinryu Karate & Kobudo

ROBERT IVERSEN SENSEI – Okinawa Shorinji Ryu

KIM MITRUNEN SENSEI – Okinawa Shorin Ryu Seibukan

In addition to the 2020 version of the Okinawan Karate Nordic seminar, there are some other related projects that link the event directly with Okinawa and the current representatives of styles on the island, which is why talks are currently being held with the Okinawa Ken 沖縄県 y el Okinawa Karate Kaikan 沖縄空手会館 in order to involve the direct source from where this projects is born: Okinawa.

If you want to review the 2018 and 2019 Okinawa Karate Nordic Seminar: In the footsteps of grand master Chotoku Kyan, we invite you to click the links below.

THE OKINAWA KARATE NORDIC SEMINAR 2018 – Stockholm Sweden

THE OKINAWA KARATE NORSIC SEMINAR 2019 – Helsinki Finland

DANISH NATIONAL KARATE & KOBUDO CHAMPIONSHIPS

沖縄空手古武道

April 27, Virum Denmark, 2019.

In the residential town of Virum, 15 km north of the center of Copenhagen, a new version of the United Karate of Denmark (UKD) National Championship took place. This organization, which works in parallel to the officially recognized by the Danish Olympic Committee, the Dansk Karate Forbound (Dkarf), is the one that brings together all the organisations that represent the traditional and general contact karate in Denmark, thus conformed the “2nd team” that represents the country at international level.

Affiliated with the World Union of Karate of the Federation (WUKF), the organisation of this national championship had as main objective to determine the representatives in each division for the 11th European Championship 2019 (Click here for further information), to be held in the town of Odense, Denmark between October 24 and 27, 2019 .

Being an event with tradition, in this opportunity it stands out as the first time in its history that the division of Kobudo古武道would take place, which had massive participation of athletes from the country that took part in the two categories in which the series was distributed: Long and Short Weapons.

DANISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 2019

Click Here to Review the Karate & Kobudo Kata performance during the Danish National Championship

Diego Rodriguez Sensei was part of the Haslev Isshinryu Karate Skole team directed by Martin Frederiksen sensei and Nelly Bradsted, taking part in two categories: Kata Karate, where he got the 3rd place, and Kobudo (Advanced Long and Short Weapons) where he got the first place in both divisions. In this way, in addition to getting the qualification for the next European Championship, Diego Sensei took part in the history of the Danish Kobudo when participating in the first event where this discipline took place.

Yhara Rodriguez, student of Isshinryu Seishinkan Chile, who was on tour in Denmark, also took part in the event in the Kata Karate category, also getting the first position on the podium.

Diego Rodriguez – Advanced Kobudo Short Weapon 1st Place

Diego Rodriguez – Isshinryu Seisan Kata

Yhara Rodriguez – Empty Hand Kata 1st Place

Seishinkan Budo School would like to thank the support and kindness of the Haslev Isshinryu Karate School for including Yhara and Diego sensei in the team that competed in the event, contributing in this way to the representation work of Isshinryu and Tokushinryu Kobudo that all the athletes developed in a splendid way.

HASLEV KARATE SKOLE – SPECIAL TRAINING & KATA SEMINAR

沖縄一心流空手古武道

May 4 – 5, Haslev Denmark, 2019.

A week after the UKD Danish National Championship, took place the initiative promoted by the WUIKA managers in Denmark and organised in a splendid manner by the Haslev Karate School directors Nellie Bradsted and Martin Frederiksen sensei. The objective is to carry out a kata clinic and special training sessions for the children and youngters in the club, with the idea of delivering a different perspective to address the training of these age groups, in addition to delivering some training techniques for competition kata.

On this occasion, Diego Rodriguez Sensei was invited to lead the activity, complementing those already carried out during the previous week with Yhara Rodriguez, who was visiting Denmark for almost a month, during which she took part in the regular karate classes at school.

