Select AJA memories on Shimabuku Tatsuo

 

 

Arcenio Advincula

In April 1975, Michie and I visited with Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei and Mrs. Shimabuku at his home in Agena, Gushikawa City, Okinawa..

 

When my Michie and I visited, I told Shimabuku Sensei that several Americans had stated that they had come to study with him but that Kichiro only introduced them to him. I said that Bill Duessel came in 1974 and Kichiro again only introduced him and that Bill Duessel had wanted to train with him.

 

At this moment, Mrs. Shimabuku admonished Tatsuo. " I told you' she said," you should have taught them, they come to see you, not Kichiro" Mrs. Shimabuku said. I was in stunned, it was the first time I ever heard Mrs. Shimabuku scold Tatsuo.

 

Tatsuo then said," Tell anyone else, if they come to Okinawa I will personally teach them."

 

During the same visit, Tatsuo told me that Kichiro was not talking to him. The reason Tatsuo said that he had rented some of the Agena dojo to a weight lifter. The weight lifter had set his weights up in part of the dojo. Sensei said Kichiro came in and saw the weights and asked his father what were these weights doing in the dojo. Sensei said that he was renting out this space because the dojo was only used in the evenings and didn't take up too much space plus he would make a little extra money.

 

According to Tatsuo Sensei, Kichiro blew up and and said he couldn't do this and that he, Kichiro needed the space. Tatsuo said that this was his home which was also the old Isshin-ryū Karate honbu dojo. Kichiro lived in a new house in Kinaka (Chan village). Tatsuo Sensei wanted to make a little money from renting space he wasn’t using. Kichiro ignored his fathers wishes and had all the weights removed and piled them up in a corner. The weight lifter came in the next day and got angry that his weights were moved and then left with his weights. Tatsuo naturally, lost the income from the weight lifter. So much for your home is your castle.

 

Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei said that Kaneshi Eiko, his right hand man had also left because of Kichiro. Tatsuo Sensei said that Kaneshi Eiko and other heads of other dojos had planned to have a demonstration to honor him and also to celebrate the anniversary of Isshin-ryu. They had arranged a meeting and planned the demonstration but Kichiro got mad and said they could not have the demonstration. Tatsuo Sensei backed Kaneshi Eiko and Kichiro again angrily said they couldn't hold the demo and said he was the head of Isshin-ryu and that was that!

 

In the last interview, Tatsuo Sensei said, Kichiro was going to open the new dojo at Kinaka on May 1975 (I'm not sure of the date). I asked Tatsuo Sensei if he was going to the Grand opening. Sensei said no. He wasn't invited. At the Grand opening of the Kinaka dojo, Tatsuo said, Kichiro was going to now officially claim he was the head of all Isshin-ryu.

 

I told Tatsuo sensei, "You are the head of all Isshin-ryū. You are my sensei. All the Americans follow you, not Kichiro. You should be there at the Grand opening." I then continued and said," I'll take you."

 

The day of the opening, I drove to the Kinaka dojo along with two of my students, Robert Embesie, Cyrus Bess and a friend of Embesie's. I then went to pick up Shimabuku Sensei at his home in Agena and brought him to New Kinaka dojo. Kichiro did not know Tatsuo Sensei was coming. All present paid respects to Tatsuo Sensei and Kichiro was demoralized.

 

A promotion exam was held with candidates free fighting and doing kata. Ceremonies were held, speeches made, and a photo session held. Kichiro asked me and my students to participate but I fibbed and told him we didn't have karate gi's. I did not want to be a part of his event where Kichiro was proclaiming he was the head of Isshin-ryū. I only wanted Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei to still be acknowledged as the head of Isshin-ryū and I was there along with my two students, Robert Embesei and Cyrus Bess to show and support Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei as the head of our style..

 

 

‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

 

 

 

Arcenio Advincula

 

In April 1975, Michie and I visited with Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei and Mrs. Shimabuku at his home in Agena, Gushikawa City, Okinawa..

 

When my Michie and I visited, I told Shimabuku Sensei that several Americans had stated that they had come to study with him but that Kichiro only introduced them to him. I said that Bill Duessel came in 1974 and Kichiro again only introduced him and that Bill Duessel had wanted to train with him.

 

At this moment, Mrs. Shimabuku admonished Tatsuo. " I told you' she said," you should have taught them, they come to see you, not Kichiro" Mrs. Shimabuku said. I was in stunned, it was the first time I ever heard Mrs. Shimabuku scold Tatsuo.

 

Tatsuo then said," Tell anyone else, if they come to Okinawa I will personally teach them."

 

During the same visit, Tatsuo told me that Kichiro was not talking to him. The reason Tatsuo said that he had rented some of the Agena dojo to a weight lifter. The weight lifter had set his weights up in part of the dojo. Sensei said Kichiro came in and saw the weights and asked his father what were these weights doing in the dojo. Sensei said that he was renting out this space because the dojo was only used in the evenings and didn't take up too much space plus he would make a little extra money.

 

According to Tatsuo Sensei, Kichiro blew up and and said he couldn't do this and that he, Kichiro needed the space. Tatsuo said that this was his home which was also the old Isshin-ryū Karate honbu dojo. Kichiro lived in a new house in Kinaka (Chan village). Tatsuo Sensei wanted to make a little money from renting space he wasn’t using. Kichiro ignored his fathers wishes and had all the weights removed and piled them up in a corner. The weight lifter came in the next day and got angry that his weights were moved and then left with his weights. Tatsuo naturally, lost the income from the weight lifter. So much for your home is your castle.

