OUR ROOTS

Master of Okinawan Karate, Born in 1870 to a wealthy family in Shuri, Master Chotoku Kyan began learning the art of self-defense at the age of five from his father, Chofu Kyan, and his grandfather. Due to his affluent background, he had the opportunity to dedicate himself entirely to martial arts, studying under the best Okinawan Karate teachers. After completing his apprenticeship with six renowned Shorin-Ryu masters, Kyan began teaching the art at his home.In the 1920s, Kyan traveled to mainland Japan to promote karate. Later, he moved to the village of Kadena, where he taught a select group of devoted students. Among them was Zenryo Shimabukuro of Chatan, introduced by a school headmaster. Shimabukuro studied under Kyan's guidance for ten years until Kyan's death.During World War II, food was scarce, and Master Kyan gave whatever food he obtained to the children. Tragically, in 1945, at the age of 75, Grandmaster Kyan passed away from hunger.

EXTENDED HISTORY:

 10th Dan Red Belt and Foremost Disciple of Sensei Chotoku KyanMaster Zenryo Shimabukuro, a baker by trade, stood at only 5 feet, 2 inches tall but possessed remarkable strength. After ten years of dedicated karate training under Master Chotoku Kyan, he began teaching the art himself. Initially, Shimabukuro Sensei had no dojo and conducted his lessons outside his home with a small group of students, including his son Zenpo and nephew Zenji. In 1962, he established his own dojo, naming it Seibukan, which means "Holy Art School." This name soon came to represent the karate style itself, embodying Sensei Shimabukuro’s philosophy of karate. Highly respected in his community, he received numerous certificates of appreciation from city officials for his contributions to the betterment of the Okinawan people.In 1964, the All Okinawan Karate-do Federation awarded him the highest rank in Karate, the 10th Dan Red Belt. During the American occupation of Okinawa, he was encouraged to teach karate to American servicemen, thereby spreading the art to the United States and other countries. Master Zenryo Shimabukuro passed away from appendicitis in 1969 at the age of 61. Today, his son Hanshi Zenpo Shimabukuro continues his legacy.

EXTENDED HISTORY:

10th Degree Black Belt and Supreme Instructor* Hanshi Zenpo Shimabukuro, 10th Degree Black Belt and Supreme Instructor of the International Seibukan Shorin Ryu Karate Association, was born in Chatan Cho, Okinawa, in 1943. He was the fourth of five children of Master Zenryo Shimabukuro. Born during the tumultuous period leading up to World War II, he experienced significant loss, including the deaths of one sister at the war's onset and a younger brother shortly after its end. The war left the Shimabukuro family destitute, forcing them to relocate to northern Okinawa until the conflict subsided. Before World War II, Master Zenryo Shimabukuro was a baker and tatami maker. After the war, he briefly worked for the United States military before resuming his profession and also serving as a city government official. Hanshi Zenpo Shimabukuro helped his father teach Seibukan karate on US military bases and played a role in constructing the Seibukan Dojo in Jagaru. Hanshi Shimabukuro graduated from Futema High School in March 1962. In September 1963, at his father's request, he traveled to the United States to teach Sukunaihayashi karate-do to Seibukan students in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, becoming one of the first Okinawan Sensei to teach karate-do in America. He returned to Okinawa in 1966 to assist his father with the Seibukan Honbu dojo and succeeded his father as Supreme Instructor upon his father's death in October 1969. In 1975, the International Seibukan Karate-do Association was formed. Sensei Shimabukuro returned to the United States for a three-month stay in Mississippi to meet with prominent American Seibukan Sensei and formalize the organization. His global visits to Seibukan students in America, Japan, Malaysia, Germany, Poland, South America, the Middle East, and India became essential for updating and standardizing karate techniques and katas. Fluent in English, he effectively shared his profound knowledge of karate-do with English-speaking karate-ka worldwide.