Recreational karate and introduction to Kobudo were part of the initial sessions, which then gave way to more specific training techniques to develop the competition kata. The activity also served as an adjustment for the Isshinryu representatives who will be traveling to the World Championship of the specific style to be held in London England, next July (IWKA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2019 LONDON – UK)

The activity is also part of the joint efforts that are being made worldwide among all the WUIKA (World United Isshinryu Karate Association) directors and organisations in Europe, South America, the United States and Okinawa to promote and support activities that favor the exchange of students to different continents, thus enhancing the cultural and martial art growth of its members.

Finally, the last details were fine-tuned for the visit of Cecilie Bradsted Pedersen, student of Isshinryu in Denmark, who will be visiting the Hombu Dojo of Seishinkan in Chile during the next June and July.

Thanks to Nellie Brasdted and her entire logistics team for the wonderful activity that took place over the weekend.

SHINGO RYU CUP – Næstved Denmark

May 05, Næstved Denmark 2019.

Without the participation of the Isshinryu schools in Romania, who have been preparing for the specific world championship of the style to be held in London during July of this year, a new version of the already traditional Shingo Ryu Cup (Click here for further details) was carried out in Næstved, Denmark. The massive absence of Isshinryu practitioners, however, did not mean leaving without international representatives of the style that took part in the event, due Yhara Rodriguez, student of Seishinkan Chile, became champion of the advanced female category of kata.

Haslev Karate Skole (Click here for further details) was kind enough to host Yhara for a month, which aimed to develop an exchange in the cultural and training field in Isshinryu Karate一心流空手(throught the training sessions with Lars Andersen sensei, Martin Frederiksen sensei and Diego Rodriguez sensei), continuing in this way with the mega project of exchanges between Europe and South America that some students of Isshinryu and Tokushinryu in Romania have already been part of during the last December 2018 / January 2019 in Chile (Click here for further details)

After several rounds Yhara Rodriguez won a Goju Ryu 剛柔流 IOGKF and Isshinryu student who finished second and third respectively. This result is already added to those obtained during the previous two years that have had a representative of Isshinryu and Seishinkan in Europe (Diego Rodriguez Sensei, Shingo Ryu Cup 2017 and Shingo Ryu Cup 2018) crowned champion in the most advanced divisions of kata.

SHINGO RYU CUP 2019

Seishinkan Budo School and WUIKA Europe were very proud of the performance and sent their greetings to Yhara for the commendable results and role as representative in the event.

Deep thanks to the organizing committee of the Shingo Ryu Cup who, as usual, carried out an event organised in a splendid way.

EUROPE – SOUTH AMERICA EXCHANGE PROGRAM

Denmark – Chile 2019

Stockholm Sweden, May – June 2019

One of the projects that motivates the daily work of Diego Sensei is to establish, promote and support ties and exchange activities among the members of Seishinkan Budo School in Chile with schools and organizations in Europe, as has been the case in the past tour that made the members of WUIKA Europe in Romania, George Craciunescu & Alex Covasa, who were from mid-December 2018 until the middle of January 2019 enjoying an agenda full of cultural activities and related to the practice of martial arts in cities and dojos of Isshinryu and Tokushinryu in Chile.

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At the beginning of 2019, the Isshinryu student in Haslev Karate Skole (Click here), Cecilie Bradsted, decided to join her personal project of cultural exchange with the initiative promoted by Diego Sensei when trying to coordinate in just a couple of months, a visit to the WUIKA Hombu dojo in South America (Seishinkan Budo) in Chile. The efforts resulted in an initiative that would have a student from Chile visiting Denmark and then Cecilie visiting Chile for about a month.

Yhara Rodriguez, Isshinryu student, Shodan and recently qualified as a nurse, was the one who decided to take part in the project and on May 18, she started her tour to Europe with a brief stop in Sweden to finish later in Haslev Denmark until May 20. Since then, an exquisitely prepared schedule has been developed that includes training at the WUIKA Hombu Dojo in Europe, supporting children’s classes in Haslev Karate Skole, participation in the Shingo Ryu Cup and the Danish National Championship 2019 and off course, a lot of cultural activities related with the amazing country of Denmark.

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Later, and only three weeks after Yhara’s return to Chile, on June 10, Cecilie would be the one who would undertake the trip to continue with this project, this time in Concepcion, Chile.