 

Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei said that Kaneshi Eiko, his right hand man had also left because of Kichiro. Tatsuo Sensei said that Kaneshi Eiko and other heads of other dojos had planned to have a demonstration to honor him and also to celebrate the anniversary of Isshin-ryu. They had arranged a meeting and planned the demonstration but Kichiro got mad and said they could not have the demonstration. Tatsuo Sensei backed Kaneshi Eiko and Kichiro again angrily said they couldn't hold the demo and said he was the head of Isshin-ryu and that was that!

 

In the last interview, Tatsuo Sensei said, Kichiro was going to open the new dojo at Kinaka on May 1975 (I'm not sure of the date). I asked Tatsuo Sensei if he was going to the Grand opening. Sensei said no. He wasn't invited. At the Grand opening of the Kinaka dojo, Tatsuo said, Kichiro was going to now officially claim he was the head of all Isshin-ryu.

 

I told Tatsuo sensei, "You are the head of all Isshin-ryū. You are my sensei. All the Americans follow you, not Kichiro. You should be there at the Grand opening." I then continued and said," I'll take you."

 

The day of the opening, I drove to the Kinaka dojo along with two of my students, Robert Embesie, Cyrus Bess and a friend of Embesie's. I then went to pick up Shimabuku Sensei at his home in Agena and brought him to New Kinaka dojo. Kichiro did not know Tatsuo Sensei was coming. All present paid respects to Tatsuo Sensei and Kichiro was demoralized.

 

A promotion exam was held with candidates free fighting and doing kata. Ceremonies were held, speeches made, and a photo session held. Kichiro asked me and my students to participate but I fibbed and told him we didn't have karate gi's. I did not want to be a part of his event where Kichiro was proclaiming he was the head of Isshin-ryū. I only wanted Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei to still be acknowledged as the head of Isshin-ryū and I was there along with my two students, Robert Embesei and Cyrus Bess to show and support Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei as the head of our style..

 

……………………………………………………………………………………..

 

Arcenio Advincula

August 29, 1997

Inteview with Taira Kazu, August 29, 1997

 

Location: Harbor Hotel, Tairagawa, Gushikawa Shi, Okinawa

The interview was set up by Tokumura Kensho a friend of Taira Kazuo.

 

During the interview, Taira Kazu stated that he had trained with "Chan Migwa" at the Agricultural High School Karate Club located at the time in Kadena, from 1941 to 1943.

 

Taira Kazuo stated this was the first time he was ever interviewed about training with Kyan Chotoku. He was very happy and said he enjoyed talking to us about about his late Karate teacher Kyan Chotoku.

 

Taira Kazuo described Kyan Chotoku as a small man, who

came up to the level of his ear. Taira Kazu stated that Chojun Miyagi was known for his powerful gripping techniques and Kyan Chotoku was known for his open hand techniques such as nukite and shuto strikes. He said that Kyan Chotoku to condition his nukite techniques would often place two containers with filled with some unknown substance next to the sides of his body and alternate thrust his nukite into the containers.

 

Taira Kazuo remembered some of kata that Kyan Chotoku taught. Naifanchi, Passai and Gojushiho. He also believed but wasn’t certain they practiced three Naifanchi kata.

 

Taira Kazu stated Kyan Chotoku had made a kata named "Paranku." Taira Kazuo, then suddenly stood up and stated performing what he could remember as best as he could remember. For a person who had not practiced karate for 54 year (since 1943), what he remembered and performed looked very good. Taira Kazuo stated that because of the war (WW2), after 1943 Karate was not practiced.  At a later date, Taira Kazuo told Tokumura Kensho to tell me that the kata was not Paranku but Ananku kata that Kyan Chotoku had taught him.

 

Taira Kazuo stated that Kyan Chotoku practiced what he called short distance power, or Chinkuchi. Taira Kazuo stated the "Tiger Style" striking from a long distance practiced in Saipan was incorrect according to what Kyan Chotoku taught. According to Taira Kazu, short distance power of chinkuchi was superior to trying to deliver from a long distance using a whipping action (gamaku) power.  Taira Kazuo stated that he had seen Kyan Chotoku teaching senior members sai techniques but not kata. Taira also said he saw Kyan Chotoku teach what he thought was Sanchin sanchi [shime (締め) in seisan kata]. Taira Kazuo said because of his young age and being a junior, he was not taught either the sai or Sanchin. When further questioned, he repeated he was positive he witnessed Kyan Chotoku Sensei teaching sai and Sanchin.

 

As for Taira Kazu seeing Kyan Chotoku teach what he thought was Sanchin kata, Nakazato Joen Sensei who was a senior classmate of Taira Kazu told me when asked that Kyan Chotoku taught shime and deep breathing in Seisan kata. This may have been Taira Kazu remembered seeing as both are a form of Sanchin.

 

According to Ciso, Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei’s second son, when his father was training with Kyan Chotoku at the Hija River bridge in Yomitan, said Kyan Sensei told Tatsuo on after training at the Yomitan dojo on his return home, to perform Sanchin in the Hija river to cool off. When I told Ciso that according to many, Kyan Chotoku never taught a Sanchin kata, Ciso replied that yes, Kyan Chotoku taught a [type] of Sanchin, only weaker then the Goju-ryu version Tatsuo learned from Miyagi Chojun. Was this the shime that we have in Seisan kata! I think so.

 

This is where we get the story of Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei performing sanchin in the ocean, only it wasn’t the ocean but the Hija river where our founder performed a form of sanchin that he was taught, by Kyan Chotoku.