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Tatuso
Shimabuku (TS) first studied martial arts from his Uncle Ganeku. His uncle
felt he did not have enough martial arts knowledge, so he sent TS to Kadena
to study under Chotoku Kyan. TS was in his early 20's, and a poor farmer's
son. TS walked bare-footed to Kyan's dojo to study Shuri-Te. TS studied
for approximately seven plus years with Kyan at this stage of his life.
TS
then traveled to Naha to study Naha-Te under Chojun Miyagi, and this length
of study was approximately three years. Miyagi was known for his strong
gripping techniques, and TS later adapted these type techniques into his
own kata Sunsu. At the age of 30, TS studied for one year under Choki Motobu
in Naha. Motobu was known to be a fierce fighter in Okinawa. Beginning
in 1959, TS studied Okiawan Ryukyu Kobudo from Taira Shinken, in supplement
to Kyan's bo training.
In the late1940's, TS named his style Chan Migwa
Te, after Master Kyan. In the early 1950's TS style was called, Sun No Su
Karate, named after a family dance. During the mid 1950's, he proclaimed and named his style Isshin-Ryu. After the war,
TS trained many American Marines like Nagle, Mitchum, Long, and Armstrong who
introduced Isshin-Ryu Karate to America. They and many others like Bohan, Advincula,
Harrill, Lewis, Bove, Blond, Acklin and Lizotte made Isshin-Ryu Karate what it is today in America.
On
May 30, 1975, Soke Tatsuo Shimabuko died of a stroke, and his eldest son
Kichiro, inherited the leadership of this martial art style. Okinawan Isshin-Ryu
Karate is one of the largest practiced martial arts known worldwide.
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