December 10th, 2017

This weeks technique is submitted by Barnes Sensei,Shichi-Dan
Denshi/Shihan
Ueshiro Bushi Dojo, Beverly Hills, CA

Matsubayashi Shorin-Ryu

If one was to google: Shorin-Ryu, The Wikipedia definition would read: Shorin-Ryu is one of the major modern Okinawan martial arts and is one of the oldest styles of karate. It was named by Choshin Chibana in 1933, but the system itself is much older. Choshin Chibana was a top student of the great master of shuri-te, Anko Itosu.

If one was to google: Matsubayashi-Ryu, Wikipedia will provide this definition; Matsubayashi-Ryu is a style of Okinawan karate founded in 1947 by Shoshin Nagamine

So you have Choshin Chibana who penned the name Shorin-Ryu and Shoshin Nagamine who created the name Matsubayashi.

If you put these two words together you get: Matsubayashi Shorin-Ryu

When one googles Ansei Ueshiro, Wikipedia delivers the following:
Ansei Ueshiro was an influential Okinawan martial artist, who was the nephew of Ankichi Arakaki, the chief instructor at the original Nagamine Dojo in Okinawa and the composer of Fukyugata Sandan kata. Born in Kin, Okinawa, Ueshiro relocated to the United States in 1962 at the request of founder Shoshin Nagamine of Matsubayashi Shorin-Ryu, under whom he had studied, for the purpose of spreading the martial art. He founded Shorin-Ryu Karate USA and, according to that organization's official website, "was one of the first Oriental martial artists to bring karate" to the US.

We train Shorin-Ryu… We train Matsubayashi-Ryu…We are and we train Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu Karate USA. Few organizations have such a direct lineage to its founder, even fewer have a system founder with such a distinguished resume like that of Master Ueshiro and No American Hanshi has been specifically handed the documented reigns of such a historic lineage as Hanshi Robert Scaglione. And no students (we) have had the benefit to take hold the actual discipline of such an extraordinary traditional martial art.
Wikipedia will go on to inform the reader that Shorin-Ryu focus is on kata and that the Fukyugata, Pinan, Naihanchi are the core kata’s, while Passai, Gojoushiho, Chinto & Kusanku are advanced and that some but not all systems of shorin ryu include Ananku, Wankan, Rohai, Wanshu. Each Shorin-Ryu system decides what kata they choice to teach, what kumite and application.

Our kata, kumite and applications are what Master Ueshiro has chosen to teach us and as the Chief Instructor of The Nagamine Dojo whose mission was to spread the best of Matsubayashi Shorin-Ryu to the United States we find ourselves in the most humble and fortunate of positions of being the beneficiaries of the best of best training and technique our ancient art provides. In a time that the world is moving so fast with change happening in seconds and ties to the past obliterated, I am overjoyed, euphoric, elated, delirious, rhapsodic, blissful, and yes full of Joy and Vigor, that today December 10th 2017, I can come to feet, place them side by side, place my left hand over my right hand, close my eyes and connect to the 1700 & 1800’s and the original practitioners of our style: Yara, Peichin, Kusanku, Sakugawa, Bushi Matsumuara & Anko Itosu. This, like the unbroken rope on our patch, brings us back to the opening paragraph of this TOTW.

We are the students of the most powerful and traditional organization in the world with our teachings introduced by Master Ueshiro who is a direct blood descendant of the Okinawan "Bushi" class of warriors and delivered to us by Hanshi Robert Scaglione. Let me end with the words of Hiro Ueshiro, The wife of Master Ueshiro sharing Master Ueshiro’s Dream : His dream was to open the main dojo in New York City in partnership with someone he could eventually call his equal; someone who would teach the master a new lesson. This person is Robert Scaglione. From the time Robert was studying at the Saint James Dojo, whether he knew it or not, he was being groomed to be that person. The most important element in a relationship is trust and anyone who has served in the military, police department, fire department-any job where you are faced with putting your life in someone else's hands could truly understand the importance of this trust. A trust where you truly believe that this other person would make the same decision as you would in a given situation. It is this kind of relationship that Robert and Ansei has developed over the years; actually my husband knew this relationship would develop the first time he shook Bob's hand. My husband had entrusted Bob with the future of Shorin-Ryu in the US way before he passed away; I am grateful for this fact because I am at ease for I know my husband’s wishes for the future of Shorin-Ryu in the US will be realized. My job, the Ueshiro family's duty now lies in supporting the leadership of Shorin-Ryu Karate USA.

Domo Arigato,
Barnes Sensei, Shichi-Dan
Denshi/Shihan
Ueshiro Bushi Dojo, Beverly Hills, CA
laugh@comedydojo.com