“In the beginning there was the one.” ~ Lao Tsu, The Librarian, keeper of the books

Historical Note: On March 7, 1959, I attended a demonstration put on by Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei and the Honbo dojo to commemorate the 3rd year anniversary of the naming of Isshin-ryu karate. An Invitation letter dated February 26, 1959 was sent out announcing this event. In part, the letter announced that this was part of the Ryukyuan-American Friendship activities and a commemoration program for the 3rd anniversary of the birth of Isshin-ryu. At a later date, I asked Shimabuku Sensei if this was the birthday of Isshin-ryu. Shimabuku said there was no actual birthday for Isshin-ryu, explaining it took years to develop. That he was always experimenting.  January 15, 1956 was the day he announced the naming of his style. In an interview with Shimabuku’s second son Shinsho, he said the same. “My father was always experimenting. Trying new techniques. He did this all his life. he was an innovator. There is no birthday for Isshin-ryu.” Now if others use this as the birthday of Isshin-ryu I have no problem with that. But I will always honor the date of birth of my sensei, as the day Isshin-ryu was born. For Isshin-ryu is heart. And Shimabuku was the heart and soul of Isshin-ryu.

Shimabuku Tatsuo, September 19, 1908 – May 30, 1975, was born in Chan (Kyan) village and began studying karate from his uncle Ganiku Shinko who had studied Shorinji kenpo in China from Kushi (Koshi Jp.) and Mushi (Moshi Jp.). Ganiku told Shimabuku to study with Kyan Chotoku who at the time was teaching in Yomitan next to the Hija River stone bridge across from Kadena. Tatsuo would also study Goju-ryu karate from Miyagi Chojun in Naha, and Motobu Choki also in Naha. After WW2, in 1946 he opened his first dojo in Konbo Village. Later he opened the Minoro dojo in Koza City. He returned to a location near his home in Chan Village and continued to teach first in Tairgawa Village and then Chan at his home.

Shimabuku, up to this time, had taught mainly, Shuri-te.  He called what he was teaching Chanmigwa-te after his first formal teacher Kyan Chotoku who’s nickname was Chanmigwa.  Chanmigwa means “Small eye Chan.”   “Chan” in Uchinaguchi (Okinawa dialect) is “Kyan.” In Uchinaguchi “mi” means “eye”, and the suffix “Gwa” or “Guwa” mean’s “small.” So Chanmigwa means “Small-eye-Chan (Kyan).”

THE DREAM

In 1955, Shimabuku had a vision while listening to his radio in his home in Chan Village. He was dozing off and daydreaming when a goddess riding a dragon flew and circled him. The goddess was Ryuzu Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of Mercy and compassion. The goddess told him to create his own style of karate telling him that he had enough knowledge and experience along with his own ideas of karate.

The goddess also told Shimabuku to first make a image of her that incorporated all of his thoughts about his new style. According to Shinsho (Ciso), Shimabuku’s second son, his father meditated on and off for three to four months on what the image of the goddess should be. He wanted to create a image of her that would incorporate the past and present of his new system.

From Ganiku he learned to be a Sumuchi, a fortuneteller that uses ancient Chinese and Japanese books such as the I Ching),  Funshii (Feng Shui), Astrology, Almanac and other books used in fortunetelling. Sumuchi in   Uchinaguchi (Okinawa dialect) literally means “book” and a fortuneteller is called a Sumuchi. The primary book used by the Sumuchi is the I Ching. Funshii in Uchinaguchi is (Feng Shui) the ancient Chinese practice of placement and arrangement of space in relation to patterns of yin and yang and the flow of energy (ki) to achieve balance and harmony with the environment.

