History Of Isshinryu

The people of Okinawa developed early forms of weaponless self-defense around the 14th century, when the island, which is located 300 miles south of Japan, was divided into three kingdoms: Hokuzan, Chuzan and Nazan. When King Hashi, from the Chuzan district, conquered the kingdoms of Nanzan and Hokuzan and unified Okinawa, he banned all weapons, which was to last for centuries. With the subsequent opening of trade, Chinese, Indonesians, Malayas, and Thais brought glimpses of Southeast Asian forms of unarmed self-defense. With these insights, the ingenious Okinawan’s worked hard to develop their own weaponless fighting system as a means of survival from the constant presence of outside aggressors. The foot techniques are thought to have originated from Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand), and the hand techniques from early forms of Chinese Kung-Fu and Kempo. The Kung-Fu influences are noticeable in Okinawan Karate’s utilization of circular open hand blocking techniques.

In developing their own self-defense art, the Okinawan’s learned to pound their hands and feet against trees and rocks so they could penetrate armor. In training, they often had death matches among themselves called Kadidameshi. These battles were to see who had the most lethal techniques. The Okinawan system that was developing was first referred to as Te (meaning hand). By the late 1880’s the term Karate (Tang Hand or empty hand) came into use. Karate was first brought out of it’s intense secrecy and exposed to the public around 1903. At this time, there were three main systems of fighting in Okinawa, all were named after after the three principle cities in which they flourished: Naha-Te, Shuri-Te and Tomari-Te. Many other systems developed from these three such as Shorin Ryu form Shuri-Te. Within Shorin Ryu three main branches formed: Shobayashi-Ryu Shorin-Ryu, Kobayashi-Ryu Shorin Ryu, and Matsubayashi-Ryu Shorin Ryu. Naha-Te is divided into two styles: Goju-Ryu and Uechi-Ryu. There is little known about Tomari-Te, a system similar to Naha-Te.

Master Tatsuo Shimabuku, founder of the Isshin Ryu Karate System, was born September 9, 1908 in Kiyan Village on the island of Okinawa. While his mother worked hard raising a family, his father owned and operated a prosperous meat store in the village, As a young boy, Shimabuku’s involvement in the martial arts came out of necessity. His older brother was a bully who constantly hit and harassed him. When Shimabuku finally couldn’t take any more, and got up enough courage to tell his father of his brother’s abusive behavior, Shimabuku was quite stunned by his father’s response. Instead of coming to his aid and reprimanding his brother, his father told him to go to Naha (capitol of Okinawa) and learn Karate so he could defend himself.

The rather abrupt advice was actually the best thing he could have received because it made him determined to show everyone he would never be in a defenseless situation again.

At the age of 15, Shimabuku travelled by foot some 15 miles to Naha and sought out the dojo of Motobu Choki (1871-1944), his first known instructor. Motobu was nicknamed “Saru” (Monkey) because of his exceptional leaping abilities. He trained in karate by himself developing fighting techniques, engaging in Makiwara exercises, and heavy rock lifting.

When Shimabuku arrived at Motobu’s dojo, Motobu took one look at the skinny young man and told him to practice running instead of Karate, so he could flee from an attacker. Although dejected, Shimabuku would not give up, appearing at the dojo gates everyday trying to mimmick the students movements. Finally Motobu invited Shimabuku in asking him why he so desired to learn Karate. When he told him of his plight at home, Motobu accepted him. Though admitted, Shimabuku spent his first month cleaning the dojo and tending Motobu’s garden. This was often done by Masters to test a student’s patience, sincerity and perseverance. Satisfied with Shimabuku’s humble character, Motobu began to teach him fundamental hand and foot techniques, sparring, and makiwara training. After one month with Motobu, Shimabuku began his studies with Shorin Ryu (small woods) Master Chotoku Kiyan (1870-1945), who he had heard about through a friend. Another renowned teacher, Kiyan, taught in Kadena village where Shimabuku walked ten miles daily to and from the dojo. Very impressed with young Shimabuku’s talent, Kiyan immediately accepted him as a student. Shorin Ryu, a style known for it’s graceful, quick, and powerful movements that utilizes hard, direct and soft circular blocks, greatly impressed Shimabuku. Shimabuku learned the following katas, which he later refined and incorporated into Isshin Ryu, Seisan, Naihanchi, Wansu, Chanto and Kusanku.

When Shimabuku began to study Shorin Ryu, his brother made the mistake of trying to beat him up again. It was the last time his brother ever spoke aggressively or touched him again. After teaching his brother a lesson he never forgot, Shimabuku realized the destructive power of Karate and that it should only be taught as as a defensive art to be used as a last resort.

Shimabuku studied Shorin Ryu under Master Kiyan for about two years and was ranked as his number one student during that time. Then there were no belt rankings only titles such as number one student, number two student, etc. Being ranked number one would easily equal a high dan ranking.