The agenda of activities includes taking part in the regular training of Isshinryu in the Hombu Dojo of WUIKA in South America, seminar of Tokushinryu Kobudo, visits to the dojos in the region and various activities related to Chile, its cultural legacy and with Concepcion, the recognised Second Capital of the country and student city per excellence, due to the large number of Universities and Institutes that can be found in it.

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Diego Rodriguez Sensei and Seishinkan Budo School, hope that Yhara and Cecilie will continue enjoying the rest of the tour and wish a happy return for Cecilie to Denmark. We thank both of you for the confidence placed in focusing your energies and invest your resources, joining efforts to carry this adventure together and write one more page of this ambitious project that hopes as always to continue inspiring new practitioners to embark on this journey of growth and to cross the world in search of new experiences that have as a central axis the practice of Karate Do.

CHILE – DENMARK Exchange. Interview & article by EL SUR newspaper, Concepcion Chile 2019

SPORTS COVER EDITION, “EL SUR” Newspaper. Concepcion Chile, July 5t, 2019

EL SUR, main newspaper of southern Chile
Article and interview to the participants of the exchange between Chile and Denmark

For those interested in Europe and South America, the exchange program project promoted by Diego Rodriguez Sensei and supported by the WUIKA & Tokushinryu Kobudo organisations in Europe and South America through its board members, is fully operational and in the stage of receiving interested parties to give step to the planning stage, which includes the delivery of details and approximate dates to be carried out.

Enthusiasm to contribute to the personal and collective growth and to inspire the current and future generations of Isshinryu & Tokushinryu practitioners in the world, are the main conditions that must be met by those who wish to be part of this project, who from now on are cordially invited to contact us for more information.

With the sincere desire to help, I remain attentive to any concern regarding this or other related projects.

Sincerely yours

DIEGO RODRIGUEZ INZUNZA

Seishinkan Budo School Europe

Stockholm – Sweden 2019

2 July, 201915 September, 2019 by Diegoisshinryu

IWKA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – LONDON UK 2019

London, England 2019.

Between July 25 and 28, 2019, the IWKA 2019 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP will take place for the first time in Europe in the city of London, England. The event is hosted by the Seishinkan Martial Arts USA (Michael Calandra sensei, Isshinryu 8th dan, direct student of Kishiro Shimabuku sensei) and Gosshin Isshinryu Karate London UK (R. Ramathas Sensei, Isshinryu 5th dan, IWKA director in the UK), and will have the presence and support of the president of the IWKA (Isshinryu World Karate Association) Master Kishiro Shimabuku, who will also be teaching technical seminars of Isshinryu with Calandra sensei.

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The event, which is open to all Isshinryu groups in the world, will have participants from all over Europe, the United States and South America, who will take part in the empty hand Kata, Kobudo kata and Kumite divisions. Referee seminars will also hosted by Essam Shereif, Vice President of the WUKF (World Union of Karate-do Federation), who was present at the last WUKF World Championship in Bratislava.

Diego Rodriguez sensei will attend the event as a representative of Seishinkan Budo School South America and will be part of the WUIKA team (World United Isshinryu Karate Association) that in this opportunity gathers representatives from organizations in the United States (led by John Ingram Sensei) and Europe (led by Lars Andersen Sensei) and South America (led by Osvaldo Rodriguez Sensei). This will also be the first event to which WUIKA presents itself as a team, complementing in this way the work that has been developed over the last few years with the aim of serving as a platform for all serious Isshinryu practitioners (regardless of what organisation it comes from) to train under the aegis of regional directors around the globe.

The WUIKA team will assembled in this opportunity of Isshinryu students from the United States, Chile, Romania, Sweden and Denmark belonging to the different schools that make up the World United Isshinryu Association.

Seishinkan Budo School Europe already wishes all the participants the best of success in the event and that it also results in a magnificent opportunity for meeting and training for all the Isshinryu practitioners in the world.