The I Ching taught Shimabuku that all things in the universe are in a constant flux of change. The I Ching is based on the sun and moon changing from day to night and uses the sun and moon as a metaphor for the yin and yang. The sun represents yang, and the moon represents yin. The Sun also represents hard and the Moon represents soft. For Yang and Yin, Sun and Moon in ancient Chinese philosophy and metaphysics describes two primal opposing but complementary forces found in all things in the universe. As a matter of fact, because it is a metaphor the meaning of the characters for yin and yang, necessarily, has more than just one connotation. The same with Sun and Moon can represent anything you want it to represent depending on the changing circumstances or situation.

Shimabuku studied two modes of Shurite from Kyan and Motobu, and also studied Nahate from the founder of Goju-ryu Miyagi. Shimabuku learned the Kenpo gokui from Miyagi Sensei and later for a time gave a silk copy of it to many of his students when they made black belt. Shimabuku called them the Kenpo gokui which means “Essential points of kenpo or karate.” So the image of the goddess must represent both Shurite and Nahate. His new style should also represent the better of these two modes along with his own innovations.  From Kyan Sensei, he had also learned basic sai techniques and one kobudo bo kata, Tokumine no kun.

Shimabuku Sensei told me that the image within the Isshin-ryu no Megami represents Shorin-ryu and Goju-ryu and also kobudo which make Isshin-ryu. He said he took the kata naihanchi from Shorin-ryu and sanchin from Goju-ryu stating traditional Shorin-ryu has no sanchin kata, and Goju-ryu has no naihanchi kata.  He then explained the symbol had the Kenpo gokui embedded in it as all these things influenced his new style. Shimabuku said he had been experimenting long before he named his style and we can see in a photograph taken in Tairagawa in the late 1940′s that he already used the fist with the thumb placed on top instead of along the side of the fist which is the traditional method.

The unique techniques he was to introduce to his new system is the way he made his fist as mentioned above along with blocking using two bones reinforced with muscle. One of the most important aspect was how to deliver the punch and so the vertical non-rotating punch was to be the primary punch of his new style. He was about to change from the traditional twist rotating type punch used in all Okinawan systems up to that time.  While the punch was used by other Okinawan karate practitioners, the punch was used sparingly for special situations. Kyan Chotoku was known to have used the punch against taller opponents. In an interview with Nakazato Joen who studied with Kyan at the Agricultural School in Kadena, Joen stated Kyan used the punch against a taller opponent. Nakazato when asked if Shimabuku learned the punch from Kyan Sensei, Nakazato stated no. This was all Shimabukufs idea. Nakazato said Kyan told all his students that it was not necessary to use the standing punch that he used it only in select circumstance against a taller opponent. Shimabuku was about to be be the first Okinawan to use the vertical punch as the major punching technique in his new style.

Shimabuku learned Feng shui, the art of placement from Ganiku and studied the stars. He knew about the Dragon constellation ƒTatsuƒ‚ which represent the Azure (blue-green) dragon of the East. Within the constellation were three stars on line (***) which represented the heart of the dragon. So Shimabuku would name his new style Isshin-ryu and the three stars (***) in the position of the kanji one (__) will have dual meaning. The threes stars on line will represent “Isshin” meaning “one heart” or “wholehearted.” Shimabuku would also take the name tatsu from the Dragon constellation Tatsu, and add the kanji “O” to Tatsuo, meaning “Dragon man”. As is custom, this was now his professional name and it all came from Feng shui and knowing the stars.

The 3 stars on line have a dual meaning. It stands for “heart” and also (***) stand’s for the kanji (—) “one”. The dragon “ryu” stands for the “ryu” in Isshin-ryu

I asked Ciso if his father ever studied the stars, “My father memorized the stars” Ciso replied. “It is part of Feng shui‚ he said.
Now all this idea of creating a new style was because of the inspiration created by Ryuzu Kannon riding a dragon. So he would combined the goddess with the dragon she road as one just as he used the three stars on line to represent “one heart.” The goddess Ryuzu Kannon with the dragon creating a Ryujin, Dragon-human-deity. So Shimabuku looked at change in a positive light and with guidance from the I Ching and Feng shui, Heaven, Earth and Man will all come together within his universe.

