The Isshin Ryu System
"All things begin with one"
Literally translated, Isshin-ryu
means: "one heart way". When studying any martial art. First understand why and how
that system or style came about. Although all martial arts arise for the same basic
purpose, the application of self defense teqniques differ. For example, Isshin-Ryu
is easily identified by it's "thumb on top" verticle punch. This was developed by
Tatsuo Shimabuku on the island of Okinawa, and differs greatly from any Chinese
or Korean style of Karate.
Tatsuo Shimabuku was born in
1908 in the village of Chan (now a part of Gushikawa city) on the island of Okinawa
to a family of farmers. His parents gave him both an Okinawan name, Kana, and a
Japanese name Chinkichi. The dual naming convention had become an Okinawan custom due
to prohibitions on native or Chinese customs. These restrictions prohibited the
natives from speaking Hogen (the Okinawan dialect.) Since the name Kana was Okinawan, it
could not appear in the Shimabuku family register (koseki). It wasn't until his late
thirties that Shimabuku took the name Tatsuo, which means "dragon man" (dragons are a
symbol of prosperity and good fortune.) This is also about the time he began accepting
students.
When Shimabuku became a teenager he
began training with his uncle Ganeku who was not a very skilled martial artist. Ganeku
did, however, give his nephew a well rounded education which included literature,
philosophy, 'I'Ching' and astrology. Realizing that his nephew needed better martial
arts training, Ganeku introduced Shimabuku to Chotoku Kyan of Kadena. Chotoku Kyan
(one the most famous Shorin-ryu teachers) had studied under masters of Shuri-te and
Tomari-te styles, these two styles combined to form Shorin-ryu. Shimabuku became one
Chotoku Kyan's best students.
Shimabuku studied with Kyan for
four years over-all. During that time, Shimabuku learned five empty hand kata and two
weapons kata. Shimabuku later trained with Chojun Miyagi (of Karate Kid© fame) for
three years and Choki Motobu for one year. Both Miyagi and Motobu lived in Naha which
was quite a distance from Chan, but both were well known and well respected. With
these two teachers Shimabuku would learn a sixth Shorin-ryu kata as well as Goju-ryu.
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