Isshin Ryu, The one-hearted way.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

Event Host: Goshin Isshinryu Karate

Event Application: 2019 IWKA World Championship

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ISSHINRYU KARATE & KOBUDO

2019 IWKA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – LONDON UK

1 June, 20194 August, 2019 by Diegoisshinryu

2nd OKINAWA KARATE & KOBUDO NORDIC SEMINAR, FINLAND 2019

Helsinki, Finland – November 2018

Next April 6th and 7th, 2019, will take place in Helsinki, Finland, the event called “2nd OKINAWA KARATE & KOBUDO NORDIC SEMINAR, FINLAND 2019, IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF GRAND MASTER CHOTOKU KYAN”

(Click Here for Further Info)

THE 2nd OKINAWAN KARATE NORDIC SEMINAR, HELSINKI FINLAND 2019 OFFICIAL

CHOTOKU KYAN SENSEI (喜屋武朝徳) 1870 – 1945

The Okinawan Karate & Kobudo Nordic Seminar, is an event that takes place in the region of Scandinavia and seeks to gather annually all lovers and interested in the Okinawan martial arts to embark them on a journey of discovery through the main derived styles of the teachings and developed by the most outstanding students of the legendary karate master, Dai sensei Chotoku Kyan.

Become legends and great references in their own right, Shimabuku Tatsuo 島袋龍夫 sensei ( (1908-1975), founder of Isshinryu 一心流, Shimabukuro Zenryo 島袋善良 sensei (1908-1969) founder of Shorin Ryu Seibukan and Joen Nakazato sensei (1922-2010) of Shorinji Ryu were responsible for leading the continuity of the teachings of Kyan Sensei, who was characterized by being a person of very low profile, despite being a highly educated and executor of a powerful martial art.

SHIMABUKURO ZENRYO (島袋善良) SENSEI – OKINAWA SHORIN RYU SEIBUKAN KARATE

Tatsuo Shimabuku 島袋龍夫(1908-1975)

JOEN NAKAZATO SENSEI – OKINAWA SHORINJI RYU KARATE

The year 2018 was the school of Robert Iversen sensei in Stockholm, Sweden, responsible for carrying out the first version of this event (Click here for review of the article), resulting in a massive success. Helsinki, Finland will be the country that will host this second version whose logistics will be coordinated in this opportunity by the school led by Mitrunen Kim sensei, Seibukan Shorin Ryu (Click here for the contact info).

TOP LINE: Zensi Shimabuku – Isamu Tamotsu – Joen Nakazato BOTTOM LINE: Shinsuke Kaneshima – Tatsuo Shimabuku (島袋龍夫 ) – Zenryo Shimabukuro (島袋善良) – Nakama Chozo (名嘉真朝増 )

1st OKINAWAN KARATE NORDIC SEMINAR, STOCKHOLM SWEDEN 2018

The instructors in charge of guiding this adventure are:

Mr. Robert Iversen, Okinawa Shorinji Ryu Sweden, Kyoshi 7 Dan, direct student of Joen Nakazato
- http://www.shorinjiryu.eu
- https://www.facebook.com/okinawashorinjiryu
Kim Mitrunen Sensei, Okinawa Shorin Ryu Seibukan Finland, 5th dan Renshi Go direct student of Jamal Measara and Zenpo Shimabukuro
- https://fssk.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/ShorinRyuSeibukanFinland
Diego Rodriguez Sensei, Okinawa Isshinryu Seishinkan Sweden, 5th dan Renshi Go, student of Uechi Tsuyoshi Sensei and Osvaldo Rodriguez Sensei.
- http://www.diegoisshinryuseishinkan.com
- https://facebook.com/seishinkanbudo/
  
  DIEGO RODRIGUEZ SENSEI – Okinawa Isshinryu Karate & Kobudo
  
  ROBERT IVERSEN SENSEI – Okinawa Shorinji Ryu
  
  KIM MITRUNEN SENSEI – Okinawa Shorin Ryu Seibukan

The activity is an open seminar, so we strongly recommend taking this opportunity to delve into the roots of karate to all practitioners, regardless of style. The minimum age for the participants is 15 and minimum rank is 6th Kyu (3th in some systems).

Registration, payment, accommodation and contact with the organization, can be obtained in the following link.