The metamorphosis of Kannon and Dragon into a Ryujin will end into the Isshin-ryu no Megami (Goddess of Isshin-ryu). The metamorphosis of naihanchi kata (mother) and sanchin kata (Father) will give birth to the offspring Isshin-ryu). The metamorphosis of heart of the dragon (three stars) and one (—) will become Isshin (One heart). The metamorphosis of the constellation Tatsu (Azure dragon) and the kanji for “man/husband” will become Tatsuo, the Dragon-man of Isshin-ryu.

Now there is often speculation on where Shimabuku had the inspiration to combine the goddess kannon with the dragon. In Chinese and Japanese mythology there are numerous mythical beings and creatures. The first mythical animal that comes to mind is the dragon and phoenix. As for inspiration to combine the Megami and dragon together all we have to do is see Fu Shi the mythical emperor who created the I Ching’s Eight Trigrams. Fu Shi and his wife Nu Gua were both half dragon and serpent. So inspiration for combining the goddess with the dragon may have been Fu Shi the inventor of pagua  the eight trigrams that underlie the I Ching.

And the I Ching is the reason all these changes came from. All this knowledge Shimabuku learned from his first teacher Ganiku who taught him to be a Sumuchi.  Indeed the universe is in a constant state of flux and changing and to avoid change one would miss opportunities to develop oneself and all things within their own world. It took thought and understanding and he understood that one must strike when the opportunity presented itself and the vision of the goddess Ryuzu Kannon gave him that opportunity.  Shimabuku now had a chance to make his own style and make his own rules. Whatever he created must be balanced. He knew to balance a scale; one must adjust the weight moving it back and forth adjusting until it became balanced, as well as, in the middle. His style would follow the mean.

The goddess Ryuzu Kannon will be the main theme of his symbol for she was the main purpose for creating his new style. She was a dragon goddess and dragons have power. Shimabuku knew the powers of the dragon, for the Azure Dragon of the East is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations, representing spring, the element Wood. Dragons in Oriental folklore are believed to be the most powerful and in Feng shui, are the most important symbol. They are the Supreme Being among all creatures and are the symbol of life, growth, and success.  Dragons ward off evil spirits and give protection to all. The Dragon brings five blessings: harmony, virtue, riches, fulfillment and longevity. And was it not Ryuzu Kannon who came to him in his daydream.

So Shimabuku named his new style Isshin-ryu from the heart of Seiryu the Azure Dragon constellation and also took his name from it.  The goddess will be named the Isshin-ryu no Megami (Goddess of Isshin-ryu) because she was the inspiration for creating the style. The Azure dragon will be placed above the Megami along with the three stars.  Dragon in Japanese can be pronounced tatsu or ryu. The word
“ryu” is a homophone, A word having the same sound as another word but differing from it in meaning, origin and sometimes spelling. So in the picture, the “ryu” in Isshin-ryu has two meanings. First it represents  and symbolizes Tatsu, and secondly, it represents “ryu” for style. So the three stars (***) on line represents the kanji one (—) and the dragon tatsu pronounced “ryuh represent the word Isshin-ryu.

Shimabuku now had an idea of what the image of the goddess riding the dragon would look like so he told his trusted friend and student Kaneshi about his daydream and his vision of the goddess riding a dragon. To understand the rest of the beginning of Isshin-ryu we have to make one thing clear. The actual name of Kannon riding a dragon is Ryuzu or Ryuto Kannon. Ryuzu is made of two kanji. The first kanji
“ryu” means “dragon” and the second kanji “zu or “to” means “head.”  In Japanese Buddhism, traditional there are 33 different manifestation of the Goddess of mercy, Kannon. In reality, there are many more depictions of Kannon in both male and female form. While the name Ryuzu meaning Dragon head is the name of the Kannon with a dragon, it does not mean Kannon the goddess has a head of a dragon.

