Shobayashi-ryu
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Shobayashi-ryu, also called Shobayashi Shorin-ryu, is a style of Okinawan karate founded by Eizo Shimabukuro.
[edit] History
Although Chinese martial arts began spreading to Okinawa in the 14th century, it was not prominent until the 18th century, when Kusanku, a Chinese military official, visited Okinawa and gave a demonstration. In subsequent visits, he started teaching "chuan fa" (meaning "fist way") to Okinawans.
Tode Sakugawa blended Kusanku's chuan fa with indigenous Okinawan martial arts to form the first martial art style called karatedo. His student Sokon Matsumura blended Sakugawa's style with Shaolin style to form Shorin-ryu karate.
Matsumara was Anko Itosu's primary instructor, and both Mastsumara and Itosu instructed Chotoku Kyan and Choki Motobu. Several of Kyan's students would go on to lead their own branches of karate. These are: Chosin Chibana (Kobayashi-ryu), Shoshin Nagamine (Matsubayashi-ryu), Tatsuo Shimabukuro (Isshin-ryu), and Eizo Shimabukuro.
Eizo Shimabukuro studied under Chojun Miyagi before taking up Shorin-Ryu under Chotoko Kyan. Although Kyan then became his primary instructor, Shimabukuro also studied under Choki Motobu and weapons under Taira Shinken. When Kyan died in 1945, Shimabukuro was left in charge of the Shobayashi-ryu system. In 1959 at the kodokan in Japan, Kanken Toyama promoted Eizo Shimabukuro to 10th Dan. At the age of 34, Shimabukuro was the youngest person ever to receive such an honor.
Shimabukuro was also the instructor Matt Larsen, who latter founded the US Army Combatives School, and of the American kickboxer Joe Lewis.
He currently lives in Okinawa and remains active in teaching.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Grand Master Eizo Shimabukuro - Okinawa, Japan
- New York Rendokan - New York, NY
- Okinawan Karate Club - Dallas, TX
- Okinawan Karate Club of Atlanta - Atlanta, GA
- Okinawan Karate Club of San Francisco - San Francisco, CA
- Atlanta's Traditional Okinawan Karate-Do Dojo - Atlanta, GA
- Akari-ki Karate: Shobayashi Shorin-Ryu
- Extreme Karate - Southington, CT
- New England Rendokan - Glastonbury & Westbrook, CT
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