2nd OKNAWAN KARATE & KOBUDO NORDIC SEMINAR – HELSINKI FINLAND 2019

GRAND MASTER CHOTOKU KYAN

喜屋武朝徳 1970-1945

Kyan Chōtoku 喜屋武朝徳 (1870 – 1945)

KYAN SENSEI MONUMENT

Kyan Chōtoku 喜屋武朝徳 (1870 – 1945)

Chotoku Kyan 喜屋武朝徳 is one of the most popular names in various historical sources related to Okinawan Karate, both in its origin, development and the significant influence it had on the styles that were founded later on from its teachings.

Born in the year 1970, in the city of Shuri 首里, Okinawa, Kyan sensei stands out for being a tremendously cultured man, with knowledge of Chinese and Japanese literature, the undoubted legacy of his father, Chofli Kyan, a man also tremendously cultured and well educated who served as an officer of King Shotai, the last to reign over the until then known as Ryukyu Kingdom 琉球諸島.

Various historical sources describe Kyan sensei as a man of slim build and with repeated health problems, making him look more like a scholar man than a karate teacher. It is presumed that he could also have presented problems in sight, which would explain his nickname “Chanmī-gwā” or “little squinty-eyed”.

Between the years 1882 and 1886, he travels with his father to Tokyo in various embassies of the king, to continue with his training and studied at the same time, Chinese classics at the school known today as Nishogakusha University.

Back in Okinawa, in 1890, Chofli Kyan realized the potential of his son, now 20 years old, to become a fighter and aware that he could no longer provide the severe training that he required, to take advantage of his privileged power in the court, to take it to Sokon Matsumura 松村宗棍, the King’s main instructor. From the year 1892, Chotoku Kyan had the opportunity to train with all the most outstanding karate instructors in Okinawa, arriving at a solid base in the Shuri Te.

KOSAKU MATSUMORA (松茂良興作) 1829 - 1898 — KOSAKU MATSUMORA (松茂良興作) 1829 – 1898

Some of the most prominent ones were Matsumora Kosaku 松茂良興作 (The legendary folk hero for having snatched the sword from a satsuma clan samurai with just a towel, losing a thumb in the attempt – Original History by Shoshin Nagamine sensei), with whom practice the Tomari Te and learns the kata Chinto and Oyodomari Kokan sensei, Tomari Te, from whom he learns the Passai Kata. In 1910, he travelled to a Yaeyama Island to learn Tokumine No Kun, but upon arriving on the island Kyan found that Tokumine, who had been exiled to the island for fighting the police with his Bo, had died. The landlord where Tokumine had lived offered to teach at the now famous Chotoku Kyan, the Bo kata of Tokumine. In the year 1922, he learns the Kusanku kata from a man named Yara.

JOEN NAKAZATO (first to the left) & GRAND MASTER CHOTOKU KYAN IN A PRE-WAR PICTURE AFTER TRAINING

Some of the students of Master Kyan were Arakaki Ankichi, Shimabuku Taro, Shimabuku Tatsuo (founder of Isshin Ryu), Shimabukuro Zenryo (remained a constant student until the death of Kyan and founder of Shorin Ryu) and Nakazato Joen (founder of Shorinji Ryu).

Kyan Sensei was one of the survivors of the battle of Okinawa in 1945 but died of starvation for delivering his food to children who needed more than him. This story is tremendously known for human courage in such hard times that they took Master Kyan to be known as “The Saint” and his grave is visited frequently to know his legend.

THE 2nd OKINAWAN KARATE & KOBUDO NORDIC SEMINAR

Helsinki, Finland – April 2019

30 November, 201825 February, 2019 by Diegoisshinryu

OKINAWA 2018: Training Sessions & Rank Promotions

Okinawa, August 2018.

In the framework of the tour to Okinawa of the Seishinkan team, who carried out a tight schedule that ran from July 28 to August 23 and that included several activities among which the participation representing Chile in the “1st Okinawa Karate International Tournament” (Click here for further details) stands out, Karate and Kobudo seminars, visits to Tsuyoshi Uechi and Tokumura Kensho sensei and multiple trainings at Budokan and other places of historical relevance for Okinawan Karate.