Kaneshi Eiko Sensei began his training from Shimabuku Tatsuo in Minoro dojo, Koza City around 1947 or 1948. He was a Shinpu or Shinto priest of the “Seicho No Le  (House of growth) branch.” Kaneshi after hearing of Shimabuku’s daydream had his uncle paint the first picture of the Isshin-ryu no Megami according to Shimabuku’s description he had given him. Kaneshi’s uncle painted the goddess with the head of a dragon. When Shimabuku Sensei saw the painting, he laughed and told Kaneshi the goddess should not have a head of a dragon, that she should be human with a body of a dragon. Shimabuku then gave Kaneshi the nickname Ryuto meaning (Dragon man), after the
“Azure Dragon of the East.” As we can see, Shimabuku gave Kaneshi a name similar to his own name. Tatsuo means “Dragon man or husband, Ryuto  means “Dragon man or person”.

Shimabuku had completed making a image of the goddess Ryuzu Kannon. It was now the time to announce the naming of his new style of karate to his students and make the changes become reality. After careful thought, on January 15, 1956, Shimabuku called a meeting at his home in Chan Village which was also his dojo. At this meeting, he publicly announced to his students that he was renaming the style he was teaching and also making changes for his new style.

In attendance at this meeting, were Tatsuo’s second son Shinsho (Ciso) and Kaneshi Eiko. Kaneshi was one of Tatsuofs first students and had also studied with Nagamine Shoshin of Matsubayashi-ryu before he came to Shimabuku in 1947.   Shimabuku told his students he was now changing from Chanmigwa-te to Isshin-ryu karate. He also told them about the fist change, blocking change and punching change. Kaneshi, after hearing Shimabuku name his new style Isshin-ryu, asked him, “Why such a funny name?” Shimabuku answered, “Because all things begin with one.”

Ciso explains that there were about twenty at the meeting with two or three Americans present. One interesting fact is none of the known Americans have ever mentions this historical event so it is very evident, those who have claimed to have started Isshin-ryu before it was named have embellished their credentials. And yes, there are some Americans who claim to have started in Isshin-ryu in 1955 before it was even named. This may be the reason so many claim Isshin-ryu karate was named on January 15, 1954.

According to Kaneshi, the Americans had no problem with the changes because the few that were there had just started karate. But Kaneshi explained many of Shimabuku’s senior Okinawan students did not agree with the changes and questioned him about them. One was Kinjo Chinsaku who Kaneshi stated never changed and continued to teach the Shorin-ryu twist punch and bone blocks. Kaneshi said some of senior Okinawan students would use the vertical punch in front of Shimabuku at demonstrations but in their own dojo continued using the twisting punch. Shimabuku understanding many did not want to change, allowed them to use either punch. Kaneshi not wanting to embarrass his teacher said he always used the vertical punch at demonstrations but admitted he preferred the traditional Okinawa twist punch.

Now the question is, why Shimabuku picked January 15, 1956 to announce his thoughts on of starting his new style. The answer is easy. Shimabuku was a Sumuchi (fortuneteller) and Sumuchi are called upon by others to pick specific dates for important events.  Sumuchi are sought out and deal with a wide range of problems for their clients. They are consulted on affairs that involved death, the after life and funerals and the placement of the family tomb. They are also called upon during a pending birth and the naming the new born child. Anytime someone had to deal with real estate, buildings sites, setting out for a journey, engagements and marriages the Sumuchi was brought in. Sumuchi fortunetelling is based on the client’s birth-date and other factors. The I Ching,  almanacs and other books of divination are always used, the reason for being called Sumuchi.

Sumuchi are also called munushiri meaning “knows all things” because of their knowledge of reading and using books. In China and Okinawa, Sumuchi were always respected as wise men. Wasn’t Taoism’s Lao Tsu a keeper of books! Sumuchi are also called Sanjinso which means “Three social trends” meaning, past, present and future. Sanjinso often use other methods like reading the palms of the hands, and physiognomy (character analysis by interpreting the face) or other means. Kaneshi often used the term Sanjinso when he talked about Shimabuku Sensei. Munushiri and Sanjinso (Sanzinso) are Uchinaguchi (Okinawa dialect).
As a Sumuchi, Shimabuku knew the importance of picking a prosperous day.

