Harold Long

 

Master Harold Long began his training with Master Tatsuo Shimabuku shortly after arriving on Okinawa, 19 July 1957. He is pictured here, far right, at Master Shimabuku's home/dojo in Kyan Village. Master Shimabuku can be seen far right in the photo overseeing training. In December of 1957, Master Shimabuku began to move regular training to a new location closer to the Marine base which would provide the majority of his students after a teaching contract was facilitated by Mr. Long and Mr. Dick Keith.

 

While at the new Agena Dojo, Master Long was promoted to Shodan alongside Mr. Keith during the Spring of 1958. He received his promotion to roku-dan from Master Shimabuku on 1 July of that year, shortly before departing for the United States on 19 August. Mr. Long would go on to open his first dojo at Twenty-nine Palms, California, then another in 1960 after moving to Knoxville, Tennessee. In response to introducing Isshinryu to the west coast and south eastern United States through opening his schools, Master Shimabuku promoted Master Long to nana-dan on 14 October 1960.

 

Blue Ridge Dojo - Isshinryu - USIKA 

January 15, 1956 is an important date in the history of Isshinryu Karate. On that date, Shimabuku Sensei called his senior students to a meeting at his Kyan Village home and announced that he would begin teaching his own method of Okinawan Karate from that point forward. Some, such as his brother Shimabukuro Eizo, could not follow him on his new venture, but those who did helped lay the foundations of a system that would affect people throughout the world.

 

By mid-late 1957, students Harold Long and Dick Keith had arranged a teaching contract with the Marine Corps for Shimabuku Sensei. This growth in Marine students seeking out his instruction led Shimabuku to open the Agena Dojo during January of 1958 in order to improve capacity and be closer to the base. Before long, students who began their studies at that same Kyan Village home where the birth of Isshinryu was announced, opened schools of their own once they were back in the United States. Men such as Harold Long, Dick Keith, Don Nagle, and Harry Smith opened their first Isshinryu Schools during the 1958-1959 timeframe. Harold Long introduced Isshinryu to the West Coast when he opened his first dojo in Twenty-Nine Palms, California, while the three other gentlemen previously mentioned opened schools on the East Coast, ranging from Pennsylvania to New Jersey.

 

In an announcement inviting people to attend the Third Anniversary Celebration of Isshinryu, Shimabuku Sensei proudly announced the success of his his students and the spread of his system by proclaiming, “there are instructors of the Isshinryu Modes Karate who have more than 6 Dan (Grade), and they are bringing up many competent experts in the Karate fields.” By 14 October 1960, Harold Long had been promoted to 7th Dan for his efforts, and had relocated, introducing Isshinryu to East Tennessee where it would flourish under his guidance until his passing in 1998.

 

These men and all who continue to spread Isshinryu throughout the world, keep Shimabuku Sensei’s dream alive; that one day we might come to know one another better through the practice of karate-do.