OKINAWA, AUGUST 2018 – Prefectural Budokan Arena

OKINAWA BUDOKAN – WUIKA South America – August 2018

OKINAWA BUDOKAN – August 2018

OKINAWA, AUGUST 2018 – SEISHINKAN BUDO SCHOOL. Alfonso Lavanchy (Seishinkan Santiago de Chile), Fernando Smith (Hombu Dojo), Diego Rodriguez Sensei (Seishinkan Europe), Osvaldo Rodriguez Sensei (Seishinkan Hombu Dojo) Mauricio Lopez (Seishinkan Terraustral Montessory School), Joaquin Alvares (Hombu Dojo)

MATSUYAMA KOEN – Diego Rodriguez Sensei, Okinawa August 2018

MATSUYAMA KOEN – Seishinkan Team, August 2018

MATSUYAMA KOEN TRAINING – Okinawa, August 2018

OKINAWA PREFECTURAL BUDOKAN ARENA – August 2018

Some of the places chosen by the team led by Osvaldo Rodriguez sensei were the Okinawa Prefectural Hall of Martial Arts (Budokan) Arena and the historic Matsuyama Koen (Matsuyama Park), both located in Naha, the island’s capital. The latter is known worldwide for a place of tremendous historical relevance for Karate, because it is said to be the exact place in Okinawa where it was born, around the 19th century, what was known at the time as “Tudi” (唐手) or “Chinese Hand” (唐 character once used by the Japanese and Uchinanchu / Ryukyuans to refer to the Chinese and later replaced by “空” to, among other things, achieve that karate was accepted in good way in mainland Japan after the deep anti-Chinese feeling that reigned at the time).

Trainings during visits to Kensho Tokumura sensei and Tsuyoshi Uechi sensei were completed and enriched a busy schedule of growth and future projects to help the growth of Okinawan Karate and Kobudo.

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OKINAWA 2018: RANK PROMOTIONS

Mauricio Lopez (Seishinkan Terraustral Montessory School), Alfonso Lavanchy (Seishinkan representative in Santiago, Chile) y Joaquin Alvares (Hombu Dojo, Chile), Seishinkan South America Students, were promoted to 1st dan in Tokushinryu Kobudo by Tokumura Kensho sensei, after a very concentrated training process that began in 2017 with the official incorporation of Seishinkan as representatives of Tokushinryu Kobudo in South America and the first official visit to the Hombu Dojo in Okinawa.

In this opportunity, after several training sessions, our students were subjected to the exquisite and very critical eye of Tokumura Sensei who gave the great responsibility to these students, who now officially continue to enrich their path in budo through the practice of Tokushinryu Kobudo.

TOKUMURA SENSEI – Okinawa 2017

TOKUMURA SENSEI – Chatanyara no Sai, Okinawa 2018

TOKUMURA SENSEI & Joaquin Alvares, back in Okinawa 2017

TOKUMURA SENSEI & Seishinkan Group, Okinawa 2017

TOKUMURA SENSEI & Osvaldo Sensei – Hamahiga no Tonfa, Okinawa, 2017

TOKUMURA SENSEI – Tokushin no Eku, Okinawa 2018

Diego Rodriguez sensei (Seishinkan / WUIKA Europe), who after graduating of Yon dan in 2013 at the hombu dojo, officially started the last stage of an explosive growth process both in the personal area, moving to live in northern Europe, professional area, through of the development of his career as a Physical Education Teacher abroad, as well as at the organizational level, assuming the official role of representation in Europe of the Seishinkan organization.

As a result of these efforts, relevant international cooperation projects have come to light mainly among the organizations Tokushinryu Kobudo & WUIKA Europe (World United Isshinryu Karate Association) led by Lars Andersen Sensei and Osvaldo Rodriguez Sensei, president of Seishinkan and representative of these organizations in South America. From 2014 to date, he has participated in several international events, giving seminars and competing in tournaments with the sole objective of showing, massifying and supporting the growth of Isshinryu and all its members in the region.