A PROSPEROUS DAY

Oshogatsu (New Year) follows the Gregorian calendar used today and starts Ganjitsu or New Years Day, January 1 each year. Soguwachiguwa (Okinawan dialect) Koshogatsu (Japanese), literally means “Small New Year”, follows the lunar calendar. It begins on the first full moon of the New Year which generally falls around the fifteenth of January. It is still widely observed in rural areas in Okinawa and Japan, where Toshigami ( Kami of the incoming year)  or gods related to agriculture. Toshigami or Toshitokujin are also called Shogatsu-sama (lit., “Honorable New Year”). The name Toshitokujin has its origins in Chinese Yin-Yang divination (Jp. Onmyodo Way of Yin and Yang), and refers to a goddess with dominion over auspicious directions (eho) for the current year.  It is believed by those who worship and honor the New Year’s kami that the Toshigami will ensure an abundant harvest.

Shimabuku Sensei was both a farmer and Sumuchi (Fortuneteller) who used the I Ching (Book of Changes) and the I Ching is based on the changes of the Sun and Moon which are a metaphor for yin and yang. It would be fitting that Shimabuku would announce the name his new style of karate on Small New Year’s which in modern times falls on January 15. So Shimabuku may have used the I Ching to pick a auspicious date or being a farmer, picked Small New Year because of custom. It was the time to plant new seed to bring in new crops.

As stated above Toshigami, originally an agricultural deity (God of the seasons and the vegetation cycle) became a New Year deity, but to Shimabuku, Toshigami was not just a deity of the incoming new year, Toshigami was still an agricultural deity and was greeted to ensure the protection of the gokoku or five grains, rice, wheat, barley, beans, and millet, which Okinawan farmers needed grow to survive. The old Okinawa tradition, Soguwachiguwa or Small New Year’s, always follows the lunar calendar and is therefore celebrated on the first full moon of the year, around the 15th of January. While Shimabuku was not planting agricultural seed, he was planting a new style with new ideas, called Isshin-ryu.

As Shimabuku said, “All things begin with one.” And he planted one seed

Bibliography:
Kaneshi Eiko (1984)  Personal Communication
Kaneshiro Kenji  (1984) Personal Communication
Maekawa (Maj. Mike) (1981&1995) Personal Communication
Nakazato Joen Founder Shorinji-ryu   Personal Communication
Shigema Genyu (1984) Personal Communication
Shimabuku Shinsho (Numerous times 1958-2004) Personal Communication.
Shimabuku Tatsuo Personal instruction (1958-60, 61-64, 69-70, 75)
Third Anniversary of Isshin-ryu Karate announcement February 26, 1959
Tome Yushin (1981-1995) Personal Communication
Tokumine Sheisho  (1996) Personal Communication

Tatsuo Shimabuku, the founder of isshin-ryu karate, was a small, gentle individual approximately five feet tall and about 125 pounds. He was an easy going person, with a good sense of humor.

Shimabuku was not a disciplinarian, and never forced anyone to follow or change to his system. What he did do was set the example for his students. He not only taught kata, he lived it. He lived in his Agena Village dojo (training hall) from the late 1950′s until his death on May 30, 1975. His living space covered about 50 square feet. Here he ate, watched TV, drank and slept.

His dojo was always open, with formal classes conducted weekdays from 7:00 until 9:00 p.m. Students who came early in the morning were asked not to kiai (shout) or hit the makiwara (punching board) until later so as not to disturb the neighbors. The workout area was a concrete floor about 35 feet by 50 feet, surrounded by a concrete block wall over six feet tall. Students bowed when entering the dojo, removed their shoes, and went to the dressing area to change into their gi (uniforms). Students would bow and greet instructors, seniors or juniors as they passed them. Prior to the formal class, students would work out on their own or with a partner, limbering up, striking makiwara or heavy bags, practicing kata (prearranged fighting forms), and sparring. At the correct time, the senior students (dai sempai) would call the students to line up facing him according to their grade, with the senior person to the right.

