Archive for January 15th, 2006

50th Anniversary of Isshinryu Karatedo

By Arcenio J. Advincula

The day Master Tatsuo Shimabuku formally announced the name of Isshinryu Karatedo in Okinawa. Shimabuku had been teaching Isshinryu, a mixture of Shorin-ryu and Goju-ryu karate for some time already, yet had not officially named it. At a karate demonstration in Okinawa, Shimabuku put out a memo officially announcing the name of his style as Isshinryu.

Isshinryu Kanji
I = One
Shin=Heart
Ryu=Way

Shimabuku chose this name because, as he simply stated, “All things begin with one”.