On his last trip to Okinawa in August of this year and having finished his participation in the “1st Okinawa Karate International Tournament” (Click here for further details), he took part in the Isshinryu training series with Uechi Tsuyoshi sensei and Osvaldo sensei at the Okinawa Prefectural Hall of Martial Arts (Budokan) Arena. After intense and long sessions held on consecutive days, Diego sensei is a graduate of 5th dan, Renshi Go, in Okinawa Isshinryu Karate, closing with this a very significant stage, full of growth and starting a new one with perspectives and challenges for our organization at the international level.

Go Dan – Renshi Go Rank Promotion

Renshi Go – Rank Promotion, Okinawa 2018

Okinawa Prefectural Budokan – Seishinkan 2018

With these rank promotions, we conclude a very demanding tour in every sense, plenty of growth and deeply significant for all those who were part and could share, train and experience one of the most particular cultures in the world that also has one of its greatest cultural assets , the Okinawan Karate.

MATSUYAMA KOEN – Naha, Okinawa 2018

During the nearly 31 years of existence of Seishinkan Budo School, this is characterized by the constant search and development of deep sense and practical applications to what develops day by day in our dojos. Understanding the origin, therefore, of those arts practiced more than 700 years ago is a relevant part of the integral training delivered by our organization to all our students. That is the reason for being that partially justifies the joint efforts of students and directors in different parts of the world to carry out ambitious projects, constantly oriented to the practice and technical, spiritual and historical development.

In this line and with the constant intention of carrying out our Institutional Mission of “Constantly nourish our students with different knowledge regarding the practice of karate, orienting them to the maximum technical and theoretical development…“, We consider relevant in this opportunity to make a section with a brief historical review of what is considered one of the most emblematic places in cultural terms of what was once the Kingdom of Ryukyu and the result that had a long historical exchange history with the neighboring country China and particularly with the Fujian province.

Everything goes back the old Ryukyu Kingdom Period (1392-1879) the majority of Okinawa’s Chinese community resided in Naha’s Kumemura district. Shortly after the establishment of tributary trade relations with China, a group of Chinese from Fujian were granted to Ryūkyū by the Chinese Emperor and started to immigrate to Okinawa in 1392. They came to be known as the people from the ‘36 Clans of the Min-People’ (minren sanshiliu-xing 閩人三十六姓). Min 閩 refers to the lower valley of the Min River in Fujian 福建 Province, China. They settled in a small Chinese colony in Kume village 久米村.

In those days there was a magnificent park (now known as Matsuyama Koen) located between Naminoue Beach and what is now Fukushu Garden in Naha (福州園). Much of the Chinese community gathered there to enjoy various cultural activities, including martial arts, throughout the year. With much of these people coming directly from Fujian Province it’s not surprising to learn that most of the Quanfa/Kung Fu (拳法) was southern-style, and largely Fujian-based. The style practiced was White Crane, one of the five Fujian Southerm Chaolin Boxing traditions, with very particular movements that maintained a balance between the softness and hardness.

As this specific Quanfa was not native to Okinawa, local Chinese learned, practised and taught what had been handed down within their family or community for generations. Experts who traveled between China and Okinawa, periodically influenced local sources and existing practices by visiting military officials, posted to Shuri Castle and the Chinese Embassy, body guards and security personnel, all served to inspire local Chinese enthusiasts over time.

In 1979, the Ryukyu Kingdom’s abolition took place and with it the return to its province of all the Chinese experts and bureaucrats posted for years in the place. With the annexation of these territories to mainland Japan, anti-Chinese sentiment arrived and began to grow, not being an impediment for generations of Okinawans to continue with the idea / tradition of meeting in this place to continue practicing the Quanfa that had been taught to them and experiment with different practices with the intention of improving the understanding of it.

In spite of persisting even a strong Chinese influence in what until then was practiced, gradually began to take place a unique and particular approach that directly attaches to the culture of the Uchinanchu in those moments. The first signs of some katas practiced up to our days, traversed from generation to generation but still maintaining the roots in the practices carried out during this period, can be traced back to these years.