Shimabuku, or the dai sempai, would have the students face the Buddhist altar–where a picture of the isshin-ryu megami (goddess) was placed along with the pictures of Shimabuku’s karate teachers–and bow, then face him and bow. They would run around the dojo for five minutes and go through the exercise charts for the upper and lower body. There were 15 upper and 15 lower exercises, which included striking and blocking (upper exercises), and kicking, kneeing and limbering (lower exercises). As a general rule, students performed ten repetitions of each exercise.

After the basics, students practiced forearm conditioning (kotekitai). There were three sets of these exercises. In the first exercise, partners faced each other while standing in seisan dachi (basic stance). The attacker punched at his opponent’s chest, and the defender chopped down. Thus, the attacker developed his punch and conditioned his forearm, while the defender developed his chop and conditioned the edge of his hand.

In the second exercise, the attacker threw a vertical punch at the defender’s chest. The defender used an outside forearm block to deflect the blow and simultaneously reached across with a knife-hand inside block, catching the attacker’s wrist and pilling it off to the side. The defender followed with a chop to his opponent’s forearm. The exercise developed two hard techniques (the first punch and block) and two soft techniques (the second block and strike).

The third kotekitai exercise incorporated breathing techniques. Both opponents faced each other in sanchin stance and locked arms, palms facing up. One began to twist his hand, sweeping his opponent’s hand down, creating an opening to strike or punch. His opponent allowed him to go only so far, then suddenly reversed the action, sweeping the attacker’s arm back and beyond where it started. This was the Okinawan equivalent of the Chinese exercise “pushing hands”. Breath control was used to increase power, the student exhaling as force was needed. The purpose of the exercise was to teach cultivation of ki (inner energy).

Shimabuku called ki by its Okinawan term, chinkuchi, which means sinew, bone and energy. He perfected his chinkuchi, which made his techniques exceptionally strong. “You can’t hold (chinkuchi) or keep it; it is brought out when and where you need it,” Shimabuku said.

Shimabuku took what he believed were the best elements of shorin-ryu and goju-ryu karate to make isshin-ryu. But what did he take, and why? And what did he create?

Shimabuku was always an innovator and inventor. At one time, mud was used to bind the tiles to the roofs in Chan village, but Shimabuku found a way to do it without mud, which the other villagers followed. He was a pioneer in the use of protective gear in free fighting. Other karate teachers disagreed with its use, saying it detracted from the true spirit of karate, but today, safety equipment is widely accepted.

Shimabuku had many questions for his teachers, which they never answered to his satisfaction. It was only after a vision he thought he was divinely inspired that he publicly announced his new system. He felt if he could make a system stronger, shouldn’t he do it? If he could make it faster, was it not correct to modify the techniques? He did not believe in change just to be different, but because it served a purpose.

For over 30 years, Shimabuku experimented with different methods of holding the fist. He found that if you placed the thumb on top of the fist, instead of on the side, the wrist became stronger. He therefore settled on this position for the Isshin-ryu vertical fist.

Shimabuku tried different blocks by using the bone area of the forearm, which was the classical method, and by using the muscle portion, which is the method used when breaking boards with the forearm in demonstrations. He felt the muscle block was superior because it took less time to initiate, and thus generated more power. A person without any training should be able to strike a two-by-two with full power and receive no more than a welt if he uses the muscle of the forearm instead of the bone. Shimabuku settled on this method as the basic blocking procedure for Isshin-ryu.

