DECEMBER 2018

 As the Christmas and New Year’s holidays are approaching a quick reminder to see me to order equipment that may be desired by December 13th. All items are priced at our discounted rates.

            I have four (4) of Hanshi Duessel’s DVDs of the hand and weapons katas – ($40)

            I have a few of Hanshi Duessel’s Bo and Sai posters – ($15)

            Karate gi’s – sizes 00 – 2 ($20)   3 – 4 ($30)     5 – 6 ($35) – heavy duty gi’s by cost

            School Patch – ($5) – Isshin-ryu Patch – ($8)

            IWKA membership from Okinawa   ($35)

            Safety Hands and Feet – ($38) Head gear ($20)

There will be NO CLASSES on December 24, 25 , 31 and January 1.

Information about our style  and  Founder of Isshin – Ryu Karate

Tatsuo Shimabuku (also referred to as Soke) was born in Okinawa in 1906 and died May 30, 1975. He began his study of karate at the age of 8 when he walked some 12 miles to the neighboring village of Shuri to learn karate from his uncle. His uncle sent him home; obstinately he returned and was sent away several more times. His uncle finally gave in to his persistence and accepted him as a pupil.

For about four years, Master Shimabuku was privileged to study karate in the dojo of his uncle each day after completing the most menial domestic chores.   Having received a certain degree of skill in Shuri-te karate, he went on to formal training in Shorin Ryu. He met Chotoku Kyan, who was already famous throughout Okinawa as a karate instructor and became one of that master’s leading pupils. He also studied karate with Chojun Miyagi of the Goju style of karate, and Choki Motobu of the Shorin Ryu system. Later, he again took up the study of the bo and sai, as well as the tuifa forms from the instructors Taira Shinken and Yabiku Moden, who were responsible for providing Okinawa’s instructors with these particular skills.

Master Shimabuku’s reputation throughout Okinawa had reached its peak when World War II struck. During the early part of the war, he did his best to avoid conscription into the Japanese army by escaping into the countryside where he worked as a farmer. As the situation grew more and more desperate for the Japanese, and as the need to press the Okinawans into the service became urgent, he was forced to flee.

As his reputation in karate spread among the Japanese, many soldiers began a thorough search, as they wanted to study karate under him. The officers who finally caught up with him agreed to keep the secret of his whereabouts if he would teach them karate. It was in this manner that Master Shimabuku survived the war.

After the war, he returned to farming and practiced karate privately for his own spiritual repose and physical exercise. But as one of the island’s leading practioners of both the Shorin Ryu and Goju Ryu styles of karate, he felt a strong need to combine the various styles of karate into one. After consulting the aged masters and the heads of schools, Master Shimabuku founded one of the world’s major styles of karate, the Isshin Ryu system.

Isshin-Ryu Kata Information

Kata are sequentially designed, pre-determined defense, attack, and counterattack forms used against multiple opponents. In addition to giving students practice in “street” techniques, kata develops speed, breath control, balance, calm mind, rhythm, motion, and coordination. Until this century, kata was the only and ideal method of karate training.   Students learn kata in the following order:

1. Seisan
   From Shorin Ryu. It derives its name from Master Seshan. Emphasizes a straight-forward stance, seiken tzuki blocking, the mae geri, and rapid technique
2. Seiuchin
   From Goju Ryu. Emphasizes a strong, low stance in which the heels are shoulder-width apart and the feet are pointed out on a 45 degree angle. It also stresses reinforced blocks and punches, breath control, and powerful techniques.
3. Naihanchin
   From Shorin Ryu. It is known for its “Toe-inward” stance (uchi hachiji dachi). Designed for fighting with one’s back against a wall or on a ledge.   Most Movements are performed in a lateral direction.
4. Wansu
   From Shorin Ryu. It is referred to as the “dumping form” because of the throw it contains. The technical term for this throw is kata garuma.
5. Chinto
   From Shorin Ryu. This kata emphasizes pivots and fighting on angles.   Chinto is one of the most difficult kata to perform while maintaining good balance.
6. Kusanku
   From Shorin Ryu. It derives its name from Master Kushanku. Designed for fighting under conditions with limited-light, and teaches evasive techniques.
7. Sunsu
   This is the kata that Master Shimabuku personally developed, and bears his nickname. It is the longest and most difficult kata to perform.
8.  Sanchin
   From Goju Ryu. It emphasizes strong technique and breath control. The names means “three battles”, and refers to the control of mind, body, and breath during the performance of the kata.

November 2018
ST. JUDE’S CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL KICK-A-THON – NOVEMBER 5 to 10.  SPONSORSHIP FORMS WILL BE ARRIVING AT THE DOJO SHORTLY!