Having achieved proficiency in Shorin Ryu, Shamabuku’s love of Karate and thirst for Knowledge led him to seek out famed Okinawan Goju Ryu (hard, soft) Master Chojun Miyagi (1888-1953). Goju Ryu is a system of hard Okinawan Karate with soft early Chinese forms. Goju Ryu is noted for it’s dramatic breathing methods: of which two types are practiced: In-Ibuki, soft but firm breathing from deep in the abdomen andYo-Ibuki, the hard form. This hard and soft breathing teaches one to tighten the body to withstand an attackers blow. Miyagi Sensei taught Shimabuku two katas, which he again later refined and modified into Isshin Ryu, Seiunchin (war kata) and Sanchin (hour glass stance kata). Shimabuku spent two years perfecting these forms. As with Chotoku Kiyan, Shimabuku was ranked as Miyagi’s number one student.

With his mastery of Shorin Ryu and Goju Ryu complete, Shimabuku next sought out the Kobu-Jutsu (study of weapons) Weapons Master, Taira Shinken (1902-1970). At the time, he was the world’s greatest expert in the bo and sai.

Master Shimabuku believed strongly in the learning of weapons, feeling a karate system without weaponry was incomplete. He saw the continuation of weapons as a way of preserving an important part of Okinawan culture and the Samurai fighting spirit. He also felt weapons offered the practitioner a new challenge once he mastered empty hand karate techniques. Ancient weapons are also effective self-defense instuments that can be used during any time period no matter how sophosticated our culture becomes. Master Shimabuku had a great personal love for weaponry and practiced perfecting the Bo and Sai every day of his life.

From Master Shinken, Shimabuku learned the following weapons Katas, and like the hand and foot Katas of Shorin Ryu and Goju Ryu, later refined and modified them into his Isshin Ryu system. They are Bo 1, named Tokumine-No-Kun, name means, of the Tokumine family who first developed this kata, Bo 2, named Urashe, Urashe is the name of the village where this kata originated. Bo 3, named Shishi-No-Kun-Dai, means instructer of the big bo because this kata is the the longest Isshin Ryu Bo form. Shimabukufirst taught this kata in 1967, after almost 20 years of perfecting it. Sai 1, named Kusanku sai, means night fighting with Sai; Sai 2, named Chantanyara-No-Sai, name derived from the Chantan village where it was developed by the Yara family. Bo-Kumite, this is two Bo practitioners fighting against each other in a set pattern that has ten important techniques inside. Bo-Kumite, similar to Bo-Bo except a sai is used to fight a Bo attacker. It also contains an important set of ten prearranged movements.

Just prior to World War II, Master Shimabuku was recognized throughout the Ryukyu Islands as one of the leading practitioners of Shorin Ryu and Goju Ryu Karate. He won fame and recognition at a large martial arts festival in Fatima Village where he impressed everyone with his flawless kata performances. He also shocked the spectators with the ability to drive nails through pieces of wood with the bare side of his hands. Besides teaching karate to a small select group students, Shimabuku was also a business man, owning a small concrete manufacturing company. With the arrival of the war to the islands, his company was completely destroyed and he went bankrupt. Seeing his homeland crumble into the ocean, Shimabuku fled to Miyazaki, Japan, where he worked as a farmer and trained religiously in his beloved karate. It was during this exile that he first had thoughts about developing his own system of karate.

Upon his return to Okinawa after the war, he again took up farmig and practiced karate privately for his own spiritual and physical excercise. In the early 1950’s, he began to teach a small select group of people in the courtyard of his home in the Agena Village. Teaching everyday now, he began to see what he felt were flaws in the systems he had learned. The three major areas he felt needed modification were in the blocking, punching and fist techniques. He noticed that when students practiced hard partner blocking techniques, they often bruised or broke their wrist because of hard contact being made to the bone with old traditional blocks. He felt that by keeping the wrist straight and blocking with the muscle of the forearm, injuries would be eliminated and they were.

The second important change was the punching technique. With his great insight and innovative nature, Shimabuku noticed that turning the fist at the last moment when punching had many limitations. Turning of the fist only allows for one point of focus, which is at the very end of the punch. What happens if your attacker moves in on you before you complete the wrist turn? The turning motion also slows slows the punch and the locking of the elbow can cause injuries. When the elbow is locked it can easily be broken with a direct blocking technique. Locking the elbow also leaves your arm easy prey for Judo or Jujitso practitioner’s throwing or an arm locking technique. Master Shimabuku also noticed that even though he was teaching the traditional cork screw punch, students were not using it when sparring. Instead, they instinctively punched straight without turning for quickness and power. Shimabuku’s reasoning upon witnessing this numerous times was why do we train one way; but use another in combat.

So, for the purpose of greater speed and power, Master Shimabuku implemented the straight vertical punch into his system. With hands flat on his hips instead of palmsturned up as as with the traditional puch, the vertical punch is able to hit with great destruction at any distance instead of the last moment of extension, as with the traditional punch. Also the Isshin Ryu straight punch strikes with 98% extension instead of full elbow lockout as with the tradtional punch, which helps protect it from damaging blocks or strikes that could easily break your arm.