The punch or thrust, whether with fist, spear hand or palm, is used a good percentage of the time in Okinawan karate. There are only two times you can’t use your arms in a confrontation: If your hands are tied behind your back, or if you’re climbing up or over something. That is why punches are very important. Shimabuku didn’t understand why most karateka (karate practioners) used a twist punch, corkscrewing their arm out at their opponent. If the opponent moved in on you, Shimabuku insisted, your fist would never fully turn to strike correctly. He also noticed that when punching to a target higher then shoulder level, the lower fingers had a tendency to hit first instead of the top two knuckles.

Another thing Shimabuku observed was that, when throwing multiple punches, it took a lot of training and effort to throw twist-type punches. When not twisting, speed was greater and more punches could be thrown in less time, using less energy. But the twist punch, his instructors told him, was like a bullet which, twisting out of the barrel of a gun, generated better accuracy and power.

Shimabuku disagreed with the twist punch theory, however. In his opinion, faster was better–as long as there was power. He learned from shorin-ryu that punching from the hip, using a rising punch and hip rotation, gave one a stronger punch. From goju-ryu, he found that by proper breathing he could bring out even greater energy. Hence, the basic isshin-ryu punching method included punching from the hip without a twist, but use a rising punch, and utilizing hip rotation and proper breathing.

Stance is the foundation of all Okinawan karate. Because Okinawa is a coral island with very hilly terrain, and is covered with tropical vegetation surrounded by sandy or coral beaches, fighting methods became more static than systems from other countries, which had plains or open areas which to move about freely. Okinawans would stand in rice patties and await opponents to come in them. They even had one foot out of the mud prepared to kick. Those on rice patty dykes would have to move sideways in stances like naihanchi , while others on the numerous stone bridges in Okinawa could move around more freely and use techniques like flying jump kicks. Persons caught on the beaches would have to learn how to get into stable stances on slippery coral, then change stances once they moved to the sandy areas. On their small boats, fisherman learned to utilize completely immobile stances.

Naha-te forerunner to goju and uechi-ryu karate, put its emphasis on the sanchin stance, where one can grip the floor using inside tension. This stance is excellent for infighting and against multiple attackers. Shuri-te, another early Okinawan art, emphasized the forward stance (zenkutsu), which gave power to the front of the body, making it an excellent one-on-one stance. Shimabuku wanted a little of both positions for isshin-ryu’s basic stance. He created what he called seisan stance, whereby one stands in a high, upright stance similar to naha-te, but with the knees bent and even with the toes, and without any inward tension. This allows greater spring and lowers the center of the body. Weight was evenly distributed on both legs, allowing kicks with either leg in all directions. To get the same protection and strength of shuri-te, all one had to do was face his opponent diagonally, exposing less body mass, but still allowing punching and kicking power in any direction.

Shimabuku’s new seisan stance allowed flexibility never before enjoyed. He could move into any other stance with minimum adjustment. For sanchin, he would just turn the toes in and grip the floor by exerting inward tension. To move into the seiunchin stance, all one had to do was turn the rear foot to a 90 degree angle and drop the body down. movement in any direction was now possible, and kicking with either foot could be accomplished without leaning or transferring weight, which telegraphs the movement.

From goju-ryu, Shimabuku took the seiunchin and sanchin kata and incorporated them into his new system. He also took the code of karate, which came from the Chinese martial arts book Bubishi. It was the guiding force for most of Shimabuku’s philosophy on isshin-ryu.

From shorin-ryu, he took seisan, naihanchi, wansu, chinto, and kusanku. Most of the basic isshin-ryu exercises are also derived from shorin-ryu, along with a larger variety of kicks not found in naha-te. Shimabuku had already learned a number of weapon forms and added two of his own weapons kata to isshin-ryu: sai and kusanku sai. Shimabuku also created the sunsu kata, considered the easiest of all isshin-ryu forms to perform because most of its techniques have already been taught in basics or other kata. Its novelty lies in its return to the basics. Shimabuku never taught advanced techniques, only basic moves made to look like they were advanced.