AMERICAN ISSHINRYU DAY WITH THE MASTERS – $60.00 for the day, INCLUDING LUNCH!  (Non-American Isshinryu members pay ONLY $85 and your AI Lifetime Membership is INCLUDED!)     The schedule of presenters is as follows:  Saturday, November 10, 2018 – DOORS OPEN 8:30 AM      Event will be held at The College of Saint Elizabeth  2 Convent Road  Convent Station (Morristown), NJ 07960   Presenters include: Master Kelly Cere:  Angi Uezu’s Isshinryu Yakosoku Kumite, Master Terry Creamer:  Kumite,  Master John Devine:  Bo-Sai patterns (kumite),  Master Isham Latimer:  Stand-up JuJitsu

The Sagacious Monkey and the Boar
LONG, long ago, there lived in the province of Shinshin in Japan, a traveling monkey-man, who earned his living by taking round a monkey and showing off the animal’s tricks.
One evening the man came home in a very bad temper and told his wife to send for the butcher the next morning.  The wife was very bewildered and asked her husband:
“Why do you wish me to send for the butcher?”
“It’s no use taking that monkey round any longer, he’s too old and forgets his tricks. I beat him with my stick all I know how, but he won’t dance properly. I must now sell him to the butcher and make what money out of him I can. There is nothing else to be done.”
The woman felt very sorry for the poor little animal, and pleaded for her husband to spare the monkey, but her pleading was all in vain, the man was determined to sell him to the butcher.
Now the monkey was in the next room and overheard ever word of the conversation. He soon understood that he was to be killed, and he said to himself:
“Barbarous, indeed, is my master! Here I have served him faithfully for years, and instead of allowing me to end my days comfortably and in peace, he is going to let me be cut up by the butcher, and my poor body is to be roasted and stewed and eaten? Woe is me! What am I to do. Ah! a bright thought has struck me! There is, I know, a wild bear living in the forest nearby. I have often heard tell of his wisdom. Perhaps if I go to him and tell him the strait I am in he will give me his counsel. I will go and try.”
There was no time to lose. The monkey slipped out of the house and ran as quickly as he could to the forest to find the boar. The boar was at home, and the monkey began his tale of woe at once.
“Good Mr. Boar, I have heard of your excellent wisdom. I am in great trouble, you alone can help me. I have grown old in the service of my master, and because I cannot dance properly now he intends to sell me to the butcher. What do you advise me to do? I know how clever you are!”
The boar was pleased at the flattery and determined to help the monkey. He thought for a little while and then said:
“Hasn’t your master a baby?”
“Oh, yes,” said the monkey, “he has one infant son.”
“Doesn’t it lie by the door in the morning when your mistress begins the work of the day? Well, I will come round early and when I see my opportunity I will seize the child and run off with it.”
“What then?” said the monkey.
“Why the mother will be in a tremendous scare, and before your master and mistress know what to do, you must run after me and rescue the child and take it home safely to its parents, and you will see that when the butcher comes they won’t have the heart to sell you.”
The monkey thanked the boar many times and then went home. He did not sleep much that night, as you may imagine, for thinking of the morrow. His life depended on whether the boar’s plan succeeded or not. He was the first up, waiting anxiously for what was to happen. It seemed to him a very long time before his master’s wife began to move about and open the shutters to let in the light of day. Then all happened as the boar had planned. The mother placed her child near the porch as usual while she tidied up the house and got her breakfast ready.
The child was crooning happily in the morning sunlight, dabbing on the mats at the play of light and shadow. Suddenly, there was a noise in the porch and a loud cry from the child. The mother ran out from the kitchen to the spot, only just in time to see the boar disappearing through the gate with her child in its clutch. She flung out her hands with a loud cry of despair and rushed into the inner room where her husband was still sleeping soundly.
He sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes, and crossly demanded what his wife was making all that noise about. By the time that the man was alive to what had happened, and they both got outside the gate, the boar had got well away, but they saw the monkey running after the thief as hard as his legs would carry him.
Both the man and wife were moved to admiration at the plucky conduct of the sagacious monkey, and their gratitude knew no bounds when the faithful monkey brought the child safely back to their arms.
“There!” said the wife. “This is the animal you want to kill-if the monkey hadn’t been here we should have lost our child forever.”
“You are right, wife, for once,” said the man as he carried the child into the house.                                                                                                                                                       “You may send the butcher back when he comes, and now give us all a good breakfast and the monkey too.”
When the butcher arrived, he was sent away with an order for some boar’s meat for the evening dinner, and the monkey was petted and lived the rest of his days in peace, nor did his master ever strike him again.
Ozaki, Yei Theodora. Japanese Fairy Tales. New York: A. L. Burt Company, 1908.
CHERISH FRIENDSHIP
     OLD AGE HAS MERIT AND WISDOM
          WHAT IS THE MORAL OF THIS FABLE?