Among the enthusiasts who gathered at Matsuyama Koen stand out among many the names of Aragaki Seishō 新垣世璋 (1840–1918), Sakiyama Kitoku (1830-1914) and Higaona Kanryo 東恩納寛量. The latter is the one who in September of 1870 and with the help of Yoshimura Udun Chomei (Aji or prince), manages to get permission to embark on the trip to Fuzhou on the pretext of going as an official translator of Okinawan bureaucracies and thus initiating the path that would lead him to be recognized until today as one of the first students of Fujian White Crane Kung Fu under the tutelage of the master Ryu Ryu Ko ルールーコウ (1873 – 1915)(“The History of Karate” by Morio Higaona).

RYU RYU KO(ルールーコウ) XI XIE SHIE (It remains a big unknown and there is still no consensus on whether the person who taught Higashiona Kanryu was exactly Ryu Ryu Ko)

Higashionna Kanryo 東恩納寛量 (1853 – 1915)

It should be noted that to this day there is a mantle of doubts that maintains no consensus among the men in Okinawa, about the true identity of Kanryo’s teacher. One of the evidences that supports these doubts is a monument outside the Fuzhou Gymnasium recorded that Ryu Ryu Ko, Kanryo’s Master, was a Crying Crane Kung Fu (whose main characteristic was deep breathing using the diaphragm to vocalize) grand master called Xie Chon Gxiang. In the words of Morio Higgaona sensei who was told that “Ryu Ryu Ko was a guard around 40 years old, tall, with powerful foot movements. Because of civil wars he went to many places and learned Crying Kung Fu. In the past, learning martial arts had to be covertly, which explains why his identity is a mystery today, we’ll never know exactly”.

Back in Matsuyama nowadays, vestiges connecting this story with Okinawa can still be found. Just in front of the park is the Fukushu-en Garden (or Chinese garden) and in the park itself there are monuments in honor of Higaona Kanryo 東恩納寛量, Miyagi Chogun 宮城長順 (1988-1953) and in honor of the place where the town of Kuma village was born.

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Fukushūen 福州園 – Okinawa, Naha

At present, many activities have been carried out to commemorate the historic good relations between both peoples.

In November 2017, on the occasion of commemorating the 20th anniversary of the “Friendly Province” treaty signed between Okinawa Prefecture and Fujian Province of China in 1997, Okinawa sent a delegation led by the governor of 73 people, including many karate masters, for a series of visits and receptions between 9 and 13 of that month.

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Text by Diegoisshinryu – Images & Illusttations taken by the Bubishi and Seishinkan Europe

DIEGO RODRIGUEZ INZUNZA – SEISHINKAN BUDO EUROPE

Okinawa Traditional Isshinryu Karate Do

Go Dan

15 September, 20189 November, 2018 by Diegoisshinryu

OKINAWa 2022: The Tournament Environment

THE TOURNAMENT

ISSHINRYU, SILVER AWARD – SHURI/TOMARI-TE KEI 一心流首里・泊手系 銀賞

FINAL REMARKS

TOKUSHINRYU KOBUDO EUROPE – Winter Camp & 2020 Tokushinryu Cup

ISSHINRYU KARATE & KOBUDO WORLDWIDE – 2020 Virtual Tournament

2nd TERM ACTIVITIES: Foreseeable Future

TOKUSHINRYU KOBUDO 2019 WINTER GASHUKU & TOKUSHINRYU CUP

沖縄徳身流古武道

THE 2nd OKINAWAN KARATE NORDIC SEMINAR

沖縄空手古武道

DANISH NATIONAL KARATE & KOBUDO CHAMPIONSHIPS

沖縄空手古武道

HASLEV KARATE SKOLE – SPECIAL TRAINING & KATA SEMINAR

沖縄 一心流空手古武道

SHINGO RYU CUP – Næstved Denmark

EUROPE – SOUTH AMERICA EXCHANGE PROGRAM

Denmark – Chile 2019

GRAND MASTER CHOTOKU KYAN

喜屋武朝徳 1970-1945

OKINAWA 2018: RANK PROMOTIONS

MATSUYAMA KOEN – Naha, Okinawa 2018

ISSHINRYU, SILVER AWARD – SHURI/TOMARI-TE KEI 一心流首里・泊手系銀賞

沖縄一心流空手古武道