What made Shimabuku so controversial? For one, he changed the name of the shorin-ryu system to isshin-ryu. Second, he discarded the traditional twist punch in favor of the faster, rising punch. Third, he had a contract to teach American servicemen and most of his students were soon Americans. Word got out that he designed his style for Americans. Fourth, he used protective gear, which many said made karate into a sport. Fifth, since many Americans were taking isshin-ryu, Shimabuku was holding demonstrations on and off base and was getting tremendous publicity. Sixth, he broke away from the Okinawan Karate Association in 1960, making himself and independent and therefore a maverick. Because he left the association, many of his Okinawan students broke away from him because they did not want to lose their identity with a recognized system (shorin-ryu).

But perhaps the most controversial thing Shimabuku did, and one which brought discord from his Okinawan students causing many of them to leave isshin-ryu was the double standard he established for promoting Americans. Shimabuku first gave green and black belts to Americans in the late 1950′s. It took six or seven months to make green belt, and a couple more to make black. He didn’t give a certificate to Americans until they left Okinawa. At first he gave low grades, but the students persisted until he began to give high grades for a minimum time. One American was given and eighth dan (black belt rank) after only two and a half years in isshin-ryu, while another made seventh dan after one and a half years. To justify such ranks, Shimabuku would say “You’ll rate it in 15 or 20 years.” He gave higher grades because he thought most Americans would not be returning to Okinawa.

According to Kenji Kaneshiro, Shimabuku’s senior student, “Americans would beat the smaller Okinawans in free fighting, then they would push Shimabuku for higher grades than the Okinawans. When they came back to the States, they would proclaim that they were number one or the best of Shimabuku’s students. Some would claim to be champions of Okinawan karate. They couldn’t even say karate correctly, so how could they teach it correctly? Diplomas have nothing to do with karate.”

Nevertheless, when the Americans returned to the United States from Okinawa, most did not wait 15 or 20 years, but proclaimed their high grades immediately. Genyu Shigema, another of Shimabuku’s senior students, said “Shimabuku had me teach the first Americans because I worked for the marine Corps and could speak English. I was one of their instructors, and now they all outrank me!”

Shimabuku finally sent a letter to each of his students stating that “all dan awarded prior to June 10, 1961, are considered invalid.” Most Americans ignored this memorandum, however, and kept wearing their higher ranks.

There was not only controversy about the high ranks Shimabuku gave to his American students, but how he also received his own tenth dan. Steve Armstrong, one of Shimabuku’s American students, purchased a red belt and gave it to Shimabuku in 1960, telling him he deserved it because he was the founder of isshin-ryu. Shimabuku then reportedly took off his red and white belt and gave it to Harold Mitchum, who was the first American to be promoted to eighth dan.

Shimabuku was an innovator who searched for ways to improve karate techniques. Although many instructors before him had their own ideas and also made changes in techniques, Shimabuku was even too radical for them. Today, several branches of shorin-ryu use the muscle block in some techniques as opposed to bone-on-bone forearm block. Some now also use the vertical punch when punching to the face. Shimabuku’s problem was that he was born too soon. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But because Isshin-ryu now has the largest following of practioners of Okinawan karate in the United Stated, he has the last laugh.

The following story sums up the true spirit of isshin-ryu. Shimabuku and a group of students were sitting around a table drinking at the dojo after a workout. There were many bottles of sake, soda and beer of various sizes on the table. Shimabuku asked the students “Which is the best bottle?” Those who were drinking beer stated the beer bottles, others picked the largest bottles, and some chose the smaller bottles. Shimabuku said all the bottles were good. All of them served a purpose: to hold what they were intended to, “There is no best bottle,” he said.

Each individual must find what he is looking for in a martial art, what is right for him. If he should choose Isshin-ryu, the “one-heart way,” the offspring of shorin-ryu and goju-ryu, all the better.

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About the Author: Arcenio J. Advincula studied for 17 years on Okinawa directly under the late Tatsuo Shimabuku–longer than any other American. He currently runs a martial arts school in Oceanside, California.

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.

I = One
Shin=Heart
Ryu=Way

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