To coincide with the vertical punch, Master Shimabuku developed the unique vertical fist, which has become the trademark of the Isshin Ryu system. Unlike other styles of karate who keep their thumb down around the fingers, Isshin Ryu placed the thumb on top of the fingers. Through constant experimentation, Master Shimabuku found that the thumb on on top heped raise cords on the upper wrist making the wrist much stronger and stable upon contact with the Makiwara or when breaking boards. The thumb on top also adds speed to the vertical straight punch and helps protect the thumb from catching on the uniform when striking out. The Isshin Ryu fist also also enables the bones of the hand and wrist to line up perfectly straight when striking to avoid damage upon impact.

You must keep in mind that all the innovative techniques introduced by Master Shimabuku were developed after years of research and experimentation. Everything he introduced was for the express purpose of improving a technique’s effectiveness and execution and never done just for show. Like most things that are new, Master Shimabuku’s innovations were met with mixed feelings in the beginning by the martial arts community. Those with the insight praised his developments while some die-hard traditionalists saw him as a rebel upsetting the tradition of ancient ways. Reguardless of what was said, Master Shimabuku never swayed from his beliefs and was rewarded by Isshin Ryu’s growth and popularity as one of the world’s leading karate styles. It is a system loved and respected by it’s thousands of practitioners for the beauty, effectiveness and positive character-building qualities it offers.

As you can see, Isshin Ryu is made-up of what Master Shimabuku felt to be the best elements of Shorin Ryu, Goju Ryu and Kobu Jitsu. The only kata in Isshin Ryu not derived of these systems is Sunsu, which the master developed himself and is the last empty hand kata a student learns before testing for black belt. Sunsu is the longest of the Isshi hand and foot forms and Master Shimabuku’s favorite kata. There is an interesting story as to the name Sunsu. Up until he was 50 years old, Master Shimabuku’s nickname was Dragon Man. This was changed in 1952 to Sunnu-Su meaning “stone strong man”. This new nickname was given to him by the mayor of Kiyan Village. The mayor was so impressed by the Master’s power and Sanchin breathing technique that he named him Shimabuku Sunnu-Su. This nickname comes from a legendary stone in the ocean near Shiyoya City in Okinawa. Legend is the stone, that sits in the water, protects the city and can never be moved. Master Shimabuku had the same unmoveable power when doing Sanchin kata (hard breathing form).

In 1953, when Master Shimabuku was about to formally present his system to the world, after ten years of development, he was still struggling as to a name for his style. When discussing this with one of his first students, Mr. Kanaeshi Eiko, Eiko replied without hesitation, he should call it Isshin Ryu meaning “one heart system”. Master Shimabuku embraced his students recommendation because he felt the name Isshin Ryu stood for all he felt karate should be. The “one heart” signifies a mans character. In other words Shimabuku felt a persons heart or character was more important than his physical abilities. A person with poor manners or bad character possessed a bad heart and has no place in his karate system. Shimabuku always said a karate-man is first a gentleman who always shows respect and courtesy to everyone not intimidation and fear because of his karate skills. Master Shimabuku saw Isshin Ryu as a positive character building art and all Isshin Ryu practitioners must keep in mind that they represent not only their school and teacher but Okinawa, Master Shimabuku and every other Isshin Ryu stylist in the world today. If an Isshin Ryu stylist acts in a bad manner it reflects on all of us in a negative way and goes against everything Master Shimabuku and his one heart way stand for. He saw Isshin Ryu as a way to better one’s life, not as art of violence. To the master, karate had four purposes: 1) to strengthen the mind and body; 2) to instill self discipline; 3) to instill self confidence; and 4) to gain a means of self protection, the knowledge of which should never be misused.

With Isshin Ryu’s announcement in 1953, Master Shimabuku became a very busy man.

In 1956, he opened his first public dojo in Agena, which was to become his main school. As Master Shimabuku’s reputation spread, many United States servicemen stationed on Okinawa sought out his dojo. Training was hard and brutal then and very few foriegners lasted the rigors of Okinawan Karate. It’s the few early hard-working G.I.’s who made it to Black Belt and went back home to open schools that helped to quickly popularize Isshin Ryu throughout the world.

In 1960 Master Shimabuku opened a second dojo in Kin-Son Village near U.S. Military Base Camp Hansen, which is approximately 15 miles north of Agena. This school flourished for four years and was moved directly into Camp Hensen base in 1964, when the U.S. Government contracted Master Shimabuku to teach the military.

In 1964, Master Shimabuku travelled for the first time to the United States spending more than three months in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, with Sensei James Mortobito. The master again journeyed to America for the last time in 1966, for three months visiting various dojos. Master Shimabuku recieved daily requests to travel to dojos all over the world, but he never enjoyed the rigors of travelling or leaving his beloved homeland.

In his later years besides teaching karate, Master Shimabuku became a fortune teller. People from all over Okinawa sought him out for his advise, wisdom and visions about their futures. His predictions were 75% correct.

Master Shimabuku was a great man. He was a Karate Man who’s ideas were years ahead of their time, with the martial arts world just now fully understanding and realizing the importance of his accomplishments. The Isshin Ryu vertical punch can now be seen being used not only by Isshin Ryu stylist but by other schools as well for it’s greater speed and power.

Master Shimabuku died at the age of 68, May 30, 1975 at 10:45 P.M. A universal loss.